Dr Alex Beaumont

Teaching

As the course lead for BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science, I predominately teach on that programme from 1st year to 3rd year undergraduate, in addition to our integrated master's programme. I teach physiology-specific modules but also research methods modules at undergraduate level. This includes the following modules:

• Fundamentals of Sport and Exercise Physiology
• Research Design and Analysis
• Applied Sport and Exercise Physiology
• Interdisciplinary working in Sport, Exercise and Physical Education

In 2021, I achieved my Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) status. At postgraduate level, I currently supervise three PhDs and one MPhil.

Research

I am an active researcher, and a member of the Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health (PAtCH) research group at York St. John University.

The main focus of my research to date has been within the field of cardiac physiology. My research has centred around using conventional and novel ultrasound techniques to asses the structure and function of the heart across the age spectrum. In particular, I am interested in how chronic exercise training in young and older individuals alters the structure and function of the heart and whether exercise can be a useful mitigate of the age related declines in heart functioning. In addition, I have investigated the cardiac responses during acute bouts of exercise stress by assessing the associated changes during aerobic and resistance types of exercise.

My other research interest and publications include the understanding of adolescent soccer training on exercise physiology and more recently, the influence of golf on both physical and mental wellbeing.

I have presented my research at national and international conferences and also been invited to discuss my work at institutions with UK and Europe.

Publications and conferences

Journal Articles

Beaumont, A., Campbell, A., Grace, F. and Sculthorpe, N. (2018) Cardiac Response to Exercise in Normal Ageing: What Can We Learn from Masters Athletes? Current Cardiology Reviews, 14 (4), pp. 245–253.

Beaumont, A., Campbell, A., Unnithan, V., Grace, F., Knox, A. and Sculthorpe, N. (2020) Long-term athletic training does not alter age-associated reductions of left-ventricular mid-diastolic lengthening or expansion at rest. European Journal of Applied Physiology [Internet], Available from https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04418-1. [Accessed 6th July 2020].

Beaumont, A., Grace, F., Richards, J., Hough, J., Oxborough, D. and Sculthorpe, N. (2017) Left Ventricular Speckle Tracking-Derived Cardiac Strain and Cardiac Twist Mechanics in Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Studies. Sports Medicine, 47 (6), pp. 1145–1170.

Beaumont, A., Hough, J., Sculthorpe, N. and Richards, J. (2017) Left ventricular twist mechanics during incremental cycling and knee extension exercise in healthy men. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 117 (1), pp. 139–150.

Beaumont, A., Oxborough, D., George, K., Rowland, T.W., Sculthorpe, N., Lord, R. and Unnithan, V.B. (2019) Superior cardiac mechanics without structural adaptations in pre-adolescent soccer players. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, p. 2047487319890177.

Beaumont, A., Sculthorpe, N., Hough, J., Unnithan, V. and Richards, J. (2018) Global and regional left ventricular circumferential strain during incremental cycling and isometric knee extension exercise. Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.), 35 (8), pp. 1149–1156.

Beaumont, A.J., Forrest, L.J., Unnithan, V. and Sculthorpe, N. (2020) Cardiovascular Responses During Submaximal Cycling With and Without Left-Lateral Tilting: Insights For Practical Applications of Stress Echocardiography. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism [Internet], Available from https://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/10.1139/apnm-2020-0391. [Accessed 28th August 2020].

Beaumont, A.J., Grace, F.M., Richards, J.C., Campbell, A.K. and Sculthorpe, N.F. (2019) Aerobic Training Protects Cardiac Function During Advancing Age: A Meta-Analysis of Four Decades of Controlled Studies. Sports Medicine, 49 (2), pp. 199–219.

Campbell, A., Grace, F., Ritchie, L., Beaumont, A. and Sculthorpe, N. (2019) Long-Term Aerobic Exercise Improves Vascular Function Into Old Age: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Meta Regression of Observational and Interventional Studies. Frontiers in Physiology [Post-print], 10. Available from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.00031/full. [Accessed 17th May 2019].

Grace, F., Herbert, P., Elliott, A.D., Richards, J., Beaumont, A. and Sculthorpe, N.F. (2018) High intensity interval training (HIIT) improves resting blood pressure, metabolic (MET) capacity and heart rate reserve without compromising cardiac function in sedentary aging men. Experimental Gerontology, 109, pp. 75–81.

