Charles Pedlar

Professor

Biography

Charlie is a Professor of Applied Sports and Exercise Science at St Mary's in the Faculty of Sport, Allied Health, and Performance Science. He is also an Honorary Associate Professor at UCL (ISEH).

Career history

Professionally, Charlie started out as a research assistant for the British Olympic Association based at Northwick Park Hospital.

He has since held positions as London Region Lead Physiologist at the English Institute of Sport (primary sport: British Athletics) and Chief Science Officer at Orreco. Charlie was the Director of the Centre for Health, Applied Sport and Exercise Science at St Mary’s between 2009 and 2015.

Whilst embedded in high performance sport Charlie completed his PhD at Brunel University in 2007 entitled 'Sleep and Exercise during Acclimation and Acclimatisation to Moderate Altitude in Elite Athletes', which involved a combination of field data collected during moderate altitude training camps and laboratory data, investigating responses to altitude in the GB national squads for Speedskating, Biathlon, Rowing, Kayaking and Athletics.

He has a keen interest in the application of scientific research to the training of male and female elite athletes, and as such has been involved in the preparation of elite athletes for international competition. Charlie’s specialist areas include altitude and environmental physiology, sleep, the Female Athlete, the application of biomarkers to optimise performance in pro athletes.

He has attended many international training camps across the world as a team physiologist, many of them at moderate altitude destinations. He currently works with professional athletes in the NBA, NHL, NFL, English Premier League and F1.

In 2019, Charlie was a member of the Gatorade Sport Science Institute’s Expert Panel. Charlie is co-organiser of Marathon Medicine, the Virgin London Marathon’s conference on the Science and Medicine of Endurance Running.

Awards

2014 BASES Applied Practitioner Award: “The award acknowledges outstanding and innovative service delivery in sport and/or exercise science by BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientists.”

BASES Fellowship awarded in 2016.

PhD completions

Dr Rod Azadan (University of Houston, USA) ‘Endurance physiology biomarkers’ Completed 2022
Dr Joe Shaw (St Mary’s University and the Royal Ballet Company) ‘Workload quantification in professional ballet’ Completed 2022
Dr Diarmuid Daniels (National University of Ireland, Galway) ‘Redox and inflammation in English Premier League soccer players’ Completed 2021
Dr Forrest Baker (University of Arizona, USA) ‘The effects of exercise on immunity’ Completed 2020
Dr Catherine Graham (St Mary’s University) ‘Parental and Child Overweight Based on Lifestyle and Genetic Factors’ Completed 2019
Dr Georgie Bruinvels (University College London) ‘Women in sport: Iron deficiency’ Completed 2018.
Dr Leta Pilic (St Mary’s University) ‘Genetics of salt sensitivity’ Completed 2017
Dr Nathan Lewis (English Institute of Sport/Orreco/St Mary's University) ‘Redox status of the elite athlete.’ Completed 2016
Dr Jessica Hill (St Mary's University) ‘The efficacy of compression garments on recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage’ Completed 2015
Dani Muniz (St Mary's University) ‘Anaerobic capacity measurement’ Completed 2015
Dr Richard Burden (St Mary’s University/English Institute of Sport) ‘The Effects of Iron Deficiency and Iron Repletion in the Endurance Athlete.’ Completed 2014
Dr Ben Holliss (University of Exeter/British Swimming) ‘Physiological and performance adaptations to altitude and hypoxic training.’ Completed 2013 (University of Exeter)

Current doctoral students

Adam Mattiussi (St Mary’s University and the Royal Ballet Company) ‘Energy Dissipation in Elite Professional Ballet Dancers’
Luke Edinborough (St Mary’s University and Southampton FC) ‘Cryotherapy and sleep in professional soccer’
Paul Hough (St Mary’s University) ‘Sleep and cognitive function in athletes’
Niall McSweeney (St Mary’s University and The Royal Ballet School) ‘Maturation and ballet’
Agatha Gibbons (University of Waikato (NZ) & Orreco): ‘Cultural aspects of menstrual health tracking’
Andrew McGeever (Atlantic Technological University, (Ireland) & Orreco): ‘Sleep and cognition in female athletes’
Edward Jakszta (St Mary’s University) ‘Masters athletes and nutrition’
Chelsea Oester (University of Western Sydney) ‘Female soccer player health’
Niamh Mallon (Atlantic Technological University, (Ireland) & Orreco): ‘Nutrition and menstrual cycle symptoms in athletes’

Research

Areas of research supervision

Physiological and nutritional aspects of sports performance
Exercise in public health, particularly Running
Blood biomarkers in sport
Sleep and cognition in athletes and the military
Female athlete health and performance

Research profile

Charlie is an experienced research leader and has held the position of Academic Director of Research and Enterprise in the School of Sport, Health and Applied Science (2005-2010).

