Research is a core component of the Clinical Exercise Physiology Program. Graduate students participate in research as part of the Clinical Exercise Physiology Testing Laboratory, the Adult Physical Fitness Program, and with individual faculty members. During their time in the program, students will have the opportunity to present research at regional and national conferences and encouraged to participate in the manuscript writing process.

Current research areas include

  • Cardiopulmonary exercise testing and health outcomes
  • Interventions to enhance vascular health and blood pressure regulations
  • Objective physical activity monitoring in healthy and diseased populations

Please contact program faculty for specific questions about research.

CEP Publications
  • *Dieter H, *Spencer E, Imboden M, Peterman J, Whaley M, Kaminsky L, Fleenor B, Harber M.  Antihypertensive medications and peak exercise blood pressure response.  Annual Meeting, Midwest Chapter, American College of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis, IN.  October 2022.
  • *Brown M, *Lynch K, Peterman J, Whaley M, Kaminsky L, Fleenor B, Harber M.  Cardiorespiratory fitness and incident hypertension in apparently men and women from the BALL ST cohort.  Annual Meeting, Midwest Chapter, American College of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis, IN.  October 2022.
  • *Sundelius G, *Lynch K, Peterman J, Whaley M, Kaminsky L, Fleenor B, Harber M.  Cardiorespiratory fitness and change in pulse pressure in healthy adults from the BALL ST cohort.  Annual Meeting, Midwest Chapter, American College of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis, IN.  October 2022.
  • *Hughes RP, *Souzis A, Peterman J, Whaley M, Kaminsky L, Fleenor B, Harber M.  Influence of cardiorespiratory fitness on ventilatory threshold.  Annual Meeting, Midwest Chapter, American College of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis, IN.  October 2022.
  • *Hughes RP, *Johnson L, *Carlini NA, Fleenor BS, Harber MP.  Effects of acute aerobic exercise on mental stress-induced arterial stiffness in black young adults.  Integrative Physiology of Exercise, Baltimore, MD.  September 2022.
  • *Carlini NA, MP Harber, BS Fleenor.  Aortic perivascular adipose tissue density is associated with aging, vascular hemodynamics and myocardial perfusion.  Integrative Physiology of Exercise, Baltimore, MD.  September 2022.
  • *Johnson, L., *Remington, H., Peterman, J. E., Kaminsky, L. A., Fleenor, B. S., Harber, M. P., Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test Responses are Related to Aortic Stiffness, Annual Meeting, American College of Sports Medicine, Virtual.  May 2021.
  • *Carlini, N., *Stump, O., *Lumadue, E., Harber, M. P., Fleenor, B. S., Carotid-Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity is Associated with Nighttime Ambulatory Blood Pressure, Annual Meeting, American College of Sports Medicine, Virtual.  May 2021.
  • *Novelli, D., Peterman, J. E., Fleenor, B. S., Whaley, M. H., Kaminsky, L. A., Harber, M. P., Oxygen Uptake Efficiency Slope (OUES) is Related to Mortality in Apparently Healthy Adults, Annual Meeting, American College of Sports Medicine, Virtual.  May 2021.
  • *Quesada, D., Peterman, J. E., Kaminsky, L. A., Fleenor, B. S., Harber, M. P.,  Peak Exercise Ventilation and Mortality in Apparently Healthy Men and Women, Annual Meeting, American College of Sports Medicine, Virtual. May 2021.
  • *Lynch, K., *Riccardi, M., Peterman, J. E., Fleenor, B. S., Whaley, M. H., Kaminsky, L. A., Harber, M. P., Ventilatory Threshold and All-cause Mortality in Apparently Healthy Adults, Annual Meeting, American College of Sports Medicine, Virtual, International.  May 2021.
  • *Harman, T., Carlini, N., Harber, M. P., Kaminsky, L., Whaley, M., Fleenor, B., Cardiorespiratory fitness and vascular hemodynamics in middle-aged and older adults, Annual Meeting, American College of Sports Medicine, San Francisco, International.  May 2020.
  • *James, D., Peterman, J., Fleenor, B., Kaminsky, L., Whaley, M., Harber, M. P., Influence of fasting blood glucose on cardiopulmonary responses to maximal exercise, Annual Meeting, American College of Sports Medicine, San Francisco, International.  May 2020.
  • Imboden, M., Kaminsky, L., Peterman, J., *Hutzler, H., Whaley, M., Fleenor, B., Harber, M. P., Normalizing Cardiorespiratory Fitness To Fat-free Mass Improves Mortality Risk Prediction In Overweight Adults From The Ball St Cohort, Annual Meeting, American College of Sports Medicine, San Francisco, International.  May 2020.
  • *Carlini, N., Harber, M. P., Fleenor, B., Age-Related Increase in Extra-Media Thickness is Associated with Arterial Stiffening and Carotid Blood Pressure, Experimental Biology, American Physiological Society, San Diego, CA, International.  April 2020.
  • Peterman, J., Harber, M. P., Fleenor, B., Whaley, M., Kaminsky, L., Non-exercise Cardiorespiratory Fitness Prediction Equations: Accuracy Over Time in Apparently Healthy Adults, EPI | Lifestyle 2020 Scientific Sessions, American Heart Association, Phoenix, AZ, International.  March 2020.
  • Imboden, M. T., Kaminsky, L. A., Peterman, J. E., *Hutzler, H. L., Whaley, M. H., Fleenor, B., Harber, M. P., Cardiorespiratory fitness normalized to fat-free mass and mortality risk, Scientific Sessions, American Heart Association, Philadelphia, PA. November 2019.
  • Fleenor, B., *Carlini, N. A., Harber, M. P., Cardiorespiratory fitness & healthy vascular aging, National American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Orlando, FL, International. June 2019.
  • *Williams, M., *Ivey, E., Kistler, B. M., Fleenor, B., Harber, M. P., Ambulatory central blood pressure over 24 hours following intermittent vs. continuous exercise, National American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Orlando, FL, International.  June 2019.
  • *Shoukri, M., *Burke, T. J., Kistler, B. M., Fleenor, B., Harber, M. P., Influence of acute aerobic exercise on 24-hour ambulatory central blood pressure, National American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Orlando, FL, International.  June 2019.
  • Peterman, J. E., *Grim, A. J., Kaminsky, L. A., Whaley, M. H., Fleenor, B., Harber, M. P., Methodological considerations for calculating ventilatory efficiency from a maximal exercise test in apparently healthy adults, National American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Orlando, FL, International.  June 2019.
  • *Remington, H. E., *Elston, D. R., Fleenor, B., Harber, M. P., Relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and arterial stiffness in healthy adults, National American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Orlando, FL, International. June 2019.
  • *Jones, O. E., *Elston, D. R., Fleenor, B., Harber, M. P., Relationships among muscle function, skeletal muscle mass and arterial stiffness, National American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Orlando, FL, International.  June 2019.
  • *Riccardi, M., *Smith, B., *Imboden, M., Kaminsky, L. A., Fleenor, B., Harber, M. P., Whaley, M. H., Change in cardiorespiratory fitness and prevalence of metabolic syndrome after an exercise program, Annual Meeting, American College of Sports Medicine, Orlando, FL, International.  May 2019.
  • *Romanowski, S. M., *Whetstone, D. R., Fleenor, B., Harber, M. P., Influence of an exercise program on cardiopulmonary exercise testing derived variables, Annual Meeting, American College of Sports Medicine, Orlando, FL, International. May 2019.
  • M Williams*, E Ivey*, B Kistler, B Fleenor, and MP Harber.  Ambulatory central blood pressure over 24 hours following intermittent vs. continuous exercise.  Midwest American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI. November 2018.
  • NA Carlini*, MP Harber, and B Fleenor.  Cardiorespiratory fitness & healthy vascular aging. Midwest American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI. November 2018.
  • M Shoukri*, TJ Burke*, BM Kistler, B Fleenor, and MP Harber.  Influence of acute aerobic exercise on 24-hour ambulatory central blood pressure.  Midwest American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI. November 2018.
  • M Riccardi*, B Smith*, M Imboden*, LA Kaminsky, B Fleenor, MP Harber, and MH Whaley. Influence of an exercise program on cardiopulmonary exercise testing derived variables.  Midwest American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI. November 2018.
  • SM Romanowski*, DR Whetstone*, B Fleenor, and MP Harber.  Influence of an exercise program on cardiopulmonary exercise testing derived variables.  Midwest American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI. November 2018.
  • HE Remington*, DR Elston*, B Fleenor, and MP Harber. Relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and arterial stiffness in healthy adults", Midwest American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI. November 2018.
  • OE Jones*, DR Elston*, B Fleenor, and MP Harber.  Relationships among muscle function, skeletal muscle mass and arterial stiffness.  Midwest American College of Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI. November 2018.
  • M Imboden*, MP Harber, MH Whaley, WH Finch, DL Bishop, and LA Kaminsky.  The Association Between Long- Term Changes in Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Mortality Risk.  Scientific Sessions, American Heart Association, Chicago, IL, National.  November 2018.
  • M Imboden*, MP Harber, MH Whaley, WH Finch, DL Bishop, and LA Kaminsky.  The Influence of Short-Term Changes in Cardiorespiratory Fitness Post- Exercise Training on Mortality Risk.  Scientific Sessions, American Heart Association, Chicago, IL, National. November 2018.
  • MT Imboden*, MP Harber, WH Finch, D Bishop, MW Whaley, and LA Kaminsky. Cardiorespiratory fitness measured from cardiopulmonary exercise testing for mortality risk prediction in apparently healthy men and women.  American College of Sports Medicine, Minneapolis, MN. June 2018.
  • N Koontz, MT Imboden*, EP Kelley*, MP Harber, WH Finch, LA Kaminsky, and MH Whaley. Cardiorespiratory fitness is inversely associated with metabolic syndrome and clustering of metabolic risk factors: the Ball State University adult physical fitness study. American College of Sports Medicine, Minneapolis, MN. June 2018.
  • NA Carlini*, AH Steinbeck*, B Smith*, B Fleenor, and MP Harber.  Acute influence of caffeine on arterial stiffness and central blood pressures following aerobic exercise. American College of Sports Medicine, Minneapolis, MN. June 2018.

