Professor Jose Gonzalez-Alonso
Professor - Exercise and Cardiovascular Physiology

Summary

José González-Alonso is a professor of exercise and cardiovascular physiology in the Department of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences. José joined Brunel University of London in 2006 and has since served as Director of the Centre for Sports Medicine and Human Performance (2006–2013) and Director of the Centre for Human Performance, Exercise and Rehabilitation (2015–2021). Prior to joining Brunel, he spent six years as a senior researcher at The Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre, Rigshospitalet—a centre of excellence in integrative human physiology led by the late Professor Bengt Saltin— and five and a half years as a post-doctoral fellow in the former Department of Human Physiology, August Krogh Institute (now Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports), University of Copenhagen, Denmark. He completed his MA and PhD in Exercise Physiology in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education at the University of Texas at Austin, USA, under the supervision of Professor Edward F. Coyle, and his undergraduate studies (Licenciado) in Physical Education at the National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia, University of Barcelona, Spain. 

He has authored or co-authored more than 120 original research articles, reviews and perspectives (PubMed; Google Scholar total citations > 19,000 with a Hirsch h-index of 69) and has delivered more than 60 invited presentations at international scientific conferences and meetings, including several keynote lectures. His main area of expertise is integrative physiology, with particular emphasis on human cardiovascular control and skeletal muscle blood-flow regulation during exercise and environmental stress. His research has implications for human performance, health, and the treatment or rehabilitation of circulatory disorders. 

José is currently a member of the European College of Sport Science  (ECSS) Scientific Board, having previously served on the Scientific Committee for four years. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the European Journal of Applied Physiology (Advisory Editor). He has served as a member of the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014) sub-panel 26 Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism and on the Editorial Boards of The Journal of Physiology (2010-2013) and Frontiers in Physiology - Exercise Physiology Section (2016- 2018). José is also a member of the Physiological Society (Physoc), the American Physiological Society (APS) and The Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES), and is a Fellow of the European College of Sport Science. 

Articles of general interest

Targeting red cell-derived adenosine triphosphate signalling to improve aged muscle circulation. Journal of Physiology 600, 3215-3216, 2022. 

Physiological function during exercise and environmental stress in humans: An integrative view of body systems and homeostasis. Cells 11, 383, 2022.

New ideas about hydration and its impact on the athlete’s brain, heart and muscles. Sports Sci Exch 29 (196): 1-7, 2019.

The brain has a remarkable ability to cope with dehydration during exercise. The Conversation. 31 July 2014.

Understanding the vascular and cardiac interactions during endurance exercise 

Ultrasound recordings of peripheral blood flow (brachial and common carotid artery blood flow) and cardiac function (four chamber view) were obtained at rest and during prolonged exercise in endurance-trained athletes. The images were obtained by Dr Kazuhito Watanabe during his postdoctoral training at the Centre for Human Performance, Exercise and Rehabilitation between 2016 and 2018. To find detailed information about this study, see: Watanabe K, Stöhr EJ, Akiyama K, Watanabe S, González-Alonso J (2020). Dehydration reduces stroke volume and cardiac output during exercise because of impaired cardiac filling and venous return, not left ventricular function. Physiological Reports 8(11):e14433.

Link to video with ultrasound images  https://youtu.be/jQNO5fVonsk

Recent interview with Emeritus Professor Glenn McConnell, Victoria University, Australia, for Inside Exercise on the topic of 'Exercise in the Heat, Dehydration, Fluid Ingestion and Circulation'.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0wlFp5nisiNXKMwsF0Snbl?si=dh-GkL5KTFKsjerueC97ig&context=spotify%3Ashow%3A3pSYnNSXDkNLH8rImzotgP

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/inside-exercise/id1631457776

YouTube: https://t.co/jsyTZdoao

Recent interview with Professor Lars Nybo from the University of Copenhagen for his NYBO&NEXS journal club. The conversation focused a paper which has received >1700 citations. González-Alonso et al. Influence of body temperature on the development of fatigue during prolonged exercise in the heat. J Appl Physiol 86(3): 1032-1039,1999

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7FXbT79UaM

Tweeter - X: https://twitter.com/NYBO_NEXS_KU_DK