Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) has been taught at Queen Mary for many years, with the post-graduate MSc programme being the oldest in Europe, and possibly the world. Graduates go on to include SEM in their clinical practise as a sub-speciality, for example in general practise, orthopaedics, rheumatology or emergency medicine, or more directly via specialist training in SEM. SEM was finally recognised as a speciality in the run-up to the London 2012 games, with many SEM graduates from QMUL playing critical roles in the games and now the legacy delivery.

STAFF

Meet the team

The Centre is renowned in the UK for its academic strength and excellence. Lectures are delivered by national experts; from cutting edge scientists to physiotherapists, doctors, and other health professionals working with world-class athletes.

Professor Nick Goulding – Nick is Academic Lead for Sports and Exercise Medicine.  He is Professor of Pharmacology and Medical Education and has responsibility for all the undergraduate and postgraduate activities of the William Harvey Research Institute.  His main research interest is in the mechanism of action and uses and abuses of corticosteroid drugs.

Dr Dylan Morrissey - My overarching career objective as a clinical academic is to combine the best of educational, clinical and research practice in order to develop and deliver high-quality evidence based physiotherapy for patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Over a twenty year period, my activity in these three areas has progressed and I now hold a professionally unique appointment as a Consultant Physiotherapist in Sports and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy combined with a Clinical Readership in Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM). I have recently started a 5 year NIHR/HEE fellowship with clinical trials as a primary focus. My key research theme is the link between movement and pathology, whether that link serves as a diagnostic tool, treatment modality or outcome measure. I have a particular interest in tendinopathy. To that end, I am a clinical consultant in a department with 2000+ musculoskeletal referrals per month, co-manage a Human Performance Laboratory and give clinical leadership to the MSc and intercalated BSc in SEM. Over the last few years the balance of my work has become more academic, with a corresponding acceleration in grant acquisition and paper publication. My medium term goal is to make best use of developing skills and collaborations that underpin the £4.5m pounds of research and development funding so far secured. A long term goal is to deliver step changes in the understanding and management of common musculoskeletal conditions.

Dr Aleksandra Birn-Jeffery - is the joint MSc/PGDip co-ordinator in Sports and Exercise Medicine (alongside Simon Lack). Her research interests include understanding how organisms move in non-level environments to determine the neuromechanics and control targets of movement. It is in high-performance tasks (such as sports) that musculoskeletal limits will be reached, providing insight into the neuromechanical demands on the body. Aleksandra was awarded her PhD in Biomechanics from the Royal Veterinary College in 2012. Since 2012, Aleksandra has worked as a postdoctoral researcher in research groups in California, USA and Cambridge, UK. She has extensive experience in a broad range of techniques including motion capture, force plates and data analysis.

Dr Simon Lack is the joint MSc co-ordinator for the Sports and Exercise Medicine masters programme and a Teaching Fellow within the WHRI. He is completing his PhD investigating the interaction of hip and foot biomechanics in the presentation and management of patellofemoral pain. He graduated from Brunel University in 2005 with a first class degree in physiotherapy, and went on to study the MSc in Sports and Exercise Medicine at QMUL in 2010. Simon is the Head of Research and a Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist at Pure Sports Medicine and Lead Physiotherapist for the Scholarship Athletic Programme at the University of East London. Previous experience includes junior and senior roles within the NHS, working in New Zealand with professional golfers, local rugby and football teams, and working for both large and small London-based private practices.

Dr Richard Twycross-Lewis (PG Cert Lead) - Dr Richard Twycross-Lewis’s research interests encompass a multi-scale approach to biomechanics from whole body level musculoskeletal mechanics including gait & movement specific analysis and electromyography signaling with respect to specific injuries; to tissue level engineering which encompasses mechanical load imposed by fluid flow on within inter-compartmental spaces and on specific cell types.  He is the interim Course Lead for the iBSc in Sports & Exercise Medicine and was previously the day-to-day manager of the Human Performance Laboratory.  Additionally, he is a School Associate of the School of Engineering and Materials Science within Queen Mary University of London. Dr Twycross-Lewis has a growing output of published work in a variety of clinical biomechanics associated fields, specifically on 3-dimentional motion analysis and electromyography.   Outside of academia, Dr Twycross-Lewis is a competitive powerlifter.  He has won 10 British titles in the Bench Press and has represented Great Britain 15 times internationally, at both European and World Championship competitions.

