University of Guelph-Humber

UofGH Research Grant Fund gives students first-hand experience

Dr. Mojgan Rezvani

Henry Quach

Sarah Schweter

Sandeep Saroya

For UofGH kinesiology students Sarah Schweter, Henry Quach, and Sandeep Saroya, working as a research assistant has been a meaningful practical experience. 

“This was my first experience with research.  It opened my eyes to the field.  It’s definitely been a good learning experience,” says Saroya.

Schweter adds:  “It was an amazing experience.  And we’re still working – we’re in the process of analyzing data right now.”

The data they’re analyzing is for a study on the effects of a sugar-free sports drink on athletic performance.  Led by UofGH researcher and kinesiology professor, Dr. Mojgan Rezvani, the project investigates branched chain amino acids and high metabolic rates.  Results are expected to benefit athletes already using the drink during high-intensity exercise, as well as diabetic athletes.

Dr. Rezvani:  “Research has shown that branched chain amino acids can help patients with high metabolic rates, including trauma and burn patients.  It stops patients from having protein catabolism, causing tissue damage.  In sport, where there’s a similar high metabolic rate, [we imagined similar benefits would be observed].”

And the results, so far, seem to support the idea.

Quach recently presented preliminary findings at the Ontario Exercise Physiology Conference, hosted by the University of Waterloo.

“[Results] showed that [the sports drink] had an enhancing effect on anaerobic sports, particularly for athletes who are performing high-intensity, short burst activities, like sprinting.  It can have a positive effect,” says Quach.

The project itself is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); UofGH research assistants are funded by the university’s own Research Grant Fund – a program designed to give undergraduate students access to such research positions.

Research at UofGH
Kinesiology
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