The company says: "We want to open a dialogue to encourage collaborative Research and to maximise Grant Applications. We trust this will encourage the future use of Saliva, minimally Invasive technology: Simple, Painless, Effective."
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Michael (Mike) Gleeson is Professor of Exercise Biochemistry in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University (UK). He is a world authority on exercise biochemistry, immunology and nutrition and has published several books and over 250 scientific articles including over 150 original, peer-reviewed research and review papers. His work has been cited over 5000 times and his H index is 42. His research is focused on the effects of acute exercise, repeated exercise and intensified training on the immune system and the modifying effects of nutritional interventions. He is a past-president of the International Society of Exercise and Immunology and a Fellow of the European College of Sport Science and of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences. He is member of the Editorial Board of the European Journal of Applied Physiology, Exercise Immunology Review, Journal of Sports Sciences and Immunometabolism. He has provided advice on minimising risks of infection and nutritional strategies to maintain immune function to numerous sports clubs and organisations and has been involved in immunoendocrine monitoring studies of several professional athlete groups including swimmers, rugby union and football players in recent years. In his spare time Mike enjoys playing tennis, watching football and drinking beer.
Questions and Answers
1. Can you tell us about the major themes in your research program? My main interests are on the effect that exercise has on immune function and inflammation in healthy individuals and in those with chronic conditions. My studies involve investigating the effects of acute exercise and training on immune-endocrine function, markers of inflammation and respiratory infection incidence in elite and recreational athletes; some of my colleagues focus similar studies on disabled athletes and clinical patients. I am also interested in nutritional influences on immune responses to exercise. My research is a mixture of both fundamental and applied research and involves a multidisciplinary approach encompassing exercise physiology, biochemistry, immunology and nutrition.
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 best book I have coauthored is “The Biochemical Basis of Sport Performance; Human Kinetics, now in its second edition, 2010” (with Prof Ron Maughan) because I have received lots of complimentary feedback from colleagues and students who have read it. The highest impact review article I have co-authored is “Gleeson M, Bishop NC, Stensel DJ, Lindley MR, Mastana SS and Nimmo MA: The anti-inflammatory effects of exercise: mechanisms and implications for the prevention and treatment of disease”. Nature Reviews Immunology 11: 607-615, 2011. My most impressive recent original paper is probably Gleeson M, Bishop NC, Oliveira M, McCauley T, Tauler P and Muhamad AS: Respiratory infection risk in athletes: association with antigen-stimulated IL-10 production and salivary IgA secretion. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2010.01272.x. which identifies some specific immune measures as predictors of infection risk in athletes.
3. How did you get interested in using saliva in your research? It has been recognised for some time that secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) plays an important role in defending mucosal surfaces against infection. It is known that saliva SIgA secretion is affected by exercise and this prompted us to include measurement of saliva SIgA in many of the studies we do. Saliva samples can also be used to evaluate the stress response to exercise via the measurement of cortisol, amylase and chromogranin A.
4. Which salivary analytes are you working with? We measure saliva concentrations of SIgA, cortisol, testosterone, lysozyme, lactoferrin, amylase and chromogranin A
5. How has working with saliva changed the direction of your research plans?
Saliva sampling has proved very useful as a non-invasive means of assessing immune function (e.g. antimicrobial proteins such as SIgA, lysozyme and lactoferrin) and stress markers (e.g. cortisol/testosterone ratio) in long-term monitoring studies of athletes (e.g. swimmers, football and rugby players) over the course of a competitive season. This approach is much more acceptable to athletes and coaches than repeated blood samplings.
6. What analyte is not measured in saliva now that you would hope could be measured in the future?
Probably some of the cytokines such as interleukin-6. Pituitary hormones (ACTH, hGH, FSH etc) would also be good. However, to be useful, the levels in saliva must be shown to be correlated to the levels found in blood plasma.
7. What advice would give young investigators who might be considering working with saliva in their research? Be sure to regularly check calibration of pipettes to ensure consistent results when doing studies that require repeated collection of samples over long periods. Consider (and where possible control for) possible factors that may influence your salivary analyte measures such as diurnal variations, hydration status etc.
8. Tell us something about you (a hobby or special interest) that we would be surprised to know? I am a fan of fantasy fiction novels and particularly enjoy reading the works of JRR Tolkien and GRR Martin. On the sporting front I am a keen tennis player. There is no truth in the rumour that I do this to meet fit young ladies in short skirts.
Loughborough University
School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences
Loughborough University
Ashby Road
Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU (UK)
Phone: +44 1509 226345 (office)
Contact Mike by E Mail: m.gleeson@lougborough.ac.uk
Contact Salimetrics: info@salimetricseurope.com
Twitter: @Salimetrics
Blog: www.salimetricseurope.blogspot.co.uk
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