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Improving health, quality of life and society through research

At IPAN, we believe most of today’s health and societal challenges are there to be solved.

Deakin Distinguished Professor Jo Salmon

IPAN Director

We’re focused on the role of active living, sport, food and nutrition to create healthy, thriving communities, and reduce the rates of chronic health conditions.

IPAN research is ranked well above world standard* and addresses all life stages, from conception to old age.  We bring together a unique blend of multi-disciplinary researchers with expertise across health, human movement, exercise and sports science, sport management, nutrition, dietetics and disease prevention. Our research spans from high-tech lab work right through to evidence-backed policy, programs and implementation.

Since IPAN was established in 2016, we have continued to build strong relationships and worked collaboratively with hundreds of government, non-government organisations and industry partners, with a common goal to work towards a thriving society.

* Australian Research Council (2019). State of Australian University Research 2018–19: ERA National Report. Australian Research Council, Canberra.

Deakin Distinguished Professor Jo Salmon

IPAN Director

About us

Our vision is to enable a healthy and sustainable world through research excellence.

Our purpose is to conduct multidisciplinary research in active living, sport, food and nutrition to solve population and planetary health, performance and system challenges.

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Our IPAN experts offer a range of services to inform evidence, programs and policies for better health. Find out how we can help.

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People

Director

Director, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition Deakin Distinguished Professor Jo Salmon
Deputy Director, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition Deakin Distinguished Professor Anna Timperio
Deputy Director, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition Professor Michelle Keske

Members

Head of School Professor Brad Aisbett
Professor Professor Lisa Barnett
Professor Professor Lucinda Black
Professor Professor Clinton Bruce
Chair in Exercise and Ageing Professor Robin Daly
Head, Baker Deakin Department of Lifestyle and Diabetes and Chair, Lifestyle and Diabetes Professor David Dunstan
Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellow Professor Kylie Hesketh
Professor Professor Mark Lawrence
Professor in Physical Activity and Disease Prevention Professor Ralph Maddison
Professor Professor Pamm Phillips
Professor in Dietetics Professor Judi Porter
Associate Head of School, International and Partnerships Professor Aaron Russell
Chair In Sport Management Professor David Shilbury
Professor Professor Jenny Veitch
Associate Head of School, Research Professor Glenn Wadley
Senior Lecturer Nutrition Sciences Associate Professor Kristy Bolton
Associate Head of School (Teaching and Learning, Food, Nutrition & Dietetics) Associate Professor Alison Booth
Associate Professor Associate Professor Helen Brown
Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology Associate Professor Steve Fraser
Associate Professor Associate Professor Mats Hallgren
Associate Professor Associate Professor Kirsten Howlett
NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow Associate Professor Shariful Islam
Clinical Associate Professor Associate Professor Nicole Kiss
Associate Professor Associate Professor Harriet Koorts
Deputy Associate Dean Research and ARC Future Fellow Associate Professor Severine Lamon
Associate Professor Associate Professor Natalie Lander
Associate Professor, Public Health Nutrition Associate Professor Rachel Laws
Associate Professor Associate Professor Luana Main
Associate Professor Associate Professor Katie Rowe
Associate Professor (Research) Associate Professor David Scott
Associate Professor Associate Professor Chris Shaw
Associate Professor Associate Professor Steve Swanson
Associate Professor Associate Professor Ewa Szymlek-Gay
NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow Associate Professor Megan Teychenne
Associate Professor in Nutrition Science Associate Professor Michael Tieland
Associate Professor of Sociology Associate Professor Kim Toffoletti
Associate Professor Associate Professor Susan Torres
Associate Head of School (Teaching and Learning) Associate Professor Stuart Warmington
ARC DECRA Research Fellow Dr Lauren Arundell
Lecturer, Sport Coaching Dr Zoe Avner
Victorian Cancer Agency Early Career Research Fellow Dr Brenton Baguley
Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Jordan Bakhsh
Senior Research Fellow Dr Bianca Bernardo
Senior Lecturer, Exercise Science (Lifespan) Dr Andrew Betik
Senior Lecturer Dr Jason Bonacci
Senior Lecturer In Biomechanics Dr Liz Bradshaw
Research Fellow Dr Barbara Brayner
Lecturer, Sport Coaching Dr David Broadbent
Associate Head of School (Partnerships) Dr Lyndell Bruce
Lecturer, Nutrition Science Dr Alissa Burnett
Post Doctoral Research Fellow Dr Johannes Carl
Senior Lecturer Dr Amelia Carr
Senior Lecturer, Sport Nutrition Dr Dominique Condo
Research Fellow Dr Ana Maria Contardo Ayala
NHMRC Early Career Fellow Dr Paddy Dempsey
Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Suzanne Dixon-Suen
Lecturer, Physical Activity and Health Dr Katherine Downing
Senior Lecturer Of Sports Science Dr Eric Drinkwater
MS Australia Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Ellie Dunlop
Senior Lecturer In Applied Exercise And Sports Science Dr Dan Dwyer
Lecturer in Functional Anatomy / Strength & Conditioning Sciences Dr Simon Feros
Senior Lecturer, Applied Sport Science Dr Aaron Fox
Senior Lecturer Dr Hunter Fujak
Lecturer, Strength and Conditioning Sciences Dr Jackson Fyfe
Senior Research Fellow Dr Elena George
Senior Lecturer Population Nutrition Dr Carley Grimes
Lecturer, Exercise Physiology across the Lifespan Dr Lee Hamilton
Associate Research Fellow Dr Jeew Hettiarachchi
Research Fellow Dr Danielle Hiam
Senior Lecturer Dr Samantha Hoffman
Executive Dean Research Fellow Dr Paul Jansons
Senior Lecturer, Nutritional Sciences Dr Gunveen Kaur
Lecturer, Exercise and Sport Science Dr Claire Kenneally-Dabrowski
Lecturer, Motor Learning and Development Dr Aden Kittel
Senior Lecturer Dr Greg Kowalski
Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Konsita Kuswara
Senior Lecturer in Nutritional Science Dr Katie Lacy
Executive Dean of Health Research Postdoctoral Research Dr Tracy Lee
NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow Dr Rebecca Leech
Dean's Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Rebecca Lindberg
NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow Dr Katherine Livingstone
Senior Lecturer, Community and Public Health Nutrition Dr Penny Love
Research Fellow Dr Jiani Ma
Research Fellow Dr Priscila Machado
Senior Research Fellow Dr Helen Macpherson
Lecturer Dr Jennifer McCann
Senior Lecturer, Biomedical Science Dr Matthew McKenzie
Senior Lecturer Dr Claire Margerison
Lecturer, Nutrition Science Dr Shaun Mason
Executive Dean Research Fellow Dr Emiliano Mazzoli
Lecturer in Sport Management Dr Joshua McLeod
Executive Dean Research Fellow Dr Jakub Mesinovic
Senior Lecturer Dr Clint Miller
Senior Lecturer Dr Catherine Milte
Senior Lecturer Dr Niamh Mundell
Lecturer, Community and Public Health Nutrition Dr Janandani Nanayakkara
Alfred Deakin Post Doctoral Research Fellow Dr Lucas Orssatto
NHMRC / National Heart Foundation Early Career Fellow Dr Lewan Parker
Executive Dean Health Research Fellow Dr Susan Paudel
Research Fellow Dr Jonathan Rawstorn
Alfred Deakin Post-Doctoral Research Fellow Dr Spencer Roberts
Senior Lecturer Dr Jonathan Robertson
Senior Lecturer, Food Innovation Dr Georgie Russell
Senior Lecturer Dr Shannon Sahlqvist
Associate Professor Dr Natalie Saunders
Lecturer, Sport Nutrition Dr Rhiannon Snipe
Senior Lecturer Dr Alison Spence
Senior Lecturer Dr Claudia Strugnell
Lecturer, Exercise and Sport Science Dr Jamie Tait
Senior Lecturer, Nutrition Sciences Dr Sze-Yen Tan
Associate Research Fellow Dr Teketo Tegegne
Lecturer in Sport Science Dr Danielle Trowell
Senior Lecturer Dr Anne Turner
Executive Dean of Health Post-Doctoral Research Fellow Dr Tola Ushula
Senior Lecturer, Nutrition and Dietetics Dr Paige van der Pligt
Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Simone Verswijveren
Lecturer, Physical Activity and Health Dr Anthony Walsh
Lecturer in Exercise Physiology Dr Kim Way
Research Fellow Dr Michael Wheeler
Lecturer, Sport Management Dr Damien Whitburn
Research Fellow Dr Kate Wingrove
Research Fellow, Digital Health Dr Yuxin Zhang
ARC DECRA Research Fellow Dr Miaobing (Jazzmin) Zheng

