During my younger years I lived in the northern suburbs of Adelaide and was educated in public schools in Para Hills. I completed degrees in Adelaide, Victoria (British Columbia, Canada) and Perth during the 1980s and early 90s before beginning an academic career in Brisbane in 1994. I am a physiologist and throughout my career have worked in Physiology and Exercise Science departments. My teaching has always focused on exercise physiology but included teaching into several areas of physiology and biophysics. My research is centred around integrative physiology with a particular focus on interactions between heart, lungs and muscles. I hold an honorary appointment in Cardiology at Campbelltown Hospital (Western Sydney) and am currently leading a research initiative involving colleagues in several medical specialties, particularly Cardiology and Respiratory Medicine.