Headshot of Bill Evans

Bill Evans

Assistant Professor of Exercise Science

Department: Exercise Science

Office and address: Koury Center (Athletics) 2525 Campus Box Elon, NC 27244

Brief Biography

I am an integrative physiologist with a passion for understanding the mechanisms that drive adaptation following specific exercise prescriptions. My interest ranges from those with chronic diseases to elite athletes.

Over the years, my research has spanned multiple disciplines and laboratories, allowing me to work with experts in vascular biology, skeletal muscle function, and biomedical engineering. Before coming to Elon I worked for the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU APL) where I worked as a senior staff consultant. My work has emphasized both basic science and applied research, including collaborations to validate medical devices and develop predictive models of human performance. This collaborative spirit continues to guide my teaching and mentorship efforts today.

I am committed to helping students and young researchers build the skills needed to thrive in health sciences, whether through hands-on research experiences, data analysis, or critical thinking. I am driven by the hope that my contributions, no matter how small, will help advance solutions for chronic disease prevention and treatment.

News & Notes

Education

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Exercise Science – Slippery Rock University

Master of Science (M.A.) in Exercise and Sport Science – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Kinesiology with a focus in Exercise Physiology – University of Maryland, College Park

Employment History

2024 – Present
Assistant Professor of Exercise Science
Elon University

2022 – 2025
Senior Scientist/Consultant
Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory

Courses Taught

Physiology of Exercise, Exercise Testing and Prescription, Research Methods, Medical Terminology 

Current Projects

Effect of Double Threshold Training on Mitochondrial Capacity, Athelete Burnout, Female Health, and Performance.

Thermal stress and determinants of physiological performance.

Grants Awarded

ACSM Foundation Doctoral Student Research Grant, University of Maryland, Principal Investigator, “Macrophages as transducers of systemic inflammation to regulate skeletal muscle capillarization in heart failure.” Awarded $5000

Publications

  1. Beatty, P., Evans, W.S., Gravelyn, S., Tumperi, M., Daubon, D., & Veith, A. (2024). Physiological monitoring to prevent diving disorders. Frontiers in Physiology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1517361
  2. Evans, W. S., Pena, G. S., Gelman, B., Kuzmiak-Glancy, S., & Prior, S. J. (2024). Unilateral hindlimb ischaemia-induced systemic inflammation is associated with non-ischaemic skeletal muscle inflammation. Experimental Physiology, 109, 1604–1613. https://doi.org/10.1113/EP091901
  3. Mascone SE, Kim KI, Evans W.S., Prior SJ, Cook MD, et al. (2023) Race and sex differences in ROS production and SOD activity in HUVECs. PLOS ONE 18(10): e0292112. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292112
  4. Pena, G., Callow D., Evans, W. S., Prior, S.J., and Smith. C. (2022). Associations Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Monocyte Polarization, and Exercise-related Changes in Mnemonic Discrimination Performance in Older Adults. Experimental Gerontology (accepted).
  5. Springer, C. B., Sapp, R. M., Evans, W. S., Hagberg, J. M., & Prior, S. J. (2021). Circulating MicroRNA Responses to Postprandial Lipemia with or without Prior Exercise. International journal of sports medicine, 10.1055/a-1480-7692. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1480-7692
  6. Evans, W. S., Blumenthal, J. B., Heilman, J. M., Ryan, A. S., & Prior, S. J. (2021). Effects of exercise training with weight loss on skeletal muscle expression of angiogenic factors in overweight and obese older men. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 10.1152/japplphysiol.00084.2021. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00084.2021
  7. Khosravi,N., Hanson, E.D., Farajivafa, V., Evans, W.S., Lee, J.T., Danson, E., Wagoner, C.W., Harrell E.P., Nyrop K.A., Muss H.B., Bartlett D.B., and Battaglini, C.L. (2021). Exercise-induced modulation of monocytes in breast cancer survivors. Brain Behav. Immun – Health. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100216
  8. Sapp, R. M., Chesney, C. A., Springer, C. B., Laskowski, M. R., Singer, D. B., Eagan, L. E., Mascone, S. E., Evans, W. S., Prior, S. J., Hagberg, J. M., & Ranadive, S. M. (2021). Race-specific changes in endothelial inflammation and microRNA in response to an acute inflammatory stimulus. American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology, 10.1152/ajpheart.00991.2020. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00991.2020
  9. Evans, W. S., Sapp, R. M., Kim, K. I., Heilman, J. M., Hagberg, J., & Prior, S. J. (2020). Effects of Exercise Training on the Paracrine Function of Circulating Angiogenic Cells. International journal of sports medicine, 10.1055/a-1273-8390. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1273-8390
  10. Sapp, R. M., Chesney, C. A., Eagan, L. E., Evans, W. S., Zietowski, E. M., Prior, S. J., Hagberg, J. M., & Ranadive, S. M. (2020). Changes in circulating microRNA and arterial stiffness following high-intensity interval and moderate intensity continuous exercise. Physiological reports, 8(9), e14431. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14431
  11. Evans, W. S., Hanson, E. D., Shill, D. D., Landers-Ramos, R. Q., Stoner, L., Willey, Q., Credeur, D. P., & Prior, S. J. (2020). Sitting decreases endothelial microparticles but not circulating angiogenic cells irrespective of lower leg exercises: a randomized cross-over trial. Experimental physiology, 10.1113/EP088690. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1113/EP088690
  12. Evans, W. S., Stoner, L., Willey, Q., Kelsch, E., Credeur, D. P., & Hanson, E. D. (2019). Local exercise does not prevent the aortic stiffening response to acute prolonged sitting: a randomized crossover trial. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 127(3), 781–787. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00318.2019
  13. Sapp, R. M., Evans, W. S., Eagan, L. E., Chesney, C. A., Zietowski, E. M., Prior, S. J., Ranadive, S. M., & Hagberg, J. M. (2019). The effects of moderate and high-intensity exercise on circulating markers of endothelial integrity and activation in young, healthy men. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 127(5), 1245–1256. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00477.2019
  14. Hanson, E. D., Danson, E., Evans, W. S., Wood, W. A., Battaglini, C. L., & Sakkal, S. (2019). Exercise increases mucosal-associated invariant t cell cytokine expression but not activation or homing markers. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 51(2), 379–388. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001780
  15. Stoner, L., Willey, Q., Evans, W. S., Burnet, K., Credeur, D. P., Fryer, S., & Hanson, E. D. (2019). Effects of acute prolonged sitting on cerebral perfusion and executive function in young adults: A randomized cross-over trial. Psychophysiology, e13457. doi: 10.1111/psyp.13457`
  16. Evans, W.S., Willey, Q., Hanson, E. D., & Stoner, L. (2018). Effects of resistance training on arterial stiffness in persons at risk for cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis. Sports Med, 48(12), 2785-2795. doi: 10.1007/s40279-018-1001-6
  17. Hanson, E. D., Sakkal, S., Evans, W. S., Violet, J. A., Battaglini, C. L., McConell, G. K., & Hayes, A. (2018). Altered stress hormone response following acute exercise during prostate cancer treatment. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 28(8), 1925-1933. doi: 10.1111/sms.13199
  18. Evans, W.S. (2017). NK cell recruitment and exercise: Potential immunotherapeutic role of shear stress and endothelial health. Med Hypotheses, 109, 170-173. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2017.10.015.
  19. Holmstrup, M. E., Jensen, B. T., Evans, W. S., & Marshall, E. C. (2016). Eight weeks of kettlebell swing training does not improve sprint performance in recreationally active females. Int J Exerc Sci, 9(3), 437-444.