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UCLA + UCSF Research Collaboration

Human Enhancement Recovery Optimization

A UCLA + UCSF research collaboration using clinical trials, wearable data, and performance testing to study sleep, recovery, and athletic performance. Our work is built around rigorous methods, transparent results, and questions that matter to athletes.

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Sleep
Recovery
Performance
About Us

Where Sports Medicine Meets Data Science

The HERO Lab — Human Enhancement Recovery Optimization — is a research collaboration between UCLA and UCSF dedicated to advancing the science of human performance and recovery.

In partnership with WHOOP, we combine wearable biometric data with rigorous clinical trial methodology to answer the questions that matter most to athletes: How do I sleep better? How do I recover faster? How do I perform at my peak?

Our research moves beyond one-size-fits-all approaches. By integrating continuous physiological monitoring with objective performance testing, we identify individualized strategies for sleep optimization, targeted supplementation, and recovery protocols.

150+
NCAA Athletes Studied
3
Clinical Studies
2
University Partners
24/7
Wearable Monitoring
UCLA
David Geffen School of Medicine
UCSF
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
WHOOP
Wearable Technology Partner
01 Research

Our Research Portfolio

We use randomized, crossover, and prospective studies with wearable and performance measures to examine sleep, recovery, and concussion in NCAA Division I athletes.

Completed UCLA Trial Results not yet peer reviewed
NCT07015047

Sleep and Reaction-Time Outcomes

Magnesium L-Threonate in NCAA Division I Athletes

A single-site, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial comparing 1 g of magnesium L-threonate compound nightly with rice-flour placebo for four weeks.

Primary Outcome
+0.7 min
Deep and slow-wave sleep at Week 4
MgT vs placebo · 95% CI −6.0 to 7.3 · p = .844 · n = 75
No evidence of benefit
Prespecified Secondary Outcome
52.3 ms
Greater reduction in RIW Challenge response latency
MgT vs placebo · 95% CI 22.7 to 81.9 · p < .001
Prespecified Secondary Outcome
34.2 ms
Greater reduction in Speed Tap response latency
MgT vs placebo · 95% CI 8.2 to 60.2 · p = .010
Reaction-Time Sample
107 athletes · MgT 53, placebo 54
Intervention
1 g MgT compound nightly
Duration
4 weeks
Monitoring
WHOOP plus pre/post testing

Unpublished results. The primary sleep outcome was null. Reaction-time findings were secondary outcomes and require replication.

View Trial Registration View Preliminary AMSSM Poster
Completed AMSSM 2025 Podium Presentation
NCT06565468

Recovery and Performance Outcomes

Cold Water Immersion and Athlete Recovery

A prospective four-week crossover study evaluating 10-minute post-training cold water immersion at approximately 53°F, five times per week, with continuous WHOOP monitoring.

Full Cohort Finding
p = .013
Lower muscle soreness across the full cohort
37 NCAA Division I athletes
Responder Subgroup
+9.6 ms
Higher heart rate variability
p = .017
Responder Subgroup
−1.2 bpm
Lower resting heart rate
p = .016
Sample
37 NCAA Division I athletes
Protocol
10 min at 53°F, 5 times weekly
Design
4-week crossover
Monitoring
WHOOP biometrics and jump performance

Completed study. The soreness finding applies to the full cohort. HRV and resting heart rate estimates apply only to the prespecified responder subgroup.

View Study Details View Trial Registration
Currently Enrolling Outcome Data Pending
UCLA IRB #24-000791

Multimodal Recovery Monitoring

Objective Biomarkers of Concussion Recovery

The study is evaluating wearable autonomic measures, EyeSync oculomotor testing, and clinical milestones during concussion recovery in NCAA Division I athletes.

Wearable Physiology
HRV
Continuous WHOOP-based autonomic tracking
Measured across concussion recovery
Oculomotor Function
EyeSync
Objective oculomotor assessment
Repeated at clinical recovery checkpoints
Clinical Context
Recovery
Symptoms and return-to-play milestones
Compared with physiological patterns
Population
NCAA Division I athletes
Principal Investigator
Joshua Goldman, MD, MBA
Study Status
Actively enrolling
Design
Prospective cohort study

Enrollment is ongoing. The current site presents study aims and methods. No study results are available yet.

