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  • Optimising human performance

Optimising human performance

Environmental extremes laboratory

Environmental physiology led by Dr Neil Maxwell has been an important feature within the broader theme of sport and exercise science at the University of Brighton for over 20 years. Research has focused on investigating the response to exercise in environmental extremes (eg. altitude and heat/cold ambient conditions) and how best to prepare for potentially hazardous conditions.

Research outputs have encompassed continuous types of exercise and more recently, intermittent sprint exercise that mimics the demands experienced in field sports such as football, rugby and hockey and will be experienced in the 2016 Olympics in Rio and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.

Michael Jordan

Research projects

Heat tolerance and acclimation in female athletes

Mitochondria biogenesis and interval training

Practical precooling on neuromuscular function and performance in hot and humid conditions

Optimising heat acclimation to attenuate physiological and cellular stress in hypoxia

Predicting altitude training response

Impact of sleep deprivation on heat-related illness in females when exercising

Optimising strategies to enhance endurance running performance under hot and humid conditions

Brighton marathon heart study

We are all 99.9 percent genetically equal. It is one one-hundredth of one percent of genetic material that makes the difference between any one of us.

Barry Schuler

Research team

Dr Nick Webborn

Professor Jo Doust

Dr Peter Watt

Dr Neil Maxwell

Dr Nick Smeeton

Dr Martin Bailey

Dr Jeanne Dekerle

Dr Helen Carter

Dr Alan Richardson

Dr Sarah Hardcastle

Dr Louisa Beale

Dr Gary Brickley

Dr Ifigenia Giannopoulou

Dr Mark Hayes

Outputs

Publications

Turner, G., Pringle, J.S.M., Ingham, S.A., Fudge, B.W., Richardson, A. and Maxwell, N. (2014) The influence of carbon monoxide bolus on the measurement of total haemoglobin mass using the optimized CO-rebreathing method Physiological Measurement, 35 (2). ISSN 0967-3334. eprints.brighton.ac.uk/12011/

Gibson, O., Dennis, A., Parfitt, A., Taylor, L., Watt, P. and Maxwell, N. (2013) Extracellular Hsp72 concentration relates to a minimum endogenous criteria during acute exercise-heat exposure Cell Stress & Chaperones. 19 (3), pp 389-400. ISSN 1355-8145. eprints.brighton.ac.uk/11912/

Carter, H. and Dekerle, J. (2013) Change in critical speed but not its associated metabolic rate when manipulating muscle contraction regimen: horizontal vs. uphill treadmill running Science & Sports, 28 (6). ISSN 0765-1597. eprints.brighton.ac.uk/11916/

Beale, L., McIntosh, R., Raju, P., Lloyd, G., Brickley, G. and McIntosh, R. (2013) A comparison of high intensity interval training with circuit training in a short-term cardiac rehabilitation programme for patients with chronic heart failure International Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 1 (6). ISSN 2329-9096. eprints.brighton.ac.uk/11918/

McIntosh, R., Silberbauer, J., Veasey, R., Raju, P., Baumann, O., Kelly, S., Beale, L., Brickley, G., Sulke, N. and Lloyd, G. (2013) Tissue Doppler–derived contractile reserve Is a simple and strong predictor of cardiopulmonary exercise performance across a range of cardiac diseases Echocardiography, 30 (5). pp. 527-533. ISSN 0742-2822. eprints.brighton.ac.uk/11434/

Hayes, M., Castle, P., Ross, E. and Maxwell, N. (2013) The influence of hot humid and hot dry environments on intermittent-sprint exercise performance International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 9(3), pp 387-96. ISSN 1555-0265. eprints.brighton.ac.uk/11440/

Castle, P., Kularatne, B.P., Brewer, J., Mauger, A.R., Austen, R.A., Tuttle, J.A., Sculthorpe, N., Mackenzie, R.W.A., Maxwell, N. and Webborn, A. (2012) Partial heat acclimation of athletes with spinal cord lesion European Journal of Applied Physiology, 113 (1). pp. 109-115. ISSN 1439-6319. eprints.brighton.ac.uk/10551/

Oliveira, M.F.M., Caputo, F., Dekerle, J., Denadai, B.and Greco, C. (2012) Stroking parameters during continuous and intermittent exercise in regional-level competitive swimmers International Journal of Sports Medicine, 33 (9). pp. 696-701. ISSN 0172-4622. eprints.brighton.ac.uk/11909/

Greco, C., Carita, R, Dekerle, J. and Denadai, B. (2012) Effect of aerobic training status on both maximal lactate steady state and critical power Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 37 (4). ISSN 1715-5320. eprints.brighton.ac.uk/11189/

Hardcastle, S., Blake, N. and Hagger, S. (2012) The effectiveness of a motivational interviewing primary-care based intervention on physical activity and predictors of change in a disadvantaged community Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 35 (3). pp. 318-333. ISSN 1573-3521 eprints.brighton.ac.uk/10251/

Hayes, M., Smith, D., Castle, P., Watt, P., Ross, E. and Maxwell, N. (2012) Peak power output provides the most reliable measure of performance in prolonged intermittent-sprint cycling Journal of Sports Sciences, 31 (5). pp. 565-572. ISSN 0264-0414. eprints.brighton.ac.uk/11037/

Sources/links

Collaborations

The Aspire Academy (Qatar)

English Institute of Sport

Professor Pietro Ghezzi, RM Phillips Chair in Experimental Medicine, Head of Division of Clinical & Laboratory Investigation (BSMS)

Professor Matteo Santin, Professor of Tissue Regeneration, Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Devices, Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences

Funding

2013. ES Fire Service: Heat exposure and Immune function. £9,500.

2013. NHS Cardiac Project - Exercise Intensity in Phase 3 and 4 Cardiac Rehabilitation Programmes - East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust. £5,941.

2012. Exercise in Ataxia Telangiectasia - Great Ormond Street. £31,006.00.

2012. Celu-Lite Ltd - Zaggora Hotpants. £19,000.00

2011. Medtronic study - Sussex Enterprises Services Ltd. £22,000.00.

2010. UK sport talent team - UK Sport. £9,600.00.

Awards, recognition, impact

Dr Peter Watt

Member of IICCBB

Editor: Journal of Amino Acids; Physiology Journal.

Dr Ifigenia Giannopoulou

Dr Ifigenia Giannopoulou is currently on the Review Editorial Board of Frontiers in Sport and Exercise Nutrition (www.frontiersin.org). She is also serving as an ‘Expert/Evaluator’ in the European Commission Programs such as Horizon 2020 and review research grants.

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