Raul Bescos Garcia

Academic profile

Dr Raul Bescos Garcia

Associate Professor of Human Nutrition and Physiology
School of Health Professions (Faculty of Health)

Overview

Fingerprint

Network

Research outputs

Similar profiles

The Global Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Raul's work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

Goal 02: SDG 2 - Zero HungerGoal 17: SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals

About Raul

I am an Associate Professor of Human Nutrition and Physiology, with experience across academic institutions in Spain, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Currently, I teach across multiple programmes in the Faculty of Health, including the BSc (Hons) Dietetics, MDiet (Hons) Dietetics, MSc (Hons) Human Nutrition, and BSc (Hons) Nutrition, Exercise, and Health.

For the past 20 years, my research has focused on the role of diet and physical exercise on nitric oxide metabolism and cardiovascular health. More recently, my interest has expanded to the oral microbiome, particularly exploring how oral bacteria can influence nitric oxide bioavailability and cardiovascular outcomes. I co-lead the Oral Microbiome Research Group alongside Dr Zoe Brookes and am a member of the Dietetics, Human Nutrition, and Health Research Group. I am also involved in research on agricultural practices within the Controlled Environment Agriculture Research Group and the Sustainable Food Production Research Group. 

Supervised Research Degrees

Current students:

Lisa du Toit (PhD), Investigating the link between the oral microbiome and cardiovascular health regarding nitrate/nitrite metabolism (with Zoe Brookes and Mary Hickson)

Lauren Hallewell (PhD), Integrating the dietitian into the dental practice to address childhood body weight and oral health (with Patricia Casas-Agustench, Zoe Brookes and Robert Witton)

Mimoza Cana-Bishop (PhD), Investigating the effect of different mouthwashes on oral health and the microbiome (with Zoe Brookes and Robert Witton)

Geraldine Goldsmith (PhD), Investigating the effect of cooling interventions on heat sensitivity in patients with multiple sclerosis (with Luke Connelly and Jenny Freeman)

Samantha Harvey (PhD), Establishing the effect of microplastic and nanoplastic exposure on inflammatory bowel disease (with Nathaniel Clark and Lee Hutt)

Former students:

Amazon Doble (PhD), The potential for diagnosing high blood pressure at the dentist: an examination of periodontal disease and the oral microbiome (with Zoe Brookes and Robert Witton) (2025)

Craig Cutler (PhD), The role of the oral microbiome in blood pressure regulation regarding exercise and diet (with Mary Hickson and Desley White) (2025)

Ann Ashworth (PhD), Effects of dietary nitrate from vegetables on blood pressure in healthy humans (2019)

Scott Betteridge (PhD), The role of nitrates in skeletal muscle metabolism during contraction (2015) (with Glenn McConell)

Teaching

Currently, I lead the following modules: 

  • Pathophysiology (DIET501), BSc (Hons) Dietetics
  • Applied sports nutrition (HNUT703), MSc in Human Nutrition

 

I also support teaching and marking in the following modules:

  • Physiology and Genetics (DIET414, BSc [Hons] Dietetics)
  • Physiology and Immunology (DIET509, BSc [Hons] Dietetics)
  • Project design (DIET605, BSc [Hons] Dietetics)
  • Dissertation (DIET609, BSc [Hons] Dietetics) (ADV716, MSc [Hons] Human Nutrition)
  • Nutritional science 2 (BHCS2025, BSc [Hons] Nutrition, Exercise and Health)
  • Applying evidence to practice (ADV702, MSc [Hons] in Human Nutrition)
  • Project design for research (ADV715), MSc [Hons] in Human Nutrition)

 

Contact Raul

InterCity Place, Plymouth Railway Station, North Road East, Plymouth, PL4 6AB
+44 1752 587585