Research Interests

My research interest is in the metabolic responses of obese and diabetic (type 1 and 2) individuals to nutritional, physical exercise and training programmes.

Research Grants

R.M. Bracken (Principal Investigator), Foley, P., Stephens, J.W., Bain, S. (2009-2012). Identification of breath biomarkers of oxidative stress in people with diabetes: relationships to established blood markers and effects of alterations in diet and exercise. Welsh Office of Research and Development PhD Studentship. £68,240.
R.M. Bracken (Principal Investigator), Stephens, J.W., Bain, S. (2008-2011). Strategies pertaining to the reduction in onset of hypoglycaemia in Type 1 diabetes patients. Welsh Office of Research and Development PhD Studentship. £68,327.
R.M. Bracken (Principal Investigator), Stephens, J.W., Kingsley, M., Bain, S. (2007-2008). Metabolic and hormonal responses to simulated games activity and continuous exercise in type 1 diabetic patients. Diabetes UK. £47,904.
R.M. Bracken (Principal Investigator), Stephens, J.W., Bain, S. (2007-2009). Effects of walking training on sympatho-adrenal, metabolic, hormonal and cardio-respiratory variables of Type 2 diabetes patients. Welsh Office of Research and Development. £15,279.

Administration Duties:

Health and Safety Areas Adviser, Teaching and Learning Committee, Ethics Advisory Committee, Research Committee

Publications
Full Papers in Refereed Journals

1. West D, Morton R, Stephens J.W., Bain, S.C. and Bracken, R.M. (2010). Pre-exercise ingestion of isomaltulose improves blood glucose responses after running in T1DM individuals. (Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise Sciences May 2010). (doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181eb6147)
2. Bracken, R.M., Edavalath, M., Morton R, West D, Luzio, S., Underwood, P., and Stephens J.W., (2010). Exercise induced hyperglycaemia in the absence of diabetes. Diabetic Medicine. (doi: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2009.02960.x).
3. West D, Morton R, Stephens J.W., Bain, S.C. and Bracken, R.M. (2010). Effects of rapid-acting insulin reductions on post-exercise glycaemia in people with Type 1 diabetes. Journal of Sports Sciences. 28(7) 781-788.
4. Morton R, West D, Stephens J.W., Bain, S.C. and Bracken, R.M. (2010). Improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness, but not HbA1c in people with type 2 diabetes following 7 weeks of heart rate walking training. Journal of Sports Sciences. 28(1) 93-99.
5. Bracken, R.M. and Brooks, S. (2010). Plasma catecholamine and nephrine responses following 7 weeks of sprint cycle training. Amino Acids. 38(5) pp1351-1359.
6. Bracken, R.M., Linnane, D.M. and Brooks, S. (2009). Plasma catecholamine and nephrine responses to brief intermittent maximum exercise. Amino Acids. 36(2) pp 209-217.
7. Bracken, R.M., Linnane, D.M. and Brooks, S. (2005). Alkalosis and the plasma catecholamine response to high intensity exercise in man. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 37(2) pp 227-233.
8. Linnane, D.M., Bracken, R.M., Brooks, S., Cox V and Ball D. (2004). Effects of hyperthermia on the metabolic responses to high-intensity exercise. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology. 93 pp 159-166.

