Sarahjane Cullen

Dr.

Contact Details


Associate Professor in Sport & Exercise Physiology

E:sarahjane.cullen@dcu.ie
Profile Photo

SarahJane is an Associate Professor in Sport & Exercise Physiology in the School of Health & Human Performance in Dublin City University (DCU). Prior to this, she was a Lecturer and Course Leader on the BSc in Sport & Exercise Science in the Department of Sport & Exercise Science in SETU Waterford. SarahJane is a Sport Physiology Senior Consultant providing support to high performance athletes and para-athletes in Ireland through Sport Ireland Institute. She coordinates the jockey research programme in conjunction with The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. SarahJane is Vice Chair of the recently established Irish Sport and Exercise Sciences Association (ISESA). She is an ISAK-accredited anthropometric instructor (Level 3) delivering internationally accredited courses nationally. SarahJane graduated from Sport Science & Health in DCU. She spent time as a research assistant in the Centre of Sports Medicine & Human Performance at Brunel University London and the School of Exercise Science at ACU Sydney. She received a scholarship funded by The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board to complete her PhD and Postdoctorate in DCU focusing on the health and performance characteristics of current and retired jockeys. She also completed a MSc in Applied Sports Nutrition in St Mary's Twickenham, focusing on body composition in elite male athletes. SarahJane’s research interests include: 1) Physiological and psychological impacts of making weight in weight category sports, 2) Female athlete health and performance 3) Musculoskeletal health and body composition in athletes. With 3 PhD students and 1 Postdoctoral researcher successfully completed, she is currently co-supervisor for 4 jockey specific PhD projects (current projects: bone health and body composition, female jockey health, minimum riding weights, behaviour change, transition into retirement, concussion education) and 3 horse racing industry PhD projects investigating mental health and wellbeing and leadership and management in trainers, stable staff and the breeding industry. She co-supervises 2 PhD students investigating menstrual cycle, body composition, performance and weight making in female athletes. She has research ongoing exploring athlete’s perceptions, knowledge, understanding and experiences of body composition as a performance variable. SarahJane was Tournament Nutritionist for the Women's Rugby World Cup held in Ireland 2017. She was also part of Team Ireland's sport science team at the holding camp for Team Ireland at the Olympic Games in Rio 2016 and London 2012.

