Researcher Spotlight: Oliver Price

Dr Oliver Price talks about what drew him from the physiology lab to the clinic, why breathlessness is more complex than it first appears, and why exercise is an underused tool in respiratory care.

Dr Price's research spans the science of breathlessness and the application of exercise physiology to optimise the management of airways disease. As an Associate Professor at the University of Leeds and Honorary Research Fellow at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, he is working to make physical activity and exercise a standard part of treatment for people living with asthma and other respiratory conditions. 

Read the video transcript.

How would you describe your research in one sentence? 

My research looks at why people get breathless and how exercise, both as a diagnostic tool and a treatment, can help them live more active, independent lives. 

Tell us about your career story – how did you get into research? 

I've always been interested in exercise and fascinated by how the body works. I studied Sport and Exercise Science as an undergraduate in Nottingham, before completing an MRes in Exercise Physiology, where I explored how the diaphragm – the primary muscle of respiration – adapts to training, and whether this can improve performance and reduce the perception of breathlessness. 

That led me to work as a respiratory physiologist at Southampton General Hospital, which was a real turning point. Working directly with patients with severe asthma and COPD made me want to understand these conditions in greater detail. I went on to complete a PhD focusing on respiratory dysfunction in athletes, followed by postdoctoral training at Imperial College London, before moving to Leeds, where I now lead my own research programme. 

What first sparked your interest in your field? Was there a particular moment or influence that set you on this path? 

The realisation that symptoms such as breathlessness often only appear when the body is under stress — so exercise testing can reveal problems that are not apparent at rest. That really changed how I thought about diagnosis and treatment. 

There's also a clear gap between what we know works and what actually happens in the clinic. Interventions such as physical activity promotion are strongly evidence-based yet remain underused in routine care. Closing that gap is what drives my research. 

How would you describe what you do to someone outside academia or your research field? 

I research why people get breathless and how we can help them live more active lives. Much of my work focuses on using exercise to uncover problems that aren’t always obvious at rest, then using this information to guide treatment. The aim is to move beyond simply treating disease and instead support people to function better in their day-to-day lives. 

What are you currently working on?  

Much of my current work focuses on moderate-to-severe asthma, particularly developing better ways to identify what's driving someone's symptoms and tailoring treatment accordingly. A key focus of my lab is identifying ‘treatable traits’ in airways disease beyond COPD, especially where lifestyle-based approaches have historically been underexplored. 

We are also investigating skeletal muscle dysfunction and its contribution to symptoms, alongside studies exploring the impact of chronic cough and exertional breathlessness on activities of daily living.  

I'm also a co-investigator of LungSight, a programme developing a low-cost, non-invasive screening tool that uses AI and acoustic analysis to support earlier detection of lung disease – with the potential to improve access to respiratory assessment. 

What has surprised or inspired you the most (in your work/research)? 

I’ve been struck by how much impact relatively simple interventions can have. Physical activity, for example, can meaningfully improve symptoms and daily functioning for people with respiratory disease, yet it's still not consistently addressed in routine care. 

I've also been surprised by how complex breathlessness really is. It's rarely driven by a single factor. Physiology, behaviour and psychology all play a role. That complexity makes the work challenging, but also endlessly interesting. 

Who’s supporting/ funding/ collaborating with you? 

My research is supported by a combination of UKRI funding, including EPSRC through the LungSight programme, alongside industry partnerships with organisations such as MSD and AstraZeneca. These collaborations support work spanning chronic cough and severe asthma, including real world trials focused on disease remission. 

I work closely with colleagues across the University of Leeds, including both the Faculty of Biological Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine and Health, as well as clinicians and healthcare professionals at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.  

Internationally, I collaborate with colleagues at the Lundquist Institute in the USA and with investigators at the University of Newcastle, Australia. I’m also involved in a number of international organisations, including the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), where I chair the Allergy, Asthma and Sport Working Group, and the European Respiratory Society (ERS), where I am an active member of Assembly 1 (Respiratory Clinical Care and Physiology). 

How is your research making a difference beyond the lab — for example, by helping people or communities, or shaping policy? Or how might your research make a difference in the future? 

One tangible example is the European expert consensus guidelines I've led through my work with EAACI. These are practical, evidence-based recommendations for healthcare professionals on the diagnosis and management of exercise-related respiratory disorders, and how to tailor exercise prescription for people with asthma. 

The aim is always to close the gap between what the evidence shows s and what actually happens in the clinic. If a clinician changes how they support a patient because of something we've produced, that's real impact. 

What have you learnt along the way? If you could do something differently, what would it be? 

The importance of working closely with clinicians and patients from the outset. Early in my career, I was more focused on understanding physiology in controlled settings — but the direction and relevance of my research changed once I spent more time in clinical environments. If I could do anything differently, I would have sought that exposure even earlier. 

What’s next for this work? And for you? 

The next step is to move towards larger, multi-centre studies that test personalised, lifestyle-based interventions in real-world clinical settings. A particular focus is embedding these approaches within NHS services, so that exercise and physical activity become a routine part of care rather than an optional add-on. 

For me personally, I want to help build Leeds into a recognised centre for respiratory physiology and exercise medicine. The goal is to deliver research that doesn't just advance understanding but also changes how patients are assessed and supported. 

What advice would you give to someone considering a research career? 

Be curious and take the time to find an area that genuinely interests you. Developing a clear focus or niche early on can be really valuable, which allows you to build depth, develop expertise, and establish your own identity within a field.  

I would also encourage early career researchers to seek out opportunities to work in different environments, particularly where research connects with real-world practice. For me, spending time in clinical settings and overseas placements was invaluable in shaping the direction and relevance of my work.  

Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of collaboration. Surround yourself with people who bring different perspectives and expertise. From experience, some of the most impactful research comes from working across disciplines. 

What does ‘research impact’ mean to you personally? 

For me, research impact is about ensuring that research leads to meaningful changes in clinical practice and better outcomes for patients.  Whether that’s through physiological studies, clinical trials, guideline development, or embedding approaches within NHS services, the aim is ultimately to help people live better with their condition. 

Find out more about Dr Price’s work on exercise recommendations and practical considerations for asthma management.

Wtahc more videos in our Researcher Spotlight series.