Dr Dimitris Vlachopoulos

About me:

Dimitris is a Senior Lecturer (Education and Research) at the Sport and Health Sciences department. He joined the Children’s Health and Exercise Research Centre (CHERC) in 2012 to complete his MSc in Paediatric Exercise and Health. His research is focusing on musculoskeletal development and exercise during growth. He completed the Physical Activity Measurement Training in MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, and the National Training Scheme for Bone Densitometry of Royal Osteoporosis Society. He completed his PhD in 2017 after conducting the PRO-BONE study (Marie Curie EU grant) that included cross-sectional, longitudinal and randomized controlled trial studies focusing on musculoskeletal health of adolescent athletes. His research is published in internationally recognised journals, such as the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise and Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, and used by relevant guidelines from Royal Osteoporosis Society and Public Health England.

Throughout the years, Dimitris was awarded six New/Young Investigator Awards including the British Journal of Sports Medicine (PhD Academy Award 2019, The Peoples’ Choice Award), Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS), European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Bone Research Society (BRS), International Conference of Children’s Bone Health (ICCBH) and International Congress of Physical Education and Sport Sciences (ICPESS). He has also been the recipient of the Neil Mackenzie Public Engagement Award and the Barbara Mawer travel Fellowship both from Bone Research Society. He was also elected New Investigator representative (non-clinical) of the Bone Research Society in 2018. In 2020 Dimitris completed the Academic Professional Programme and awarded the Fellowship in Higher Education Academy.

Recently Dimitris as the Principal Investigator of University of Exeter and in collaboration with a large European team of acacemics, stakeholders, members of the society and organisations have been awarded a prestigious Horizon 2020 grant (1.1m €) as part of the Science with and for Society-SwafS programme to tackle the increasing societal challenges across Europe. The SEEDS project aims to engage adolescents in designing interventions that will improve their healthy lifestyles by training them in scientific methodologies and increasing their interest in STEM careers.

Interests:

His current research focuses on physical activity and exercise intervention programmes aiming to improve lifestyle behaviours, such as physical activity and diet, STEM and musculoskeletal health during growth. His research expertise includes the objective assessment of physical activity and musculoskeletal health, and the effects of sport participation and maturation in health outcomes during growth.

He currently works with large cross-sectional, longitudinal and RCT studies worldwide including the EU Horizon 2020 SEEDS study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and the UK Biobank from the UK, the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Childhood (PANIC) study dataset in collaboration with the University of Eastern Finland and the ABCD growth study in collaboration with the Sao Paolo State University in Brazil. He is also involved in large musculoskeltal health reseach projects in Greece (KOMO-BONES) and in clinical population (iBoneFIT study) in Spain.

Qualifications:

2023 - Fellow of the European College of Sport Science (FECSS)

2020 - Academic Professional Programme completion (APP/PCAP: Level 7/Masters equivalent with Research Specialist Pathway) and the following qualifications obtained: 1) Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PCAP); 2) Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA); 3) Fellowship of ASPIRE; 4) Certificate from the Institute of Apprenticeships - Advance Higher Education.

2017 - PhD, Sport and Health Sciences, University of Exeter - Funded by European Commission – Marie Curie 7th Career Integration Grants.

2015 - Associate Fellowship of Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) - Advance Higher Education.

2014 - MSc, Paediatric Exercise and Health, University of Exeter - Funded by Greek State Scholarships Foundation (IKY).

2013 - Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) - UK Department of Education.

2010 - BSc, Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace.