I am a Reader in Cardiovascular Physiology. My areas of expertise encompass cardiac, vascular and cerebral adaptation to exercise and disease across the life course. From a cardiac perspective, my projects have investigated: the impact of exercise training and maturation on cardiac structure and function in children, the influence of ultra-endurance exercise on cardiac function, the role of pre-participation screening and the impact of different single versus biventricular pacing on in-exercise cardiac function in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF), in collaboration with cardiologists from Cardiff and Vale Health Board.  

My programme of work also aims to determine the interplay between sex hormones, the autonomic nervous system and cardio/cerebrovascular function, to make advancements in female health. As such, I employ microneurography, 3D ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging to understand cardiovascular regulation and expose mechanisms of disease aetiology in women at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. I am passionate about shaping the future research agenda and making a real difference to health and wellbeing of the current and future generations through transdisciplinary and person-centered research and innovation. Specifically, my work focuses on female populations who are under-researched and under-represented in medical and physiological research. My philosophy centres around making a meaningful change (funding, outputs, practise) in understanding, treating and managing disease in female clinical cohorts; this is fundamental in ensuring equity for women in research and wider society.

I also have expertise in employing exercise interventions in clinical cohorts. In individuals with PCOS, I am intervening with different exercise modes in this population to determine the optimal management strategy. In addition, I lead the Exercise for Health Hub at the University campus where we provide pre- and rehabilitation to cancer and cardiac patients.

My programme of work employs both mechanistic and interventional study designs in human physiological contexts. I have acquired ethical approval via the integrated research application system for NHS based projects and I am experienced in running clinical randomised controlled trials with a range of different patient populations, across the life course. These trials encompass exercise interventions, pharmacological blockade and physiological stressors including lower body pressure, post-exercise circulatory occlusion and hypoxia.

I have expertise in a number of physiological techniques and analysis methods. I have employed both 2D and 3D echocardiography to establish cardiac structure and function including myocardial speckle training for strain, vascular ultrasound including semi auto-mated edge detection software, magnetic resonance imaging including arterial spin labelling for global cerebral blood flow and functional MRI using T(2)-relaxation-under-spin-tagging (TRUST) scan to measure cerebral metabolism of oxygen, microneurography including baroreflex sensitivity assessments and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. I also employ coproduction during exercise intervention projects, where the intervention is designed in collaboration with the prospective participants to improve exercise adherence and fidelity.

I am a member of the European Science Foundation Project Grant Peer Review College and Society for Endocrinology Grants Panel and am also Associate Editor for the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport and a member of the editorial board for the American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology.