About

I am a Lecturer in Exercise Physiology in the School of Human Sciences and Programme Leader for the Sport and Exercise Science programme.

My research has primarily focused on exercise in adults with chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and COVID-19.  I am currently working on several international investigations to increase understanding and awareness of Long COVID, including clinical datasets and patients lived experience. Our aim with this research is to develop bespoke patient-centred pathways to restore functional status and quality of life.  

I am also accredited as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist by the Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists (RCCP).

Teaching responsibilities

I currently contribute to teaching in the areas of exercise physiology and physcial activity and health. I also supervise student research projects at Undergraduate and Masters level. I also currently supervise four PhD students that are related to several externally funded projects in the areas of physiology and innovative technologies.

Research interests

My research focuses on exercise in adults with chronic diseases, in particular those diagnosed with cancer, cardiovascular disease AND Long COVID. The research looks at how exercise can be an adjunctive therapy to conventional treatment to improve overall health and quality of life. 

The work in cancer is primarily centred around embedding exercise as part of the treatment pathway to alleviate treatment associated side effects. I am also interested in how we can recruit representative populations to clinical trials ensuring diversity and inclusion.

Our COVID-19 work is supporting an increase in the understanding of COVID-19 symptomology and the impact this has upon patients in hospital and community settings. We are attempting to profile the determinants of recovery to inform the development of COVID-specific support pathways to increase patient outcomes and functional status.

Membership of professional bodies

• Accredited Clinical Exercise Physiologist - Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists (RCCP) (2022 - present)
• BASES COVID-19 special interest group (2020 - present)
• British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES)
• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
• The Physiological Society
• Higher Education Teaching Academy

Qualifications

• BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science, University of Chester
• MRes Applied Science, University of Chester
• PhD Clinical Exercise Physiology, Northumbria University
• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, University of Derby
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy 

Recent conferences

• Faghy, MA., Owen, R., Ashton, REM., (2022). Reduced respiratory muscle strength, lung function, and functional status and symptomology in patients referred to Long COVID clinics, an observational cohort analysis. British Thoracic Society. London, UK, December 2022
• Faghy, MA., Owen, R., Ashton, REM., (2022)., A long road to recovery? Reduced quality of life, impaired functional status, and the lived experience of Long COVID patients, a cohort analysis. European Respiratory Society. Barcelona, Spain. September 2022
• Owen, R., Ashton, R, E, M., Yates, J., Ferraro, F., Thomas, C., Idris, R., Faghy, M, A., (2022)., pre-COVID physical activity status does not protect against developing Long COVID symptoms., Physiological Society Long COVID: Mechanisms, Risk Factors, and Recovery. Flash Talk
• Yates, J., Faghy, M, A., Owen, R., Thomas, C., Idris, R., Ferraro, F., Ashton, R, E, M., (2022), Comparing the profiles of individuals hospitalised with COVID-19 with those referred to Long Covid services, Physiological Society Long COVID: Mechanisms, Risk Factors, and Recovery. Flash Talk
• Ashton, R.E., Tew, G.A., Saxton, J.M., Robson, W. & Aning, J.J. “Prospective pilot study of patient-reported fatigue, physical activity and cardiovascular status in men after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy”. Proceedings of The British Association of Urological Surgeons, Liverpool, UK, 25-27 June 2018.
• Ashton, R.E., Tew, G.A., Saxton, J.M., Robson, W. & Aning, J.J. “Supported progressive home-based resistance training for improving fitness and physical functioning post robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: preliminary findings”. Proceedings of The Royal Society of Medicine Urological Day Academic Meeting, London, UK, 23 April 2018.
• Ashton, R.E., Tew, G.A., Aning, J.J., Gilbert, S.E., Lewis, L., & Saxton, J.M. “Effects of short-, medium- and long-term resistance exercise programmes on measures of cardiometabolic health in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis”. Proceedings of The British Association of Sport and Exercise Science Annual Conference, Nottingham, UK, 28-29 November 2017.

Additional interests and activities

• Reviewer for the European Heart Journal
• Reviewer for Supportive Care in Cancer
• Reviewer for PlosOne

Recent publications

All publications can be found on ResearchGate. 

BOOK CHAPTERS

• Ashton R., & Saxton J. (2022). Physical Activity and Dietary Considerations for Men Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. In: Goonewardene S.S., Brunckhorst O., Albala D., & Ahmed K. (eds) Men’s Health and Wellbeing. Springer, Cham.
• Saxton, J., & Ashton, R. (2022). Exercise testing in breast and prostate cancer. In: Davison, R.C., Smith, P.M., Hopker, J., Price, M.J., Hettinga, F., Tew, G., & Bottoms, L. (eds) Sport and Exercise Physiology Testing Guidelines: The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Guide. Taylor & Francis Ltd. ISBN: 0367489848

JOURNAL ARTICLES

• Faghy, M.A., Ashton, R.E., Parizher, G., … & Emery, M.S. (2022). COVID-19 and Elite Sport: Cardiovascular Implications and Return-to-Play. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases.
• Faghy, M.A., Owen, R., Thomas, C., … & Ashton, R.E. (2022). Is long COVID the next global health crisis? Journal of Global Health, 12, 03067.
• Alghamdi, F., Owen, R., Ashton, R., … & Strain, W. D. (2022). Post-acute COVID syndrome (long COVID): What should radiographers know and the potential impact for imaging services. Radiography, 28(Suppl 1), S93–S99. 
• Ashton, R.E., Ansdell, P., Hume, E., Maden-Wilkinson, T., Ryan, D., Tuttiett, E., & Faghy, M. (2022). COVID-19 and the long-term cardio-respiratory and metabolic health complications. Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine 23(2), 053. 
• Faghy, M., Arena, R., Stoner, L., … & Ashton, R. (2021). The need for exercise sciences and an integrated response to COVID-19: A position statement from the international HL-PIVOT network. Progress in Cardiovascular Disease.
• Ashton, R.E., Aning, J.J., Tew, G.A. Robson, W.A, & Saxton, J.M. (2021). Supported progressive resistance exercise training to counter the adverse side effects of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a randomised controlled trial. Supportive Care in Cancer.
• Faghy, M., Ashton, R.E., Maden-Wilkinson, T.M., Copeland, R.J., Bewick, T., Smith, A., & Loosemore, M. (2020). Integrated sports and respiratory medicine in the aftermath of COVID-19. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. [Epub ahead of print]
• Ashton, R.E., Tew, G.A. Robson, W.A, Saxton, J.M, & Aning, J.J. (2019). Cross-sectional study of patient-reported fatigue, physical activity and cardiovascular status in men after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy. Support Care Cancer. [Epub ahead of print]
• Ashton, R.E., Tew, G.A., Aning, J.J., Gilbert, S.E., Lewis, L., & Saxton, J.M. (2018). Effects of short-, medium- and long-term resistance exercise training on cardiometabolic health outcomes in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. [Epub ahead of print]