Stephen Cornish, PhD

Biography

Dr. Stephen Cornish has dedicated his career to understanding the effects of exercise and nutritional interventions on various physiological systems particularly in older adults. His most recent research ventures have focused on the crosstalk between skeletal muscle and the immune system. 

Cornish's current work seeks to understand the relationship between these two systems as skeletal muscle recovers from resistance-based exercise. An interesting phenomenon exists between how myokines respond in younger versus older skeletal muscle which his future research hopes to understand more fully.

Education

  • Ph.D., University of Saskatchewan (2008)
  • B.Sc., University of Saskatchewan (1997)
  • M.Sc., University of Saskatchewan (2001)

Research summary

Dr. Stephen Cornish’s research focuses on exercise and nutritional immunology, particularly their effects on ameliorating chronic low grade inflammation that is observed in many of the chronic diseases society is facing at this time. 

Finding optimal exercise and nutritional strategies to lower inflammation is seen as key in disease management and prevention. Other research interests include inflammatory response to exercise, exercise and aging, exercise and health and overtraining.

Highlights

  • Chair - Scientific Advisory and Partnership Committee, Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP)
  • CSEP - Clinical Exercise Physiologist
  • CSEP - CPT and CEP Instructor/Examiner
  • Chair - Sport Medicine and Science Council Manitoba (SMSCM) - Substance Use in Sport and Health Committee

Recent publications

Cordingley DM, Taheri M, Fasihiyan M, Cornish SM. Selected Nutrients to Oppose Muscle Disuse Following Arthroscopic Orthopedic Surgery: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2025, 17(7), 1273.

Jäger R, Heileson JL, Sawan SA, Dickerson B, Leonard M, Kreider RB, Kerksick CM, Cornish SM, Candow DG, Cordingley DM, Forbes SC, Tinsley GM, Bongiovanni T, Campbell BI, Arent SM, Stout JR, Kalman DS, Antonio J. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Long-Chain Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2025, 22(1), 2441775.

Cordingley DM, Anderson JE, Cornish SM. Resting Systemic Irisin Concentrations Are Lower in Older versus Younger Males after 12 Weeks of Resistance-Exercise Training While Apelin and IL-15 Concentrations Were Increased in the Whole Cohort. Muscles. 2024, 3(3), 202-211.

Cornish SM, Cordingley DM. Inflammatory Pathway Communication with Skeletal Muscle - Does Aging Play a Role? A Topical Review of the Current Evidence. Physiological Reports. 2024, 12, e16098.

Cornish SM, Barnes MJ. Editorial: Nutrition and muscle recovery after exercise. Frontiers in Sports & Active Living. 2024 Apr 23;6:1413822.

Courses

  • Fitness Appraisal and Lifestyle Counseling (KIN 4460)
  • Advanced Fitness Appraisal and Lifestyle Counseling (KIN 4560)