Dr George Balanos MSc DPhil

BSc, MSc (City University of New York)

DPhil (University of Oxford)

George got his first degree in 1996 at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York focusing his studies on sports injuries and injury prevention/rehabilitation. He got his MSc at the same institution in the field of exercise science and rehabilitation in 1998. George came to the UK in 1998 and he read Cardiorespiratory Physiology at the University of Oxford. He was awarded his DPhil in 2003 and he joined the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences soon after, in 2004.

George teaches Human Physiology and Exercise in the first year, Applied Exercise Physiology in the second year and Performing in Extreme Environments in the third year. He follows a research-led approach to his teaching and he operates a policy that allows students easy access to him. George puts a lot of effort in his teaching and he has been awarded the Excellence in Teaching and Outstanding Teaching awards four times (2008, 2009, 2011 and 2019).

Current students; 

• Kelsey Joyce (Environmental Physiology)
• Sultan Alsalahi (Cardiovascular Regulation During Exercise)
• Emily Senior (Physical Activity as a Treatment for Sleep Apnoea)

Potential students can contact Dr Balanos by email.

• Obstructive Sleep Apnoea and Exercise
• Sleep and Glucose Tolerance in Prediabetic Patients
• Intermittent Hypoxia and Sleep Disordered Breathing
• Control of the Pulmonary Circulation
• Control of Breathing During Exercise
• Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
• Environmental Physiology 

George’s main research interests include the role of sleep quality and exercise in the regulation of sleep disordered breathing and glucose tolerance. He is also interested in the regulation of blood flow in humans both during exercise and in disease, and the regulation of breathing. To study these areas, George has established sophisticated ultrasound imaging techniques and to invoke perturbations in the respiratory system he is using a system that can accurately mimic conditions such as high altitude or disease states.

 

George’s group also studies laboratory models of intermittent hypoxia (depletion of oxygen) in order to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms that are involved in sleep apnoea. He has recently completed the setup of a sleep laboratory and he is currently undertaking research that aims to link the control of breathing with the development of sleep related breathing disorders. He is also undertaking research that aims to link the quality of sleep with health and exercise performance outcomes in people.

In his free time George enjoys cycling on dry land and spear-gun fishing in the warm waters of Greece.