Matt is the Subject Area Lead for Sport, Public Health, and Occupational Therapy. He is a Chartered Sport and Exercise Scientist (Physiology) and a CASES Certified Exercise Practitioner with specialist expertise in obesity and diabetes. CASES—the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences—is the UK’s professional body for sport and exercise sciences. He is also a Chartered Scientist (CSci) with the Science Council, a Chartered Manager (CMgr) with the Chartered Management Institute, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). 

Matt’s principal research interests centre on physiological responses and adaptations to exercise (e.g., high-intensity interval training) and the role of physical activity in supporting health and clinical outcomes (e.g., exercise as an adjunct treatment for people living with cancer). He has worked in Higher Education for nearly 20 years, teaching and leading at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Before entering academia, Matt’s background was in exercise physiology and exercise prescription. He worked as a personal trainer and exercise referral specialist, supporting clients with long‑term health conditions including diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and cancer.

He currently supervises a diverse portfolio of doctoral researchers, with topics spanning prehabilitation for patients undergoing neoadjuvant treatment for colorectal cancer, touch rugby, nitrate supplementation, and physical activity across a range of populations. Matt also has extensive experience delivering sport and exercise science support to individual athletes and professional teams across rugby league, long distance running, and football.