Bone and Osteoporosis Network Exchange

Mission: To collate and translate the results of current research findings to other members of the college, to develop collaborative research groups with ACSM facilitating extensive multidisciplinary approaches to the study of bone health, to provide informed chairs to bone related professional societies and to develop recommendations for the prevention of osteoporosis.

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Leadership

Bree Baker, PhD, FACSM

Bree is the director of the Musculoskeletal Adaptations to Aging and eXercise (MAAX) Lab at Oklahoma State University. Our team, which includes both undergraduate and graduate students, investigates what factors are most influential for protecting one from musculoskeletal injury. This work entails the implementation of a variety of interventions in athletes, clinical, and aging populations. For more information on the MAAX please click here. Bree began her appointment as a co-chair of the ACSM BONE SIG in 2025.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Co-Chair

Charlotte Coombs, PhD

Charlotte is a Senior Physiologist for the British Army and has spent the last 7 years within the Army Health and Performance Research Team researching the health and performance of service personnel for Defence. Charlotte was a co-author of the British Army’s 2024 report on Optimising the Health and Performance of Women in Ground Close Combat Roles; an 8-year research programme delivering clinical research studies to inform policy on physical training, musculoskeletal injury, nutrition, and reproductive health. Charlotte is an accredited CASES physiologist and Chartered Scientist, and her research interests are in bone metabolism, female health, and tissue regeneration. Charlotte began her appointment as a co-chair of the ACSM BONE SIG in 2025.

Co-Chair

Tom O’Leary, PhD, FACSM

Tom is a Senior Physiologist for the British Army and has spent 10 years researching health and performance of service personnel for Defence. Tom’s research interests are in musculoskeletal biology and female health and he has published over 75 peer-reviewed papers in these fields and peer-reviewed for over 35 journals. Tom was inducted as Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine in 2024 for distinguished contributions to the scientific field. Tom began his appointment as a co-chair of the ACSM BONE SIG in 2023 and will finish as Chair in 2026.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Chair

Sarah Wherry, PhD

Sarah is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz and a Research Health Scientist with the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System. She is trained as an exercise physiologist and biochemist, and her research includes the bone biomarker response to acute exercise in older adults, including the role of exercise mode and intensity. She began her appointment as a co-chair of the ACSM BONE SIG in 2025.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Co-Chair

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Announcements:

  • The Bone and Osteoporosis Network Exchange Special Interest Group are seeking abstract reviewers for annual conference awards and speakers for webinars.
  • We hold an evening meeting at the annual meeting and webinars every quarter.
    • Webinar: March 11 at 10:00 a.m. EST
    • Annual Meeting: Wed, May 27 at 6:20 – 7:50 p.m.

Awards

Young Investigator Award for Best Presentation at Annual Conference.

Sponsors

GSSI Pre-Conference

The Physiology of Hydration: More Than Water Alone

This session explores the physiology of hydration through an integrated lens—examining how carbohydrate, sodium, flavor, and fluid interact to influence intake, absorption, retention, and performance. We’ll review current research on fluid balance, osmotic drivers, and palatability, highlighting mechanisms that underpin voluntary intake and thermoregulation. Attendees will gain insight into individualized strategies, including sweat profiling and timing approaches, to optimize euhydration and mitigate performance decrements associated with >2% body-mass loss. Practical applications will be linked to laboratory- and field-based research, ensuring translation from bench to field. This pre-conference equips you with evidence-based tools to support athlete hydration across diverse environments and sporting contexts. 

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  • Session 1: Sweating the detail: New insights on hydration considerations for athlete performance
    • Lewis James, PhD, Associate Professor in Human Nutrition in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University
  • Session 2: Functional ingredients in fluid replacement beverages for athletes
    • Lindsay Baker, PhD, Director at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute
  • Session 3: The hydration toolkit: Practical approaches to athlete support
    • Floris Wardenaar, PhD, Associate Professor at the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University