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Duck-chul Lee

Director, Physical Activity Research Center (PARC)

Professor

Health & Human Development

Dr. DC Lee is a Professor in the Department of Health and Human Development and Director of Physical Activity Research Center (PARC). He received his PhD in Physical Activity Epidemiology from Seoul National University in South Korea, and completed his post-doctoral fellowship at the University of South Carolina, working with Dr. Steven Blair.

Dr. Lee teaches “Advanced Research Methods in Movement Science” for graduate students.

As a Physical Activity Epidemiologist, Dr. Lee’s research focuses on the health benefits of physical activity, fitness (e.g., cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength), and aerobic and resistance exercise training on clinical biomarkers, chronic disease prevention (e.g., cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity), and longevity using large observational (cohort) studies and randomized controlled trials of exercise.

Below publications are selected from over 130 publications (IF=2023 journal impact factor).

  1. Lee DC, Brellenthin AG, Lanningham-Foster LM, Kohut ML, Li Y. Aerobic, resistance, or combined exercise training and cardiovascular risk profile in overweight or obese adults: the CardioRACE trail. Eur Heart J. 2024;45(13):1127-1142. IF=37.6
  2. Paluch A, Boyer W, Franklin B, Laddu D, Lee DC, McDermott M, Swift D, Weber AR, Lane A. Resistance exercise training in individuals with and without cardiovascular disease: 2023 Update. Circulation. 2024;149(3):e217-e231.IF=35.5
  3. Brellenthin AG, Bennie JA, Lee DC. Aerobic or muscle-strengthening physical activity: Which is better for health? Curr Sports Med Rep. 2022;21(8):272-279. “Paper of the Year” award winning article by ACSM. IF=1.7
  4. Liu Y, Lee DC (corresponding author), Li Y, Zhu W, Zhang R, Sui X, Lavie CJ, Blair SN. Associations of Resistance Exercise with Cardiovascular Disease Morbidity and Mortality. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019;51(3):499-508. “Paper of the Year” award winning article by ACSM. IF=4.1
  5. Lee DC, Brellenthin AG, Thompson PD, Sui X, Lee IM, Lavie CJ. Running as a key lifestyle medicine for longevity. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2017;60(1):45-55. “Atlas Award” winning article by Elsevier. IF=5.6
  6. Lee DC, Pate RR, Lavie CJ, Sui X, Church TS, Blair SN. Leisure-time running reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;64(5), 472-81. “Top Ten Publication Award” winning article by American Heart Association Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Council. IF=21.7
  7. Lee DC, Sui X, Jackson AS, Church TS, Lavie CJ, Blair SN. Changes in fitness and fatness on the development of cardiovascular disease risk factors focusing on hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and hypercholesterolemia. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2012;59(7):665-72. IF=21.7
  8. Lee DC, Sui X, Artero EG, Lee IM, Church TS, McAuley PA, Standford FC, Kohl HW, Blair SN. Long-term effects of changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index on all-cause and CVD mortality in men: The Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study. Circulation. 2011;124(23):2483-90. IF=35.5
  9. Lee DC, Sui X, Ortega FB, Kim YS, Church TS, Winett RA, Ekelund U, Katzmarzyk PT, Blair SN. Comparisons of leisure-time physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness as predictors of all-cause mortality in men and women. Br J Sports MedIF=11.6
  10. Lee DC, Sui X, Church TS, Lee IM, Blair SN. Associations of cardiorespiratory fitness and obesity with risks of impaired fasting glucose and type 2 diabetes in men. Diabetes Care. 2009;32(2):257-62. IF=14.8

List of Publications in MyBibliography: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/1FulADW_mb-5g/bibliography/42603832/public/?sort=date&direction=descending

  1. Dose-response to resistance exercise on cardiovascular health. 12/2023-11/2028.    Principal Investigator: Duck-chul Lee (MPI: I-Min Lee). Source: NIH (NHLBI) R01 (R01HL171098) ($3,466,211 Total Funded). This randomized controlled trial will test the dose-response relationship between resistance exercise and cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults with overweight or obesity.
  2. Comparison of the cardiovascular benefits of resistance, aerobic, and combined exercise (CardioRACE).07/2016-04/2022. Principal Investigator: Duck-chul Lee. Source: NIH (NHLBI) R01 (R01HL133069) ($3,355,624 Total Funded). This research investigated the comparative effectiveness of the cardiovascular benefits of resistance, aerobic, and a combined exercise by conducting 1) a large cohort data analysis using the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study (ACLS) and 2) a 1-year randomized controlled trial in 406 adults with overweight or obesity.

  1. Life Sports Instructor License: Bodybuilding (Korea Ministry of Culture & Tourism). 1998.
  2. Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS, US National Strength and Conditioning Association). 2006.
  3. “Top Ten Publication Award” for the first author paper titled “Leisure-time running reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk” published in JACC. Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Council. American Heart Association. 2015.
  4. “Early Achievement in Research Award”. College of Human Sciences. Iowa State University. 2015.
  5. “Early tenure and promotion” to Associate Professor. Iowa State University. 2017.
  6. “Atlas Award,” international research award for the first author paper titled “Running as a key lifestyle medicine for longevity” published in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases. Elsevier. 2017.
  7. “Paper of the Year” award for the corresponding author paper titled “Associations of resistance exercise with cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality” published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. American College of Sports Medicine. 2019.
  8. “Mid-Career Achievement in Research Award”. College of Human Sciences. Iowa State University. 2021.
  9. “Paper of the Year” award for the invited senior author paper titled “Aerobic or muscle-strengthening physical activity: Which is better for health?” published in Current Sports Medicine Reports. American College of Sports Medicine. 2022.

  1. Physical Activity Committee in the Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Council, American Heart Association.
  2. NIH grant application review for standing study sections.
  3. Research manuscript review invited by medical journals such as JAMA, BMJ, Circulation, and JACC.
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