Rate My Professor Kirsty Elliott-Sale

Professor Kirsty Elliott-Sale is Professor of Female Endocrinology and Exercise Physiology in the Department of Sport and Exercise Science at Manchester Metropolitan University's Institute of Sport, a position she has held since joining the institution in 2022. In 2024, she was appointed Head of the Centre of Excellence for Women in Sport. She earned her BSc (Hons) in Coaching Science in 1998 and PhD in Female Exercise Physiology in 2001 from Liverpool John Moores University, where her doctoral thesis investigated the effects of female reproductive hormones on muscle strength. Her career includes lecturing in Sport and Exercise Science at Brunel University (2002) and the University of Brighton (2003), a postdoctoral research fellowship at King’s College London (2004-2008), followed by an 18-month maternity career break, and progression from Senior Lecturer to Reader and Professor in Female Exercise Physiology at Nottingham Trent University (2009-2022). She currently serves as Visiting Professor at Nottingham Trent University.

Elliott-Sale's research focuses on ovarian hormone profiles—encompassing menstrual cycle, hormonal contraceptives, menstrual dysfunction, pregnancy, and menopause—and their effects on women's health and athletic performance across diverse groups, including elite female athletes, military servicewomen, adolescent athletes, and active women in community and clinical settings. She emphasizes musculoskeletal physiology, methodological standards for female participant research, and evidence-based guidelines to advance women's sport. With over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, consensus statements, and editorials (Google Scholar: 86 publications, 3,825 citations, h-index 28, i10-index 44), notable works include 'Methodological Considerations for Studies in Sport and Exercise Science with Women as Participants: A Working Guide for Standards of Practice for Research on Women' (Sports Medicine, 2021), 'Feminae: an international multisite innovative project for female athletes' (BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 2023), 'The Effects of Oral Contraceptives on Exercise Performance in Women' (Sports Medicine, 2020), and book chapters such as 'Pregnancy, reproductive hormones and exercise' (Sex Hormones, Exercise & Women, 2023). She chairs the international Feminae project, contributes to British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) expert statements, and collaborates with organizations including UK Sport Institute, UEFA, FIFA, and elite teams worldwide. Elliott-Sale received Researcher of the Year from The Active Pregnancy Foundation.