Dr. Cory Dugan, AFHEA, is a researcher and educator with a focus on nutrition science and exercise physiology. Specialising in micronutrient metabolism, his work aims to develop effective, evidence-based dietary interventions that promote better health outcomes for diverse populations. Dr. Dugan earned his PhD in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from The University of Western Australia in 2024, where his doctoral thesis investigated iron deficiency management in active females.

Currently serving as both a Research Officer (UWA) and a Research Fellow (Monash University), Dr. Dugan leads multiple clinical trials. His research at UWA’s School of Human Sciences includes the DARP Trial, which examines the effects of hydration on blood glucose levels in individuals with type 1 diabetes, supported by an NHMRC grant. At Monash University, Dr. Dugan is investigating the impact of hypophosphatemia in surgical patients following intravenous iron therapy. Additionally, as part of the UWA clinical trials unit, Dr. Dugan coordinates the Iron Deficiency Community Screening Project (CAPRI Project) with Jayne Lim and Beth MacLean.

Away from research, Dr. Dugan directs P∆R∆DOX- Health & Wellbeing, a business committed to delivering comprehensive wellness strategies that integrate physical and mental health (with Dr. Ivan Jeftic).

With numerous peer-reviewed publications and awards, Dr. Dugan demonstrates a commitment to academic excellence and community engagement. His roles have included coordinating physiologist and lab specialist at UWA's Exercise and Performance Centre, as well as leadership positions in strength and conditioning programs for the Demons District Football Umpires Association.

As an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Dr. Dugan is involved in tertiary education and teaches at UWA across 3 schools (Human Sciences, Medical, Business). His contributions to the fields of sport nutrition and exercise science continue to advance research and foster holistic health and wellness.

Research output 

Current research output is detailed below. The majority of this work focuses on iron deficiency in the context of women's health. A review article was published in Anaesthesia (2021) which summates this body of work, demonstrating the need to single out women and investigate iron deficiency rather than accept the dogma of normality and differential treatment; this is to say, the need to change the current standard of care for women.

References 

1. Dugan C, Peeling P, Burden R, Richards T. Efficacy of iron supplementation on physical capacity in non-anaemic iron deficient individuals: Protocol for an individual patient data meta-analysis. Journal of Systematic Reviews. 2024.
2. James C, Dugan C, Boyd C, Fournier PA, Arthur PG. Temporal tracking of cysteine 34 oxidation of plasma albumin as a biomarker of muscle damage following a bout of eccentric exercise. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2024.
3. Dugan C, Peeling P, Davies A, MacLean B, Simpson A, Lim J, Richards T. The relationship between menorrhagia, iron deficiency, and anaemia in recreationally active females. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport (JSAMS). 2024.
4. Dugan C, Simpson A, Peeling P, Lim J, Davies A, Buissink P, Richards T. The perceived impact of iron deficiency and iron therapy preference in exercising females of reproductive age: A cross-sectional survey study. Patient Preference and Adherence. 2023.
5. Dugan C, Peeling P, Burden R, Richards T. Efficacy of Iron Supplementation on Physical Capacity in Non-anaemic Iron Deficient Individuals: Protocol for an Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis. SquareOne. 2023.
6. Attwell C, McKay A, Sim M, Dugan C, Nicholas J, Hopper L, et al. Timing is everything, but does it really matter? Impact of 8-weeks morning versus evening iron supplementation in ballet and contemporary dancers. European Journal of Sport Science. 2023.
7. Davies AT, Devlin PM, Dugan C, Richards T, Miles LF. Non-erythropoiesis stimulating agent, non-iron therapies for the management of anemia: A scoping review. Transfusion. 2023.
8. Uchiyama K, King J, Wallman K, Taggart S, Dugan C, Girard O. The influence of rest break frequency and duration on physical performance and psychophysiological responses: a mining simulation study. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2022.
9. Peeling P, Mckay A, Mccormick R, Dugan C, Sim M. The nutrition-change. 2022. Link here.
10. Dugan C, Cabolis K, Miles LF, Richards T. Systematic review and meta‐analysis of intravenous iron therapy for adults with non‐anaemic iron deficiency: An abridged Cochrane review. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle. 2022.
11. Devlin P, Davies A, Dugan C, Richards T, Miles LF. Non-erythropoiesis-stimulating agent, non-iron therapies for the management of anaemia: protocol for a scoping review. BMJ Open. 2022.
12. Attwell C, Dugan C, McKay AKA, Nicholas J, Hopper L, Peeling P. Dietary iron and the elite dancer. Nutrients. 2022.
13. Dugan CW, Maloney SK, Abramoff KJ, Panag SS, Davis EA, Jones TW, et al. Effects of simulated high altitude on blood glucose levels during exercise in individuals with type 1 diabetes. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2021.
14. Dugan C, Scott C, Abeysiri S, Baikady RR, Richards T. The need to screen for anemia in exercising women. Medicine. 2021.
15. Dugan C, Maclean B, Cabolis K, Abeysiri S, Khong A, Sajic M, et al. The misogyny of iron deficiency. Anaesthesia. 2021. (Awarded Wiley Top Downloaded Article Award for 2021- Almetric score- 158. In the top 5% of all research output scored by Almetric).
16. Abeysiri S, Dugan C, Raobaikady R, Richards T, Scott C. The need to screen for anaemia in female populations. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2021.