He is an Associate Editor at the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

He was the Unit 26 (Sport and Exercise, Leisure and Tourism) lead for the REF2014 and submitted to both the RAE2008, REF2014 and REF2020. He has a growing list of 12 PhD completions.

In 2016 and 2017 Charlie undertook a 2-year research sabbatical at the Cardiovascular Performance Program and Massachusetts General Hospital (Harvard Medical School), conducting research into the cardiovascular adaptations to marathon running.

Predominantly Charlie's research funding has come from the Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine Industry and he is currently generating ongoing funding from Orreco, The Royal Ballet, the Ministry of Defence, and Southampton FC.

He has previously received funding from parkrun, SCA (Bodyform), National Physical Laboratory, STRAVA, in addition to funds raised through the delivery of sport and exercise science services at St Mary's University.

Research publications

For a complete publication record, see Charles's Google Scholar profile.

Selected research publications

Edinborough L, Hill J, Bruce-Low S, Steele J, Woodhouse J, Jarvis M and Pedlar CR Day type and start time influence objective wrist-accelerometery derived sleep metrics in professional U18 football (Soccer) players. International Journal of Sports Medicine
Lewis N, Hodgson A, Khanbhai T, Sygo J, Mazur J, Smith C, Catterson P and Pedlar CR (2022) Editorial: The rise of intravenous nutrition products among professional team sport athletes – reasons to be concerned? British Journal of Sports Medicine
Bruinvels. G, Hackney AC and Pedlar CR (2022) Current Opinion: the importance of understanding both the phases and the transitions between phases of the menstrual cycle to train or compete on any day of the cycle. Sports Medicine
Petek BJ, Groezinger EY, Pedlar CR and Baggish AL (2022) Cardiac effects of detraining in athletes: a narrative review. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
Batatinha, HAP, Baker FL, Smith KA, Zuniga TM, Pedlar CR, Burgess SC, Katsanis E and Simpson RJ (2022) Recent COVID-19 vaccination is associated with modest increases in the physiological demands of graded exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology
Hough P, North JS, Patterson SD and Pedlar CR (2021) Monitoring athletes sleep: a survey of current trends amongst practitioners. Journal of Sport and Exercise Sciences.
Pedlar CR, Myrissa, K, Barry M, Khwaja IG, Simpkin AJ, Newell J, Scarrott C, Whyte GP, Kipps C and Baggish A. (2021) Medical encounters at community physical activity events (parkrun) in the United Kingdom. British Journal of Sports Medicine. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2021-104256
Shaw JW, Mattiussi AM, Brown DD, Williams S, Kelly S, Springham M, Pedlar CR* and Tallent J* (2021) Dance Exposure, Individual Characteristics, and Injury Risk over Five Seasons in a Professional Ballet Company. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise. In Press *joint last authors doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002725
Mattiussi A, Shaw JW, Williams S, Price P, Brown DD, Cohen DD, Clark R, Kelly S, Retter G, Pedlar CR*, Tallent J* (2021) Injury epidemiology in professional ballet: a five-season prospective study of 1596 medical attention injuries and 543 time-loss injuries. British Journal of Sports Medicine. *joint last authors 10.1136/bjsports-2020-103817
McKay B, Delaney J, Simpkin A, Larkin T, Murray A, Pedlar CR, Lewis N and Sampson J (2021) The association between alterations in redox homeostasis, cortisol and commonly used objective and subjective markers of fatigue in American Collegiate Football. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 10.1123/ijspp.2020-0933
Bruinvels G, Goldsmith E, Blagrove RC, Simpkin AJ, Lewis NA, Morton K, Suppiah A, Rogers JP, Ackerman KE, Newell J and Pedlar CR. (2020) The prevalence and frequency of menstrual cycle symptoms are associated with availability to train and compete: A study of 6,812 exercising women recruited using the STRAVA exercise app. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 10.1136/bjsports-2020-102792
Blagrove R, Bruinvels G and Pedlar C (2020) Variations in strength-related measures during the menstrual cycle in eumenorrheic women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 10.1016/j.jsams.2020.04.022
Lewis N A, Daniels D, Calder P C, Castell L and Pedlar CR. (2020) Are there benefits for the use of fish oil (omega-3) supplements in athletes? A systematic review. Advances in Nutrition. 10.1093/advances/nmaa050
Lewis N A, Simpkin A J, Moseley S, Turner G, Homer M, Redgrave A, Pedlar CR and Burden R (2020) Increased oxidative stress in injured and ill elite international Olympic rowers. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 10.1123/ijspp.2019-0425
Pedlar CR, Newell J and Lewis N (2019) Blood biomarker testing for high performance physiology and nutrition: current perspectives, limitations and recommendations. Sports Medicine. 10.1007/s40279-019-01158-x
