Swansea University

Prof. Richard Bracken
Principal Investigator WP3
Professor Richard Bracken is Professor of Exercise Physiology and Biochemistry at Swansea University. He has a specialist interest in the interactions of medication, nutrition and technology around exercise in obesity and diabetes. His research team explores how people with metabolic conditions like diabetes or obesity are looking to become healthier and explore how dysfunctions in metabolism can be overcome by improving physical activity and nutrition. Currently, he is delighted to be involved in a large EU InterReg project exploring the development of healthier varieties of oats, to explore the impact of these varieties on human health, known as 'Healthy Oats'. He is also researching the usefulness of newer insulins on better blood glucose regulation in people with type 1 diabetes who look to exercise without a risk of low blood glucose concentrations, known as ‘hypoglycaemia’. Finally, his interests extend to high-tech glucose devices that are worn continuously for weeks at a time on the back of the arm. Such information now allows people to explore the rises and falls of glucose in response to feeding, fasting and exercise. Such information will allow the generation of healthy glucose ranges that might help prevent people from developing wide glucose fluctuations.

Dr Olivia McCarthy
Postdoctoral Researcher WP3
Having studied Sport Science as an undergraduate at Swansea University, I went on to complete a PhD in clinical exercise physiology applied to people with type 1 diabetes. Since graduating, I have taken up a co-positioned postdoctoral researcher position in clinical exercise physiology and human nutrition at the Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Denmark and the Applied School of Exercise Technology of Medicine at Swansea University, UK. My research passion is centred around investigating interactions between exercise, human physiology, and nutrition with a view towards understanding how this information can be used to develop strategies that encourage people to lead a healthy lifestyle.