Facilities

Our researchers have access to world class sport and nutrition science and laboratory facilities at Deakin’s Burwood and Geelong campuses.

This includes:

  • State-of-the-art laboratories to take and analyse muscle and adipose tissue samples, common blood and urine biomarkers, ranging from simple blood lipids to more complex hormonal, inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers, and undertake nutritional analysis.
  • A research gymnasium to undertake resistance (strength) training, aerobic exercise, and high velocity functional power training tests.

Our facilities are extensively equipped with specialised equipment to allow for innovative research including:

  • Dual Energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines to accurately measure changes in total body and regional bone mineral density (BMD), bone structure and strength as well as body composition [lean tissue mass, fat mass, muscle cross-sectional area, subcutaneous fat area)
  • Electrocardiogram to measure heart rate and heart rate variability
  • Metabolic carts to measure oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production, to determine a person’s metabolic rate; how many calories a person burns in a day; and whether a person prefers to burn fat or carbohydrate.
  • Ultrasound machine to measure cardiovascular function including blood flow.
  • Metabolic gas analysers to assess maximal oxygen uptake and blood sampling devices.
  • Commercial-grade gym equipment, speed and power testing equipment.

"The facilities at Deakin have been amazing. I’ve had really great tech support with everything I’ve needed to do down in the lab."

Kate IPAN PhD student

Our history

The Physical Activity and Nutrition Research Unit was established with just four staff (pictured) at Deakin University in 2001.

In 2003, the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition (C-PAN) was launched by then Governor of Victoria, the Hon. John Landy AC, as a Faculty-level research centre, and in 2004 became a University Research Priority Area.

By 2010, C-PAN had become a Strategic Research Centre within Deakin, and had expanded to 40 staff. In 2016 C-PAN was designated University Research Institute status and officially became the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN).

Today, IPAN has around 130 research staff members, as well as five professional staff. Of the original founding staff, Deakin Distinguished Professor Jo Salmon is Director and Deakin Distinguished Professor Anna Timperio is a Deputy Director.

Two of the four founding members remain IPAN members.  While Alfred Deakin Professors David Crawford and Kylie Ball have moved on, they are still involved with IPAN in an honorary capacity as Emeritus Professors.

In 2024, the Centre for Sport Research (CSR) was integrated into IPAN adding a diverse range of sport-related research expertise to IPAN’s existing expertise.

The original IPAN founders, L-R: Alfred Deakin Professors Jo Salmon, David Crawford, Anna Timperio and Kylie Ball