Dr Sophie Broome

Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Exercise and Nutrition Research Program

Area of expertise: exercise, nutrition, skeletal muscle physiology, redox signaling, mitochondria, antioxidants

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4163-7847

Phone: (03) 9320 8231

Email: Sophie.Broome@acu.edu.au

ACU Location: ACU Melbourne Campus

Sophie Broome completed her PhD in the Nutrition Department at the University of Auckland in 2022 after being awarded her undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Sciences from the University of Leeds in 2016.

During her PhD, Sophie investigated the role of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in the signalling processes that bring about exercise adaptations in skeletal muscle. Sophie joined Australian Catholic University as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in 2022. Her research continues to investigate the signalling processes through which exercise brings about whole body health benefits.

Select publications

• Broome SC, Pham T, Braakhuis AJ, Narang R, Wang H, Hickey AJR, Mitchell CJ, Merry TL. Mitochondria-targeted antioxidant supplementation augments acute exercise-induced increases in muscle PGC1α mRNA and improves training-induced increases in peak power independent of mitochondrial content and function in untrained middle-aged men. Redox Biology. 2022
• Broome SC, Atiola RD, Braakhuis AJ, Mitchell CJ, Merry TM. Mitochondria-targeted antioxidant supplementation does not affect muscle soreness or recovery of maximal voluntary isometric contraction force following muscle-damaging exercise in untrained men: a randomised clinical trial. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 2022. 
•  Xirouchaki CE, Jia Y, McGrath MJ, Greatorex S, Tran M, Merry TL, Hong D, Eramo MJ, Broome SC, Woodhead JST, D'souza RF, Gallagher J, Salimova E, Huang C, Schittenhelm RB, Sadoshima J, Watt MJ, Mitchell CA, Tiganis T. Skeletal muscle NOX4 is required for adaptive responses that prevent insulin resistance. Science Advances. 2021, 7, 51. 
• Broome SC, Braakhuis AJ, Mitchell CJ, Merry TM. Mitochondria-targeted antioxidant supplementation improves 8 km time trial performance in middle-aged trained male cyclists. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2021, 18, 
• Masson SW, Woodhead JST, D'Souza RF, Broome SC, MacRae C, Cho HC, Atiola RD, Futi T, Dent JR, Shepherd PR, Merry TL, β-Catenin is required for optimal exercise- and contraction-stimulated skeletal muscle glucose uptake. Journal of Physiology, 2021, 599. 
• Rothschild JA, Kilding AE, Broome SC, Stewart T, Cronin JB, Plews DJ. Pre-Exercise Carbohydrate or Protein Ingestion Influences Substrate Oxidation but Not Performance or Hunger Compared with Cycling in the Fasted State. Nutrients, 2021, 13, 1291. 
• Pham T, MacRae CL, Broome SC, D'Souza RF, Narang R, Wang HW, Mori TA, Hickey AJ, Mitchell CJ, Merry TL. MitoQ and CoQ10 supplementation mildly suppresses skeletal muscle mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide levels without impacting mitochondrial function in middle aged men. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2020, 120. 
• Broome SC, Woodhead JST, Merry TL. Mitochondria-Targeted Antioxidants and Skeletal Muscle Function. Antioxidants, 2018, 7, 107. 

Accolades and awards

• FMHS PGSA Top Original Research Article Award University of Auckland (2021)
• Dean's List, Sports and Exercise Sciences, University of Leeds (2016)
• Adamson Prize, University of Leeds (2016)
• Biological Sciences Excellence Scholarship, University of Leeds (2012)