Find Academic Supervisors

Hanne Solveig DagfinrudView profile

Researcher

• Rheumatology
• Physical Activity
• Cardiovascular Health
• +3 more

Hanne Solveig Dagfinrud is a Senior Researcher affiliated with the Department of Public Health Sciences and Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at the University of Oslo and the Department of Rheumatology at Diakonhjemmet Hospital. She holds a Dr. philos (PhD equivalent) awarded by the University of Oslo in 2005. Her academic background includes extensive clinical experience as a physiotherapist specializing in manual therapy and sports physiotherapy, alongside expertise in rehabilitation and musculoskeletal health. Her research focuses on rheumatology, particularly the interplay between physical activity, cardiovascular health, and inflammatory joint diseases. She investigates physiotherapy interventions in primary care settings, emphasizing exercise-based therapies for conditions like axial spondyloarthritis and osteoarthritis. Notable projects include the ExeHeart trial evaluating high-intensity exercise for inflammatory arthritis patients and studies on patient-reported outcomes in rehabilitation. Dr. Dagfinrud teaches courses such as FysioPrim HELSEF4302 (Analysis Course, quantitative part) and HELSEF4402 (Function and Functional Assessment). Her work integrates clinical practice with research, addressing gaps in healthcare delivery through quality improvement initiatives and patient engagement strategies. She contributes to interdisciplinary teams like the BODYFUNC research group, exploring body function and disability in chronic diseases.

James BilzonView profile

Professor

• Exercise Rehabilitation
• Human and Applied Physiology
• Occupational and Environmental Physiology
• +5 more

James Bilzon is a Professor of Human and Applied Physiology at the University of Bath's Department for Health. He joined in 2008 following a 13-year career in the Ministry of Defence, including roles at the Institute of Naval Medicine and the Army Recruiting & Training Division. He served as Head of the Department for Health from 2011–2017, leading its growth and achieving 5th place in the 2014 REF assessment. Currently, he directs the DisAbility Sport & Health (DASH) Research Group and co-directs the EPSRC-funded Centre for the Analysis of Motion, Entertainment Research and Applications (CAMERA). His research focuses on exercise rehabilitation, chronic diseases (e.g., osteoarthritis, cardiometabolic conditions), and assistive technologies for special populations like spinal cord injury and amputees. Education: PhD (Loughborough University, 2004), MSc (Loughborough University, 1995), BSc (Manchester Metropolitan University, 1994). Research interests include occupational physiology, exercise rehabilitation, and the efficacy of healthcare technologies. He leads projects funded by EPSRC, NIHR, Arthritis Research UK, and the Ministry of Defence. Notable grants include the 'MSKI Prevent' initiative and work on firefighter heat stress monitors. He holds honorary roles like Honorary Civilian Consultant Advisor (HCCA) to the MOD and is a Fellow of the Society of Sport & Exercise Medicine Malaysia. Recent publications explore knee osteoarthritis biomechanics, biomarkers in trauma-exposed populations, and the development of mobile health apps. He supervises doctoral students and collaborates internationally on studies like the ADVANCE cohort. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and well-being.

David Suarez IglesiasView profile

Professor

• Adapted Physical Activity
• Sports Performance
• Exercise Physiology
• +3 more

David Suarez Iglesias serves as a Permanent Labor Professor in the Department of Physical Education and Sports at the Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports, University of Leon. His primary research focuses on Adapted Physical Activity and Sports Performance, with specialized expertise in disability sports and exercise physiology for clinical populations. He completed his Doctorate at the University of Leon in 2017 with the thesis "Practice of physical-sports activities in institutionalized adults with severe disabilities: influence on the rehabilitation of physical condition parameters in relation to health," supervised by Dr. José G. Villa Vicente. Dr. Suarez Iglesias' research interests prominently feature Adapted Physical Activity, Sports Performance, Exercise Physiology, and Physical Rehabilitation. As a core member of the Valfis research group, he investigates physical condition assessment related to health, training, sports performance, and nutrition. His work extensively addresses Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, intellectual disabilities, and the physiological demands on basketball referees, emphasizing evidence-based rehabilitation protocols and adaptive sports methodologies. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals dominant research themes including systematic reviews on para-sports (cycling, judo, waterskiing), exercise interventions for neurological conditions, and referee physiology. His work consistently bridges sports science with clinical rehabilitation, demonstrating methodological rigor through scoping reviews, case studies, and validity testing of assessment instruments. No scientific awards were documented in the available materials. While specific student supervision details are absent from provided materials, his active publication record and research group leadership suggest ongoing mentorship activities. Grant information remains unspecified, though his systematic review volume implies substantial research funding support. He actively contributes to the Valfis research group, which specializes in comprehensive physical condition assessment across health, training, and sports performance domains, with particular emphasis on nutritional factors and adaptive strategies for vulnerable populations.

• Endocrinology
• Diabetes Research
• Metabolic Disorders
• +2 more

Uyen Pham is a Casual Clinical Research Fellow at the Frazer Institute, University of Queensland, specializing in endocrinology and metabolic disorders with emphasis on diabetes and kidney disease. Her research spans Endocrinology , Diabetes Research , Metabolic Disorders , and Clinical Research , focusing on pathophysiological mechanisms in type 1 diabetes, therapeutic interventions for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and surgical outcomes for endocrine disorders. Current work investigates mitochondrial dynamics in diabetic kidney disease and exercise-based therapies for metabolic liver conditions. Publications in high-impact journals including The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism and Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology demonstrate leadership in international multicenter studies, with recent work establishing clinical correlations between hyperfiltration and eGFR decline in youth with diabetes.

• Preventive Sports Medicine
• Exercise Physiology
• Vascular Aging
• +3 more

Prof. Dr. Arno Schmidt-Trucksäss is a faculty member at the University of Basel , holding the position of Professor in the Department of Rehabilitative and Regenerative Sports Medicine . His research focuses on preventive sports medicine, exercise physiology, and vascular aging, with particular emphasis on cardiopulmonary exercise testing and rehabilitation science. Department: Rehabilitative and Regenerative Sports Medicine University: University of Basel Research Themes: Vascular aging, exercise longevity, microvascular dysfunction, sports rehabilitation His recent work includes international collaborations on exercise longevity, vascular aging diagnostics, and molecular responses to training. While no formal scientific awards are mentioned in the provided texts, his leadership in research projects like the HIT-GLAUCOMA sub-study and the MOBITEC series demonstrates significant academic engagement. Key students/advisory relationships include supervision of Dr. Justin Carrard , who conducted a fellowship in Qatar under his guidance. The department maintains strong ties with institutions like Aspetar Hospital in Qatar and collaborates with European research networks.

• Sports Science
• Coaching
• Sports Neuroscience
• +3 more

Gaku Kakehata is an Assistant Professor at Waseda University's Faculty of Sport Sciences, School of Sport and Sciences, holding a PhD in Sports Science awarded in March 2021 from Waseda University. His academic career spans multiple prestigious institutions including Waseda University (current position since April 2024), The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (2022-2024), and he served as a Visiting Scholar at the National Youth Sports Institute in Singapore (2023-2024). Dr. Kakehata's research focuses on sports science, coaching, and sports neuroscience with particular emphasis on neuromuscular control during sprint running. His work examines the intricate relationships between muscle activity timing, coordination patterns, and athletic performance across various sprint disciplines. His investigations span from elite athletes to children's movement development, providing comprehensive insights across the athletic spectrum. His publication portfolio reveals a strong trend toward understanding the neural mechanisms underlying sprint performance, with particular attention to thigh muscle coordination, the effects of hypoxic training, and competition dynamics. His research bridges biomechanics, neuroscience, and practical coaching applications, demonstrating how fundamental movement patterns translate to elite performance. MSSE Featured Article for research on thigh muscle activity limiting 100m dash performance Japan Coaching Association 33rd Conference Outstanding Presentation Award Dr. Kakehata actively contributes to athletic development through research projects examining neuromuscular control mechanisms in sprinters, neural adaptations to training, and the development of evidence-based coaching methodologies. His work with the Waseda University track and field team demonstrates his commitment to applying scientific principles to practical athlete development. His laboratory work focuses on advanced biomechanical analysis of sprint mechanics using wireless EMG sensors, high-speed video analysis, and sophisticated neural assessment techniques to unravel the complexities of human locomotion under maximal effort conditions.

