Dr Kelsey Joyce

School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
Research Fellow

Contact details

Email: k.joyce.2@bham.ac.uk

An integrative physiologist with a passion for lab- and field-based research related to human physiologic responses to hypoxia and high-altitude.

Qualifications

BSc in Exercise Science, High Point University, 2012
MSc in Exercise Physiology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2016
PhD in Extreme Environmental Physiology, University of Birmingham, 2021

Biography

BSc in Exercise Science at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and MSc in Exercise Physiology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with Clinical Exercise Physiologist certification/accreditation (ACSM-CEP). Previously worked in the Human Physiology Lab within the Department of Cardiovascular Disease at Mayo Clinic. Further education beyond initial career included PhD in Extreme Environmental Physiology at the University of Birmingham. Primary early career research (post-doctoral) has included laboratory and expeditionary-based research conducted at high altitude. Currently Research Fellow at University of Birmingham conducting research centred around the prediction of acute mountain sickness using overnight pulse oximetry, and Secretary of the Birmingham Medical Research Expeditionary Society.

Research

Laboratory- and field-based research experience. Field-based research largely centred around aetiology, prophylaxis, and treatment of high-altitude illnesses (e.g., acute mountain sickness, high-altitude cerebral and pulmonary oedema). Specific research focuses include the development of machine learning models (for physiologic data collected using wearable devices) for the prediction and prevention of acute mountain sickness during ascent to high altitude. Field expeditions have included 2019 BMRES Expedition to Sikkim, 2022 BMRES

Expedition to Annapurna, 2023 BMRES Expedition to Margherita Hut, and 2025 BMRES Expedition to Mount Everest Base Camp.

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Feron, J, Rahman, F, Fosstveit, SH, Joyce, KE, Gou, Y, Talks, B, Lu, H, Lohne‐Seiler, H, Berntsen, S, Boraxbekk, C-J, Mullinger, KJ, Segaert, K & Lucas, SJE 2026, 'Differences in cerebral haemodynamics associated with long-term endurance training in older adults', Imaging Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1162/IMAG.a.1427

Fosstveit, SH, Feron, J, Lohne-Seiler, H, Joyce, KE, Segaert, K, Lucas, SJE & Berntsen, S 2026, 'Impact of adherence to six-month home-based HIIT on cardiorespiratory fitness in older adults', BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-026-01750-5

Cutts, L, Ashdown, K, Simpkins, C, Trender, W, Clarke, S, Delamere, J, Lucas, SJE & Joyce, KE 2026, 'Prediction of acute mountain sickness occurring at 4554 m using overnight pulse oximetry from lower altitude: A pilot study', Experimental Physiology. https://doi.org/10.1113/EP093777

Munns, A, Feron, J, Duda, JL, Fosstveit, SH, Joyce, KE, Rahman, F, Wheeldon, L, Lohne-Seiler, H, Berntsen, S, Veldhuijzen van Zanten, J, Segaert, K & Lucas, SJ 2026, 'Similar exercise adherence and physical fitness outcomes are observed across distinct motivation profiles in older adults participating in a home-based structured exercise programme', European Review of Aging and Physical Activity (EURAPA). https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-026-00421-1

Rahman, F, Tsvetanov, KA, Feron, J, Mullinger, K, Joyce, K, Gilani, A, Fernandes, EG, Wetterlin, A, Wheeldon, L, Lucas, S & Segaert, K 2025, 'Explaining tip-of-the-tongue experiences in older adults: The role of brain-based and cardiorespiratory fitness factors', Neurobiology of Aging, vol. 154, pp. 25-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.06.008

Feron, J, Segaert, K, Rahman, F, Fosstveit, SH, Joyce, KE, Gilani, A, Lohne-Seiler, H, Berntsen, S, Mullinger, KJ & Lucas, SJE 2024, 'Determinants of cerebral blood flow and arterial transit time in healthy older adults', Aging, vol. 16, no. 18, pp. 12473-12497. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206112

Fosstveit, SH, Berntsen, S, Feron, J, Joyce, KE, Ivarsson, A, Segaert, K, Lucas, SJE & Lohne-Seiler, H 2024, 'HIIT at Home: Enhancing Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Older Adults—A Randomized Controlled Trial', Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, vol. 34, no. 7, e14694, pp. e14694. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14694

Joyce, K, Ashdown, K, Bradley, C, Delamere, J, Lewis, CT, Letchford, A, Lucas, B, Malein, W, Thomas, O, Bradwell, J & Lucas, S 2024, 'Nocturnal pulse oximetry for the detection and prediction of acute mountain sickness: An observational study', Experimental Physiology, vol. 109, no. 11, pp. 1856-1868. https://doi.org/10.1113/EP091691, https://doi.org/10.1113/ep091691

Joyce, KE, Campbell, CA, Bradwell, AR, Lucas, SJE, Lewis, CT, Lucas, RAI & Edsell, M 2024, 'The Environmental Impact of a High-Altitude Medical Research Expedition', High Altitude Medicine and Biology. https://doi.org/10.1089/ham.2024.0049

Joyce, KE, Balanos, GM, Bradley, C, Fountain, A, Bradwell, AR & Lucas, SJE 2022, 'Post-exercise urinary alpha-1 acid glycoprotein is not dependent on hypoxia', Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 132, no. 1, pp. 261-269. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00476.2021

Lucas, SJE, Malein, WL, Thomas, OD, Ashdown, KM, Rue, CA, Joyce, KE, Newman, C, Cadigan, P, Johnson, B, Myers, SD, Myers, FA, Wright, AD, Delamere, J, Imray, CHE, Bradwell, AR & Edsell, M 2021, 'Effect of losartan on performance and physiological responses to exercise at high altitude (5035 m)', BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, vol. 7, no. 1, e000982. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000982

Letter

Joyce, KE, Lucas, SJE & Bradwell, AR 2020, 'Acetazolamide can impair exercise performance; it depends upon the cohort studied', Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 128, no. 5, pp. 1457. https://doi.org/10.1152/JAPPLPHYSIOL.00173.2020

Paper

Joyce, K, Ashdown, K, Lewis, CT, Bradley, C, Letchford, A, Lucas, B, Malein, W, Owen, T, Bradwell, J & Lucas, S 2022, 'Overnight and morning peripheral oxygenation are not equal during ascent to altitude', Paper presented at 2022 European College of Sport Science (ECSS) - 27th Annual Congress, Seville, Spain, 31/08/22 - 2/09/22.

Review article

Goves, J, Joyce, K, Broughton, S, Greig, J, Ashdown, K, Bradwell, J & Lucas, S 2024, 'Pulse oximetry for the prediction of acute mountain sickness: A systematic review', Experimental Physiology. https://doi.org/10.1113/EP091875

Joyce, KE, Weaver, SR & Lucas, SJE 2020, 'Geographic components of SARS-CoV-2 expansion: a hypothesis', Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 129, no. 2, pp. 257-262. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00362.2020, https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00362.2020

View all publications in research portal