Herbert, P., Hayes, L.D., Beaumont, A.J., Grace, F.M. and Sculthorpe, N.F. (2021) Six weeks of high intensity interval training (HIIT) facilitates a four year preservation of aerobic capacity in sedentary older males: A reunion study. Experimental Gerontology, 150, p. 111373.

Sculthorpe, N., Campbell, A. and Beaumont, A. (2020) Electrocardiogram-Based Timings Cause Systematic Errors in Vascular Strain Measures: A Method for Error Correction and Estimation of Pulse Transit Time. Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography [Post-print], 0 (0). Available from https://www.onlinejase.com/article/S0894-7317(20)30069-9/abstract. [Accessed 28th April 2020].

Sorbie, G., Beaumont, A., Richardson, A.K., Glen, J., Hardie, S. and Lavallee, D. (2020) Data Report: Golf-related engagement during COVID-19 quarantine restrictions (4-12th May 2020). Frontiers in Sports and Active Living [Post-print], 2. Available from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2020.00112/full. [Accessed 28th August 2020].

Sorbie, G.G., Beaumont, A.J., Williams, A.K., Glen, J., Hardie, S.M. and Lavallee, D. (2021) The Impact of the Closure and Reopening of Golf Courses in the United Kingdom on Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multi-Study Approach. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living [Post-print], 3. Available from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2021.622171/full. [Accessed 19th February 2021].

Sorbie, Graeme, Beaumont, Alexander, Lavallee, David.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5773-6356 and Lavallee, David (2021) NPS0085 - National Plan for Sport and Recreation. Documentation. UK Parliament.

Unnithan, V.B., Beaumont, A., Rowland, T.W., Sculthorpe, N., George, K., Lord, R. and Oxborough, D. (2021) The influence of training status on right ventricular morphology and segmental strain in elite pre-adolescent soccer players. European Journal of Applied Physiology [Internet], Available from http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00421-021-04634-3. [Accessed 23rd February 2021].

Unnithan, V.B., Rowland, T., George, K., Bakhshi, A., Beaumont, A., Sculthorpe, N., Lord, R.N. and Oxborough, D.L. (2022) Effect of long‐term soccer training on changes in cardiac function during exercise in elite youth soccer players. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, p. sms.14140.

Conference Presentations

Beaumont, A., Grace, F., Richards, J., Campbell, A., Sculthorpe, N. (2018). Aerobic Training
Protects Cardiac Function during Advancing Age: A Meta-Analysis of Four-Decades of Controlled Studies. (Oral). European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Dublin, Ireland.

Beaumont, A (2018). Cardiac Adaptations to Aerobic Exercise in Older Adults at Rest and During Exercise: What Can We Learn from the Masters Athlete? (Oral) University of the West of Scotland ‘Who owns health’ symposium, Hamilton, UK.

Beaumont, A., Grace, F., Richards, J., Hough, J., Oxborough, D. and Sculthorpe, N (2017). Left Ventricular Speckle Tracking Derived Cardiac Strain and Cardiac Twist Mechanics in Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Studies. (Poster). Performance Sports Science Conference, Glasgow, UK.

Beaumont, A. (2016). Left Ventricular Mechanics in the Athlete’s Heart Using Speckle Tracking Echocardiography. (Oral). University of the West of Scotland Annual Student Research Conference, Paisley, UK.

Beaumont, A., Richards, J. (2014). Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness with Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and the Influential Effects of Alcohol Consumption. (Poster). British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Annual Student Conference, University of Portsmouth, UK.

Invited Talks

Beaumont, A. (2021). Cardiac function, mechanics and exercise through the ages (Oral). ISPAR Seminar Series. University of Bedfordshire, Bedford, UK.

Beaumont, A. (2021). Cardiac function, mechanics and exercise through the ages (Oral). University of Maia – ISMAI, Maia, Portugal.

Professional activities

I have presented at national, international and internal conferences including British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES), Performance Sports Science and European College of Sport Science (ECSS). I am an accredited member of BASES. I have been invited to peer-review articles for journals including AJP, Cardiology in the young, Biology of Sport and Internal and Emergency Medicine.