Conference Proceedings

1. Lim J, MacLean B, Dugan C, Hines E, Clement I, Richards T. TikTok videos on iron deficiency: a cross-sectional content analysis. 24^th Annual Symposium on Patient Blood Management, Haemostasis and Thrombosis (NATA). Bologna, Italy, 2024.
2. Dugan C, Peeling P, MacLean B, Lim J, Jayasuriya P, Richards T. The effect of intravenous iron therapy on physical capacity, fatigue scores, and quality of life in iron deficiency recreationally active females of reproductive age: A double blind, randomised control trial (IRONWOMAN trial). 24^th Annual Symposium on Patient Blood Management, Haemostasis and Thrombosis (NATA). Bologna, Italy, 2024.
3. Fuller J, Maclean B, Lim J, Dugan C, Abeysiri S, Richards T. Intravenous Iron Leads to Lower Rates of Anaemia in Australia. 24^th Annual Symposium on Patient Blood Management, Haemostasis and Thrombosis (NATA). Bologna, Italy, 2024.
4. Fuller J, Nguyen H, Maclean B, Lim J, Dugan C, Al-Sharea A , Richards T. What is ‘Normal’ Iron Metabolism in Response to Inflammation in Ultramarathon Runners. 24^th Annual Symposium on Patient Blood Management, Haemostasis and Thrombosis (NATA). Bologna, Italy, 2024.
5. Dugan C, Davis A, Buissink P, Simpson A, Peeling P, Richards T. Screening and assessing the interrelation and impact of anaemia, iron status, and menstrual blood loss in recreationally active women of reproductive age. 23^rd Annual Symposium on Patient Blood Management, Haemostasis and Thrombosis. Athens, Greece, 2023.
6. Dugan C, Maloney S, Abramoff K, Panag S, Davis E, Jones T, Fournier P. The effect of acute hypoxia on blood glucose levels and carbohydrate oxidation rates during moderate intensity exercise in individuals with Type 1 Diabetes. Sports Medicine Australia Annual Conference, 2021 (virtual).
7. Dugan C, Scott C, Abeysiri S, Raobaikady R, Richards T. The need to screen for anaemia in female populations. Sports Medicine Australia Annual Conference, 2021 (virtual).
8. Dugan C, Maloney S, Abramoff K, Panag S, Davis E, Jones T, Fournier P. The effect of acute hypoxia on blood glucose levels and carbohydrate oxidation rates during moderate intensity exercise in individuals with Type 1 Diabetes. Exercise & Sports Science Australia Research to Practice, 2021 (virtual).
9. Dugan C, MacLean B, Cabolis K, Abeysiri S, Khong A, Sajic M, Richards T and on behalf of the Women Health research Collaborative. The misogyny of iron deficiency. Exercise & Sports Science Australia Research to Practice, 2021 (virtual).
10. Dugan C, Scott C, Abeysiri S, Raobaikady R, Richards T. The need to screen for anaemia in fit and healthy women. 21st Annual NATA Symposium, 2021 (virtual).
11. Dugan C, MacLean B, Cabolis K, Abeysiri S, Khong A, Sajic M, Richards T and on behalf of the Women Health research Collaborative. The misogyny of iron deficiency. International Sarcopenia Translational Research Conference (ISTRC), 2021 (virtual).
12. Scott C, Abeysiri S, McAleavy R, Dugan C, Raobaikady R, Richards T. “Are you really fit and healthy?”. 21^st Annual Symposium on Patient Blood Management, Haemostasis and Thrombosis. Athens Greece, 2020.
13. Abeysiri S, Scott C, Dugan C, Raobaikady R, Richards T. “Is fingerprick testing accurate to identify iron deficiency?”. 21^st Annual Symposium on Patient Blood Management, Haemostasis and Thrombosis. Athens Greece, 2020.
14. Dugan C, Maloney S, Abramoff K, Panag S, Davis E, Jones T, Fournier P. The effect of acute hypoxia on blood glucose levels and carbohydrate oxidation rates during moderate intensity exercise in individuals with Type 1 Diabetes; final results. Child Health Symposium, Perth Children’s Hospital. Western Australia, 2019.
15. Dugan C, Maloney S, Abramoff K, Panag S, Davis E, Jones T, Fournier P. The effect of acute hypoxia on blood glucose levels and carbohydrate oxidation rates during moderate intensity exercise in individuals with Type 1 Diabetes; preliminary findings. Telethon Kids Institute Children’s Diabetes Centre Symposium. Perth, Western Australia, 2019.
16. Dugan C, Maloney S, Abramoff K, Panag S, Davis E, Jones T, Fournier P. The effect of acute hypoxia on blood glucose levels and carbohydrate oxidation rates during moderate intensity exercise in individuals with Type 1 Diabetes; Rationale and design of research. Telethon Kids Institute Children’s Diabetes Centre Symposium. Perth, Western Australia, 2018.

