• BSc (hons) Sport and Exercise Sciences (Manchester Metropolitan University)
• MSc Exercise Physiology (Manchester Metropolitan University)
• PhD Exercise Metabolism and Nutrition (University of Birmingham)

Dr Breen joined the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences in January 2013 to establish a world-leading research group studying the impact of diet and exercise on the molecular regulation of skeletal muscle adaptation. Prior to his appointment at The University of Birmingham, Dr Breen worked in The Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University, Canada, as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow.

Dr Breen’s research interests focus on the influence of exercise and nutrition, particularly protein and amino acids, on skeletal muscle adaptation. Dr Breen is interested in how these paradigms can be applied to:

1. Athletes - to help optimize adaptations to different modes of training.
2. The elderly - to maintain muscle mass and physical function with advancing age.
3. Obese adults - to assist in weight management and offset complications associated with metabolic disease.

Dr Breen is a regular speaker at international conferences and a peer reviewer for highly respected scientific journals in his research field. In 2011, Dr Breen was awarded a Young Investigator of the Year award by the European College for Sports Sciences for his research investigating the influence of protein nutrition and endurance exercise on skeletal muscle metabolism. 

Dr Breen teaches on the following modules as part of the BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences degree.

1. Mechanisms of Adaptation to Training (available to 3rd year students).
2. Sports Nutrition (available to 2nd year students).

Currently Dr Breen supervises 2 PhD candidates  in The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences. Dr Breen welcomes applications  from potential doctoral researchers in all areas of interest outlined above.

Leigh’s general research interests revolve around the influence of exercise and nutrition on muscle metabolism. Leigh has received extensive training in the use of isotopic tracer and muscle biopsy techniques to study muscle protein metabolism in a variety of subject populations. Specifically, Leigh is interested in how resistance and endurance exercise variables and protein/essential amino acid nutrition can be manipulated to achieve ‘optimal’ training adaptations athletic populations. 

During his post-doctoral fellowship, Leigh developed a keen interest in how these paradigms might be applied to older adults to maintain muscle mass and physical mobility as well as overweight adults to assist in weight management and improve metabolic health. In addition to his scientific interests, Leigh is a certified strength and conditioning coach with the National Strength and Conditioning Association and has a keen interest in the practical application of exercise metabolism and nutrition research.

Dr Breen is an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach and consults with a number of professional teams/athletes/coaches developing training and nutritional strategies to optimize athletic performance.

