Dr Joshua Denham

Biography

I am an ESSA Accredited Exercise Physiologist with a keen interest in Molecular and Cellular Exercise Physiology. My research involves determining the molecular mechanisms behind the favourable health and performance adaptations to physical activity and exercise training. I have publications on telomere biology, epigenetics (DNA methylation and microRNAs) and gene expression measured in context with exercise, physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness. Ultimately, my aim is to identify how exercise improves health and longevity, elucidate biomarkers for poor and high-responders to exercise and establish whether the health benefits of exercise training may be passed on to future generations.

Qualifications

• PhD – Molecular Exercise Physiology; Federation University Australia
• Grad. Dip. – Exercise Rehabilitation; University of Ballarat
• M.Sci – Exercise Rehabilitation; University of Ballarat
• B.Appl.Sci – Human Movement; University of Ballarat

Teaching Areas

EXSC334 Neuromuscular Disease and Injury

EXSC382 Clinical Exercise Physiology Practice II (Musculoskeletal)

EXSC383 Clinical Exercise Physiology Practice III (Neurological)

Research Interests

Research Grants

Sports Medicine Australia (SMA) – $2,000

Seeding grant (Federation University Australia) - $6,000

Publications

Selected Recent Publications

Telomere research

1. Denham, J., O’Brien, B.J., & Charchar, F.J. (2016). Telomere Length Maintenance and Cardio-Metabolic Disease Prevention Through Exercise Training. Sports Medicine. Advanced online publication. 10.1007/s40279-016-0482-4
2. Denham, J. (2016). Lack of association between PBMC telomere length and endurance exercise. Journal of Applied Biomedicine. Advanced online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jab.2016.09.004
3. Denham, J, Brown, N.J., O’Brien, B.J., & Charchar, F.J. (2016). Increased Expression Of Telomere-Regulating Genes In Endurance Athletes With Long Leukocyte Telomeres. Journal of Applied Physiology, 120: 148-158
4. Denham, J., Marques, F.Z., & Charchar, F.J. (2014). Leukocyte Telomere Length Variation Due to DNA Extraction Method. BMC Research Notes, 7(1): 877.
5. Denham, J., Nelson, C.P., O’Brien, B.J., Nankervis, S.A., Denniff, M., Harvey, J.T., Marques, F.Z., Codd, V., Zukowska-Szczechowska, E., Samani, N.J., Tomaszewski, M., & Charchar F.J. (2013). Longer Leukocyte Telomeres are Associated with Ultra-Endurance Exercise Independent of Cardiovascular Risk Factors. PLoS ONE, 8(7): e69377.

Epigenetics research

6. Denham, J. (2017). Exercise and epigenetic inheritance of disease risk. Acta Physiologica. Advanced online publication. DOI: 10.1111/alpha.12881
7. Denham, J., & Prestes, P. (2016). Muscle-enriched microRNAs isolated from whole blood are regulated by exercise and are potential biomarkers of cardiorespiratory fitness. Frontiers in Genetics. Advanced online publication. DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2016.00196
8. Denham, J., Marques, F.Z., Bruns, E.L., O’Brien, B.J., & Charchar, F.J. (2016). Epigenetic Changes In Leukocytes After 8 Weeks Of Resistance Exercise Training. European Journal of Applied Physiology,116(6): 1245–1253.
9. Denham, J., O’Brien, B.J., & Charchar, F.J. (2015). Genome-Wide Sperm DNA Methylation Changes After Three Months Of Exercise Training In Humans. Epigenomics, 13: 1-15.
10. Denham, J., O’Brien, B.J., Marques, F.Z., & Charchar, F.J. (2015). Changes in the Leukocyte Methylome and its Effect on Cardiovascular Related Genes After Exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 15(118): 475-488.
11. Denham, J., Marques, F.Z., O’Brien, B., & Charchar, F.J. (2014). Exercise: Putting Action into our Epigenome. Sports Medicine, 44: 189-209.

Memberships

Professional Memberships

Accredited Exercise Physiology with Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA)

Sports Medicine Australia (SMA) member

Affiliations

Federation University Australia Research Associate