Conference Publications

1. West D, Morton R, Davies, R, Stephens J.W., Bain, S.C. and Bracken, R.M. (2010).  Examination of timing of pre-exercise administration of low GI carbohydrates on blood glucose after running in type 1 diabetes mellitus. Diabetologia. 53 (Supp 1) S227.
2. Bracken, R.M., West D, Morton R, Stephens J.W., and Bain, S.C. (2010). Impact of pre-exercise rapid-acting insulin reductions on ketogenesis following running in type 1 diabetes. 28th International Symposium on Diabetes and Nutrition. Oslo, Norway, July 1-4 2010.
3. West D, Morton R, Davies, R, Stephens J.W., Bain, S.C., Soul, S. and Bracken, R.M. (2010).  Changes in serum insulin and blood glucose concentrations after alterations in pre-exercise time in type 1 diabetes individuals. Proceedings of the Physiological Society 19 PC171. online ISSN: 1749-6187
4. Bracken, R.M., West D, Morton R, Stephens J.W., and Bain, S.C. (2010). Case study: anthropometric, exercise and clinical outcomes of a clinically obese type 2 diabetes patient following a 7 week combined very low calorie diet and walking programme. Obesity Reviews 11 (Supp 1) 287.
5. Morton, R., Bracken, RM, West, D., Edavalath M, Luzio, S, Underwood P, and Stephens J (2010). Exercise-induced hyperglycaemia: normal or abnormal? Diabetic Medicine. 27(supplement 1) 93.
6. West D, Morton R, Stephens J.W., Bain, S.C. and Bracken, R.M. (2010).  A low glycaemic index meal reduces carbohydrate use during prolonged running by promoting combustion of lipids in T1DM individuals. Diabetic Medicine. 27(supplement 1) 52.
7. West D, Morton R, Stephens J.W., Bain, S.C. and Bracken, R.M. (2010).  Ingestion of a pre-exercise isomaltulose solution reduces blood glucose AUC by 21% for three hours following running in T1DM individuals. Diabetic Medicine. 27(supplement 1) 51.
8. Morton R, West D, Stephens J.W., Bain, S.C. and Bracken, R.M. (2009). Metabolic changes following a 7-week prescribed, laboratory-supervised walking training programme in people with Type 2 diabetes. Proceedings of the Physiological Society 14 PC29. online ISSN: 1749-6187
9. West D, Morton R, Stephens J.W., Bain, S.C. and Bracken, R.M. (2009). Effects of rapid-acting insulin reductions on post-exercise glycaemia in people with Type 1 diabetes. Proceedings of the Physiological Society 14 PC28. online ISSN: 1749-6187
10. Morton R, West D, Stephens J.W., Bain, S.C. and Bracken, R.M. (2009). Lipid oxidation rate is increased following a 7-week prescribed, laboratory-supervised walking training programme in people with Type 2 diabetes. Diabetic Medicine 26 (Suppl 1) 23.
11. Morton R, West D, Stephens J.W., Bain, S.C. and Bracken, R.M. (2009). A 7-week heart rate monitored walking training programme improves cardiorespiratory fitness, but not HbA1c in people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetic Medicine 26 (Suppl 1) 53.
12. West D, Morton R, Stephens J.W., Bain, S.C. and Bracken, R.M. (2009). Effects of rapid-acting insulin reductions on post-exercise glycaemia and carbohydrate intake in people with Type 1 diabetes. Diabetic Medicine 26 (Suppl 1) 60.
13. Bracken, R.M., Morton, R, Cutler, A., Kingsley, M, Stephens, JW and Bain SC. (2009).  Serum lipid responses to games-type activities and continuous exercise in Type 1 diabetes patients. Journal of Sports Sciences. 26(2) S107-S108.
14. Bracken, R.M., Morton, R, Cutler, A., Kingsley, M, Stephens, J and Bain S. (2008).Metabolic responses to intermittent and continuous exercise in type 1 diabetes patients. Proceedings of the Physiological Society C50 35P-36P. online ISSN: 1749-6187
15. Bracken, R.M., Linnane, D.M. and Brooks, S. (2004). Sympatho-adrenal responses to repeated brief maximal exercise in man: Influence of training type. Journal of Physiology. 555P C61.
16. Linnane, D.M. Bracken, R.M., Brooks, S., Cox, V., and Ball, D. (2004). The effects of hyperthermia on the metabolic responses to high intensity exercise. Journal of Physiology. 555P C132-C133.
17. Bracken, R.M., Linnane, D.M. and Brooks, S. (2003). The effects of induced alkalosis on the plasma catecholamine response to high intensity exercise in man. Journal of Physiology. 547P, C124/PC18b.
18. Tolfrey, K., Almarwaey, O.M., Bracken, R.M. Alfey, C.A., and Jones, A. (2001). The relationship between fixed blood lactate reference values and 1500 m running performance in endurance-trained teenage boys and girls. Journal of Sports Sciences. 19(1) 64-65.

Other Published Research Output

1. Edavalath, M., Bracken, R.M., Morton R, West D, Luzio, S., Underwood, P., and Stephens J.W., (2009). Exercise induced hyperglycaemia in the absence of diabetes. Welsh Endocrine and Diabetes Society. November 5th
2. Mellalieu, S, Neil, R, Morton R, West D, Carpenter, T and Bracken, R.M. (2009). Walk on! Type II diabetes patients’ experiences of a physical activity walking intervention programme. 6th Welsh Institute of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences (WISHES). Aberystwyth University 3rd July.
3. Morton, R., West, D., Stephens, J and Bain S. and Bracken RM. (2008). Cardio-respiratory and metabolic responses to a controlled bout of walking exercise in Type 2 diabetes patients. 5th Welsh Institute of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences (WISHES). Swansea University 4th July.
4. West, D., Morton, R., Stephens, J and Bain S. and Bracken RM. (2008). Peak lipid oxidation rate occurs below the ventilatory threshold in Type 1 diabetes patients during graded exercise 5th Welsh Institute of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences (WISHES). Swansea University 4th July.
5. Bracken, R.M., Linnane, D.M. and Brooks, S. (2007). Plasma catecholamine and nephrine responses to brief intermittent maximal exercise. 4th Welsh Institute of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences (WISHES). University of Glamorgan July 2007.
6. Eady, M.J. and Bracken, R.M. (2003). Effects of training status on plasma K+ and Na+ concentrations in response to brief intermittent maximal exercise in man. British Association of Sports & Exercise Sciences. Coventry, UK.
7. Bracken, R.M., Linnane, D.M. and Brooks, S. (2002). Catecholamine responses to repeated bouts of brief maximal exercise in man. European College of Sports Science, Athens Greece.
8. Linnane, D.M., Bracken, R.M., Brooks, S., Cox, V., and Ball, D. (2002). The effects of hyperthermia on the metabolic responses to high intensity exercise. European College of Sports Science, Athens Greece.

External professional responsibilities

Convenor for the Physical Activity Research Development Group within the Welsh arm of the UK Diabetes Research Network (DRN). Awarded an Honorary Research Contract with Abertawe Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust. Participant on the Diabetes UK ‘Innovators in Diabetes (IDia)’ programme. Convenor of a British Association of Sports and Exercise Sciences (BASES) workshop on the exercising diabetes patient (March annually).

Learned Societies and Charities

I am an professional member of the following learned societies and charities; European Association for the Study of Diabetes, European College of Sports Science, British Association of Sports and Exercise Sciences, Physiological Society UK, Diabetes UK, Welsh Institute of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, Welsh Endocrine and Diabetes Society.

Recreation/Sport

Triathlon, mountain biking, surfing, golf, sudoku