Krista HowarthView profile

Assistant Professor

• Exercise Physiology
• Muscle Metabolism
• Sports Nutrition
• +5 more

Krista Howarth serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology within the Faculty of Science at McMaster University. Her academic career at McMaster spans from undergraduate studies through to her current faculty position, demonstrating deep institutional commitment and expertise in exercise physiology. Her educational foundation includes: Ph.D. in Kinesiology from McMaster University (2007) MSc in Kinesiology from McMaster University (2002) Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology from McMaster University (2000) Dr. Howarth's research program centers on exercise metabolism and human physiological adaptation, with particular expertise in skeletal muscle response to exercise stress, protein metabolism during recovery, and metabolic adaptations to different training modalities. Her laboratory investigations have significantly advanced understanding of how nutritional interventions affect muscle recovery and how various exercise protocols induce specific metabolic changes in human skeletal muscle. The research demonstrates rigorous methodology with controlled human trials examining substrate utilization, enzyme regulation, and metabolic pathways during exercise and recovery. Her scholarly trajectory reveals consistent productivity across two decades, evolving from foundational metabolic studies to broader applications including recent work on diversity in clinical assessment. This demonstrates both depth in her core expertise and expansion into related areas addressing contemporary issues in health sciences. As an educator, Dr. Howarth maintains an extensive teaching portfolio across McMaster's Kinesiology program, consistently instructing foundational courses including Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II, Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Exercise Physiology, and Exercise Testing and Prescription since 2017. Her teaching responsibilities demonstrate commitment to both undergraduate education and specialized training in exercise physiology principles.

Aubrey StoreyView profile

Lecturer

• Cardiovascular responses to exercise
• Metabolic responses to exercise
• Blood flow restriction training
• +5 more

Aubrey Storey is a Lecturer in Exercise and Health Science at the Department of Health, Sport and Exercise Science, South East Technological University (SETU), formerly Waterford Institute of Technology. He joined the department in 2004 and plays a lead role in delivering and developing science-related modules across all undergraduate degree programs in the department, teaching courses such as Introduction to Sport and Exercise Science, Biomolecules and Cells, Exercise Physiology, Human Anatomy and Physiology, and Clinical Exercise Physiology. Storey earned a primary honours degree from Trinity College Dublin (2000) in Natural Sciences specializing in Human Physiology, followed by an MSc in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Ulster specializing in Haematology. Supported by Enterprise Ireland and Trinity Postgraduate Awards, he conducted postgraduate research in TCD's Department of Physiology investigating running physiology and biomechanics, while also working as a part-time lecturer for Medicine and Physiotherapy students. His research program spans two interconnected domains: laboratory-based exercise physiology and community health research. Primary interests include cardiovascular and metabolic responses to exercise, particularly the physiological effects of blood flow restriction and ischemic preconditioning on performance. His occupational health research focuses extensively on Irish farmers, examining physical activity levels, dietary habits, health perceptions, and chronic disease risk factors within this high-risk population. Storey's publication record shows an evolution from fundamental exercise physiology research toward applied public health studies. Recent work combines objective measurements (accelerometry) with self-reported data to assess farmer health behaviors, revealing significant discrepancies between actual health status and self-perception (e.g., 60% of farmers are overweight/obese but only 27% believe they are too heavy). His research bridges sports science with occupational medicine, addressing both athletic performance enhancement and rural population health. As an educator, Storey contributes to multiple undergraduate modules and participates in the SURE Network, a national initiative to enhance undergraduate research in sciences. His farmer health research has received media attention in outlets including the Irish Examiner, Irish Farmers Journal, and AgriLand, helping translate academic findings into public awareness. Storey is affiliated with SETU's Centre for Health Behaviour Research and collaborates with researchers across Ireland on projects related to agricultural health outcomes, public health interventions, and exercise physiology. His work demonstrates strong community engagement, particularly through partnerships with Teagasc and farming organizations to address occupational health challenges in Irish agriculture.

• Physical Activity
• Exercise Interventions
• School Health Policy
• +4 more

Sofie Koch is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Southern Denmark's Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics within the Faculty of Health Sciences. She maintains active research affiliations with multiple units including the Research Unit of Active Living, Research Unit of Sport and Health Sciences, and FIIBL - Research and Implementation Centre for Human Movement and Learning. Her research focuses on physical activity interventions in Danish school settings, with particular emphasis on implementation science, childhood obesity prevention, and policy evaluation. Key interests include digital screen impacts on adolescent activity, high-intensity exercise programs for schoolchildren, and frontline worker behavior in health program adoption. Her work employs mixed-methods approaches including cluster RCTs, focus groups, and cross-sectional population studies. Recent publications demonstrate strong trends in school-based physical activity implementation across Denmark, with significant emphasis on dose-response relationships in exercise interventions and barriers to program adoption in public education systems. Her research consistently targets Danish adolescent populations with practical applications for national health policy. Professional activities include conference presentations on physical activity implementation barriers (2019), drowning prevention research (2017), and co-organizing the Nordic seminar on School Swimming (2016). Her work shows substantial engagement with Danish public health initiatives through the Generation Healthy Kids study. Research metrics indicate growing impact with multiple publications generating Mendeley readership (6-21 readers) and early citations, particularly in the Journal of Sports Sciences and Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. Her ORCID profile (0000-0002-9404-5001) documents 31 research outputs including 14 journal articles, 7 conference abstracts, and a PhD thesis.