Ask About Participation View Concussion Research

Research Focus Areas

Sleep Architecture

Investigating how targeted interventions affect deep sleep, REM sleep, and sleep consistency in athletes using continuous wearable monitoring.

Recovery Science

Studying cold-water immersion, supplementation, and other recovery modalities to develop personalized protocols based on individual physiological responses.

Wearable Biometrics

Leveraging WHOOP data—HRV, resting heart rate, respiratory rate—to identify individual responders and predict recovery trajectories.

Cognitive Performance

Measuring reaction time, skill execution under cognitive load, and decision-making to understand the brain-body connection in athletic performance.

Sports Supplementation

Rigorous, placebo-controlled testing of supplements including magnesium L-threonate and creatine to establish evidence-based recommendations for athletes.

Athlete Monitoring

Developing frameworks for using biometric data to guide training load, inform return-to-play decisions, and reduce injury risk across collegiate sports.

Our Team

Meet the Team

Our team combines clinical sports medicine expertise with research methodology across two leading academic medical centers.

JS

Jeremy Swisher, MD

Principal Investigator

UCLA · David Geffen School of Medicine

HS Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Team physician for UCLA Women's Volleyball and Swim & Dive. Research focuses on concussion, wearable physiological monitoring, recovery science, and injury prevention. Previously provided medical coverage for the LA Lakers, LA Dodgers, and LA Sparks.

UCLA Health UCLA Athletics PubMed
JG

Joshua Goldman, MD, MBA

Principal Investigator

UCLA · David Geffen School of Medicine

Associate Clinical Professor, Departments of Family Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery

Team physician for the Los Angeles Chargers (NFL) and UCLA Beach Volleyball. Associate Director of the UCLA Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program. Program Director for the UCLA Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship. Research spans sleep and athletic performance, youth sports, and concussion.

UCLA Health UCLA Athletics PubMed
KB

Kimberly Burbank, MD

Sports Medicine Fellow · AMSSM 2026 Presenting Author

UCLA · David Geffen School of Medicine

Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellow, Department of Family Medicine

Sports medicine fellow and team physician for UCLA Women's Golf, Women's Tennis, Men's Volleyball, and Softball. Presenting author of the HERO Lab Magnesium L-Threonate poster at AMSSM 2026. Research interests include concussion, athletic performance, and sleep in elite athletes.

UCLA Athletics PubMed
BD

Brian Donohoe, MD

Co-Investigator

UCLA · David Geffen School of Medicine

HS Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine

Primary care sports medicine physician specializing in musculoskeletal ultrasound. Graduate of the David Geffen School of Medicine and UCLA Sports Medicine Fellowship. Former NCAA water polo athlete at UC San Diego.

UCLA Health PubMed
CD

Calvin Duffaut, MD

Co-Investigator

UCLA · David Geffen School of Medicine

Associate Clinical Professor, Departments of Family Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery

Team physician for UCLA Men's Basketball and Football, the LA Sparks, and USA Basketball. Dual-trained in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics with research focused on sleep and athletic performance, and mental health in collegiate athletes.

UCLA Health UCLA Athletics PubMed
NB

Nelson Boland, MD

Co-Investigator

UCLA Health

Sports Medicine & Family Medicine Physician

Sports medicine physician at UCLA Health Malibu. Graduate of Baylor College of Medicine and the UCLA Sports Medicine Fellowship. Specializes in non-surgical orthopedic conditions and musculoskeletal ultrasound.

UCLA Health PubMed
NH

Nicolas Hatamiya, DO

Collaborating Investigator

UCSF · Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Assistant Professor, Primary Care Sports Medicine; Fellowship Program Director

UCSF faculty and fellowship program director in primary care sports medicine. UCLA Sports Medicine Fellowship graduate with research interests in digital health technologies and wearable-based athlete monitoring.