Dr Manuela Angioi - She leads the intercalated iBSc in sports and exercise medicine and the MSc modules relating to research methods and dance medicine.  Manuela has worked extensively with professional dancers investigating the effects of increased physical fitness levels on performance and injury status. Other research interests include health and fitness for clinical purposes and exercise physiology. Manuela has published research findings in many relevant scientific journals, as well as presenting at numerous international conferences. She acts as a reviewer for a number of scientific journals and she sits in the research committee of the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science.  

Dr Saira Chaudhry - was awarded her PhD in Medical Engineering from the School of Engineering & Materials Science at Queen Mary, University of London in 2013, where she carried out the biomechanical characterisation of different types of in vivo tendon loading exercises in order to understand Achilles tendinopathy management. She also has an MSc (first class) in Biomedical Engineering from QMUL and a BSc (first class, Hons) in Electronics Engineering. Her research focuses on investigating and developing techniques to understand the multi-scale mechanics and structure of connective tissues particularly tendons from in vivo human models to in vitro models. Further interests involve musculoskeletal biomechanics and tissue function-structure relationship. She is a postdoctoral teaching fellow in the Centre for Sports & Exercise Medicine and contributing as a module lead in Literature review. She has an extensive research experience in sEMG, motion capture and ultrasound. Saira has 7 years of teaching experience and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), and a member of International Society of Biomechanics and Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.

Mr Trevor Prior - qualified in 1983 and, since that time has worked in both the private and public sectors. He obtained a teaching qualification in 1985 before obtaining a post graduate degree in Podiatry in 1989. He obtained his fellowship in Podiatric Surgery in 1993 and in 1994 he established the Podiatric Surgery service in City & Hackney, where he is currently a Consultant Podiatric Surgeon at Homerton University Hospital. He works in private practice and is Director of Premier Podiatry Limited and is a Senior Clinical Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London. His particular areas of interest are foot surgery (including minimal incision techniques), sports injuries, biomechanics / gait analysis, orthoses and diabetic foot complications, lecturing both nationally and internationally. He has worked extensively with elite and professional sportsmen and women in a wide range of disciplines, including football, rugby, cricket, athletics, hockey, badminton. He is a director of P2L, a company specialising in bespoke performance footwear and Run3D, a company providing advanced 3D gait analysis. He was an elected member of the council of the Society of Chiropodists & Podiatrists and past Dean of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery. He is the UK representative on the Vasyli Think Tank, involved in the development of Orthoses and is a reviewer for Gait & Posture, The Foot, The Journal of Foot and Ankle Research and Physical Therapy in Sport.

Dr Ritan Mehta (MBBS BSc MRCGP MSc SEM Dip SEM (UK&I) PgC TTT, FFSEM (UK)): Dr Ritan Mehta is currently the FA Medical Officer for England Women's Football and Team Doctor to the Senior England Women's football team. He was Head of the medical team that supported England at the recent Women’s World Cup 2015 in Canada, where the team recorded the highest finish by any England football team for over 49 years by winning a Bronze Medal. He has previously worked with a variety of teams within the FA and was the lead medical officer for England at the FIFA U20 Men's World Cup 2011 in Colombia. Ritan initially trained as a General Practitioner and pursued his interest in Sport and Exercise Medicine by completing an MSc in Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) at QMUL in 2009, passing with distinction and awarded the DJO John King Prize for his research on 'Post-exercise cardiac troponin release is related to exercise training history'. He has now returned to QMUL as a Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in SEM after undertaking higher specialist training in SEM in London. Ritan leads on the Medical Problems in Sport module and co-leads on the Sport Injury Assessment 1 module for the MSc. He is also the current FSEM council representative for New SEM Consultants. Ritan has worked in a variety of sports throughout his career including athletics, rugby and gymnastics. He was honoured to have worked at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in athletics at the Olympic stadium. His main area of interest is football medicine. He is currently the team doctor at Watford Football Club who gained promotion to the Premier League in 2015. He has lectured on football medicine at both national and international conferences.

Dr Nikolaos (Nikos) Maliaropoulos Dr Nikos Malliaropoulos is a Consultant (Hon) Physician in Sport & Exercise Medicine at BMI the London Independent Hospital and Bart's and The London, Mile End Hospital. Senior Lecturer (Hon) at Queen Mary University of London (Centre of Sports and Exercise Medicine). Since 1986, he has held the position of Director of the Sports Injuries Clinic of Track and Field Hellenic Association in Thessaloniki and was Chief Medical Officer of the Hellenic Olympic Team XXVIII (Athens 2004). Dr Nikos is a Fellow of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine UK (FSEM), Member of the British Association of Sports and Exercise Medicine (BASEM) and Founding Member of the European College of Sports and Exercise Medicine (ECOSEP). Dr Nikos was a Balkan Judo Champion, 5th Dan, and British Judo Coach UKCC Level 2.

