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Staff Profile

Dr Owen Jeffries

Senior Lecturer

Background

I joined Newcastle University in 2018 as a lecturer in Sport & Exercise Physiology within the School of Biomedical, Nutritional & Sport Sciences. My research focuses on how humans respond and adapt to extreme environments. Prior to this, I lectured in exercise physiology at St Mary’s University in London for four years. I completed my Ph.D. in Molecular Physiology at the University of Edinburgh in 2010. Under the supervision of Professor Michael Shipston, I investigated the role of post-translational modification on BK potassium ion channel structure and function. Following this, I obtained an early career postdoctoral research fellowship with Dr Michael Hastings at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in the University of Cambridge. Here, I investigated ion channel modulation of circadian rhythms within the superchiasmatic nucleus in the mammalian brain.


Ph.D. Molecular Physiology – Edinburgh University

M.Sc. Exercise Physiology – Brunel University

B.Sc. (Hons) Biomedical Sciences – Queens University Belfast


Sporting interests

I competed for Ireland in road cycling in 2003, was also Irish University Cycling champion in 2003 and raced all over the UK, Belgium, Spain and USA. I have since completed five IronMan triathlons and working towards my next.


 

Research

My research focuses on how humans respond and adapt to extreme environments. The changing global climate and increased propensity for sudden extreme heat events is a public health emergency. Therefore our focus, in the extreme environments laboratory group, is on understanding how humans respond to extreme heat stress with respect to public health, exercise performance and occupational tolerance. Further, we explore mitigation strategies to cope with such extreme weather events. Published work can be found under the publications tab.


Our extreme environments laboratory research blog can be viewed here: 

https://blogs.ncl.ac.uk/extremeenvironments/

 

Current PhD Supervision:

PhD student – Lee Ager – Understanding human responses to extreme environmental heat stress

PhD student – Ollie Page – Heat stress in clinical populations

PhD student - Will Pearmain - Neuromuscular fatiguability and physiological resilience

PhD student - Saeed Alqahtani - Fatiguability in horse racing jockeys



Supervise UG, MSc and MRES students annually.

 

Media engagement:

[The Business Insider] The most effective and cheap ways to cool your body during a heat wave, according to scientists

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-stay-cool-extreme-heat-scientists-2022-7

[The Insider] Sports scientist who ran Ironman race in 95F shares 5 tips for exercising in extreme temperatures

https://www.insider.com/ironman-sport-scientist-tips-hydration-extreme-heat-2022-7

[BBC] Is water always the best choice on a hot day?

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210802-is-water-always-the-best-choice-on-a-hot-day

Teaching

Administrative roles in School of Biomedical, Nutritional & Sport Sciences

- Chair of the Board of Examiners - UG Sport & Exercise Science, Nutrition and Dietetics

- Chair of the PEC committee - UG Sport & Exercise Science, Nutrition and Dietetics

 

Teaching in School of Biomedical, Nutritional & Sport Sciences

SES8098 MSc Exercise Physiology dissertation (Module Leader)

SES8000 MSc Exercise Physiology Applied Exercise Science

SES8001 MSc Exercise Physiology Assessment Skills

SES3004 UG Lifestyle & disease

SES3002 UG Factors Affecting Elite Performance 

SES3000 UG Research Projects

SES2000 UG Principles of Strength & Conditioning (Module Leader)

SES2004 UG Exercise Physiology

BMS2002 UG Cell Biology and Disease (Biomedical science)

SES1000 UG Human Physiology and Practical Skills

PSC1002 UG Physiology (Biomedical science)


Publications