Human Exercise Research Core Facility to Serve the Broader Campus

There is growing evidence that physical activity has a profound impact on a wide array of aspects of both physical and mental health. Currently research involving nutrition, exercise or physical activity is scattered among a number of labs and clinics on the UW-Madison campus. The breadth, depth and impact of this research is limited by the lack of a centralized facility where researchers can conduct exercise-related studies and interact with each other regarding the wide array of variables that are affected by physical activity. The “Human Exercise Research Core Facility” will be a comprehensive, multidisciplinary core that facilitates research in this growing area of need.

The facility will provide a centralized space for measuring several aspects of exercise capacity and physical function. It will provide equipment to measure such factors as exercise capacity, exercise metabolism, muscle function and body composition and, for investigators new to this type of research, it will provide expertise in experiments related to exercise and cognition, metabolism, and cardiopulmonary function. The core will boost funding potential, catalyze collaborative initiatives, and enhance research impact for a diverse array of researchers on campus. At the same time it will open new avenues for innovative research and collaborations in this area.