UCSF Health PubMed
JV

Jeremy Vail, PT, SCS, OCS

Director of Rehabilitation

UCLA Athletics

Board-Certified Sports & Orthopedic Clinical Specialist

Director of Rehabilitation for UCLA Athletics. Board-certified Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS) and Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) supporting performance testing, injury prevention, and return-to-play protocols across multiple UCLA sports programs.

UCLA Athletics
02 Publications

Research Outputs

HERO Lab investigators and collaborators share findings through peer-reviewed papers, conference presentations, and manuscripts in progress.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Optimizing Athlete Travel for Performance: A Scientific Blueprint for Athletes, Coaches, and Sports Medicine Staff

Sports Medicine · 2026 · 56(6):1381–1403

A practical, evidence-informed framework for minimizing long-haul travel’s performance costs, selected for Sports Medicine’s curated 2026 FIFA World Cup collection.

Read Publication
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Baseline Sleep Characteristics in NCAA Division I Collegiate Athletes

Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine · 2024

WHOOP data from UCLA varsity athletes found average sleep consistency of 61.6%, with differences across sports, sex, and training phases.

View on PubMed
Podium Presentation

The Impact of Cold Water Immersion on Recovery and Performance in Division I Athletes

AMSSM 35th Annual Meeting · 2025

In 37 Division I athletes, cold-water immersion reduced muscle soreness overall and improved HRV, resting heart rate, and recovery within a wearable-identified responder subgroup.

View Study
Poster Presentation

Effects of Magnesium L-Threonate on Sleep, Recovery, and Neurocognitive Performance in Collegiate Athletes

AMSSM 36th Annual Meeting · 2026 · Seattle

A 107-athlete randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial reported faster reaction time, increased Week 2 sleep time, and higher WHOOP sleep scores with MgT versus placebo.

View Study
Poster Presentation

Resistance Exercise During Post-Concussion Rehabilitation in NCAA Division I Athletes

AMSSM 36th Annual Meeting · 2026 · Seattle

In this preliminary 11-athlete observational study, no SCAT6 scores worsened after weightlifting; scores fell 96%, and earlier weightlifting correlated with faster symptom resolution.

View Study
Manuscript In Preparation

Magnesium L-Threonate in NCAA Division I Athletes: Full Trial Analysis

NCT07015047 · Manuscript in Preparation

Full-trial analyses from the 107-athlete study are being prepared for peer-reviewed submission, including additional longitudinal and subgroup work.

View Trial Record
Press & Media

Media Kit

Downloadable posters, one-paragraph press summaries, and approved logos for journalists, conference organizers, and partners covering HERO Lab research.

AMSSM 2026 Poster · Magnesium

Effects of Magnesium L-Threonate on Sleep, Recovery, and Neurocognitive Performance in Collegiate Athletes

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial of 107 NCAA Division I athletes at UCLA, nightly Magnesium L-Threonate (1 g) produced a 52.3 ms faster cognitive reaction time (p = 0.001), 54.6 additional minutes of total sleep time at Week 2 (p = 0.002), and a 6.27-point improvement in WHOOP sleep score (p = 0.010) compared to placebo. Benefits emerged within 2–3 weeks and were supported by both wearable and subjective measures. Presented April 2026 at the 36th AMSSM Annual Meeting in Seattle, WA.

Presenting Author: Kimberly Burbank, MD Study ID: NCT07015047
Download Poster (PDF) View Study Page
AMSSM 2026 Poster · Concussion

Resistance Exercise During Post-Concussion Rehabilitation in NCAA Division I Athletes

In a preliminary observational study of 11 NCAA Division I athletes (8 female, mean age 19.8 ± 1.4 years), supervised weightlifting was introduced a mean of 5.2 ± 2.0 days after concussion. No athlete had a worse SCAT6 score after weightlifting, and mean symptom scores dropped 96% (22.9 → 0.9, p = 0.002, Cohen's d = −1.26). Weightlifting was perceived as less exertional than the standardized Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test (RPE 11.1 vs. 15.1, p = 0.002), and earlier weightlifting correlated with faster symptom resolution (ρ = 0.75, p = 0.005). Presented April 2026 at the 36th AMSSM Annual Meeting in Seattle, WA.

