Paul Lester
Lecturer
Exercise Physiology, Applied Sport Sciences Research Group (ASSRG) Department of Bioscience and Sport
, School of Health, Sport and Bioscience
Paul attained his first degree in Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Derby in 2015. Since then, he has been completing a PhD in respiratory physiology (part-time) at Nottingham Trent University. Paul’s PhD investigates the effects of prebiotic supplementation on the severity of exercise-induced asthma.
Paul joined UEL in July 2022 as a Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, having previously worked as a Lecturer in Sport Science at Nottingham Trent University. Paul currently teaches on the MSc Applied Sport and Exercise Physiology course. Alongside his role at UEL, Paul also works as a Senior Public Health Intelligence Analyst with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (formerly Public Health England) as part of the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC). Paul works for the Midlands Local Knowledge and Intelligence Service, helping to improve health and reduce inequalities by conducting bespoke analyses, training, and knowledge mobilisation to support strategic planning within local authorities.
Qualifications
- BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science – First Class Honors
Areas Of Interest
- Exercise-Induced Asthma
OVERVIEW
Whilst working as a Lecturer in Sport Science at Nottingham Trent University, Paul also spent five years working as a Performance Nutritionist and Physiologist with Nova Centurion Swimming Club, providing personalised, evidence-based support to National and International level athletes. Paul has helped athletes prepare for a range of National and International competitions, including the British Swimming Championships, the European Youth Olympic Festival, and Junior European Championships, working closely with colleagues from British Swimming, Swim England, and the English Institute of Sport (EIS).
From a nutritional perspective, Paul has delivered a range of workshops on topics such as immune health, sleep hygiene, relative energy deficiency, and competition preparation. Paul has also conducted more personalised, in-depth nutritional analysis via dedicated software’s such as Nutritics.
From a physiological perspective, Paul has helped collect a range of key metrics to inform training and competition, including using novel optical heart rate sensors to assess responses to training, and earlobe-based capillary blood sampling to inform swim down protocols at competition.
Paul has helped develop a range of internship and placement opportunities for students to gain valuable experience working with National and International level athletes. Students have gone on to obtain graduate employment in academia and industry, as well as setting up their own sport science consultancy businesses.
CURRENT RESEARCH
Paul’s research is focused on the role of the gut bacteria in exercise-induced asthma. The good bacteria in our gut play a vital role in supporting immune function. In asthma, certain good bacteria may not be present in sufficient quantities to support immune function. This can contribute to overactive immune responses when exposed to relevant triggers such as pollen, pollution, or exercise. One approach to increase the number of good bacteria in the gut and improve pulmonary function is prebiotic supplementation. Prebiotics act as a fertiliser for certain gut bacteria, providing the energy required to support immune function.
The gut bacteria modulate various aspects of the immune system. Regulatory T cells are particularly important in orchestrating immune responses in the airways. These cells contain receptors for key bacterial metabolites produced by the digestion of prebiotics. Paul’s research explores whether prebiotic supplementation helps reduce the severity of exercise-induced asthma, and whether this is associated with improvements in regulatory T cell function. Paul’s research has the potential to inform both clinical and applied settings. From a clinical perspective, prebiotics could be used as complimentary therapies alongside existing medications. The excessive or prolonged use of reliever inhalers can lead to reduced effectiveness, posing significant concerns during exacerbations. Prebiotics could be used to further improve asthma control, potentially reducing the dependence on reliever inhalers and helping to maintain their effectiveness when they are needed most.
From an applied perspective, certain prebiotics are produced to Informed Sport standards, meaning they can be used by elite athletes during training and competition. Preliminary research has shown that prebiotics can have similar therapeutic effects to reliever inhalers in recreationally active adults with exercise-induced asthma. Further research is required to explore the therapeutic efficacy of prebiotics in elite athletes, especially considering the potential implications around anti-doping.
PUBLICATIONS
Journal Articles
Needham, R. S., Sharpe, G. R., Williams, N. C., Lester, P. A., & Johnson, M. A. (2022). Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in university field hockey athletes: Prevalence, sex differences, and associations with dyspnea symptoms. Frontiers in Allergy. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/falgy.2022.994947.
TEACHING
MSc Applied Sport And Exercise Physiology
Train to work as an applied sport and exercise physiologist; learn the theoretical knowledge as well as the key practical skills.
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