Prof Katya Mileva is the Academic Lead at Teeside University London. She is also an Emeritus Professor of Human Neurophysiology and Exercise Sciences at London South Bank University (LSBU) and a Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter. Between 2011 and 2024 she was the Head of the LSBU's Sport and Exercise Science Research Centre (SESRC). Prof Mileva is a Senior Fellowship of the UK's Higher Education Academy.

Before joining LSBU in 2001 Prof Mileva worked as a Senior Research Associate at the Institute of Biophysics of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. In collaboration with medics, physicists, molecular biologists and engineers her projects investigated the intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing the excitability, the contractility and the fatigability of isolated skeletal muscle fibres and single motor units.

At LSBU she established and led advanced areas of research and teaching in Human Neurophysiology and Environmental Psychophysiology. Prof Mileva is an experienced supervisor to postgraduate taught and research students and has contributed to the establishement of the London Doctoral Academy at LSBU.

Prof Mileva is a member of The Physiological Society, UK; Bulgarian Physiological Society; Diabetes UK; International Society for Electromyography and Kinesiology (ISEK); European College of Sport Science (ECSS).

Prof Mileva's major scientific expertise is in biomedical engineering and data analytics, which she applies in neurophysiology, and sport and exercise sciences. She is proficient in electrophysiological and imaging techniques for collection and analysis of biomedical information. She applies interdisciplinary approach to improve understanding of the integrative behaviour of the human physiological systems. Her recent projects explore the mechanisms underlying central and peripheral fatigue, and the health benefits from physical activity, nutrition, physical modalities, environmental and social factors across the lifespan. 

Prof Mileva has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Her work is cited >2000 times and has been presented at conferences and events over hundred times. Her publications underpin most impact case studies submitted by LSBU to REF2014 and REF2021 in sport and exercise sciences and were rated of international and world-leading quality and significance (3*/4*).

Prof Mileva undertakes projects of both fundamental and applied nature that create opportunities for research and knowledge-transfer collaborations on topics related to human performance in health and pathological state, under normal and extreme environments. She is also experienced in running randomised clinical trials and multidisciplinary product evaluations and developments.

Prof Mileva is also an expert in policy and routes to impact from Physical Activity and Sport with extensive experience as a consultant to National governing bodies for sports, charities, start-ups, and businesses. She has provided expert advice to national and international regulatory agencies such as the Charity Commission (UK), Food and Drug Administration (USA), Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia), Advertising Standard Agency (UK).

Porf Mileva has co-authored >25 reports from research commissioned by industrial partners and is the named researcher on 5 patents. 

Ongoing projects:

1. NIHR grant to the PHIRST South Bank Centre (2025-2030; £1.78M).
2. Exploring the Metabolic Effects and the Ergogenic Potential of THE KURE Oxygen-Enriched Water in Exercise Performance: A pilot Investigation (2024-2025; £22.8K).
3. NIHR grant to the PHIRST South Bank Centre (2022-2025; £900K).