Anti-doping

Anti-Doping Research Group has received over $1.5 million of anti-doping research funds (e.g. from WADA and industry) to develop the next generation drug tests in sport. Specifically, to discover a ‘molecular signature’ of recombinant human erythropoietin doping and the results are very promising. As such, a major research priority of this research theme is the application of ‘polyomics’ (i.e. genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and proteomics) to the detection of drugs in sport with particular reference to recombinant human erythropoietin, blood doping, growth hormone and steroids.

Research focus

A particular focus of the Anti-Doping Research Group is on promoting alternatives to drugs in sports; in particular peak performance without doping. As such, a unique anti-doping project is the SUB2 marathon project the SUB2 marathon project is the first dedicated international research initiative made up of specialist multidisciplinary scientists from academia, elite athletes and strategic industry partners with the aim to promote clean marathon running i.e. high performance marathon running without doping.

While the true extent of doping in sport remains difficult to accurately quantify, high profile doping cases in cycling and athletics reinforce the call for new approaches that build on the significant progress made in the fight against doping since the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) was established.

A novel proof-of-concept idea motivated by the need to focus on a holistic approach that simultaneously focuses on preventing doping, protecting the clean athlete, and promoting peak performance without doping is being piloted. The SUB2 marathon project, launched in December 2014, is a “clean running” project with the aim to promote clean marathon running i.e. high performance marathon running without doping. As such, all athletes participating in the project will undergo regular doping controls (blood and urine). Tests will be carried out, handled and analysed and the data interpreted in accordance with WADA’s World Anti-Doping Program.

Research team

Professor Yannis Pitsiladis

Dr Guan Wang

Output

Polyviou TP, Easton C, Beis L, Malkova D, Takas P, Hambly C, Speakman JR, Koehler K, Pitsiladis YP.

Nutrients. 2012 Sep;4(9):1171-86. doi: 10.3390/nu4091171. Epub 2012 Aug 31.

PMID: 23112907

Precision of the Optimized Carbon Monoxide Rebreathing Method to Determine Total Haemoglobin Mass and Blood Volume

Jérôme Durussel, Ramzy Ross, Prithvi R Kodi, Evangelia Daskalaki, Pantazis Takas, John Wilson, Bengt Kayser, Yannis P Pitsiladis., European Journal of Sport Science, 13(1): 68-77, 2013.

Durussel J, Daskalaki E, Anderson M, Chatterji T, Wondimu DH, Padmanabhan N, Patel RK, McClure JD, Pitsiladis YP.

PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e56151. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056151. Epub 2013 Feb 13.

PMID: 23418527

Dvorak J, Saugy M, Pitsiladis YP.

Br J Sports Med. 2014 May;48(10):807-9. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2014-093589.

PMID: 24764551

Dvorak J, Baume N, Botré F, Broséus J, Budgett R, Frey WO, Geyer H, Harcourt PR, Ho D, Howman D, Isola V, Lundby C, Marclay F, Peytavin A, Pipe A, Pitsiladis YP, Reichel C, Robinson N, Rodchenkov G, Saugy M, Sayegh S, Segura J, Thevis M, Vernec A, Viret M, Vouillamoz M, Zorzoli M.

Br J Sports Med. 2014 May;48(10):801-6. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2014-093561. Epub 2014 Apr 24.

PMID: 24764550 Select item 24627340

Pitsiladis YP, Durussel J, Rabin O.

Br J Sports Med. 2014 May;48(10):856-61. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2014-093529. Epub 2014 Mar 13. Review.

PMID: 24627340

Durussel J, Haile DW, Mooses K, Daskalaki E, Beattie W, Mooses M, Mekonen W, Ongaro N, Anjila E, Patel RK, Padmanabhan N, McBride MW, McClure JD, Pitsiladis YP.

Physiol Genomics. 2016 Jan 12:physiolgenomics.00108.2015. doi: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00108.2015. [Epub ahead of print]

PMID: 26757800 Select item 26757799

Pitsiladis YP, Tanaka M, Eynon N, Bouchard C, North KN, Williams AG, Collins M, Moran CN, Britton SL, Fuku N, Ashley EA, Klissouras V, Lucia A, Ahmetov II, de Geus EJ, Alsayrafi M.

Physiol Genomics. 2015 Dec 29:physiolgenomics.00105.2015. doi: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00105.2015. [Epub ahead of print]

PMID: 26715623 Select item 26707057

Collaborations

(FIFA) 

(IOC) 

(FIMS) 

(WADA) 

 

Funding

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Necessary Steps for the Application of an Integrative “Omics” Solution to the Detection of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin. $ 350,000. 2016-2018.

