Swansea University

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.