Associate Prof Andrew McKune Biography
Andrew McKune is an Associate Professor of Exercise Science in the Discipline of Biokinetics, Exercise and Leisure Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) where he co-ordinates the Masters Programme.
He has a Masters Degree in Medical Science (Physiology) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and obtained his Doctorate in 2005 from Tswhane University of Technology where he examined mucosal immune and inflammatory responses to strenuous exercise. He is a South African National Research Foundation (NRF) rated researcher and is a past co-leader of the NRF Niche Area examining the effect of exercise on immune and inflammatory responses in healthy adults. In 2003 and 2004 he was a recipient of a NRF Thuthuka Research Grant for Young Scientists. In 2007 he was the Tshwane University of Technology Junior Researcher of the year.
From 2006-2007, Andrew was also the Thomas W. River’s Visiting Professor (Rivers Chair) in the Department of Kinesiology, East Carolina University (USA). He has 30 original, peer-reviewed research and review papers and his research is currently funded by South African NRF and Medical Research Council Competitive Research Grants. His current research interest includes the measurement of salivary biomarkers in children and the effect of physical activity and training with applications for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases of lifestyle. Andrew in the process of setting up a Saliva Research Laboratory at the Prime Human Performance Institute at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa.
He is a Specialist Editor (Sports Science) for Men’s Health, South Africa and since 2007 has had a monthly column called in Men’s Health called the Sports Scientist. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA) and is an Advanced Speed, Agility and Quickness trainer (SAQ International). In his spare time Andrew enjoys field hockey as well as trail running with his daughters.
1. Can you tell us about the major themes in your research program? My main interests include the use of non-invasive techniques such as saliva sampling and heart rate variability for understanding immune, inflammatory, autonomic and HPA-axis activation in children, adults and athletes. Setting up the University of KwaZulu-Natal Saliva Lab at Prime Human Performance Institute has provided the opportunity to link with a number of professionals working within the fields of Sports Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Performance including the current Springbok Rugby Team Doctor, Craig Roberts, the South African Olympic Doctor, Kevin Subban, the Amazulu Football Club Strength and Conditioning Specialist Divan Augustyn and the Sharks Rugby Team Rehabilitation Specialist, Jimmy Wright. I am looking forward to regular saliva journal club meetings that I am sure will provide the stimulus for the development of many future investigations using biomarker measurements in saliva to answer health and performance related questions.
2. If you had to pick 1 publication in the past 5 years as the "best of your best", what would it be and why? I think that the article would have to be McKune AJ, Smith LL, Semple SJ, Wadee AA., Fickl H, Villa JG, Gómez-Gallego F, San Juan AF, Lucia, A. Changes in mucosal and humoral atopic-related markers and immunoglobulins in elite cyclists participating in the Vuelta a Espana. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2006 Jul;27(7):560-6. The reason why I chose this publication is because it was my first “saliva” publication as well as international collaboration. The saliva measurements included SIgA, IgE, and Eosinophil Cationic Protein and we examined the levels of these as well as other blood markers over the three week cycle tour.
3. How did you get interested in using saliva in your research? Professors Edith Peters and Lucille Smith were both instrumental in introducing me to the field of saliva research. I met Prof Peters in 1997 at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Nelson R. Mandela Medical School. She had recently returned from an International Society of Exercise and Immunology meeting and had been given the methodology for measuring salivary SIgA and total protein. I was completing my MMedSci in Physiology at the time and she asked me to help with the collection and analysis of saliva samples from runners who were participating in the Comrades Ultra-marathon (90 km). It was at this time that I started reading about the effect of strenuous endurance exercise on SIgA levels and the increased susceptibility of athletes to developing upper respiratory tract symptoms. I met Prof Smith in 2002 where we both took up positions on the same day at Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa. I remember that our first conversation was in the lift going to the institution’s Human Resources Department (to check in) and she introduced me to her Th1/Th2 Hypothesis of Overtraining in Athletes. We spoke about the possibility of cytokines influencing upper respiratory tract functioning and measuring markers of inflammation in saliva.
4. Which salivary analytes are you working with? We measure saliva concentrations of SIgA, cortisol, alpha-amylase, androstenedione and C-reactive protein.
5. How has working with saliva changed the direction of your research plans? The measurement of biomarkers in saliva has provided me the opportunity to perform health and performance related research in children. We recently completed a project where we examined various salivary biomarkers in 250 rural African children (7-12 years). Stress related to blood draws was absent and the children and the research team had great fun demonstrating saliva collection techniques. Although blood sampling is important, I feel that there are thousands of pediatric related health and performance questions that can be investigated using salivary biomarkers.
6. What analyte is not measured in saliva now that you would hope could be measured in the future? It would be great if we could measure some of the adipose tissue derived hormones/adipokines, such as adiponectin, leptin, and resistin. I am also looking forward to Salimetrics developing a portable, hand-held saliva testing device.
7. What advice would you give young investigators who might be considering working with saliva in their research? Ensure that you learn your pipetting and immunoassay skills from an individual who is obsessive-compulsive about preparation and technique. I attended a “Spit Camp” run by Salimetrics at Penn State in 2007 when I lived in the USA. I learnt so many tips over the two days about appropriate assay technique for obtaining reliable results.
8. Tell us something about you (a hobby or special interest) that we would be surprised to know? I am currently working on a children’s bed-time story book based on some of the things my Dad used to get up to (he passed away a year ago). One story involved him visiting the neighbor’s garden every day for a month to add soil to a mole hill. Each day he added a bit more soil than the previous day. The neighbor could just not understand the persistence of the mole and how it was possible that the “hill” grew bigger every day.
Associate Professor Department of Biokinetics,
Exercise and Leisure Sciences School of Health Sciences
University of KwaZulu-Natal
Private Bag X54001 Durban, 4000 South Africa
Phone: +27 (0)31 2607985 Fax: +27 (0)31 260 7903 Cell: +27 (0)837155683
Email: mckunea@ukzn.ac.za
Website: http://www.facebook.com/Primehp
Twitter: @AndrewMcKune
Salimetrics Blog: www.salimetricseurope.blogspot.co.uk
Twitter: @Salimetrics
Contact Salimetrics Europe: info@salimetricseurope.com
_______________________________