Dr Burnley’s primary academic interest is the physiology of endurance exercise. He is a world authority on the kinetics of pulmonary oxygen uptake and the related concepts of exercise intensity domains and the power-duration relationship. His research has included ground-breaking studies in exercise testing, the physiology of neuromuscular fatigue, and the application of non-linear dynamics to muscle force fluctuations. 

Specific topics that Dr Burnley has investigated include how warming up prior to exercise can affect how quickly we take in oxygen and how well we perform. Mark has developed a 3-minute all-out test that determines how much power we can sustain during exercise and the effect that fatigue has during certain types of exercise.  

Dr Burnley has served as a physiological consultant for elite coaches and athletes, and regularly shares his expertise across media platforms, including the BBC World Service, Sky News, Runner’s World, Cycling Weekly, and a variety of performance-related podcasts.