Sandra Hunter, PhD

Sandra Hunter, PhD, is the Francie Kraker Goodridge Collegiate Professor of Kinesiology and professor and chair of movement science at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology. She is also director of the Neuromuscular Physiology of Human Movement Laboratory and co-director of the Human Performance & Sport Science Center (HPSSC).

Dr. Hunter earned her PhD in exercise physiology at the University of Sydney, Australia, and subsequently completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Colorado Boulder under the mentorship of Dr. Roger Enoka. Prior to joining the University of Michigan in 2024, Dr. Hunter served as faculty at Marquette University for 21 years.

Since 2004, Dr. Hunter has consistently secured federal research funding and is currently the principal investigator on multiple R01 grants from the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Her current NIA-funded research focuses on the physiological mechanisms underlying muscle fatigue associated with aging and metabolic conditions such as prediabetes and diabetes, as well as the protective effects of strength training.

As an internationally recognized leader in the field of neuromuscular physiology, Dr. Hunter investigates human movement across the lifespan, with a particular emphasis on age- and sex-related differences in athletic performance. She has authored more than 170 peer-reviewed publications and was recognized in both 2023 and 2024 as being among the top 2% of the world’s most highly cited scientists. Dr. Hunter also serves on the editorial boards of several high-impact journals, including her role as associate editor of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise and as editor-in-chief of Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews.