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Staff Profile

Dr Deb Dulson

Senior Lecturer

  • Telephone: 0191 208 0566
  • Address: Sport and Exercise Science
    School of Biomedical, Nutritional and Sport Sciences
    Faculty of Medical Sciences
    Dame Margaret Barbour Building
    Newcastle upon Tyne
Background

I am an Exercise Physiology Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University. Prior to moving to Newcastle University in 2020, I was a Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science at Auckland University of Technology (AUT, New Zealand) from 2011 until 2020.

My undergraduate degree (BSc) was in Sport and Exercise Science at Loughborough University for which I was awarded a First Class Honours in 2007. I then obtained my PhD in 2010 (also at Loughborough University) investigating the effects of caffeine on immune responses to exercise, under the supervision of Dr Nicolette Bishop and Professor Mike Gleeson.

My research interests focus on the effects of dietary manipulation and dietary supplements/ergogenic aids on immune function and upper respiratory symptom (URS) risk both at rest and following exercise in athletes, as well as the role they play in athlete performance. These interests have recently focused more specifically around female athletes and the role the menstrual cycle may play in altering immune responses to exercise.

I am also very interested in the acute and chronic effects of a variety of stressors placed upon endurance and team-sport athletes and how these stressors may impact upon the health of athletes (and immune function) and their risk of URS, especially within an elite context. As such I have been fortunate enough to work with a number of elite sport teams within New Zealand, including the men’s Black Sticks (Hockey), Women’s Football Ferns (Football), Blues and Hurricanes (Rugby Union teams) and Vodafone Warriors (Rugby League team).

My current research is a mix of both fundamental and applied research and is inter-disciplinary in nature, lying at the intersection between physiology, biochemistry, immunology and nutrition. 



Research

Current Research:


The acute effects of caffeine on the immune system of healthy female team-sport players in response to prolonged intermittent exercise


The effect of caffeine on performance, physiological, metabolic and perceptual responses between males, female oral contraceptive users and naturally menstruating females.


The effects of a 4 week ketogenic diet on:

  1. the microbiome of ultra-endurance runners and its subsequent relationship with the immune system
  2.  iron metabolism amongst ultra-endurance runners and its influence following time to exhaustion exercise


The acute effects of hot water immersion on immune responses and inflammation amongst healthy older adults



Supervisions in Progress:


Ollie Page, PhD (part-time), 2021 – to date. ‘The impact of thermal strain and hydration on glycaemic control and cardiovascular function in people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes’

 

 

Completed Supervisions


Josh McGeown, PhD, 2017 – to date (Technical Advisor). ‘Optimisation of mTBI symptom assessment and rehabilitation strategies.’

 

Lauren Keaney, PhD, 2020 (Primary Supervisor). ‘The impact of team sport stressors on immunity and risk for illness.’

 

Angad Marwah, MSp&Ex, 2020 (Secondary Supervisor). ‘The effect of caffeine ingestion on mucosal immunity in response to high intensity intermittent exercise performed in the heat by team-sport athletes.’

 

Dave Shaw, PhD, 2019 (Primary Supervisor). ‘The effect of nutritional ketosis on performance and immune function in endurance athletes.’

 

Shankaralingam Ramalingam, PhD, 2019 (Secondary Supervisor). ‘Comparison of muscular endurance training periodisation models in male athletes’.

 

Ashley Gluchowski, PhD, 2018 (Secondary Supervisor). ‘The effects of eccentric resistance training on the metabolic health, strength and functional capacity of older adults’.

 

Ryan Morrow, MSp&Ex, 2018 (Primary Supervisor). ‘Does ice slurry ingestion influence mucosal immunity and performance during intermittent exercise in the heat’.

 

Khine Thida, MPhil, 2017 (Primary Supervisor). “Does caffeine consumption before high-intensity intermittent exercise enhance immunity?”


Lee Bridgeman, PhD, 2017 (Third Supervisor). ‘The effects of accentuated eccentric loading during depth jumps on strength, power, speed and exercise induced muscle damage’.

 

Jessica Dent, PhD. 2014 (Primary Supervisor). ‘The effect of concurrent resistance and repeated-sprint exercise on performance and cytokine response in female team-sport athletes’.

 

Chloe Gibson, MSp&Ex, 2012 (Primary Supervisor) ‘Dose-response effects of caffeine ingestion on salivary IgA response following high-intensity exercise’.

Teaching

I am the Degree Programme Director for the BSc Sport & Exercise Science (SES)

I am a module leader for both the BSc SES and MSc Exercise Physiology

SES2004 (U/G) - Exercise Physiology

SES8000 (P/G) - Applied Exercise Science

As well as teaching on the above modules, I also teach and contribute to:

SES1001 (U/G)- Human Physiology and Practical Skills

SES3000 (U/G) - Sport and Exercise Science Research Project

SES8001 (P/G) - Exercise Physiology Assessment Skills

Publications