Personal profile
Research Interests
Dr. Herring's internationally-recognized transdisciplinary research program uses epidemiological, experimental, and mechanistic approaches to better understand the influence of physical activity dose and acute and chronic aerobic, resistance, and non-traditional exercise for anxiety and depression among preclinical and clinical populations, and the psychobiological underpinnings of those relationships. Ongoing and planned research focuses on potential inflammatory, attentional, and autonomic underpinnings of dynamic relationships between physical activity, exercise, and mental health. As Director of the Exercise is Medicine Ireland National Centre, Dr. Herring has a keen interest in increased recognition, assessment, and prescription of physical activity as a vital sign for health, and the implementation of regular physical activity and exercise training as personalized medicine.
Teaching Interests
Dr. Herring's teaching interests primarily focus on: 1) psychological antecedents and consequences of physical activity and exercise; 2) associations of physical activity and exercise with mental health and plausible mechanisms of those associations; 3) physical activity epidemiology, particularly physical activity adoption, adherence, and response; and, 4) research methods, design, and analysis, particularly meta-analytic techniques and the use of AI tools in research and teaching.
Biography
Dr. Matthew Herring joined the PESS faculty in August 2014 as a Lecturer in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology. His internationally-recognized transdisciplinary research program uses epidemiological, experimental, and mechanistic approaches to better understand the influence of physical activity dose and acute and chronic aerobic, resistance, and non-traditional exercise for anxiety and depression among preclinical and clinical populations, and the psychobiological underpinnings of those relationships. andnbsp;He is Director of the Exercise is Medicine Ireland National Centre, Visiting Research Fellow and Steering Committee Member for The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), Physical Activity Lead for the Healthy UL Framework, Co-Director of Exercise is Medicine On Campus UL, and Co-Investigator in the Physical Activity for Health Research Cluster of the Health Research Institute.
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, PhD, University of Georgia
Award Date: 1 Jan 2010
Masters, MSc, University of Georgia
Award Date: 1 Jan 2007
Masters, MEd, University of Georgia
Award Date: 1 Jan 2005
Bachelor, BSc, University of Georgia
Award Date: 1 Jan 2002
External positions
Research Faculty Instructor, University of Alabama at Birmingham
1 Aug 2013 → …
Research Associate, University of Alabama at Birmingham
11 Jul 2011 → …
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of South Carolina, Department of Exercise Science
9 Aug 2010 → …
Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, The University of Georgia, Department of Kinesiology
15 Aug 2005 → …
Counseling Intern, The University of Georgia, Department of Counseling and Human Development
12 Jan 2004 → …
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Biopsychosocial factors that classify meeting/exceeding minimally-protective physical activity dose for depression among older adults: Results from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing
Connolly, E., Moylett, S., Monroe, D. C., Scarlett, S., McCrory, C., Kenny, R. A. & Herring, M. P., 15 Mar 2026, In: Journal of Affective Disorders. 397, 120822.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Acute and Chronic Effects of Guidelines-Based Progressive Resistance Exercise Training Compared to a Low-Intensity Sham Attention-Control on Signs and Symptoms among Young Adult Women with Analogue Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Design and Methods of a Randomized Controlled Trial
O'Sullivan, D., Rice, J., Lyons, M. & Herring, M., Sep 2025.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
Open Access -
Adolescent Time Use and Cardiometabolic Health: A Cross-Sectional Compositional Analysis to Explore Associations Between 24-Hour Activity Behaviors and Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Health
Hayes, G., Browne, L. D., Dowd, K. P., MacDonncha, C., Carson, B. P., Purtill, H., Herring, M. P., O’ Connor, E. M., O'Gorman, C. S. & Donnelly, A. E., Jun 2025, In: Journal of Adolescent Health. 76, 6, p. 1043-1054 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Associations between expectations and responses to chronic resistance exercise in young adults with and without analogue generalized anxiety disorder
Rice, J. M., Gordon, B. R., Lindheimer, J. B., Lyons, M. & Herring, M. P., Dec 2025, In: Scientific Reports. 15, 1, 43991.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Associations between expected and observed psychological responses to acute resistance exercise in analogue generalized anxiety disorder
Rice, J. M., Gordon, B. R., Lindheimer, J. B., Lyons, M. & Herring, M. P., Dec 2025, In: Scientific Reports. 15, 1, 11378.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access
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American College of Sports Medicine (External organisation)
Herring, M. (Chair)
2018Activity: Membership › Membership of council
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UL EHS Research Ethics Committee (External organisation)
Herring, M. (Member)
2015Activity: Membership › Membership of committee
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Masters of Science in Sport (External organisation)
Herring, M. (Member)
2014Activity: Membership › Membership of committee
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Psychobiology, Behavior and Neuroscience Interest Group, American College of Sports Medicine (External organisation)
Herring, M. (Committee Member)
2012Activity: Membership › Membership of council
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American College of Sports Medicine (External organisation)
Herring, M. (Member)
2007Activity: Membership › Membership of council
Prizes
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23rd European Congress on Psychiatry (EPA2015) Travel Grant Award
Herring, M. (Recipient), 2015
Prize: Honorary award
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