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). A systems biology biomarkers approach to the differentiation of recombinant human erythropoietin doping from confounding factors. $ 256,530. 2014-2016.

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). A New Dimension to the Detection of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin Doping Using Blood Gene Expression Profiles: Development of Direct Anti-Doping Applications. $85,137.23. 2013.

European Athletics Innovation Awards 2012. Essay: “White” men can’t run: Where is the scientific evidence? Dr Yannis Pitsiladis, Dr Ploutarhos Saraslanidis, Mr Anthony St C Davis.

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). A systems biology biomarker based approach to the detection of microdose recombinant human erythropoietin doping. $308,364. 2011-2013.

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Metabolomic profiling of recombinant erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) in caucasian and east-African endurance trained athletes. $268,675. 2011-2013.

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Application of a minimally-invasive method for RNA sampling and the addition of miRNA to the detection of recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEpo) use by athletes. $203,505. 2011-2013.

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). A gene-microarray based approach to the detection of recombinant human erythropoietin doping in endurance athletes. World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), $ 300,413. 2009-2012.

Awards, recognition, impact

Editorial Board Member

Journal “Medicina dello Sport” of the Italian Federation of Sports Medicine.

Fellowship, Membership and Professional Bodies

  • 2015 - present - International Olympic Committee (IOC) Medical and Scientific Commission
  • 2015 - present  - International Sports Medicine Federation (FIMS), Chair of Scientific Commission (member of the Scientific Commission since 2010)
  • 2014 - present - International Sports Medicine Federation (FIMS), Executive Committee    
  • 2009 - 2013 - World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) List Expert Group.
  • 2011 - present - BBSRC Expert Committee Pool
  • 1997 - present - Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) (Membership no. 538605)
  • 1995 - present - British Association for Sport and Exercises Sciences (BASES)(Membership no. 95054)
  • 1995 - present  - Nutrition Society (Membership no. 00604236)
  • 1993 - present - Physiological Society (Membership no. 109191)

External Examination

2015 – present - Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London

Patent

Novel Hydrating Composition (Inventor: Yannis P Pitsiladis; Publication number: WO/2006/008552; International Application number: PCT/GB2005/002913; Publication date: 21/01/2006; International filing date: 25/07/2005).

TV and Media (Documentaries)

  • Dan Rather Reports (“In the running”) – AXS TV, USA, 2012. Producer: Sari Aviv.
  • A Search For Athlete’s Gene – NHK Japan, 2010. Producer: Masaru Zenke.
  • Colin Jackson The Making of Me - BBC 1, 2008. Producer: Nigel Walk.
  • The Storms of War: Military meteorologist, Vladimir Jankovic, reveals how extreme weather decisively shaped some of the greatest battles of the 20th century. Produced by Tern Television for Discovery Network. Director/Producer: Paul Murton; Executive Producer: Harry Bell; Editor: Joe Speirs; Assistant Producers: Ishbel Hall and Kate Cotter; Production Management: Kieran Parker and Angela Smith.

