Our research

The School is a recognised leader in the field of Sport and Health Sciences research. The well respected work of our researchers has not only been recognised in the academic community, but has also been sought after by leading sport professionals and sporting teams.

We attract significant funding from: UK Research Councils (including MRC, EPSRC, ESRC, and Royal Society); the commercial sector (including Glaxo Smith-Kline, Unilever and Kellogs); and from sporting bodies (including UK Sport, UK Athletics, and the Rugby Football Union).

Our research is organised into two interdisciplinary areas of enquiry:

Research groups

Bioenergetics and human performance

The Bioenergetics and human performance research group adopts integrated physiological, psychological and biomechanical lines of enquiry to enhance human performance. Research specialisms include muscle oxygen uptake, lower limb injury mechanisms, and cognitive and psychosocial determinants of human performance.

Physical activity and health across the lifespan

The Physical activity and health across the lifespan research group links pre-clinical laboratory and fundamental research with epidemiological and intervention studies to enhance our understanding of the relationship between physical activity and health across the lifespan.

These groups build on the established research excellence within the School, including the internationally eminent Children’s Health and Exercise Research Centre.

Research degrees

We welcome people to study for an MPhil and PhD in the School of Sport and Health Sciences. An MPhil/ PhD offers an exciting opportunity to work at the cutting-edge of research; at the School of Sport and Health Sciences we will provide you with a very supportive environment in which to pursue your research. Find out more about our research programmes.

Research seminars

All are welcome to attend our research seminars which run each term. The seminars cover a variety of topics; recent speakers and subjects have included:

• 'Mechanisms linking climate to ecosystem change: physiological aspects and ecological implications'
  Dr Gal Dubnov-Raz, Paediatric Obesity, Exercise and Sport Medicine, Safra Children's Hospital Sheba Medical Centre, Israel.
• 'Rehabilitation following autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI): A biomechanical challenge for exercise physiologists'
  Professor Timothy Ackland, University of Western Australia.