Charles Pedlar

Charles Pedlar is a Professor of Applied Sports and Exercise Science at St Mary's University, Twickenham, within the Faculty of Sport, Technology and Health Sciences. He holds an honorary position as Associate Professor at University College London's Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH). As Chief Science Officer at Orreco, he applies research to athlete performance optimization. Previously, he led the Centre for Health, Applied Sport and Exercise Science (2009–2015) and served as Academic Director for Research and Enterprise (2010–2015). His current role is part-time at the School of Sport, Exercise and Applied Science.

He earned a PhD in 2007 from Brunel University. His research focuses on physiological and nutritional factors influencing elite athlete performance, sleep's role in cognition and recovery, and menstrual health's impact on female athletes. He also investigates cardiovascular adaptations to endurance sports, such as marathon running, through collaborations like his 2016–2017 sabbatical at Harvard’s Cardiovascular Performance Program.

Recent studies highlight topics like circadian rhythms and marathon performance, nutritional interventions (e.g., omega-3 supplementation), and cultural barriers in menstrual health discourse. His work integrates applied physiology with public health, addressing gender-specific challenges in sports participation and injury prevention.

• BASES Applied Practitioner Award (2014)
• BASES Fellowship (2016)
• WiSEAN nomination (2023) for contributions to women’s sport and exercise

Advising over 14 doctoral students, his work spans ballet biomechanics, football sleep science, and biomarkers of recovery. Grants and partnerships include Orreco, The Royal Ballet, Ministry of Defence, parkrun, and STRAVA.

He co-organizes the TCS London Marathon’s Marathon Medicine conference and has collaborated with the Gatorade Sport Science Institute’s Expert Panel (2019). His research teams frequently engage with professional sports organizations and academic institutions globally.