Invitations

  • Keynote Speaker: 34th FIMS World Sports Medicine Congress (www.fims2016.org), Istanbul, Turkey, 29 September-2 October 2016. Keynote: An integrative ‘Omics’ solution to the detection of recombinant human erythropoietin and blood doping. ABP Symposium: a paradigm shift is needed.
  • Keynote Speaker: ICSEMIS 2016 (www.icsemis2016.org), “Saying Yes to Diversity in Sport”, August 31st - September 4th, 2016, Santos, São Paulo – Brazil. Keynote: Doping: Next essential steps; Symposium: Genomics of elite sporting performance: The Human Athlome Project.
  • Invited Speaker: Edinburgh International Science Festival 2016, 4th March 2016, Nature and Nurture debate. Speakers include: Megan Crawford (the current Scottish Marathon Champion), Dr Edward Coughlan (a sports psychologist), and Dr Dan Gordon (Chair).
  • Invited Speaker: TEDx University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus. The Future is…, 21st November 2015.
  • Keynote Speaker: 9TH Aims Marathon Symposium 2015, “Doping Threats in Distance Running”, Athens Marathon Start Venue, Municipality of Marathon, November 7th 2015. Title: A holistic anti-doping approach for a fairer future for world-class sport.
  • Invited Speaker: World Extreme Medicine Conference & Expo, London, UK, 26-29 October 2015. Title: Creating Superhumans – Novel doping strategies and detection
  • Invited Speaker: International Seminer CIPER-FMH, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, in Lisbon, Portugal, October 1, 2015. Sport Expertise: Biological and behavioural constraints. Title: Genomics of elite sporting performance: The Human Athlome Project
  • Invited Speaker: The EFSMA European Congress of Sports Medicine, Antwerp, 10-12 September 2015. Title: A holistic anti-doping approach for a fairer future for world-class sport.
  • Invited Speaker: The International Sports Science and Sports Medicine Conference (ISSSMC 2015), Newcastle, England, 8-10 September 2015. Title: Genomics of elite sporting performance: The Human Athlome Project.
  • Invited Speaker: The University of Kent, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Endurance Performance Conference, 2-4 September 2015. Session entitled “The Two Hour Marathon: Nature and Nurture”. 
  • Invited Speaker: Fachtag Leistungsphysiologie”, Casino Baumgarten, Vienna, Austria, June 12th 2015. Title: Countdown to the first sub two hour marathon: A clean marathon running project.
  • Conference organiser and Speaker: Genomics, Genetics, and Exercise Biology: A Celebratory Symposium – Santorini, Greece, 13-17 May 2015. Title: A holistic anti-doping approach for a fairer future for world-class sport.
  • Invited Speaker: 5th BSU International Altitude/Hypoxia Training Symposium, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China, 11-14 May 2015. Title: The use of omics technologies to personalise altitude training.
  • Invited Speaker: University of Athens, Athens, 8th May, 2015. Title: Molecular fair play in developing elite athletes.
  • Invited Speaker: ADLQ 5th Symposium - Global Trends in Antidoping Research , Doha, Qatar, 5th-6th May, 2015. Title: A holistic anti-doping approach for a fairer future for world-class sport: The SUB2 Marathon Project.
  • Invited Speaker: The Department of Sport Science of the University of Innsbruck, Fuerstenweg, Innsbruck, 29th April 2015. Title: Genomics of elite sporting performance: What little we know and necessary advances.
  • Invited Speaker: Creatine in Health, Sport and Medicine, Hotel Kapuzinerhof, Laufen, Bavaria, Germany, 21-24 April, 2015. Title: The effect of creatine on thermoregulation and physical performance.
  • Invited Speaker: Integrated Laboratory of Biology and Biochemistry of Movement, Department of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico" – IUSM, Rome, Italy, 13-16 April 2015. Title: A holistic anti-doping approach for a fairer future for world-class sport.
  • Invited Speaker: The Brighton Marathon Medicine Conference, Brighton, 11th April, 2015. Title: THE SUB 2 HOUR PROJECT - Running a marathon in under 2 hours - is it possible?
  • Invited Speaker: SEGAS/Greek Cross Country Championships, Trikala, Greece, 28th February 2015. Title: Πού οφείλεται η επιτυχία των δρομέων μεγάλων αποστάσεων της Ανατολικής Αφρικής; Χρήσιμα μαθήματα για την αποκατάσταση της Ελληνικής αθλητικής κληρονομιάς [Possible explanations for the extraordinary performances of east African runners].
  • Invited Speaker: Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea, 11-15 February 2015. Title: Next generation anti-doping: a fairer future for world-class sport. 2015 Universiade, Gwangju, South Korea. Title: Next generation anti-doping: a fairer future for world-class sport.
  • Invited Speaker: International Sports and Exercise Nutrition Conference (www.isenc.org) to be held in Newcastle, England, on 16-18 December 2014. Title: Countdown to the first sub two hour marathon: A clean marathon running project
  • Invited Speaker:  Australian Physiological Society Annual Scientific Meeting – University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, 30 Nov – 3 Dec 2014. Title: The use of OMICS to individualise exercise training.
  • Lectures at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living (ISEAL), Victoria University, Melbourne: The science and pseudoscience in the hunt for performance genes AND Next generation anti-doping: a fairer future for world-class sport.
