NCT03960827: MoTrPAC

Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium

Completed NA Last updated 6 February 2026

What this trial tests

NA trial testing EE Training in Physical Activity in 1,837 participants. Completed in 31 May 2025.

Timeline

28 August 2019

Primary endpoint
31 May 2025

31 May 2025

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	none
Primary purpose	other
Enrollment	1,837
Start date	28 August 2019
Primary completion	31 May 2025
Estimated completion	31 May 2025
Sites	11 locations across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

• EE Training
• RE Training

Conditions studied

• Physical Activity — all drugs for Physical Activity →

Sponsor

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Physical Activity. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

The goal of the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC) is to assess molecular changes that occur in response to physical activity (PA). To achieve this aim, a mechanistic randomized controlled trial (RCT) is conducted, in which adult study participants are randomized to endurance exercise (EE) training, resistance exercise (RE) training, or no exercise Control for a period of approximately 12 weeks. The overarching hypothesis is that there are discoverable molecular transducers that communicate and coordinate the effects of exercise on cells, tissues, and organs, which may initiate processes ultimately leading to the health benefits of exercise. Because this is a mechanistic trial, the main goal is not a single health-related outcome. Rather, the goal is to generate a resource leading to the generation of a map of the molecular responses to exercise that will be used by the Consortium and by the scientific community at large to generate hypotheses for future investigations of the health benefits of PA.

Publications & conference data

7 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Exerkines in health, resilience and disease.
   Chow LS, Gerszten RE, Taylor JM, Pedersen BK, et al · · 2022 · cited 646× · PMID 35304603 · DOI 10.1038/s41574-022-00641-2
2. Molecular Choreography of Acute Exercise.
   Contrepois K, Wu S, Moneghetti KJ, Hornburg D, et al · · 2020 · cited 366× · PMID 32470399 · DOI 10.1016/j.cell.2020.04.043
3. Human plasma proteomic profiles indicative of cardiorespiratory fitness.
   Robbins JM, Peterson B, Schranner D, Tahir UA, et al · · 2021 · cited 58× · PMID 34045743 · DOI 10.1038/s42255-021-00400-z
4. Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC): human studies design and protocol.
   MoTrPAC Study Group, Jakicic JM, Kohrt WM, Houmard JA, et al · · 2024 · cited 11× · PMID 38634503 · DOI 10.1152/japplphysiol.00102.2024
5. Translating exercise benefits in sickle cell disease.
   Cooper DM, Liem RI. · · 2019 · cited 5× · PMID 31856272 · DOI 10.1182/blood.2019003651
6. Walking 200 min per day keeps the bariatric surgeon away.
   Pfaff DH, Poschet G, Hell R, Szendrödi J, et al · · 2023 · cited 1× · PMID 37274680 · DOI 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16556
7. Muscle movement and metabolism: exercise and skeletal muscle as mediators of health-a report from the 26th Annual Harvard Nutrition Obesity Symposium, 2025.
   Carollo L, Lawson EA, Stanley TL, Wang J, et al · · 2026 · PMID 41812769 · DOI 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101262