The Eynon Group investigates the molecular basis of exercise adaptation and ageing, with a particular focus on how these processes are coordinated across tissues in humans. The lab has established a strong foundation in exercise genomics and epigenetics, and is now advancing this work to define how ageing unfolds at a systems level.

A central focus of the group is the development of large-scale molecular resources, including the Ageing Atlas, which integrates multi-omic data across tissues to map the biological trajectories of ageing. This work aims to identify key regulatory signatures that link exercise, ageing, and disease risk.

The lab combines human cohort studies with multi-omic profiling, including DNA methylation, transcriptomics, and proteomics, alongside emerging functional approaches to begin interrogating causal mechanisms. By integrating molecular data with physiological outcomes, the group seeks to translate genomic discoveries into a deeper understanding of human performance, healthy ageing, and potential intervention strategies.

Group Members

Research Themes

  • Epigenetic regulation of exercise adaptation
  • Molecular biology of human ageing
  • Multi-tissue ageing atlas and systems-level integration
  • Gene and protein expression dynamics across the lifespan
  • Sex differences and endocrine regulation of muscle, health, and ageing

Featured Publications

Authors Title Published In

Seale K, Horvath S, Teschendorff A, Eynon N*, Voisin S*.

Making sense of the aging methylome.

Nature Reviews Genetics, 23;10(585-605). 2022

Voisin S, Jacques M, Landen S, Harvey NR, Haupt LM, Griffiths LR, Gancheva S,
Ouni M, Jähnert M, Ashton KJ, Coffey VG, Thompson JLM, Doering TM, Gabory A, Junien C, Caiazzo R, Verkindt H, Raverdy V, Pattou F, Froguel P, Craig JM, Blocquiaux S, Thomis M, Sharples AP, Schürmann A, Roden M, Horvath S, Eynon N

Meta-analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation and integrative omics of age in human skeletal muscle.

Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 12;4(1064-1078). 2021

Landen S, Jacques M, Hiam D, Alvarez-Romero J, Harvey NR, Haupt LM, Griffiths LR,
Ashton KJ, Lamon S, Voisin S, Eynon N.

Skeletal muscle methylome and transcriptome integration reveals profound sex differences related to muscle function and substrate metabolism.

Clinical Epigenetics, 13;202. 2021

Willems SM, Wright DJ, Day FR, … Eynon N, … Wareham NJ, Scott RA, et al.

Large-scale GWAS identifies multiple loci for hand grip strength providing biological insights into muscular fitness.

Nature Communications, 8;1 2017

More Publications

Authors Title Published In

Voisin S, Harvey NR, Haupt LM, Griffiths LR, Ashton KJ, Coffey VG, Doering TM, Thompson JLM, Benedict C, Cedernaes J, Lindholm ME, Craig JM, Rowlands DS, Sharples AP, Horvath S, Eynon N.

An epigenetic clock for human skeletal muscle.

Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 11;4(887-898). 2020

Jacques M, Kuang J, Bishop DJ, Yan X, Alvarez-Romero J, Munson F, Garnham A, Papadimitriou ID, Voisin S, Eynon N.

Mitochondrial respiration variability and simulations in human skeletal muscle: The Gene SMART study.

The FASEB Journal. 34;2(2978-2986). 2020

Voisin S, Jacques M, Lucia A, Bishop DJ, Eynon N.

Statistical considerations for exercise protocols aimed at measuring trainability.

Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews. 47;1(37-45). 2019

Landen S, Voisin S, Craig JM, McGee SL, Lamon S, Eynon N.

Genetic and epigenetic sex-specific adaptations to endurance exercise.

Epigenetics. 14;6(523-535). 2019

Houweling PJ, Papadimitriou ID, Seto JT, Pérez LM, Del Coso J, North KN, Lucia A, Eynon N.

Is evolutionary loss our gain? The role of ACTN3 p.Arg577Ter (R577X) genotype in athletic performance, ageing and disease.

Human Mutation. 39;12(1774-1787). 2018

Papadimitriou ID, Lucia A, Pitsiladis YP, Pushkarev VP, Dyatlov DA, Orekhov EF, Artioli GG, Guilherme JPLF, Lancha AH, Ginevičienė V, Cieszczyk P, Maciejewska-
Karlowska A, Sawczuk M, Muniesa CA, Kouvatsi A, Massidda M, Garton CMCF, Houweling PJ, Wang G, Austin K, Druzhevskaya AM, Astratenkova IV, Ahmetov II, Bishop DJ, North KN, Eynon N.

ACTN3 R577X and ACE I/D gene variants influence performance in elite sprinters: a multi-cohort study.

BMC Genomics, 17;1. 2016