Sport Science
“Our high-quality research examines how sport and physical activity shape health, participation, and social life. Our work is embedded in a strong research and teaching environment with international reach and graduates working a wide range of professional contexts.”
- Ask Vest Christiansen
Head of section
What we do
Our research ranges from biological mechanisms and physiology to wider social and cultural contexts that influence sport and physical activity.
Our approach
We apply a wide range of theoretical, empirical, and applied methods to study sport, physical activity and body culture.
Our research spans human physiology and exercise, from molecular processes to elite performance, and examines sport and body culture through social, cultural, and historical perspectives.
Our research units:
Exercise Biology
Human physiology and adaptation
We investigate the limits and adaptations of human physiology, with exercise and health as central themes. We study physical activity, human movement, and physiological responses across multiple levels of organisation.
Experimental models and methods
Using advanced, state-of-the-art experimental and analytical approaches, our research spans molecular and animal models as well as controlled human studies involving athletes, healthy individuals, and patient groups.
Health, performance, and practice
Our aim is to generate new knowledge that advances health, enhances performance, and supports evidence-based practice.
Contact person:
Sport and Body Culture
Sport and body culture perspectives
We explore sport and body culture through humanities and social science perspectives, focusing on how sport, the body, and performance are understood across time and social contexts.
Interpretive and historical approaches
Using interpretive, analytical, and historical methods, we examine how meanings and practices related to sport and the body develop, change, and are contested.
Culture, society, and power in sport
The research provides insight into how issues such as health, competition, fairness, identity, and politics are shaped, negotiated, and contested within sporting cultures.
We collaborate with national and international partners across academia, public institutions and the sport sector, and participate in interdisciplinary initiatives.
The Section for Sport Science is responsible for the BA and MA programmes in Sport Science and contributes extensively to PhD teaching and supervision. Through these activities, we support the development of future researchers and professionals in sport science and related fields.