Triggering the 'symphonic biology' of exercise for better health

June 2, 2026 - 17:20

A leading physician-scientist is urging the medical community to think of exercise not just as a physical activity, but as a complex biological performance. R. Sanders Williams, a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a veteran researcher at Duke University, has spent decades working across both academic and industry settings to unravel the deep mechanisms behind how physical movement improves health.

Williams argues that the true power of exercise lies in what he calls "symphonic biology." Instead of focusing on a single muscle or organ, he believes researchers must understand how exercise triggers a coordinated response across the entire body. This includes the heart, lungs, brain, and even the immune system, all working in harmony. His work aims to translate these biological signals into new strategies for preventing and treating chronic diseases.

The public will have a chance to hear directly from Williams when he delivers the final Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture of the season. The talk is scheduled for Thursday, June 4, at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC. For those interested in the science of how movement reshapes our biology at a fundamental level, the lecture promises to offer a fresh perspective on a very old human activity.