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2023 King, L.; Cullen, S.; McArdle, J.; McGoldrick, A.; Pugh, J.; Warrington, G.; Losty, C. (2023) 'Barriers and Facilitators to Help-Seeking for Mental Health Difficulties Among Professional Jockeys in Ireland'. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 17 . [Link] [DOI]
2022 Kiely, M.; Warrington, G.; Mcgoldrick, A.; Cullen, S. (2022) 'Physical Preparation Strategies of Professional Jockeys'. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 36 . [Link] [DOI]
2022 Cullen, Sarahjane; Fleming, James; Logue, Danielle M.; O'Connor, Joe; Connor, Brendan; Cleary, John; Watson, John A.; Madigan, Sharon M. (2022) 'Anthropometric profiles of elite athletes'. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 17 (1):145-155. [DOI]
2022 Dunne, A.; O’Neill, C.; Warrington, G.; Rackard, G.; Cullen, S.J. (2022) 'Variability and accuracy of body fat estimates using skinfolds and DXA in elite Gaelic football players: a validation study and development of novel prediction equations'. Sport Sciences for Health, 18 . [Link] [DOI]
2021 Dunne, A.; Warrington, G.; McGoldrick, A.; Pugh, J.; Harrison, M.; O’connor, S.; O’loughlin, G.; Cullen, S. (2021) 'Physical and lifestyle factors influencing bone density in jockeys: A comprehensive update of the bone density status of Irish jockeys'. International Journal Of Exercise Science, 14 . [Link]
2021 King, L.; Cullen, S.J.; McArdle, J.; McGoldrick, A.; Pugh, J.; Warrington, G.; Losty, C. (2021) 'Stressors experienced by professional jockeys'. Sport Psychologist, 35 . [Link] [DOI]
2021 King, L; Cullen, SJ; O'Connor, S; McGoldrick, A; Pugh, J; Warrington, G; Losty, C (2021) 'Racehorse Trainer Mental Health: Prevalence and Risk Factors'. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 101 . [DOI]
2021 O’Connor, S.; Warrington, G.; O’Brien, S.; McDermott, E.; McGoldrick, A.; Pugh, J.; Cullen, S.J. (2021) 'Injuries outside of horseracing: is it time to focus on injury prevention of jockeys outside of races?'. Physician and Sportsmedicine, 49 . [Link] [DOI]
2021 King, L.; Cullen, S.J.; O’Connor, S.; McGoldrick, A.; Pugh, J.; Warrington, G.; Woods, G.; Nevill, A.M.; Losty, C. (2021) 'Common mental disorders among Irish jockeys: prevalence and risk factors'. Physician and Sportsmedicine, 49 . [Link] [DOI]
2020 O'Connor, S.; Warrington, G.; Whelan, G.; McGoldrick, A.; Cullen, S.J. (2020) 'Concussion History, Reporting Behaviors, Attitudes, and Knowledge in Jockeys'. Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, 30 . [Link] [DOI]
2020 Kiely, M.; Warrington, G.D.; McGoldrick, A.; Pugh, J.; Cullen, S.J. (2020) 'Physiological Demands of Professional Flat and Jump Horse Racing'. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 34 . [Link] [DOI]
2020 Dunne, A; Warrington, G; McGoldrick, A; Pugh, J; Harrison, M; O'Connor, S; O'Loughlin, G; Cullen, S (2020) 'Estimation of Body Fat Percentage in Jockeys: Implications for a Weight Category Sport'. International Journal Of Exercise Science, 13 (4).
2019 Kiely, M.A.; Warrington, G.D.; McGoldrick, A.; O’Loughlin, G.; Cullen, S.J. (2019) 'Physiological demands of daily riding gaits in jockeys'. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 59 . [Link] [DOI]
2019 Losty, C.; Warrington, G.; Mcgoldrick, A.; Murphy, C.; Burrows, E.; Cullen, S. (2019) 'Mental health and wellbeing of jockeys'. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 14 . [Link] [DOI]
2018 O'Connor, S.; Warrington, G.; McGoldrick, A.; Cullen, S. (2018) 'A 9-year epidemiologic study (2007-2015) on race-day jockey fall and injury incidence in amateur irish horse racing'. Journal of Athletic Training, 53 . [Link] [DOI]
2017 O'Connor, S.; Warrington, G.; McGoldrick, A.; Cullen, S. (2017) 'Epidemiology of injury due to race-day jockey falls in professional flat and jump horse racing in Ireland, 2011 -2015'. Journal of Athletic Training, 52 . [Link] [DOI]
2017 Kenny, John; Cullen, SarahJane; Warrington, Giles D. (2017) 'The Ice-Mile: Case Study of 2 Swimmers' Selected Physiological Responses and Performance'. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 12 (5). [DOI]
2015 Cullen, S; Donohoe, A; McGoldrick, A; McCaffrey, N; Davenport, C; Byrne, B; Donaghy, C; Tormey, W; Smith, D; Warrington, G (2015) 'Musculoskeletal Health, Kidney and Liver Function in Retired Jockeys'. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 36 (12). [DOI]
2015 Cullen, S.; Dolan, E.; McGoldrick, A.; Brien, K.O.; Carson, B.P.; Warrington, G. (2015) 'The impact of making-weight on cognitive performance in apprentice jockeys'. Journal Of Sports Sciences, 33 . [Link] [DOI]
2015 Cullen, S.J.; O'Loughlin, G.; Mcgoldrick, A.; Smyth, B.; May, G.; Warrington, G.D. (2015) 'Physiological demands of flat horse racing jockeys'. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29 . [Link] [DOI]
2015 Cullen, S.; Dolan, E.; Brien, K.O.; McGoldrick, A.; Warrington, G. (2015) 'Lack of effect of typical rapid-weight-loss practices on balance and anaerobic performance in apprentice jockeys'. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 10 . [Link] [DOI]
2014 Cullen, S; Donohoe, A; McGoldrick, A; McCaffrey, N; Davenport, C; Byrne, B; Donaghy, C; Tormey, W; Smith, D; Warrington, G (2014) 'Physiological and health characteristics of ex-jockeys'. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 19 (4). [DOI]
2013 O'Loughlin, G.; Cullen, S.J.; McGoldrick, A.; O'Connor, S.; Blain, R.; O'Malley, S.; Warrington, G.D. (2013) 'Using a wearable camera to increase the accuracy of dietary analysis'. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 44 . [Link] [DOI]
2013 Dolan, E.; Cullen, S.J.; McGoldrick, A.; Warrington, G.D. (2013) 'The impact of making weight on physiological and cognitive processes in elite jockeys'. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 23 . [Link] [DOI]
2013 Greene, D. A.; Naughton, G. A.; Jander, C. B.; Cullen, S. -J. (2013) 'Bone Health of Apprentice Jockeys Using Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography'. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 34 (8). [DOI]

