Our clinical research capabilities, grouped by research line.
Clinical Research · CeprLab
Clinical research at CeprLab — capabilities, collaborations, and the people who make them work.
Three research lines, an instrumented lab, and a portfolio of EU and national projects — built around exercise physiology, rehabilitation, and clinical research with the people who need it most. We work with patients, clinicians, researchers, and industry partners.
- 3Research lines
- 7,900+Scholar citations
- 4Funded projects
- 2007Established
What we offer
Clinical research that bridges exercise physiology, rehabilitation, and patient care
CeprLab's clinical research operates across three established lines, supported by instrumented facilities and active EU and national funding. We collaborate with clinicians, researchers, industry partners, and the people who participate in our studies — each with a different way to engage.
The lab combines clinical-assessment expertise with research-grade instrumentation — cardiopulmonary exercise testing (Metamax ergospirometry), exercise-physiology measurement (Biopac systems), and a 138 m² research space within the University of Thessaly's Department of Physiotherapy in Lamia. Its 230+ peer-reviewed publications and four active funded projects (Erasmus+ SportsComp · Hellenic Cardiology Society TELEWEAR-CR) ground its capability claims in published evidence and current activity. The engagement layer below is forming as CeprLab formalises how it works with external partners.
Explore
Explore our clinical research
Four entry points — what we can do, how to work with us, where to start, and how we protect participants.
Four ways clinicians, patients and partners can work with the lab.
Three concrete ways to begin, depending on who you are.
How we handle consent, ethics approval and participant safety.
Capabilities
What we can do · grouped by research line
Six capability areas across the three research lines, each combining verified equipment with clinical-research expertise. For instrumentation see Facilities; for the science see Research.
Pain Science
Musculoskeletal pain assessment
Standardised assessment of acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain using validated clinical measures, surface electromyography, and exercise-based provocation testing, drawing on the lab's pain-neuroscience research expertise.
Best for
CliniciansResearchers
Pain-neuroscience research collaboration
Joint research on the mechanisms of dysfunction in chronic neuro-musculoskeletal patients, including motor-control adaptations and central sensitisation. Builds on the lab director's research line and Marie Curie–awarded background.
Best for
ResearchersIndustry
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET)
Gold-standard CPET for cardiovascular and respiratory assessment using the lab's Metamax ergospirometry system. Suitable for cardiac-rehabilitation programmes, exercise-prescription research, and individual fitness assessment in clinical populations.
Best for
CliniciansResearchersPatients
Cardiac rehabilitation & telerehabilitation research
Research collaboration on cardiac rehabilitation, with active work on wearable-sensor monitoring and telerehabilitation (Hellenic Cardiology Society TELEWEAR-CR project). Deputy Director Garyfallia Pepera leads the cardiac line and has international telerehabilitation collaborations.
Best for
CliniciansResearchersIndustry
Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Pulmonary function & exercise-capacity assessment
Comprehensive assessment of pulmonary function and exercise capacity for chronic respiratory disease populations, combining clinical pulmonary measurement with the Metamax CPET system for ventilatory and gas-exchange profiling.
Best for
CliniciansPatients
Pulmonary rehabilitation research collaboration
Joint research on pulmonary rehabilitation programmes for chronic respiratory disease populations, spanning COPD, post-COVID recovery, and paediatric chronic respiratory disease.
Best for
ResearchersClinicians
Who we work with
Four ways to engage with our research
Our clinical research connects with four main audiences. Each has a different starting point — pick the one that fits and we'll route you to the right contact.
Patients
People living with musculoskeletal pain, cardiac conditions, or chronic respiratory disease who want to participate in research or be assessed.
You can
- Take part in active studies recruiting participants
- Ask about specific conditions we work with
- Be referred by your clinician for assessment
Clinicians
Physiotherapists, physicians, and other healthcare professionals who want to collaborate, refer patients, or build evidence-based practice.
You can
- Refer a patient for specialist assessment
- Propose a case-study or research collaboration
- Attend our continuing-education workshops
Researchers
External research partners — academics, clinical-research teams, doctoral candidates, and visiting researchers seeking shared infrastructure or expertise.
You can
- Propose joint research across the three research lines
- Access lab equipment for collaborative studies
- Co-author publications and joint grant proposals
Industry partners
Companies developing healthcare technology, medical devices, or rehabilitation products — looking for research validation, contract research, or technology-transfer partnerships.
You can
- Validate medical devices in clinical-research settings
- Commission contract research on specific endpoints
- Develop joint research on emerging technologies
How to engage
Three starting points
The external engagement layer is forming. Pathways for refer-a-patient, study volunteering, and industry partnership are being formalised — for now, get in touch and we'll route you to the right person.
I want to
Take part in research
Ask about active studies recruiting participants, or get in touch about specific conditions we work with. Studies vary by research line and recruitment status.
I want to
Collaborate on research
Propose joint research, share infrastructure, or scope a project across our three research lines. Our team routes you to the appropriate research-line lead.
I want to
Partner from industry
Discuss medical-device validation, contract research, or technology-transfer collaboration. The initial conversation routes through the lab director's office.
Safety & ethics framework
Safety, ethics, and consent
All CeprLab clinical-research activity follows a documented safety and ethics framework under the lab's Internal Regulations (ΦΕΚ 3923/Β/2019). Four pillars structure it.
Ethics-first access
Every research activity requires Ethics Committee approval (UTH or Department) and a documented protocol, both checked before any clinical assessment or data collection. No exceptions for student work.
Three-signature governance
Every equipment booking goes through student → supervising faculty → ΕΤΕΠ lender → Director approval, documented per use and archived in the Lab Secretariat. External access also needs Department Assembly approval.
Per-instrument booking
Each instrument carries a booking sheet listing user, contact, time, supervising faculty, and use type. Sheets archive in the Secretariat; misuse triggers loss of access and mandatory retraining.
Data & privacy
Participant data follows GDPR and clinical-research privacy norms. Informed consent is mandatory for all participation. Anonymisation, retention, and access protocols are documented per study.
Get in touch
Ready to start a conversation?
Whether you're a patient asking about studies, a clinician with a referral, a researcher seeking collaboration, or an industry partner with a project — get in touch and we'll route you to the right person.