Jill Barnes

Jill Barnes is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an affiliate faculty member in the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology at the Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Her research focuses on the effects of aging on cerebrovascular function and its links to cardiovascular disease and dementia. She investigates how lifestyle modifications, such as exercise, can mitigate age-related declines in brain blood flow regulation. Dr. Barnes holds a PhD in Exercise Physiology from the University of Texas at Austin and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Mayo Clinic.

Education:

• BS in Movement Science, University of Michigan (2003)
• MA and PhD in Exercise Physiology, University of Texas at Austin (2005, 2009)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Human Integrative Physiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine (2013)

Research Interests:

• Age-related changes in cerebral blood flow regulation
• Sex differences in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health
• Role of exercise in preventing cognitive decline
• Impact of arterial stiffness on neurovascular function

Her work integrates physiological, clinical, and translational approaches to understand mechanisms underlying successful aging.

Awards:

• Edward C. Kendall Mayo Clinic Alumni Association Award for Meritorious Research (2014)

Lab & Collaborations: The Barnes Lab, part of the Bruno Balke Biodynamics Laboratory, collaborates with institutions like Mayo Clinic on studies exploring cerebral hemodynamics and autonomic control. Current projects include investigations into Gulf War Veterans' autonomic dysfunction and sex-specific responses to exercise challenges.