Other Publication

Year Publication
2024 Noonan-Holohan, S.; Cullen, S.J.; Dunne, A.; Warrington, G.; Fitzpatrick, P.; Pugh, J.; McGoldrick, A.; Losty, C. (2024) The behavioural determinants of weight-making in weight-category sports: A narrative review. [Link] [DOI]
2022 Dunne, A.; Warrington, G.; McGoldrick, A.; Pugh, J.; Harrison, M.; Cullen, S.J. (2022) Body Composition and Bone Health Status of Jockeys: Current Findings, Assessment Methods and Classification Criteria. [Link] [DOI]
2021 King, L.; Cullen, S.J.; McGoldrick, A.; Pugh, J.; Warrington, G.; Woods, G.; Losty, C. (2021) Mental health difficulties among professional jockeys: A narrative review. [Link] [DOI]
2019 Kiely, M.; Warrington, G.; McGoldrick, A.; Cullen, S. (2019) Physiological and Performance Monitoring in Competitive Sporting Environments: A Review for Elite Individual Sports. [Link] [DOI]
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Professional Associations

Association Function From / To
Sport Ireland Institute Chair of Body Composition Multidisciplinary Working Group -
Irish Sport and Exercise Sciences Association (ISESA) Vice-Chair -

Committees

Committee Function From / To
DCU University Ethics Committee - Member -
ISESA Communications Committee - Co-Chair -
ISESA Events Committee - Member -
ISESA Board of Directors -

Employment

Employer Position From / To
South East Technological University Waterford Lecturer in Exercise Physiology 01/09/2015 - 31/08/2023
South East Technological University Waterford Course Leader in Sport & Exercise Science 03/09/2018 - 31/08/2023
Dublin City University Post-Doctoral Fellow 03/03/2014 - 31/08/2015

Education

Start date Institution Qualification Subject
01/02/2010 Dublin City University PhD Sport & Exercise Physiology
05/09/2016 St Mary's Twickenham MSc Applied Sports Nutrition
06/09/2004 Dublin City University BSc Sports Science & Health

Research Interests

SarahJane’s research interests include: 1) Physiological and psychological impacts of making weight in weight category sports, 2) Female athlete health and performance 3) Musculoskeletal health and body composition in athletes.

Research Projects

Title Role Description Start date End date
Health and Performance Implications of Making Weight in Racing DCU PI 04/03/2024 03/02/2027

Current Postgraduate Students

Student Name Degree Supervision
Doherty ,Lorna PhD-track Supervisor

Modules Coordinated

Term Title Subject
2024 SS124
2024 SS103
2024 SS430