Profile
Leading the intercalated degree in Sports and Exercise Medicine. This involves organising the academic structure of the course, supervising students in the practical elements of their coursework, writing and collating examination scripts and organising exam boards, module leading (Research Methods, Research Project) and lecturing; assessing manuscripts, and dealing with student issues related to the modules and course; ensuring appropriate QAA is carried out; managing effectively budgetary control of associated finances; managing course events; developing and maintaining the SIS database; and managing new programme and module development.
Modules development
- Development of Dance Medicine stand-alone module (M level) (2011)
- Development of Literature Review module (iBSc) (2011)
Student supervision
- 2016-2017: 5 IBsc; 4 MSc (primary supervisor) n=9
- 2015-2016 (maternity leave) – 1 BSc; 1MSc (primary supervisor) n=2
- 2014-2015: 5 iBSc; 4MSc (primary supervisor) n=9
Research
My main sports-specific research interests are in the field of physiological determinants of performance and injury risk factors in the performing arts. I have worked with professional and non-professional dancers from UK and Europe, particularly investigating the effects of increased physical fitness levels on performance and injury rate and severity. Previous collaborations have included a consultancy to the resident physiotherapist of the National Centre for Circus Arts Traning, and the possibility of replicating a similar screening with the Royal Ballet School healthcare team is under discussion.
I have published research findings in high impact factor academic journals, contributing to Sports and Dance Medicine blogs and magazines, as well as presenting at numerous international conferences. From 2014 I sit in the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science Research Committee. The committee promotes research excellence within the dance medicine and science community and encourages communication between researchers, educators, and health-care practitioners. Other research interests include the exercise is medicine stream. In 2010 I was part of a research group, led by Professor George Metsios, University of Wolverhampton, investigating the cardiovascular capacity of breast cancer patients with the aim to develop effective and safe exercise intervention guidelines to improve their reduced levels of aerobic capacity. Following this experience, I have contributed to the Dancefit Prime project which includes an ongoing groundbreaking pilot study led by Dr Thomas Dann Hauser, investigating the use of dance-based exercise for dementia patients in primary care (NHS ethics). My role is to advise on scientific approach, protocol reliability and data analysis/dissemination.
Collaborators
One DanceUK
Steering committee member for the conference: Aesthetic athletes and dancers: training and optimising performance; April 2014; Royal Society of Medicine, London.
National Centre for Circus Arts
I advised and overviewed the physical fitness screening protocol in collaboration with the physiotherapy team for the 2014-15 cohort.
Dancefit Prime
This is an ongoing groundbreaking project investigating the use of dance-based exercise for dementia patients in primary care (NHS ethics). My role is to advise on scientific-approach, protocol reliability and data analysis/dissemination.
