Robert Bentley

Robert Bentley, Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Physiology

  • Associate Professor
55 Harbord Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2W6

About Robert

Academic Training

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

Graduate Student Recruitment Status
Accepting PhD and MSc students
Research Interests

Oxygen delivery

Cardiovascular control

Exercise performance and tolerance

Phenotypic variability

Selected Publications

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 RF. The effect of self-identified arm dominance on exercising forearm hemodynamics and skeletal muscle desaturation. PLoS One.19(6):e0305539.

Bentley RF, Dorian P, Vecchiarelli E, Banks L, Connelly KA, Yan AT, Osman W and Goodman JM. The effect of chronic exercise training and acute exercise on power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. Appl Physio Nutr Metab, 2024, 49(2): 148-156. DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2023-0007. 

Vecchiarelli E, Bentley RF, Connelly KA, Dorian P, Yan AT, Mak S, Sasson Z and Goodman JM. Atrial fibrillation in middle-aged athletes: Impact on left atrial, ventricular and exercise performance. PLOS ONE, 2024, 19(3):e0294367. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294367. 

Dorian D, Gustafson D, Quinn R, Bentley RF, Dorian P, Goodman JM, Fish JE and Connelly KA. Exercise-dependent modulation of immunological response pathways in endurance athletes with and without atrial fibrillation. JAHA, 2024, 13(6):e033640. DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.123.033640.

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 metabolism45(10), 1138–1144. 

Banks L*., Bentley, RF., Currie, KD., Vecchiarelli, E., Aslam, A., Connelly, KA., Yan, AT, Konieczny, KM., Dorian P, Mak S, Sasson Z, Goodman JM. (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. 

Professional Memberships

Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology

American Physiological Society