About
Research
Email: nicola.brown@stmarys.ac.uk
Biography
Dr Nicola Brown is an Associate Professor in Women’s Health and Performance at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, where she is also Subject Lead of Research in the Faculty of Sport, Technology and Health Science.
With a background in sport and health sciences, Nicola has a particular interest in women’s health across the lifespan, and she contributes to a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in nutrition and sports science.
Nicola is a qualified ISAK Level III anthropometrist and regularly delivers training courses in body composition assessment for health and sport professionals. She also supervises PhD students working in related areas of women's health and performance.
In addition, she is a member of the Research Group in Breast Health at the University of Portsmouth, whose work is internationally recognised through collaborations with leading lingerie, sports bra, and athletic apparel brands. Nicola also sits on the executive board of the Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network.
Research
Research profile
Nicola’s research focuses on female-specific health issues, particularly in relation to sport and exercise, with an emphasis on breast health. Her work explores the impact of the breast on physical activity, addressing common challenges such as breast pain, poor bra fit, and the need for better breast health education for adolescent girls.
Alongside her academic work, Nicola is passionate about ensuring her research has a real-world impact. She co-developed Treasure Your Chest, an initiative providing free, evidence-based breast health resources to schools, which has already reached over 200 schools and 20,000 students. This programme helps young girls develop a better understanding of their bodies, promoting confidence and positive health habits.
Nicola actively engages with the media, professional platforms, and public policy to share her research and advocate for improvements in women’s health. She has collaborated with organisations like the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to produce educational content on breast health, aimed at supporting female athletes and their coaches. She has also presented her work to the Fit and Healthy Childhood All-Party Parliamentary Group at the UK Houses of Parliament, further advocating for breast health education and encouraging more girls to participate in sport.
By combining research with public engagement, Nicola strives to influence both academic understanding and practical applications in areas like sportswear design, health education, and policy.
PhD students
- Hannah Owen
- Elaine Mullally
- Itse Olaoye (completed 2025)
- Dr David Silver (completed 2023)
- Dr John Downey (completed 2022)
- Dr Hilary Baxter (completed 2022)
- Dr Matthew Wade (completed 2021)
- Dr Atefeh Omrani (completed 2020)
If you are interested in doing a PhD with Dr Brown, please contact her directly at nicola.brown@stmarys.ac.uk.
Selected publications
Dr Brown has an extensive portfolio of peer-reviewed publications, contributing valuable insights into women's health, sports science, and public health education. Notable works include:
- Mullally, E. M., Atack, A. C., Glaister, M., Clark, N. C., & Brown, N. (2023). A cross-sectional retrospective survey of injury situation and prevalence in female recreational netball players with a focus on knee injuries. Physical Therapy in Sport, 60, 70–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2023.01.003
- Norris, M., O'Neill, A., Blackmore, T., Mills, C., Sanchez, A., Brown, N., & Wakefield-Scurr, J. (2022). Can we predict the neutral breast position using the gravity-loaded breast position, age, anthropometrics and breast composition data?. Clinical Biomechanics, 99, 105760. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2022.105760
- Okholm Kryger, K., Thomson, A., Tang, A., Brown, N., Bruinvels, G., Rosenbloom, C., ... & Mehta, R. (2022). Ten questions in sports engineering: technology in elite women’s football. Sports Engineering, 25(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12283-022-00384-3
- Brown, N., Burbage, J., & Wakefield-Scurr, J. (2021). Sports bra use, preferences and fit issues among exercising females in the US, the UK and China. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 25(3), 511-527. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMM-05-2020-0084
- Omrani, A., Wakefield-Scurr, J., Smith, J., Wadey, R., & Brown, N. (2020). Breast education improves adolescent girls' breast knowledge, attitudes to breasts and engagement with positive breast habits. Frontiers in Public Health, 8, 591927.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.591927
For a comprehensive list of Dr Brown's publications, please refer to Dr Brown's research profile.