About Robert
Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Cardiology, Sinai Health System
Postdoctoral Fellow, Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, University of Toronto
PhD, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University
MSc, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University
BPHE, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University
BSc, Faculty of Arts & Science, Queen’s University
Dr. Robert Bentley’s research focuses how individuals differ in their ability to match oxygen delivery to the muscle’s oxygen demand during physical activity across the health spectrum. Dr. Bentley incorporates non-invasive and invasive measures of both cardiac and vascular structure and function to delineate pathways of oxygen delivery, and explore the resulting impact on exertional tolerance and performance. His independent and collaborative research is supported by multiple tri-agency grants as well as the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Ontario Research Fund. Detailed bio at DiscoverResearch.
Oxygen delivery
Cardiovascular control
Exercise performance and tolerance
Phenotypic variability
Di Salvo, A. N., Osman, S., Schwartz, J. L., Nikolovski, N., & Bentley, R. F. (2026). The impact of biological sex and stroke volume constituents on heterogeneity in the Q̇-V̇O₂ relationship and skeletal muscle saturation during cycling. Experimental Physiology. Advance online publication.
Schwartz, J. L., Khan, A., & Bentley, R. F. (2026). Interindividual differences in dyspnea during acute hypoxic exercise in healthy adults: A single exposure to simulated altitude at ~9000 ft. Physiological Reports, 14(17), e71085.
Nikolovski, N., Di Salvo, A. N., Estafanos, S., Bailleul, C., Gillen, J. B., & Bentley, R. F. (2026). The effect of acute high-intensity interval exercise on microvascular function and local skeletal muscle oxygenation. Microvascular Research, 167, 104980.
Avila L., Thomas S., Mancini A., Wong G., Wong B., Brandão L R., Stavrakoukas A., Ward L. and Bentley R. F. (2025). Skeletal muscle oxygenation and fluid content in upper extremity post-thrombotic syndrome: a proof-of-concept study. RPTH. 9(6): 103008.
Schwartz J. L., Di Salvo A. N., Bernal J. B., Osman S. and Bentley R. F. (2025). The contribution of red blood cell desaturation to exercising skeletal muscle vasodilation heterogeneity. J Appl Physiol. 138(6): 1435-1448.
Bentley R. F., Nikolovski N. and Goodman J. M. (2025). How does the dose and type of exercise impact acute cardiovascular function in healthy individuals? Can J Cardio. 41(3): 398-411.
Bentley R. F, Yo S., Mok K. H., Valle F. H., Goligher E. C., Gonzago Carvalho C., Granton J. T., Mak S. and Ryan C. M. (2025). Impact of positive airway pressure on right ventricular afterload in pulmonary arterial hypertension. ERJ Open Res.11(3):00796-2024.
Bentley R. F., Nikolovski N. and Goodman J. M. (2024). How does the dose and type of exercise impact acute cardiovascular function in healthy individuals? CJC.
Lewis J., Bentley R. F., Connelly K. A., Dorian P. and Goodman J. M. (2024). Are subjective reports of exercise intensity accurate in recreational athletes? CJC.
Bentley RF, Yo S^, Mok KH, Valle FH, Goligher EC, Gonzago Carvalho C, Granton JT, Mak S and Ryan CM. (2024). Impact of positive airway pressure on right ventricular afterload. ERJ Open Research.
Bentley R. F., Bernal J. B., Basile D. C., Di Salvo A. N. and Schwartz J. L. (2024). The effect of body position on cardiovascular, skeletal muscle and ventilatory responses to submaximal cycling. Exp Physiol.
Schwartz JL, Fongwoo TA, Bentley R. F. The effect of self-identified arm dominance on exercising forearm hemodynamics and skeletal muscle desaturation. PLoS One.19(6):e0305539.
Bentley R. F., Dorian P., Vecchiarelli E., Banks L., Connelly K. A., Yan A. T., Osman W. and Goodman J. M. (2024). The effect of chronic exercise training and acute exercise on power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. Appl Physio Nutr Metab. 49(2): 148-156.
Vecchiarelli E., Bentley R. F., Connelly K. A., Dorian P., Yan A. T., Mak S., Sasson Z. and Goodman J. M. (2024). Atrial fibrillation in middle-aged athletes: Impact on left atrial, ventricular and exercise performance. PLOS ONE, 2024, 19(3):e0294367.
Dorian D., Gustafson D., Quinn R., Bentley R. F., Dorian P., Goodman J. M., Fish J. E. and Connelly K. A. (2024). Exercise-dependent modulation of immunological response pathways in endurance athletes with and without atrial fibrillation. Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA). 13(6):e033640.
Bentley, RF., Vecchiarelli, E., Banks, L., Gonçalves, P., Thomas, S. G., & Goodman, J. M. (2020). Heart rate variability and recovery following maximal exercise in endurance athletes and physically active individuals. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism. 45(10), 1138–1144.
Banks L., Bentley, RF., Currie, KD., Vecchiarelli, E., Aslam, A., Connelly, K. A., Yan, A. T., Konieczny, K. M., Dorian P., Mak S., Sasson Z., Goodman J. M. (2020). Cardiac Remodeling in Middle-Aged Endurance Athletes and Recreationally Active Individuals: Challenges in Defining the "Athlete's Heart". J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 33(2): 247-249.
Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology
American Physiological Society