Cross-Education as an Exercise Treatment Strategy for Knee Osteoarthritis (Ref: AMS26/HW/SER/ANDRUSHKO)

About the Project

Background

Knee osteoarthritis is a painful joint condition that affects millions of people in the UK, particularly women. It causes muscle weakness around the knee, making everyday activities like walking and climbing stairs increasingly difficult. Standard treatments focus on exercising the painful leg, but this can be hard for people who are in a lot of pain. This PhD project explores a different approach: training the healthy leg to help the painful one get stronger, a concept known as cross-education.

The Clinical Trial

This studentship will work with the Healthworks charity in Newcastle upon Tyne, where you will help recruit and assess adults with knee osteoarthritis taking part in a community exercise programme. Alongside the standard exercise sessions, some participants will also perform strengthening exercises on their healthy leg, the cross-education intervention, and you will measure whether this leads to improvements in the painful knee.

Lab-Based Research

Alongside the clinical trial, you will co-design and run laboratory experiments to explore why and how cross-education works in the brain and nervous system. Northumbria’s Neurophysiology Laboratory is equipped with specialist tools for studying brain activity and muscle function, and you will receive full training in how to use them.

Training and Support

You will join the Neuromuscular Function Research Group at Northumbria University and be supported throughout your PhD by the supervisory team and wider research group. Part of the work undertaken during this studentship is funded by the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Candidate Profile

We welcome applications from graduates with a 2:1 or above (or Merit at master’s level) in Sport and Exercise Science, Physiotherapy, Neuroscience, or a related subject. An interest in working with people in a research or clinical setting is important, and some experience with data or research methods would be an advantage. Above all, we are looking for someone who is motivated, curious, and keen to make a difference in people’s lives.

For academic enquiries, contact Dr Justin Andrushko: justin.andrushko@northumbria.ac.uk

Eligibility Requirements:

• Academic excellence i.e. 2:1 (or equivalent GPA from non-UK universities with preference for 1st class honours); or a Masters (preference for Merit or above); or APEL evidence of substantial practitioner achievement.
• Appropriate IELTS score, if required.
• Applicants cannot apply if they are already a PhD holder or if currently engaged in Doctoral study at Northumbria or elsewhere.

To be classed as a Home student, candidates must:

• Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or
• have settled status, or
• have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
• have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

If a candidate does not meet the criteria above, they would be classed as an International student and would not be eligible.

Applicants will need to be in the UK and fully enrolled before stipend payments can commence.

For further details on how to apply see https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/postgraduate-research-degrees/how-to-apply/

In your application, please include a research proposal of approximately 1,000 words and the advert reference (e.g. AMS26/…).

Deadline for applications: 28 May 2026

Start date of course: 1 October 2026

Funding Notes

The Full Time studentship is available to Home students and includes a full stipend at UKRI rates (for 2025/26 full-time study this is £20,780 per year) and full tuition fees