David Christopher Poole

Dr. David C. Poole is a University Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology and Physiology at Kansas State University, holding the Elizabeth Chapin Burke Chair in Health and Human Sciences and the Coffman Chair for University Distinguished Teaching Scholars. He serves as Director of the Clarenburg Cardiorespiratory Lab within the College of Veterinary Medicine. His work bridges the fields of kinesiology, physiology, and veterinary medicine, focusing on understanding the fundamental mechanisms of oxygen transport and utilization in health and disease.

Dr. Poole earned his B.Sc. from Liverpool Polytechnic and his Ph.D. from UCLA in 1986, followed by a Scientiae Doctor from Liverpool John Moores University in 2000. His academic journey has established him as an internationally recognized researcher in exercise and respiratory physiology.

Dr. Poole's research focuses on the critical relationship between oxygen transport and metabolic demands in tissues, particularly during exercise. His laboratory investigates how skeletal muscles can require up to 100-fold more oxygen during exercise compared to rest, and how conditions like heart failure, diabetes, and cancer impair this vital process. Using innovative approaches such as nitrate supplementation and dietary interventions, his work aims to enhance therapeutic strategies for improving exercise tolerance and quality of life in patients with chronic conditions. His research has significantly advanced understanding of capillary function, oxygen uptake kinetics, and Critical Power in exercise physiology.

Dr. Poole's extensive publication record includes over 350 peer-reviewed papers in leading journals such as Circulation Research, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and Journal of Applied Physiology. His recent work (2023-2025) demonstrates continued leadership in understanding oxygen transport mechanisms across multiple physiological systems, with particular emphasis on skeletal muscle microcirculation, respiratory muscle function, and the impact of aging and disease on exercise capacity. His research spans fundamental physiological mechanisms to translational applications in clinical settings.

• Scientiae Doctor from Liverpool John Moores University (2000)
• Adolph Distinguished Lecturer from the American Physiological Society (2018)
• Joseph B. Wolffe Memorial Lecture from the American College of Sports Medicine (2021)
• Higuchi-Dolph Simons Statewide Award for Biomedical Research Excellence (2024)
• ACSM Citation Award (2019)
• Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine
• Fellow of the American Physiological Society

As Principal Investigator, Dr. Poole has secured over $6 million in research funding, with an additional $31 million as Co-Investigator, primarily from the National Institutes of Health and the K-State Johnson Cancer Research Center. His laboratory maintains a vibrant scientific atmosphere with productive collaborations among faculty and students. Key collaborators include Dr. Thomas J. Barstow, Dr. Timothy I. Musch, Dr. Howard H. Erickson, Dr. M. Roger Fedde, Dr. Casey A. Kindig, and Dr. Brad J. Behnke. Dr. Poole's work has achieved an impressive h-index of 84 with over 26,000 citations, reflecting his significant impact on the field.

Dr. Poole directs the Clarenburg Cardiorespiratory Lab at Kansas State University, which provides a dynamic research environment focused on understanding oxygen transport limitations from lungs to mitochondria. The lab employs a range of novel and established strategies to investigate tissue oxygenation and metabolic control, with applications to both healthy function and disease states including emphysema, diabetes, chronic heart failure, and cancer.