• L. Breen., K. A. Stokes., T. A. Churchward-Venne., D. R. Moore, S. K. Baker, K. Smith, P. J. Atherton., S. M. Phillips. Reduced ambulatory activity blunts myofibrillar and mitochondrial muscle protein synthesis and impairs metabolic health in older adults. J Clin Endocrinol & Metab. 2013; doi: 10.1210/jc.2013-1502.
• D. J. Wilkinson., T. Hossain., D. S. Hill., B. E. Phillips., H. Crossland., J. Williams., P. Loughna., T. A. Churchward-Venne., L. Breen., S. M. Phillips., T. Etheridge., J. A. Rathmacher., K. Smith., N. S. Szewczyk., and P. J. Atherton. Effects of Leucine and its metabolite, β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) on human skeletal muscle protein metabolism. J Physiol. 2013; doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2013.253203
• L. Breen, S. M. Phillips. Interactions between exercise and nutrition to prevent muscle waste during ageing. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2013; 75(3): 708-15.
• M. J. Robinson., Burd, N. A., L. Breen., T. Rerecich., Y. Yang., A. J. Hector., S. K. Baker., and S. M. Phillips. Dose-dependent responses of myofibrillar protein synthesis with beef ingestion are enhanced with resistance exercise in middle-aged men. Appl Physiol Nutr & Metab. 2013; 38(2).
• Y. Yang., T. Churchward-Venne., N. A. Burd., L. Breen., M. A. Tarnopolsky., and S. M. Phillips. Myofibrillar protein synthesis following ingestion of soy protein isolate at rest and after resistance exercise in elderly men. Nutr & Metab. 2012; 9(57).
• C. J. Mitchell., T. A. Churchward-Venne., D. W. D. West., N. A. Burd., L. Breen., S. K. Baker., and S. M. Phillips. Resistance exercise load does not determine training-mediated hypertrophic gains in young men. J Appl Physiol. 2012; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00307.2012.
• L. Breen and T. Churchward-Venne. Invited Perspective - Leucine: The muscles anabolic ‘trigger’, but what more? J Physiol. 2012; 590(pt. 9). 2065-2066.
• L. Breen and S. M. Phillips. Nutrition Supplement Series: A to Z of nutritional supplements: dietary supplements, sports nutrition foods and ergogenic aids for health and performance. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2012; 46(6). 454-456.
• L. Breen and S. M. Phillips. Nutrient interaction for optimal protein anabolism in resistance exercise. Curr Op Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2012; 15(3), 226-232.
• Y. Yang., L. Breen., N. A. Burd., A. Josse., A. J. Hector., T. Churchward-Venne., M. A. Tarnopolsky and S. M. Phillips. Dose-response of myofibrillar protein synthesis and whole-body protein turnover to protein ingestion with and without resistance exercise in older adults. Brit J Nutr. 2012; 1-9.
• M. M. Farnfield., L. Breen., K. A. Carey., A. Garnham and D. Cameron-Smith. Activation of mTOR signalling in young and old human skeletal muscle in response to combined resistance exercise and whey protein ingestion. Appl Physiol Nutr & Metab. 2012; 37: 21-30.
• L. Breen and S. M. Phillips. Skeletal muscle protein metabolism in the elderly and interventions to counteract ‘anabolic resistance’. Nutr & Metab. 2011; 8(68).
• L. Breen., A. Philp., O. C. Witard., S. R. Jackman., A. Selby., K. Smith., M. J. Rennie., K. Baar and K. D. Tipton. The influence of carbohydrate-protein co-ingestion following endurance exercise on myofibrillar and mitochondrial protein synthesis. J Physiol. 2011; 589(16), 4011-4025.
• N. A. Burd., D. W. D. West., D. M. Camera and L. Breen. The no-growth ‘growth-factor’: no role for early IGF-1 signalling in ‘bulking’ up muscles. J Physiol. 2011; 589(11), 2667-8.
• L. Breen., A. Philp., C. S. Shaw., A. E. Jeukendrup., K. Baar and K. D. Tipton. Beneficial effects of resistance exercise on glycemic control are not further improved by protein ingestion. PLoS ONE. 2011; 6(6), e20613. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0020613.
• L. Breen., K. D. Tipton and A. E. Jeukendrup. No effect of carbohydrate-protein on cycling performance and indices of recovery. Med Sci Sports Ex. 2010; 42(6), 1140-48.
• G. N. L. Onambélé-Pearson., L. Breen and C. E. Stewart. Influences of carbohydrate plus amino acid supplementation on differing exercise intensity adaptations in older persons: skeletal muscle and endocrine responses. Age. 2010; 32(2), 125-38.
• G. N. L. Onambélé-Pearson., L. Breen and C. E. Stewart. Influences of Exercise Intensity in Older Persons with Unchanged Habitual Nutritional Intake: Skeletal Muscle and Endocrine Adaptations. Age. 2010; 32(2), 139-53.
• K. E. Burgess., S. J. Pearson., L. Breen and G. N. L. Onambélé. Tendon mechanical properties in elderly populations: effect of gender. Journal of Orthopedic Research. 2009; 27(6), 820-5.
• L. Breen, G. N. L. Onambélé-Pearson, C. E. Stewart. Functional benefits of combined resistance training with nutritional interventions in older adults: A review. Geriatrics & Gerontology International. 2007; 7, 326-40.