Research in sport and exercise science is conducted through the Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute (SESRI), and is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team of staff and postgraduate PhD researchers. Given the applied nature of the research conducted by SESRI, we have developed a range of research collaborations at international, national and local levels involving governing bodies of sport, hospitals and medical facilities and practitioners, local and national government and other key stakeholders in sport, exercise and physical activity.

Researchers within the Centre explore a range of research themes relating to a healthy society, including physical activity and disease prevention, sports medicine, metabolism and nutrition, epigenetics and DNA damage.

The Centre has established a world-wide reputation in Exercise Medicine, Physical Activity and Health related research. Our research is published by leading academic publishers, high-quality peer-reviewed journals, and informs policy and guidelines nationally and internationally. Our research is funded by the Medical Research Council, Northern Ireland Chest, Heart and Stroke, The Royal & Ancient, Interreg Europe, the Public Health Agency, Diabetes Foundation, Sport NI, and a range of other international partners and agencies. There is ongoing media interest in our research, and we engage widely in dissemination of our findings with local, national and international partners. The Centre is supported by a state-of the-art laboratory infrastructure, equipped for basic and applied studies that are internationally excellent and world-leading.

PhD graduates are recognised by employers to hold valuable transferrable skills, as the nature of the degree trains candidates in creativity, critical inquiry, problem solving, negotiation skills, professionalism and confidence. The most recent Ulster survey of PhD graduates found that 92% had secured employment within the first year since graduation (HESA Destination of Leavers Survey 2015), and while two thirds end up in the Higher Education or Research sectors, the range of skills acquired equips the remainder for employment in a wide range of contexts.