On September 19th, 2025, the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine (FSEM) of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI), in association with the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP), the Irish Sports and Exercise Association (ISESA), and Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy Ireland (ARTI), hosted the 21st Annual FSEM Scientific Conference.
This year’s conference centred on “Public Health & Injury Challenges – A Translational Sports & Exercise Approach,” and was led by the accomplished FSEM committee: Dr. Philip Carolan, Assoc. Prof. Fardod O’Kelly, Dr. Wilby Williamson, Dr. Paul Kirwan, Ms. Jennifer McKittrick, Ms. Lynn Allen, Dr. Brona Kehoe, and Prof. Philip O’Halloran.
Delegates heard from a distinguished panel of national and international, multi-speciality speakers who presented new findings, innovative approaches, and practical applications across eight themed sessions:
- Respiratory Disorders
- Inflammatory Arthritis
- Concussion and Head Injury
- Obesity and Metabolic Health
- Sarcopenia
- Social Deprivation and Health
- Physical Activity Guidelines
- Postdoctoral & Postgraduate Oral Presentations
We were especially proud that three members of the PESS Faculty — Prof. Tom Comyns, Prof. Brian Carson, and Dr. John Noone — were invited to present their recent research in the areas of Concussion and Head Injury, Obesity and Metabolic Health, and Sarcopenia, respectively.
In the “Concussion and Head Injury” session, Prof. Tom Comyns shared the latest findings from the Irish Rugby Injury Surveillance (IRIS) research programme with his talk titled “Irish Rugby Injury Surveillance &
Concussion Research”, offering valuable insights into injury trends and player welfare.
Later, Prof. Brian Carson, alongside Prof. Donal O’Shea (UCD and St. Vincent’s University Hospital), delivered two engaging talks within the Obesity and Metabolic Health theme. Prof. Carson presented his group’s research on physical activity behaviours and metabolic outcomes in a talk titled “From the Office Chair to the Clinic: The Influence of Physical Behaviours on Metabolic Health Outcomes.” His presentation highlighted ongoing work examining the impact of lifestyle and movement patterns on metabolic health.
After this, PESS Faculty member Dr. John Noone, alongside Prof. Brendan Egan from Dublin City University (DCU), presented in the Sarcopenia session. Specifically, Dr. Noone’s talk, entitled “Aging, Bed Rest & Bears: Skeletal Muscle Atrophy and its Impact on Mitochondrial Energetics,” focused on aging, bed rest, and hibernating bears as models to explore the mechanisms of skeletal muscle atrophy. The lecture highlighted the central role of mitochondrial energetics in muscle loss and the importance of accounting for covariates such as age, sex, body mass, and physical activity. Dr. Noone discussed how prolonged physical inactivity mirrors mitochondrial changes seen with aging and emphasized the relevance of mitochondrial integrity, content, and capacity in understanding these processes. He also shared findings from studies of hibernating bears in Sweden, demonstrating how overcompensation of mitochondrial Complex II activity may represent a potential therapeutic target to counteract the adverse effects of inactivity in humans.
This year’s Annual Scientific Conference highlighted not only the breadth of research across sport and exercise medicine, particularly within Ireland, but also the impact of collaboration in shaping future practice. The contributions from PESS faculty underlined our commitment to driving innovation and translating research into meaningful outcomes for health, performance, and public health.
For more information on the programme from this meeting please follow the link below:
Prof. Tom Comyns is a Prof. of Strength and Conditioning in the PESS department, UL and Chair and Board Member of the Irish Sport and Exercise Sciences Association (ISESA, http://www.isesa.ie)
Contact: Email tom.comyns@ul.ie ResearchGate Follow on X @comyns_tommy PURE
Prof. Brian Carson is a Prof. in Exercise Physiology in the PESS department in UL and Co-Director, UL Exercise is Medicine National Centre and UL-On Campus.
Contact: Email brian.carson@ul.ie PURE ORCID Follow on X @DrBPCarson ResearchGate
Dr John Noone is an Assistant Prof. in Sport and Exercise Physiology in the PESS department, UL.
Contact: Email john.noone@ul.ie UL PURE Follow on X @JohnNoone4 ResearchGate LinkedIn ORCID
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