  • Invited Speaker: 4th International Conference on Science and Applied Research "Post-Genome Methods of Analysis in Biology and Laboratory and Clinical Medicine", Kazan, Russia, 29 October – 1 November 2014. Title: An integrative “omics” solution to the detection of recombinant human erythropoietin and blood doping.
  • Invited Speaker: British Association of Sport and Exercise Medince (BASEM), Conference theme, “Faster, Higher, Stronger” - 1st October 2014. Title: The Jamaican Sprint Phenomenon: What we know.
  • Invited Speaker: The German Society of Sports Medicine, Conference theme, “Performance-limiting factors of running”, 12-13th September 2014, Frankfurt, Germany. Title: Possible explanations for the extraordinary performances of east African runners.
  • Invited Speaker (Plenary session): Fifth International Sports Medicine and Sports Science conference Newcastle, England, 19-21 August 2014. Title: Athletic ability: talent vs training.  
  • Invited Speaker: 2nd Symposium of the Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom, Harrington Hotel, London, 5th July 2014. Title: How to produce a Spanish Usain Bolt? A Jamaican model for the world.
  • Invited Speaker: TdF Champions: Born or Trained? World Congress of Cycling Science, 2nd - 3rd of July 2014, to coincide with the Tour de France start in Leeds. Titles: 1) An Integrative “Omics” Solution to the Detection of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin and Blood Doping; 2) Genomics of elite sporting performance: What little we know and necessary advances.
  • Invited Speaker:  2nd Brazilian Symposium on Genomics and Sports, Sao Paolo, Brazil, 7-12 June 2014. Title: Genomics of elite sporting performance: What little we know and necessary advances.
  • Invited Speaker: 2014 Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), 5th World Congress on Exercise is Medicine, and World Congress on the Role of Inflammation in Exercise, Health, and Disease in Orlando, Florida, May 27-31. Symposium: "Genomics and other OMICS and Elite Sport". Title: OMICS strategies in the fight against doping.
  • Invited Speaker: ESAN, Sheffield, England, 30th April – 1st May 2014. Title: Why nature prevails over nurture in the making of the elite athlete. 
  • Invited Speaker: The London Marathon Medicine Conference, London, 12th April, 2014. Title: What makes East African distance runners so successful?
  • Invited Speaker: The Brighton Marathon Medicine Conference, Brighton, 5th April, 2014. Title: What makes East African distance runners so successful?
  • Invited Speaker: The Aspire TID Conference, Identifying Champions, Doha, Qatar, 2-3 April, 2014. Title: The use of genetics profiling for identifying sporting talent.
  • Invited Speaker: University of Swansea, Wales, March 21st 2014. Title: Physiologic, genetic, and psychosocial determinants of the phenomenal success of African athletes: Nurture and Nature.
  • Invited Speaker: The 93rd Annual Meeting of the Deutsche Physiologische Gesellschaft (German Physiological Society, http://www.dpg2014.de/) Mainz, March 13 to 15, 2014. Title: An integrative “omics” solution to the detection of recombinant human erythropoietin and blood doping.
  • Invited Speaker: National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan, February 20th, 2014. Title: Physiologic, genetic, and psychosocial determinants of the phenomenal success of African athletes: Nurture or Nature?
  • Invited Speaker: Symposium: The Limits of Human Performance, University of the West of Scotland. Ayrshire, Scotland, 13th December 2013. Chairs: J. Baker and N.C. Spurway, Title: The ergogenic effects of recombinant erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) in Caucasian and east-African endurance trained athletes: Lessons from Africa. Other speakers: P.D. Wagner, I. Vogiatzis, C. Easton.
  • Invited Speaker: Dutch Olympic committee NOC*NSF on 27th November 2013. Title: Novel Approaches to Talent Id.
  • Invited Speaker:  FIFA Consensus conference on the topic “Time has come to change the strategy of the fight against doping in sport”. Conference jointly organised by medical representatives of international team sports federations, the IOC and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) on 29-30 November 2013 at the Home of FIFA in Zürich. Title: Transcriptomics as a tool to diagnose doping manipulation.
  • Invited Speaker: European Endurance Conference, Nottingham, England, Saturday 9th November 2013. Title: The Application of sport science to training practice (keynote) & Lactate: Friend or Foe? (workshop).
  • Invited Speaker: 2013 Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sport and Exercise Medicine (ACPSEM) Conference, Glasgow, Scotland 25-26 October 2013. Titles: Born to run and sweat: An evolutionary medical perspective (25th) & White Men Can't Run: Does the evidence stack up (26th)?
  • Invited Speaker: Beachy Head Marathon, Eastbourne, England, October 18th 2013. Title: Can European athletes run like East African athletes?
  • Invited Speaker: Performance and training event. European University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain, October 4th 2013. Titles: 1) What we can learn from the world’s best endurance athletes; 2) The Jamaican Sprint Phenomenon: What we know.