Sue Tracey  - Centre Administrator (Monday - Wednesday). 

Gillian Morey - Centre Administrator (Wednesday - Thursday).

 

HUMAN PERFORMANCE LAB

The Human Performance Laboratory

The Human Performance Laboratory (HPL) at QMUL combines the expertise of sports medicine clinicians, surgeons, engineers and sports scientists with state-of-the-art physiological testing and motion analysis equipment. This collaborative venture offers clinical, educational, research and athlete support service applications in the laboratory or field based settings. The capabilities of the HPL can be broadly divided into two areas: musculoskeletal biomechanics and physiological testing.

Musculoskeletal Biomechanics 
HPL carries 4 Codamotion Cx1 infra-red scanning units that are used extensively for 3-dimensional motion analysis. This system is fully integrated with 2 ground embedded Kistler and portable force plates and a 16 channel wireless EMG system. The integration of these systems allows for full analysis of movement, forces associated with movement and measuring muscular effort during movement. In addition, the HPL also boasts a 64 channel EMG system for multichannel work and an isokinetic dynamometer, which can be used for both research and rehabilitation.

Physiological Testing 
Detailed analysis of pulmonary gas exchange can be made using an online gas analysis system, in addition to cardiac monitoring using a 12-lead ECG system, during exercise on a treadmill or the electromagnetically braked cycle ergometer. Measures can also be made out in the field, from simple tests of flexibility, strength, speed, power and cardiorespiratory fitness, to comprehensive measurement of expired air using the portable on-line gas analysis system.

 

TESTIMONIALS

Testimonials

While studying the MSc in Sport and Exercise medicine at Queen Mary's I worked part-time with a variety of sports teams including rugby, football and lacrosse. I also gained experience by observing other clinicians in a variety of MSk settings as part of the course.
On completion of the MSc I worked as Lead Physio for Wales at the U19 Lacrosse World Championships. I now work full time with Wasps RFC as their Academy Physiotherapist.  I feel the MSc gave me a good platform to extend my knowledge as a physiotherapist, and working with a variety of sports teams gave me invaluable experience in managing athletes. The combination of the two gave me the opportunity to apply the theory I learnt in the MSc in to practise, which has helped me to develop as a physiotherapist and progress my career into professional sport. 
Helen Van Kempen (Physio)

Following the Masters degree I have since gone on to work at London Independent Hospital alongside some world renowned specialists, Physiotherapy London based at Canary Wharf as a Lower Limb Specialist and have been invited to start working with both England Athletics and England Volleyball through the year. I am also continuing my research by studying a PhD at Queen Mary.
Jody Chappell (Physio)

I am working as a doctor in the Department of Sports Medicine, University Hospital in Bratislava, as well as an anti-doping officer for UEFA and ADA SR. Recently I was offered a job as a team doctor for the National Women´s Football Team of Slovakia. 
Dr Lucia Knappkova

Since I completed my MSc... and Many thanks to everyone who helped me get through it; I have been promoted and poached and appointed in various jobs. After my MSc, I went back to general practice. I became the clinical lead and recently was poached by a private health care company to be the lead GP for a large NHS practice in east Dulwich with population size of >8500. In addition, I do a bit of media doctoring for them to improve their image. The effect spread further than I had originally planned and now I get interviewed by the London branch of a Chinese national newspaper. 
My role with the WOVD continued and in November last year I was formally appointed by IPC and WOVD to be the senior classifier for the London Paralympic Games 2012 in sitting volleyball.Around the same time WOVD made me chairman of the anti-doping committee. I am attending the 2012 WADA Symposium at present. Sports medicine wise, I have accepted the role of sports medicine doctor for the Olympic Village for the Athletes. This was not my primary interest (which was volleyball obviously since I am FIVB approved) but accepted the role none the less. I had to leave Great Britain sitting volleyball team due to the fact my role with WOVD is a conflict of interest. I am currently in negotiations with University of East London to accept the job of sports medicine doctor for their scholarship athletes which includes a large number of Olympians and TAS backed athletes. At some point mid last year I became the co-founder of UK Youth Athletics Conditioning. A young organisation that aims to develop the youths in the UK by providing a solid base of physical conditioning. So I have a number of jobs at the same time. Things get really busy at times (especially now) and I don't go home till late but at least they pay well and send me around the world quite a bit. I declined the offer to go to Egypt last week to give a talk on anti-doping issues.
Dr Jun Ming Zhang

