Celebrity Gail Porter will be at the University of Dundee on Monday (29/10) to launch the university's newest degree - Sports Biomedicine.
Gail - a self confessed "gymn obsessive" - will take on comedian and University Rector Fred MacAulay a self confessed "pies and pints man" in a fitness test that promises to get hearts racing.
The two will take to exercise bikes while wired up to heart monitor machines in a contest demonstrating the essential elements of the study of sports biomedicine.
The new degree, gets off the starting blocks in October 2002, builds on the university's excellence in teaching anatomy and physiology - rated first in the UK this year - combined with its top quality sports expertise and facilities. It will provide graduates with a distinctive Dundee degree soundly founded on understanding the medical science behind sports and fitness.
It is designed with the needs of the athlete and the coach in mind, and will equip graduates for a range of careers in the fitness and sports industries as well as consultancy work, management, research and teaching in the health care, nutrition and pharmaceutical industries.
Consultant to Britain's Olympic team and to the scientific panel of the International Olympic committee Professor Ron Maughan who will speak at the launch said: "We need to fix two big problems. Scotland's athletes currently fail to reach their full potential and deserve better biomedicine support . We also need to get the message across to the Scots that fitness equals health for the heart, lungs and bones. We desperately need more practitioners in this area. This degree could play an important role in elevating Scottish sporting performance on the world stage and embedding port in Scottish life. "
Professor of anatomy and physiology at the University of Dundee, Mike Rennie said: "This Sports Biomedicine programme takes a stride beyond movement studies and sports management. It will help us understand the impact of lack of exercise on health as well as the basis of excellence in sport. Fully understanding those links is the first step to doing something about the problem. By turning out a new generation of graduates in sports biomedicine we hope Dundee will contribute to a general and long term improvement in Scottish health and heart. We are delighted that Gail Porter and Fred MacAulay are able to help us project the message in this way."
More info: www.dundee.ac.uk/
Picture Caption:(Top) Gail Porter and Fred MacAulay take a fitness test.
Bottom: (l-r)Gail Porter, Steve O'Parka (Commonwealth athlete) and Haylee Donnely