Each month Salimetrics will feature an expert from its Saliva Research Community. The intention is to bring together University Researchers around the world to encourage the sharing of ideas. Salimetrics wants to encourage Collaborative Research and to maximise Grant Applications / Awards in these challenging economic times. The company has made it possible for you to communicate directly with the "Expert" featured.
Marco's Biography
Dr. Marco Cardinale is the Head of Sports
Science and Research of the British Olympic Association Dr.
Cardinale leads the Science and Research Unit
of the British Olympic Medical Institute based in University College London,
Institute of Sport Exercise and Health. Dr.Cardinale led the Sports Science activities for the preparation of Team
GB at the Beijing 2008 and Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games.
A former Handball coach, Marco has been involved in coach education in various countries in the area of strength and conditioning and
exercise physiology. A widely published and cited author in the scientific
literature on various aspects of human performance, he has also patented an innovative exercise device.
Marco publishes a blog featuring his views on Sports and Fitness, a link to which is at the foot of this article. Many Sports and Exercise links can be located on this blogspot
Interview With Marco
1. Can you tell us about the major themes in your research program?
The major theme is to use salivary biomarkers to gather a better understanding of the effects of various training loading paradigm on adaptation and recovery as well as acute responses to a variety of stimulation ranging from video clips to physical modalities.
2. If you had to pick 1 publication in the past five years as the "best of your best", what would it be and why?
Difficult to say, maybe the first study analysing salivary hormones in response to whole body vibration exercise in healthy individuals published in 2007 by my PhD student Julie Erskine. Non related to hormonal research, the research work of my latest PhD student Catherine Hesford on the use of Near Infrared Spectroscopy is also quite interesting as for the first time we found asymmetries in muscle oxygenation in-vivo in a real race simulation and used some innovative technology which will help coaches. The best papers are still sitting in my hard drive, I wish I had the time to write up more. Will try after the Olympics.
3. How did you get interested in using saliva in your research?
I saw saliva as a viable solution in the applied setting due to the fact that it is not invasive and relatively easy to collect and process.
4. Which salivary analtyes are you working with?
Testosterone, Cortisol, IgA, Amylase, DHEA, Estradiol, IL6 but looking forward to use the new NGF assay.
5. How has working with saliva changed the direction of your research plans?
Not changed it, just helped with some applications in the field and some ideas for applied work in other arenas such as stress in the workplace.
6. What analyte is not measured in saliva now that you would hope could be measured in the future?
A few, but I am excited to finally see NGF on offering. Would love to be able to assay for Cytokines and pituitary hormones.
7. What advice would give young investigators who might be considering working with saliva in their research?
Read the literature, understand the potential but most of all the limitations and make sure the collection and storage of saliva is done properly. Collection and storage badly affect results so it is important to adhere to protocols.
8. Tell us something about you (a hobby or special interest) that we would be surprised to know?
My favourite sport is Handball, and I have a background as a coach in Italy and coached the GB team in 2003. Use to play the keyboards before moving to the UK and in the last few years I have attempted to master the electric guitar, however I can say that Brian May still has a long career as I am not ready to take on stadium tours yet.
Contact Marco
Visit Marco's Blog
Contact Salimetrics European Office
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