• Clinical Exercise Physiology
• Chronic Disease Management
• Exercise and Cancer Survivorship
• +9 more

John Saxton is Professor of Clinical Exercise Physiology at the School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of East Anglia (UEA), a position he has held since March 2010. He also holds an honorary role as Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at Sheffield Hallam University. His career spans academic and research leadership across multiple institutions, including Oxford Brookes University, the University of Sheffield, and Sheffield Hallam University, where he led the Active Health Research Group. His educational background includes a degree from Loughborough University (1990) and PhD research in skeletal muscle physiology at the University of Wolverhampton and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, USA. Professor Saxton’s research centers on the role of exercise and lifestyle interventions in the prevention and management of age-related chronic conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, chronic heart failure, and multiple sclerosis. His work aims to optimize exercise therapy and understand differential patient responses. He has secured major research funding from bodies such as the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, the American Institute for Cancer Research, and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. His recent publications, including the 2024 article on exercise sustainability post-colorectal surgery, reflect a strong focus on exercise oncology, prehabilitation, and recovery pathways. The articles collectively highlight interdisciplinary research spanning clinical rehabilitation, patient experience, biomarker analysis, and implementation science, with a recurring emphasis on evidence-based interventions and long-term health outcomes. His scientific contributions include editing key texts such as Exercise and Cancer Survivorship (2010) and Exercise and Chronic Disease (2011), and contributing numerous book chapters and invited reviews. He is an editorial board member of Clinical Science and a Fellow of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences. Professor Saxton has supervised seven PhD students to completion and currently mentors five doctoral candidates across UEA and Sheffield Hallam University. He has led funded projects such as the PREPARE-ABC trial and the MS Society study on exercise therapy. He previously served as Associate Dean for Enterprise and Engagement (2010–2012) and continues as Director of Learning and Teaching Quality (Postgraduate Research) since 2011. He has been involved in expert panels including the Breast Cancer Campaign Research Gap Analysis, the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation Consensus Meeting, and the UK Physical Activity Guidelines Consensus Meeting, demonstrating national and international leadership in shaping public health policy.

• Neuroplasticity mechanisms in Parkinson's disease
• Impact of physical activity on neuroplasticity
• Pathomechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases
• +3 more

Karolina Lorek is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Physiotherapy in Dysfunctions of the Musculoskeletal System and Kinesiology , University School of Physical Education in Wrocław. Her research focuses on neuroplasticity mechanisms in Parkinson's disease, the impact of physical activity on neurodegenerative disorders, and biomechanical analysis of movement patterns. Current projects: "12-week aerobic interval training effects on gut microbiota and motor/cognitive functions in Parkinson's patients" (Wrocław AWF funding) and "High-intensity interval training effects on neuroplasticity in Parkinson's" (NCN-funded, 1,959,900 PLN) Active in scientific conferences: Polish Neuroscience Society Congress (2023), IBRO/FENS Forum (2024) Her work integrates PET/CT imaging , EEG analysis , and BDNF markers to study neurophysiological correlates of motor impairment. She also investigates assistive technologies for gait rehabilitation in aging populations and cardiac patients. Additional roles include: Coordinator of physiology and physiotherapy grading (2024/2025) Founder/leader of SKN Neuroplastyczni Scientific Club Conducts consultations in winter 2024/2025 (room 3/36, P4 building)

• Training Science
• Ergogenic Aid and Doping
• Sports Nutrition
• +3 more

Neslihan Akçay is an Associate Professor at Karabuk University's Hasan Dogan Faculty of Sports Sciences, Coaching Education Department. She holds a PhD in Sports Sciences from Ankara University (2018-2019), an MSc in Sports and Health Sciences from Gazi University (2016-2018), and a BSc in Physical Education Teaching from Hacettepe University (2011-2016) alongside an Erasmus exchange at Universitat de Barcelona (2010). Research Focus: Training Science, Ergogenic Aids/Doping, and Sports Nutrition. Projects: Consultant for TÜBA/TÜBİTAK-supported studies on blood flow restriction training, circadian rhythms in Taekwondo, and electrical muscle stimulation. Academic Roles: Vice Dean (2025-), Department Head (2023-), and Part-Time Lecturer (2022-2024) at Karabuk University. Scientific Collaborations: Frequently collaborates with researchers like Cem Sofuoğlu, Kadir Keskin, and Mustafa Şakir Akgül. Her work spans elite athletes (volleyball, soccer, Taekwondo), sedentary populations, and elderly health.

• Exercise Programming
• Healthy Aging and Exercise
• Ergogenic Aid and Doping
• +2 more

Musa ŞAHİN is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Coaching Education within the Faculty of Sports Sciences at Karabük University. He has held this position since 2021, previously serving as a Research Assistant at the same institution since 2015. His academic journey includes a PhD in Physical Education and Sports from Gazi University (2017-2021), a Master's degree in Physical Education and Sports from Selçuk University (2011-2015), and a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education Teaching from Selçuk University (2006-2010). His research focuses on five primary areas: Exercise Programming, Healthy Aging and Exercise, Ergogenic Aid and Doping, Exercise and Sports Physiology, and Training Science. Dr. ŞAHİN has established himself as a specialist in analyzing physiological responses to various training modalities across different sports disciplines and populations. His work bridges theoretical knowledge with practical applications in sports performance enhancement, health promotion, and athletic development. His publication record shows a strong emphasis on practical sports science applications, with recent work examining plyometric training effects in boxers, warm-up protocols for football players, and Zumba exercise programs for sedentary populations. His research frequently investigates the relationship between specific training methods and performance outcomes across various sports including wrestling, soccer, tennis, and combat sports. The articles demonstrate consistent focus on physiological measurements, performance metrics, and practical training applications. Dr. ŞAHİN serves as the primary thesis advisor for three graduate students: Aleyna Habibe Demir (2025), Melisa Aydoğan (2025), and Mustafa Jamal Mahmood Akmakjı (2024). He has taught numerous courses including Coaching Education Research and Project I, Wrestling II, Artistic Gymnastics, Athletics I, Physical Fitness, and Exercise and Nutrition. His community engagement includes projects such as 'Nefsin Sana Değil, Sen Nefsine Hükmet' (2023), 'Başarılı Bir Gelecek İçin Sağlılı Yaşamayı Seç' (2022-2023), and 'Güçlü Kızlar Güçlü Türkiyem' (2020-2021), demonstrating his commitment to applying sports science knowledge to broader societal contexts.

Johanna IhalainenView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Sports Physiology
• Female Athlete Health
• Hormonal Contraception in Sports
• +3 more

Johanna Ihalainen is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences , University of Jyväskylä. Her work focuses on the intersection of sports physiology and female athlete health, with particular emphasis on hormonal influences on performance and recovery. Co-leader of the FemInnovation research group Collaborator in interdisciplinary projects like MENSA and i3-INSHAPE Key contributor to understanding hormonal contraceptive effects on athletic adaptation Research interests center on female physiology , endurance training , environmental adaptations , and technology-driven sports innovations . Current projects examine hormonal impacts on cortico-reticular motor function and sedentary lifestyle interventions via digital tools. Her publications span topics including mental health interventions , infrared sauna recovery , menstrual cycle effects , and exercise-induced inflammation in female athletes. She employs rigorous methodologies like randomized controlled trials and longitudinal analyses. Research group affiliations include: Sound Science Lab (music-brain interactions) WellbeingDataLab (synthetic exercise data) BRAIN-BALANCE (aging and balance training)

• Medicine
• Clinical Medicine
• Pediatrics
• +3 more

Knut Helge Frostmo Kaspersen serves as a University Lecturer in the Department of Clinical Medicine at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø. His academic position within the clinical medicine framework focuses on translational research bridging laboratory findings with patient care applications. His research spans two critical domains in clinical medicine: pediatric pain management and exercise physiology during pregnancy. In pediatrics, he investigates systemic under-treatment of pain in children, particularly regarding opioid alternatives and clinical decision-making protocols. His obstetrics research employs rat models to analyze how high-intensity interval training affects fetal development across multiple organ systems. This dual focus demonstrates a commitment to improving healthcare outcomes for vulnerable populations through evidence-based interventions. Analysis of his publication timeline (2012-2021) reveals an evolving research trajectory from foundational animal studies on pregnancy exercise to direct clinical investigations of pediatric pain management. The consistent emphasis on physiological mechanisms and clinical translation highlights his integrative approach to medical research, with particular attention to maternal-fetal health and pediatric pharmacology.