Interdisciplinary Research Conducted at Istanbul Gedik University Published in Genes

A research study conducted jointly by the Department of Coaching Education at the Faculty of Sports Sciences and the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Istanbul Gedik University has been published in the international scientific journal Genes. The study examines the role of genetic and physiological factors in the performance of long-distance runners.

Published by MDPI, Genes is indexed in the Q2 quartile of the Web of Science – Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE). The study focuses on long-distance running performance by evaluating genetic, anthropometric, and physiological data together.

Supported by the Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (BAP) of Istanbul Gedik University under project number GDK202410-09, the research involved a range of measurements and analyses related to endurance runners’ performance. The athletes’ muscle and bone mass were assessed using the DEXA method, while maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O₂max) and performance indicators were evaluated through sports performance tests. Genetic samples collected as part of the study were analyzed at international laboratories.

The research was conducted by Assistant Professor Hasan Uğur Öncel and Associate Professor Seyed Houtan Shahidi, with the participation of Professor Alper Özkan and Professor Jason Siegler from Arizona State University. Istanbul Gedik University graduate Rıfat Gülmez, as well as graduates of the Master’s Program in Physical Education and Sports, Mikail Yalçın and Şahabettin Karabulut, also contributed to the research process.

The findings indicate that long-distance running performance may not be adequately explained by a single genetic or physiological marker. Instead, they highlight the importance of a multidimensional approach that considers different biological and physiological components together.

Following the research, Istanbul Gedik University and Agiomix also signed a cooperation agreement. The agreement provides a basis for potential future academic studies in the fields of genetics and sports sciences.

By bringing together sports sciences, nutrition, and genetics, the study contributes to interdisciplinary research on the assessment of long-distance running performance and provides additional data to the scientific literature in this field.