Belinda Parmenter

Associate Professor Belinda Parmenter is an adjunct clinical academic and accredited exercise physiologist (AEP) with the UNSW Medicine & Health Lifestyle Clinic, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health. She serves as a member of the SPHERE Cardiac and Vascular Clinical Theme Leadership Group and is the co-founder and national co-chair of the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance (ACvA) Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Working Group. With over 25 years of clinical experience, she specializes in assessing, prescribing, implementing and supervising exercises for people at risk of or with cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Parmenter earned her PhD from the University of Sydney in 2012, where her research investigated high-intensity progressive resistance training for patients with intermittent claudication from PAD, earning her the Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) Medal for the most outstanding thesis. She completed her Bachelor of Health Science (Exercise and Sports Science) at Griffith University in 1996.

Her research focuses on the effect of cardiovascular disease on aerobic capacity and muscle strength and endurance, as well as how exercise reduces symptoms in those with and at risk of cardiovascular disease across the lifespan. Current projects include investigating ways to improve regular incidental physical activity, developing eHealth interventions for adolescents to increase physical activity levels, and exploring optimal exercise prescriptions for cardiovascular risk amelioration and peripheral artery disease treatment. Her work often bridges clinical practice with research innovation, particularly in exercise physiology applications.

Dr. Parmenter's publication portfolio demonstrates a strong focus on systematic reviews and meta-analyses in exercise physiology, with significant contributions to understanding resistance training for cardiovascular conditions, peripheral artery disease management, and physical activity monitoring technologies. Her research trajectory shows increasing emphasis on digital health interventions and multi-condition approaches addressing comorbidities.

• 2023 UNSW Sydney School of Health Sciences Researcher of the Year
• 2022 UNSW Sydney Faculty of Medicine & Health Education Innovation Award
• 2022 The MHS Learning Network Inc Award in Therapeutic and Clinical Services
• 2020 UNSW Faculty Heroes Award for improving student experience
• 2019 UNSW School of Medical Sciences Paper of the Month
• 2012 ESSA Medal for outstanding PhD thesis

As an active grant recipient and chief investigator, Dr. Parmenter has secured over $15 million in research funding since 2010, including significant MRFF grants for cardiovascular health, diabetes management, and mental health interventions. She supervises multiple research projects including the Diabetes Clinic feasibility study, STREss less Exercise for Blood Pressure, and the UPLIFT study on progressive resistance training for alcohol use disorder. Her teaching responsibilities include convening the HESC3504 Physical Activity and Health course for the Bachelor of Exercise Physiology program, focusing on exercise effects across healthy populations and those with cardiovascular risk.

Dr. Parmenter leads several major research initiatives including Health4Life, MERIT, SHAPE, and the Meta-Health Clinic, working collaboratively with institutions like the Matilda Centre at Sydney University to develop comprehensive exercise and eHealth interventions for diverse populations from adolescents to older adults with complex health conditions.