Chris Askew is a Professor in Clinical Exercise Physiology within the School of Health. Prior to his current appointment he held academic positions at Queensland University of Technology (2011-13) and USC (2005-2011), and he was a Research Fellow with the Department of Surgery at the University of Queensland - Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (2000-2004). He holds honorary adjunct positions with the Vascular Surgery Unit at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, and with Allied Health at the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service.
Chris is an exercise physiologist with a particular interest in the pathophysiology and treatment of exercise intolerance in people with chronic disease. Much of his research has focused on the acute and chronic physiological effects of ischaemia, and how these relate to the mechanisms of exercise intolerance in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). He has published a number of clinical studies investigating the effects of exercise rehabilitation in PAD, and these studies are underpinned by experimental investigations of muscle metabolism and morphology, microcirculation and angiogenesis, limb blood flow, endothelial function and muscle fatigue.
He has also applied his expertise in blood flow and cardiovascular assessment to investigations of sympathoexcitatory stressors, including weightlessness during parabolic flight, and to studies of recovery strategies, such as cold water immersion, for elite athletes.
Chris is a member of the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence for Peripheral Arterial Diseases (NCRE-PAD), and he collaborates closely with leading research groups in Australia and internationally. He is a member of the Exercise is Medicine Australia Advisory Council, and he is a former director and the immediate past-President of Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA). He is currently Chair of the ESSA Professional Standards Council and a member of the Queensland Cardiovascular Research Network Steering Committee.
Chris leads the VasoActive research group at USC which currently includes 1 postdoctoral fellow (Dr Tom Bailey), 8 PhD students, 3 Masters students, and casual research assistants. He is a member of the leadership teams for the Inflammation and Healing (Inflame) Research Cluster and the Cluster for Health Improvement (CHI) at USC.
Research Concentrations
- Acute and chronic effects of physical stress (eg. exercise, ischaemia, posture-change, weightlessness, lower body negative pressure, temperature exposure) on cardiovascular dynamics, muscle fatigue, movement control and exercise capacity.
- Effect of fish oil supplementation on cardiovascular responsiveness and health in people with cardiovascular disease
- Exercise safety and efficacy in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm.
- Effect of cold water immersion on cardiovascular dynamics and performance recovery in elite athletes
Potential Research Projects for HDR & Honours Students
Projects are currently being offered by Dr Askew’s group across a broad range of topics. Expressions of interest are welcome from prospective Honours, Masters, PhD, and Postdoctoral candidates.
Dr Askew's specialist areas of knowledge include exercise physiology, exercise rehabilitation and therapy, muscle metabolism and morphology, microcirculation and angiogenesis, limb blood flow, endothelial function and muscle fatigue.