Dr Lee Romer
Reader - Human and Applied Physiology

Research area(s)

Dr Romer’s research centres on the physiological mechanisms through which the respiratory system can limit exercise tolerance in health and disease. His work has examined the integrated contribution of respiratory muscle function, respiratory muscle work, ventilatory mechanics and pulmonary gas exchange to exercise performance, spanning both fundamental mechanisms and their relevance to athletic and clinical populations.

His early research demonstrated the susceptibility of the respiratory muscles to fatigue and established important physiological mechanisms underlying the benefits of inspiratory muscle training. This work subsequently extended to the cardiovascular consequences of respiratory muscle work and fatigue, including the respiratory metaboreflex and its effects on blood flow and fatigue in the locomotor muscles. His research has also investigated pulmonary gas exchange, exercise-induced arterial hypoxaemia and the effects of altered oxygen transport on peripheral and central mechanisms of fatigue. Related work has examined respiratory responses to exercise in athletes with spinal cord injury and during upper-body exercise in able-bodied individuals, including the interaction between respiratory and postural demands.

More recently, his research has focused on the contractile function of the respiratory muscles through the development and application of diaphragm ultrasonography and multimodal approaches. This work has included the assessment of respiratory muscle contractile properties and their integration with respiratory mechanics and neural respiratory drive, alongside research examining sex- and age-related differences in respiratory function and exertional dyspnoea. Together, these studies seek to advance understanding of how respiratory muscle function and respiratory system constraints influence exercise tolerance and the experience of breathlessness across different populations and physiological conditions.

Dr Romer’s research has involved collaborations with investigators and research groups in the UK, Canada, USA and Europe. He has secured research support through competitive grants, fellowships, studentships and collaborative awards from organisations including UK Sport, ParalympicsGB, the Canadian Lung Association, The Royal Society, The Physiological Society, NSERC Canada and Mitacs. He has also delivered numerous invited presentations at international scientific and professional meetings, including keynote lectures and symposium presentations for organisations such as the European Respiratory Society, The Physiological Society and the American College of Sports Medicine.