First Author: Kyle Lau, MD Senior Author: Joshua Goldman, MD, MBA
Download Poster (PDF) View Study Page

Media Inquiries

For interviews, high-resolution logos, or additional information, see our full Press & Media page or contact our team directly.

Contact Press
In the News

Coverage & Features

Recent coverage of HERO Lab research and recent speaking engagements.

May 2026
Peer-Reviewed Publication

HERO Lab Travel-Performance Blueprint Featured in Sports Medicine’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Collection

“Optimizing Athlete Travel for Performance,” co-authored by the HERO Lab and WHOOP performance-science teams, was selected for Sports Medicine’s curated collection on competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup — a high-impact, evidence-based guide to managing jet lag, sleep, and the environmental demands of elite international travel.

Read in Sports Medicine → Press details →
Dr. Jeremy Swisher and Dr. Kimberly Burbank in front of the HERO Lab Magnesium L-Threonate poster at AMSSM 2026 in Seattle
April 24–29, 2026
Conference Presentation

HERO Lab Presented Two Posters at the AMSSM 2026 Annual Meeting

The HERO Lab presented findings from its Magnesium L-Threonate pilot trial and its early-resistance-exercise concussion observational study at the 36th American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting in Seattle, WA. Both poster PDFs and full study pages are now available.

Magnesium study → Concussion study →
April 2025
Past Presentation

Podium Presentation at AMSSM 2025 — Cold Water Immersion in D1 Athletes

Dr. Jeremy Swisher delivered a podium presentation at the 35th AMSSM Annual Meeting on the HERO Lab's CWI crossover study in 37 NCAA Division I athletes — demonstrating pooled reductions in muscle soreness and individualized responder benefits identified through continuous WHOOP monitoring.

View presentation →
03 Evidence

Evidence Behind the Work

Selected peer-reviewed literature explains the rationale behind our research on sleep, recovery, wearables, concussion, and athlete travel.

Magnesium & Sleep

Magnesium plays a key role in sleep regulation, but existing evidence in athletes is limited. MgT uniquely crosses the blood-brain barrier, making it a promising candidate for improving sleep architecture.

4 key studies →

Cold Water Immersion

Meta-analyses support CWI for reducing muscle soreness, but optimal protocols remain unclear. Our research uses wearable biometrics to identify individual responders.

3 key studies →

Concussion & Biomarkers

Return-to-play decisions rely on subjective symptom reporting. Dr. Goldman’s CARE Consortium research established blood-based biomarkers for concussion, and our work extends this with wearable and oculomotor monitoring.

3 key studies →

Wearable Technology

WHOOP has been validated for heart rate, HRV, and sleep detection. Our team published foundational data on sleep in NCAA athletes using WHOOP, enabling continuous monitoring that traditional assessments cannot capture.

4 key studies →

Travel & Circadian Science

Crossing time zones disrupts sleep, recovery, and performance. Our 2026 Sports Medicine blueprint — featured in the FIFA World Cup collection — translates circadian science into practical travel strategies for athletes.

4 key studies →
04 Collaborate

Connect With HERO Lab

Researchers, UCLA varsity athletes, and prospective industry partners can connect with the team here.

For Researchers

Interested in collaborating or learning more about our methodology? We welcome inquiries from researchers in sports medicine, sleep science, and exercise physiology.

Email the Research Team

For Athletes

UCLA varsity athletes interested in participating in our current or upcoming studies can reach out to learn about eligibility and enrollment. View an active study on ClinicalTrials.gov, or email us directly.

Email to Enroll View Active Study

For Industry Partners

We partner with companies committed to evidence-based product development. If your organization is interested in research collaborations, we'd like to hear from you.

Partner With Us

UCLA

David Geffen School of Medicine
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Los Angeles, CA

UCSF

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
San Francisco, CA