I’ve been developing my Sports Med experience/work since my MSc as much as possible; Team doc for Bristol Rugby Club since 12/2010 (+ still looking after my local rugby club when I can) Sports Physician at Bristol University Centre for Sport, Exercise & Health from 4/2011 (only a couple of days per month on ave).
Sports Doc locum for the Army in Regional Rehab Clinic Covering events for England FA, RFU (including working at Twickenham) UK Athletics (all paid work) + volunteering for 3 pre-Olympic events {Equestrian, Mountain Bikes + Triathlon} + London Marathon Recently appointed to work for a session/week in local Musculo-skeletal clinic Appointed pitch side doc for Olympics Hockey tournament 30th July-11th Aug 
The above is alongside my part-time GP work/GP Appraising/med student teaching - busy but fun! 
Dr Jonathan Williams

Since finishing the MSc I was offered positions with Chelsea FC Academy, Reading Hockey Club and Pure Sports Medicine. I've taken on all 3 as part-time roles. 
Beenish Kamal (Physio)

After the MSc I got a band 7 MSK role at Guys & St Thomas’ and then since November I've been running a department at a private hospital in Lincoln.
Nicky Dyer (Physio)

I have started a PhD, gained part time employment at LIH and Six Physio, Harley St. 
Simon Lack (Physio)

I'm just about to start a PhD around occupational health & sickness absence. I set up and run a sports rehab scheme for Spire, MSK outpatient work & Neurology. 
Lesley Barnes (Physio)

As I finished my PG Dip, I was promoted to the rank of Major and posted to Cyprus as OC (Officer Commanding) physiotherapy and rehab. I ran a team of physiotherapists and rehab instructors providing support for a military population (plus families) of 8,000. During my time there we established interdisciplinary clinics with visiting R&R consultants, and also residential rehab courses for patients with moderate to severe injuries. After two years of this I decided it was time to leave the Army and have now set up my own interdisciplinary medical rehab centre in Liverpool Street: Victory Health & Performance. We offer physiotherapy, osteopathy, sports massage, performance psychology and performance nutrition, and have links locally with sports medicine, yoga and Pilates. The nutrition side is run by Dr Justin Roberts, who was one of the external lecturers on the SEM course when I did it (I think he still does that lecture...?) Victory is on the lower ground floor of The Foundry, a personal training centre with three strength and conditioning studios, and we work very closely with them. 
Nell Mead (Physio)

I'm currently with the UK Judo team, at the moment in Japan, for Olympic preparation work. I got this post directly by networking with one of the lecturers on the MSc course. I am still with the schools and the private practise. 
Sophia Busfield (Physio)

I continued my GP role – my qualification valuably positions me as an 'expert MSK resource' within the practice. I was the GP Musculoskeletal clinical lead for Tower Hamlets PCT (2008-10). I also took up a role with Arthritis Research UK (UK's largest musculoskeletal charity) - leading on primary care musculoskeletal education programmes, advising on health policy and patient and public information. 
Dr Tom Margham

NEWS AND EVENTS

19th Annual Sports and Exercise Medicine Scientific Conference [PDF 350KB]
15th September 2017

RESEARCH

Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine Research Strategy

The Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine (CSEM) has a varied research programme. The key research theme is the link between movement and pathology, whether that link serves as a diagnostic tool, treatment modality or outcome measure. We are currently involved in >£2m of funded research, publish approximately 20 papers per year and students prepare between 50 and 60 research projects per annum.

The work on the link between movement and pathology is primarily delivered in the well-equipped Human Performance Laboratory, which supports the work of 7 PhD students and an Academic Clinical Fellow. A particular topic is tendinopathy, and Dr Morrissey has a 5 year NIHR/HEE fellowship to develop clinical trials in this area, as well as an established collaboration with Dr Screen in the School of Engineering and Material Sciences. Clinical collaborators in the NHS, sporting and private sectors are actively engaged with in order to ensure a clinically driven research agenda and immediate translation of findings.

Student research is well supported, being given a high priority by the whole team with a high resultant full paper (40%) and conference presentation (90%) conversion rate. Students on the intercalated MSci choose topics form a wide selection of projects initiated by the academic staff, but develop their own systematic review research. Students on the longer post-graduate MSc have more time, and therefore scope, to develop their own ideas from scratch – but all students are supported to take ownership of their research strand irrespective of course profile.

As a mixed clinical and academic centre with a consistently strong educational profile, knowledge translation is germane to much of our activity. We have a high full paper and conference publication rate, publish many systematic reviews and have an ARUK funded research fellow – Dr Victoria Tzortziou-Brown - developing educational interventions for GPs on common musculoskeletal conditions. We have recently worked with a number of technical companies, sporting bodies and professional service providers in knowledge generation and consulting roles.