Blagrove R C, Howatson G, Pedlar C R and Hayes P R (2019) Quantification of aerobic determinants of performance in post-pubertal adolescent middle-distance runners. European Journal of Applied Physiology.
Blagrove R, Howatson G, Cushion E, Hayes P and Pedlar C. (2018) Strength training improves running economy in adolescent distance runners. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
Pedlar C, Bruinvels G, Brugnara C and Burden R (2018) Invited review: Iron balance and iron supplementation for the female athlete, a practical approach. European Journal of Sports Science, 18(2), pp. 295 - 305
Pedlar C, Brown M, Shave R, Otto J, Drane A, Finch J M, Contursi M, Wasfy M, Hutter A, Picard M H, Lewis G D and Baggish A (2018). Cardiovascular response to prescribed exercise detraining among recreational marathon runners. Journal of Applied Physiology
Lewis N, Redgrave A, Homer M, Burden R, Martinson W, Moore B and Pedlar CR (2018) Alterations in Redox Homeostasis During Recovery from Unexplained Underperformance Syndrome in an Elite International Rower. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance.
Brown F, Gissane C, Howatson G, van Someren K, Pedlar C and Hill J (2017) Compression garments and recovery from exercise – a meta-analysis. Sports Medicine.
Hill J, Howatson G, van Someren K and Pedlar C. (2017) The effects of compression garment pressure on recovery from strenuous exercise. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance.
Bruinvels G, Burden R, McGregor A, Ackerman K, Dooley M, Richards T and Pedlar C (2017) Sport, exercise and the menstrual cycle: where is the research? Editorial. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Lewis N, Howatson G, Towey C, Bruinvels G and Pedlar C (2016) The effects of exercise on alterations in redox homeostasis in elite male and female endurance athletes using a clinical point of care test. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism.
Bruinvels G, Richards T, Burden R, Brown N and Pedlar C (2015) The prevalence and impact of heavy menstrual bleeding amongst athletes and mass start runners of the 2015 London Marathon British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(9), p. 566
Lewis N, Rogers J, Collins D and Pedlar C (2015) Can clinicians and scientists explain and prevent unexplained underperformance syndrome in elite athletes: An inter-disciplinary perspective and 2016 update BMJ Open: Sport and Exercise Medicine.
Lewis N, Morton K, Hill J, Howatson G and Pedlar C (2015) Altered Redox Homeostasis (Oxidative Stress) in Elite Endurance Athletes: A Systematic Review. Sports Medicine, 45(3), pp. 379-409
Burden R, Pollock N, Whyte G, Richards T, Moore B, Busbridge M, Srai S K, Otto J and Pedlar C (2015) Impact of intravenous iron on aerobic capacity and iron metabolism in elite athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 47(7), pp. 1399-407
PeaBurden R, Morton K, Richards R, Whyte G and Pedlar C (2014) The efficacy of iron treatment for endurance athletes: a meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49(21), pp. 1389-97
Newell J, Korir P, Moore B and Pedlar C (2014) Lactate-OR app for the calculation of blood lactate markers (Letter to the Editor). Journal of Sports Sciences, 33(6), pp. 568-9
Hill J, Howatson G, van Someren K, Leeder J and Pedlar C (2013) Compression garments and recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage: A meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48(18):1340-6. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2013-092456.
Pedlar C, Burden R, Whyte G, Moore B, Horgan G and Pollock N. (2013) A case study of an iron-deficient female Olympic 1500m runner. International Journal of Sports Performance and Physiology, 8(6), pp. 695 – 698.
Holliss B, Fulford J, Vanhatalo A, Pedlar C and Jones A (2013) Influence of intermittent hypoxic training on muscle energetics and exercise tolerance. Journal of Applied Physiology, 114 (5), 611-619.
Leeder J, Glaister M, Pizzoferro K, Dawson J and Pedlar C (2012) Sleep duration and quality in elite athletes measured using wristwatch actigraphy. Journal of Sports Sciences, 30(6):541-5.
Pollock N, Pedlar C, Morrissey D, Perry M, Grogan C, Dimitriou, L (2010) Bone mineral density and other features of the female athlete triad in elite endurance runners. International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, 20, pp. 418 – 426
Ingham S A, Pedlar C, Dunman N, Bailey DB, Whyte GP, and Nevill AM (2008) Identifying the optimal determinants of elite 800m and 1500m running performance using proportional allometric models. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 40(2), pp. 345 – 350
Pedlar C, Lane A, Lloyd J, Dawson J, Emegbo S, Whyte G and Stanley N (2007) Sleep profiles and mood states during an expedition to the South Pole. Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, 18(2), pp. 127 – 132
Pedlar C, Whyte G, Emegbo S, Stanley N, Hindmarch I and Godfrey R (2005). Acute sleep responses in a normobaric hypoxic tent. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise. 10.1249/01.mss.0000171623.52757.0f

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