1. Nutrition and physiology (iron metabolism)
2. Women's health (iron deficiency)
3. Philosophy and epistemology

Academic tutor, lab demonstrator, invited lecturer, and/or course lecturer for the following units:

1. IMED3301: Issues in Women's Health Research
2. BUSN5100: Applied Professional Business Communications
3. SSEH1101: The Musculoskeletal System and Movement
4. SSEH1103: Health and Fitness 
5. SSEH2260: Exercise Physiology 
6. SSEH3366: Bioenergetics in Exercise, Nutrition and Energy Balance 
7. SSEH3365: Sports Physiology

Since 2018, in collaboration with (and under the supervision of) various academic researchers/institutes, an excess of $850,000 of funding from various industry-specific and government agencies for both collaborative research and travel purposes.

Overarching goal: To create an environment which promotes learning for students of all backgrounds and learning capabilities.

I believe that learning is an ongoing process which may begin in the classroom and extends far beyond. As a teacher, I believe that it is my role is to act as a scaffold for students to guide the direction of their growth and offer support during that building process, with the ultimate aim of each student having the confidence and skills to support themselves and continue their own journey of learning beyond the classroom.

To me, teaching isn’t simply the transfer of existing knowledge, but rather an opportunity to review, critically analyse, and create new knowledge. Importantly, teaching should revolve around the interaction between teacher and students. Specifically, I believe that consideration of students’ backgrounds, expectations, prior knowledge, and anticipated outcomes of a course are all important factors which should shape the way that teaching is approached. Effective teaching will consider all of these factors in a constructivist approach order to add meaning to material being taught and optimise students’ chance of success.

My aim in each encounter I have with students—whether in the classroom or otherwise—is to facilitate students’ active learning through inspiring and motivating them to seek further knowledge. My hope is for my students to develop life-long critical thinking skills which can be transferred beyond my interaction with them. Whilst my goal for each course or lesson I teach is for students to become master the course outcomes, it is just as important that students develop unconscious competence in problem-solving, critical thinking, and self-directed learning—all skills which will act as their own scaffolding for future learning beyond the classroom.

In order to act as a scaffold for my students and promote deep learning, I strive to teach material from a ‘real-world’ lens. For instance, I encourage students to add meaning to course content and actively seek further knowledge in ways which inspire them. To facilitate intrinsic motivation for learning, I create opportunities for students to collaborate with their peers in order to share knowledge and promote active learning, and importantly, to create meaningful connections with their peers and potential future colleagues. I also allow students to work autonomously and take charge of their learning by providing close support when needed, and stepping back and allowing room to integrate their knowledge independently with the world. I believe it is also important for all students to feel competent at learning and experience success, and as such I ensure that I praise students’ effort to participate and provide immediate and relevant feedback.

As a teacher, I believe it is my responsibility to myself and my students to continue to grow and challenge myself in new ways. To do this, I first assess my strengths in teaching and opportunities for improvements. I endeavour to reflect after each teaching experience and consider what went well, as well as opportunities to improve my students’ experiences. Students’ perceptions of my teaching is paramount to measure my success as a teacher—and role as a scaffold for students’ learning—which is why I encourage and welcome their feedback through perceptions of teaching surveys. Whilst students’ perceptions of my teaching helps guide my future interactions with students, I also consider the input of my colleagues via peer-review observations as I believe that collaboration of different minds can lead to even greater success. In addition to implementing feedback of my teaching from students and colleagues, I also incorporate assessments of students’ learning. I believe that regular assessments—whether formal or informal—are important tools which can be strong indicators of the relationship between teaching and learning. Where possible, I incorporate techniques into the classroom and after each tutorial or laboratory encourage students to reflect on material which they found enjoyable, challenging, or are not confident with.