Researcher biography

Jeff Coombes is a Professor in the School of Human Movement Studies. He completed undergraduate degrees in applied science and education and a research Masters at the University of Tasmania before gaining a PhD from the University of Florida. After completing his PhD he returned to Australia to spend two years in an academic position at the University of Tasmania before moving to the University of Queensland in 2000.

Jeff's research interests focus on determining the optimal exercise prescription for improving health. With theoretical backgrounds in biochemistry and physiology he conducts human studies and basic science projects. His findings have emphasised the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness for health benefits and many of his current projects are using high intensity interval to improve fitness and investigate outcomes. The basic science projects are identifying the mechanisms that explain the health benefits of exercise and include work in the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems at cellular and molecular levels. He is also a passionate advocate on the importance of fitness for health and delivers many presentations to impact on public health. His research group comprises doctors, postdoctoral fellows and PhD students and uses the extensive resources of the exercise physiology and exercise biochemistry laboratories in the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences.

Current research projects of the group include;

  • High intensity interval training in patients with chronic kidney disease
  • High intensity interval training in patients with metabolic syndrome
  • High intensity interval training in overweight and obese children and adolescents
  • Cardiorespiratory fitness and outcome in patients receiving a liver transplant
  • Multi-disciplinary lifestyle intervention in patients with chronic kidney disease
  • Exercise training in patients with diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy
  • Oxidative stress and antioxidant biomarkers to predict the cardiorespiratory fitness response to exercise
  • Molecular mechanisms of exercise cardioprotection: relations with oxidative stress
  • Activation of NRF2 by nutritional supplementation in patients with type 2 diabetes
  • Exercise-training and skeletal muscle O-glycnacylation
  • Antioxidant supplementation in health and disease
Featured projects Duration
Resources to guide exercise specialists managing adults with diabetes
Effect of high intensity interval training (HIIT) on human gut microbiome functional diversity, inflammation and body composition in colorectal cancer survivors
The University of Newcastle - NHMRC CRE in Digestive Health
Feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of the Physical Activity Intelligence (PAI) e-health program for cardiac patients from the Defence community
Defence Health Foundation Grants for Medical Research
Development of evidence-based guidelines for physical activity/exercise during pregnancy and postpartum
Australian Government Department of Health
High intensity exercise for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
Diabetes Australia Research Limited
The FITR Heart Study: Feasibility, Safety, Adherence, and Efficacy of High Intensity Interval Training in hospital-initiated rehabilitation for coronary heart disease
Hypertension and cerebrovascular function during exercise
Genes to Predict VO2max trainability (PREDICT HIIT)
Enhancing language learning in ageing with exercise: An fMRI investigation
An evidence-based intervention (“Fit for Treatment”) to prevent chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity in breast cancer patients: An effectiveness-implementation hybrid study
The Effects of High Intensity Exercise on Cardiovascular Function in Men with Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Exercise for Type 2 Diabetes
Effects of exercise on Sexual function and Cardiovascular health in men with prostate cancer (ESCA) Study
FITBRAIN Trial: The relationship between midlife cardiorespiratory FITness, BRAIN blood flow and cognition