RESEARCHER PROFILE (Filmed May 2024)
Dr Shelley Keating AES AEP ESSAM
Senior Lecturer, Clinical Exercise Physiology and Accredited Exercise Physiologist
School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences
The University of Queensland
Dr Shelley Keating is a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology and Accredited Exercise Physiologist from the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland. With a strong grounding in exercise metabolism and body composition, Dr Keating’s research centres on the utility of exercise as a therapy for obesity and related cardiometabolic conditions, notably metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
Dr Keating has an established research profile that is delivering impact for patients and clinicians. Her research has led to the development of safe and feasible exercise programs that generate significant improvement in the cardiometabolic health of individuals with MASLD and related chronic disease. Drawing on these findings, Dr Keating has developed national and international exercise guidelines for MASLD. Her research has led to a paradigm shift in how exercise is prioritised in MASLD management and has been adopted into exercise prescription recommendations in 15 international guidelines for MASLD management across 12 countries.
Dr Keating’s research had found a lack of awareness, uptake, and sustainability of exercise for MASLD management. Her ongoing program of research is informed by, and co-designed with, people with MASLD and related chronic disease, to find sustainable exercise solutions.
Her contribution to the field was recognised by the prestigious 2020 Australia and New Zealand Obesity Society Young Investigator award. Shelley has been an ESSA (Exercise & Sports Science Australia) member since 2007 and has 16 years of clinical AEP experience in people with cardiometabolic disease including MAFLD.
Her mission is to change the way that exercise is prioritised, accessed, and delivered to improve the health and wellbeing of people with MASLD and related type 2 diabetes.
Source: Supplied & ESSA (Exercise & Sports Science Australia)
Note: AES is the acronym for Accredited Exercise Scientist (AES), AEP is the acronym for Accredited Exercise Physiologist, ESSAM is the acronym for Exercise & Sports Science Australia Member.
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Relationship between language-literacy skills and mental health
In an innovative move towards enhancing mental health services, Associate Professor Amanda Neil and team, supported by the RHH Research Foundation, are undertaking a crucial study on language-literacy skills of patients within mental health care settings. This year-long project, which commenced in April 2024, seeks to unravel to what extent, where and for whom language-literacy skills are being considered in Tasmanian mental health service provision.
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CASE STUDY High blood pressure and shorter sleep may worsen brain decline
People with high blood pressure who also lack sleep may be at increased risk of reduced cognitive performance and greater brain injury, Monash University research has found.
Published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, researchers assessed whether the combined effect of hypertension and short sleep duration had a negative impact on brain health.
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CASE STUDY Link between levels of extracellular vesicles in the blood and tissue damage caused by diseases
A landmark study led by WEHI and La Trobe University has found a potential new diagnostic marker that could be used to better detect the level of tissue damage in our bodies.
This study revealed, for the first time, a link between levels of EVs in the blood and tissue damage caused by diseases such as leukaemia.
Researchers hope to leverage the critical new insight to develop a blood test to monitor cancer patients with tissue damage, which could, in future, enhance treatment strategies for blood cancers and other diseases.