Our future research will continue in similar vein, but will add further strands as we generate additional research income and develop relationships with existing and new collaborators. 

PUBLICATIONS

For a full list of group publications click here [PDF 110KB]

COURSES

MSc

As the longest established Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) MSc in the Country, we have a prestigious history. The vision of Mr John King, our course founder, over 30 years ago was to provide the best possible sports medicine training and to inspire the next generation of sports medicine expert clinician scientists. Our alumni are a glowing testament to our success in achieving this aim over the years. Graduates include the Chief Medical Officers for Team GB at Beijing 2008 and London 2012 and the Greek team at Athens 2004, as well as medical team staff at high profile elite clubs, including Premier League Football and Rugby clubs. Our reputation in Sports and Exercise Medicine is undisputed, and our course is “considered the gold standard for those wishing to enter the discipline” (The Development of Sports Medicine in 20th Century Britain, 2009). 

Whilst keeping sight of our vision for excellence in Sports and Exercise Medicine education, the course continues to develop and innovate. This year, we hope to again offer our optional and standalone modules in Football Medicine and Dance Medicine, but also new modules in Paralympic medicine, Imaging in Sports Medicine and Military Sports Medicine.  

We offer a flexible modular MSc structure with an innovative practical component involving clinical shadowing and mentoring. You will be exposed to unique clinical learning opportunities, such as our monthly inter-disciplinary combined clinic, that will challenge and sharpen your diagnostic skills. An interactive and supportive clinician student relationship is a feature of clinics on the Master’s program. 

Lectures are delivered by national experts; from cutting edge basic scientists to physiotherapists, doctors and other health professionals working with world-class athletes. Core clinician-scientists on staff consult to elite athletes, and together with our support scientists, we have an international research profile in Sports and Exercise Medicine. Our staff will work closely with you to nurture your research interests and to develop your clinical ability in Sports and Exercise Medicine. When undertaking Masters level research the learning experience is primary but many students also go on to publish in peer-reviewed journals, a reflection of the quality of student research output. 

The course is designed to offer you mastery of foundation concepts and skills in Sports and Exercise Medicine. It will be challenging and the assessments will be rigorous. To meet these challenges, we expect you to be proactive and to quickly develop independence as a Masters level student.  

  

Short Courses - available from September 2017 [PDF 51KB]

 

NEW COURSE LAUNCHING IN 2016 - PODIATRIC SPORTS MEDICINE

This year for the first time in UK, CSEM, QMUL, is offering Post-Graduate Certificate in Podiatric Sports Medicine (PSM) designed for podiatrists.

There will be four taught, 15 credit M-level modules.

(1) Sports Injury Assessment 1 (lower limb and spine)
(2) Radiology (Imaging in sport)
(3) Podiatric Sports Medicine (Surface anatomy, Medicine, Pharmacology, Injection therapy)
(4) Podiatry and Biomechanics (Foot, ankle and leg pathology)

Taught by leading academics
Lectures, practicals and demonstrations will be delivered by International and National experts in their field, many of them are staff within CSEM and therefore, on-site.

The proposed aim of the modules will be to provide students with an overview and understanding of:

• The general medical considerations and criteria for referral in SEM;
• Advanced methods of clinical diagnosis in SEM;
• Advanced skills and treatment modalities in PSM;
• The role of the Podiatric Sports Medicine Specialist in the broader multidisciplinary team;
• The use of ultrasound and injection therapy

Students will have the opportunity to transfer from the PGCert to an MSc/PGDip in Sports and Exercise Medicine.

Unique clinical learning opportunities
CSEM advocates multi-disciplinary approach to learning and interacting and students will also be exposed to SEM monthly inter-disciplinary combined clinic and other sports injuries clinics. An interactive and supportive clinician-student relationship will also be a feature of clinics on the programme. This will facilitate high level evidenced based care to sportsmen and women in both the NHS and private sectors. 

For further information, please contact:
Sue Tracey
Tel: 020 7882 5015
s.tracey@qmul.ac.uk

To apply click here. 

HOW TO APPLY

Postgraduate Diploma

Sports and Exercise Medicine – Physio/Osteo

Sports and Exercise Medicine – Medic 

MSc

Sports and Exercise Medicine – Physio/Osteo

Sports and Exercise Medicine - Medic

For more information contact:

Dr Aleksandra Birn-Jeffery: a.birn-jeffery@qmul.ac.uk
Sue Tracey: +44 (0) 20 7882 5015