Class of 2025

  • Noah Bennett: The Relationship Between Resting Arterial Stiffness and Autonomic Nervous System Recovery from Maximal Exertion
  • Maximus Betscakos: The Effect of Body Composition on Subendocardial Viability Ratio

Class of 2024

  • Mikaela Brown: The Influence of Mitochondrial-Targeted Antioxidant Supplementation on Acute Hyperglycemia Induced Vascular Dysfunction
  • Hunter Dieter: The Acute Effects of Mitochondrial Targeted Antioxidant on Maximal Oxygen Uptake Mechanics
  • Gabriele Sundelius: The Effects of a Novel Model of Care on Acute and Long-Term Readmission Rates in Heart Failure Patients

Class of 2023

  • Grace Durrand Fair: The Acute Effects of MitoQ Supplementation on Pulse Wave Velocity and Wave Reflection Properties in Middle Aged and Older Adults
  • Ryan Hughes: The Effects of Acute Antioxidant Supplementation on Metabolic Responses to Exercise
  • Grant Lamkin: Hip Flexor and Extensor Muscular Power and its Correlation with Fall Risk

Class of 2022

  • Lakeisha Johnson: Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Arterial Stiffness Induced by a Mental Task in Black Young Adults
  • Kerry Lynch: The Effects of Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Incident Hypertension and Pulse Pressure
  • Dominic Novelli: Oxygen Uptake Efficiency Slope (OUES) Calculated at Submaximal Intensities is Related to Mortality in Apparently Healthy Adult from The Ball St Cohort
  • Jordan Parkhurst: Reproducibility of Carotid Artery Pulsatility Index
  • Daniela Quesada: Sex Differences with the Association Between Pulse Pressure and All-Cause Mortality
  • Shelly Shafer: Efficacy of an Interactive Virtual Education Model Compared to a Traditional Education Model in Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
  • Emily Spencer: Antihypertensive Medications and Maximal Exercise Blood Pressure

Class of 2021

  • Danielle James: Impact of Impaired Fasting Glucose on Peak Oxygen Pulse
  • Ryan Cloud: The Cardioprotective Effect of Fitness on the Decline of Subendocardial Viability Ratio
  • Taylor Harman: Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Vascular Hemodynamics in Middle-Aged and Older Adults
  • Haylee Hutzler: Effect of COVID Pandemic on Exercise Patterns in Adult Physical Fitness Program Participants
  • Julio Rodriguez: Cardiopulmonary Responses to Maximal Exercise in Individuals with Metabolic Syndrome
  • Anna Souzis: Influence of Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Ventilatory Threshold
  • Jana Swanson: Efficacy of an Interactive Model within Center Based Cardiac Rehabilitation and Hybrid Home Based Rehabilitation Models Compared with a Traditional Education Model

Class of 2020

  • Olivia Jones: 24-Hr Central Ambulatory Blood Pressure, Arterial Stiffness, and Nocturnal Fluctuations
  • Hannah Remington: Relationship Between Cardiopulmonary Exercise Variables and Arterial Stiffness
  • Matthew Riccardi: Relationship Between Ventilatory Threshold and Mortality in Apparently Healthy Men and Women
  • Spencer Romanowski: Effects of COCOZEN Supplementation on Arterial Stiffness
  • Malvina Shoukri: Effects of Vigorous Exercise on 24hr Ambulatory Central Blood Pressure in Older Adults
  • McKenzie Metz: Cardiorespiratory Fitness Trends in the Past 50 Years in the BALL ST Cohort