Hayley MacDonald
Associate Professor of Exercise Science, Kinesiology
EDUCATION
| Degree | Area of Study | University |
|---|---|---|
| Postdoctoral Fellow | Joint Appointments in Departments of Kinesiology and Psychological Sciences | University of Connecticut |
| Ph.D. | Exercise Physiology | University of Connecticut |
| M.S. | Sport Science (Exercise Science) | Indiana University of Pennsylvania |
| B.S. | Human Performance (Exercise Science) | University of Alabama |
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Exercise Physiology
Cardiovascular Physiology
Cardiometabolic Health
Research Synthesis Methodology (e.g., Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis)
CURRENT RESEARCH AND GRANT PROJECTS
Dr. MacDonald’s lab investigates human cardiovascular and metabolic health responses to clinical and lifestyle-related factors, such as chronic disease or health conditions, exercise and physical activity (or lack thereof), sleep (quality and quantity), workplace/occupational factors, and more recently, chronotype. Please visit her research website for more information: https://sites.ua.edu/hmacdonald/.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Evidence-based Methods and Research Synthesis
Cardiovascular disease epidemiology
Occupational Health
Women’s Health
Tailored Health and Workplace Interventions
Sleep Behavior
Chronotype (biological timing of activity/sleep preferences)
HIGHLIGHTED PUBLICATIONS
For the most up-to-date listing, please see PubMed.
For all publications (including conference proceedings, book chapters, etc.), please see Google Scholar.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS / ACTIVITIES
- 2025-Present – Chair, Evidence-Based Practice Committee, American College of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
- 2017-Present – Analyst/Color Commentator, Women’s College Soccer, Southeastern Conference (SEC) Network+ (ESPN), The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
BIOGRAPHY
Optimal cardiovascular health is at the center of healthy aging, longevity, and the ability to carry out activities of daily living or occupational tasks. Many different factors influence and shape cardiovascular health, some of which are better studied and understood than others. As an exercise physiologist and co-director of the Cardiovascular, Health, and Physical Activity Laboratory (CHAPAL), Dr. Hayley MacDonald has training and expertise in human cardiovascular and metabolic health responses to clinical and lifestyle-related factors such as chronic disease or health conditions, exercise and physical activity (or lack thereof), sleep (quality and quantity), workplace/occupational factors, and more recently, chronotype.
An emphasis of her research is to better tailor exercise prescription or workplace recommendations to optimize cardiovascular, metabolic, and sleep health outcomes, as well as occupational safety and performance. She uses both participant- and study-level data (e.g., systematic reviews and meta-analysis) to better understand these relationships.
More recently, her lab has focused on two primary avenues of investigation:
- How chronotype mediates acute and chronic cardiovascular responses to exercise in younger and middle-aged adults as part of the CHECRS (Cardiovascular Health, Exercise, Circadian Rhythm & Sleep) Study.
- Characterizing the overall health and lifestyle of women tactical athletes, the physiological, psychological, and occupation-specific demands they face, and the key attributes that are predictive of their occupational readiness and performance as part of the ATHENA (Assessing Total Health, PErformance, and Nutritional Attributes in Female Tactical Athletes) Study.