METAPREDICT (´Developing Predictors of the Health Benefits of Exercise for Individuals´) project plans to identify molecular biomarkers and study the response to exercise and training. This is supported by EU-funding of EUR 6 million and a multidisciplinary research group including medical staff, physiologists, and experts in genetics, genomics, informatics, and metabolism.
Principle coordinator of the project is Jamie Timmons, a professor of systems biology at Loughborough University. He says METAPREDICT has set out to study how 300 people in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Canada and the United States respond to a 10-week supervised exercise-training programme.
´The study group will train for 15 minutes for three days a week. We will then conduct a number of physiological tests such as monitoring their appetite, body fat, fitness levels and metabolism,´ says Professor Timmons.
Like many clinical studies, finding volunteers is one of the main challenges for scientists, but for Professor Timmons, this was the easy part. He says: ´We have conducted 10 studies over recent years related to monitoring fitness levels and have received subsequent worldwide press coverage as a result.´
The results will be evaluated later this year. The research team hope to develop a greater understanding of the biological networks which connect lifestyle and disease risk. It also aims to produce biotechnology outputs through its small and medium enterprise (SME) partners. As well as drive the development of personalised healthcare to improve the overall welfare of Europeans.
