About the Project
This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027.
The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers. Students will have access to the combined research strengths, training expertise and resources of the four research-intensive universities. More information may be found on the DLP’s website.
Please note that the application process may close early to either home or international candidates (or both) before the stated deadline if an unprecedented number of applications are received – check the DLP’s website for details and updates.
Supervisory Team:
Dr Jennifer Maher (University of Bath)
Prof Javier Gonzalez (University of Bath)
Dr Marlou Dirks (University of Exeter)
Prof Francis Stephens (University of Exeter)
The Project:
Periods of physical inactivity and disuse resulting from critical illness, immobilisation, or neurological injury are associated with rapid skeletal muscle loss and increased cardiometabolic disease risk. As skeletal muscle is the primary site of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal, reductions in muscle mass and contractile activity contribute to impaired glycaemic control and insulin resistance. Despite these well-recognised consequences, the trajectory of cardiometabolic decline and determinants of metabolic risk remain poorly understood.
Exercise is effective for improving cardiometabolic health, but many individuals experiencing disuse are unable to participate because of mobility limitations. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) provides a promising alternative by eliciting muscle contractions in the absence of voluntary movement. Previous studies show that lower-limb NMES can attenuate muscle loss and enhance glucose utilisation; however, the efficacy of whole-body NMES for improving glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity remains largely unexplored. Using spinal cord injury (SCI) as a model of profound and sustained skeletal muscle disuse, this project will characterise the development of cardiometabolic dysfunction and evaluate the therapeutic potential of whole-body NMES.
Overall aim: To characterise the emergence, progression, and determinants of cardiometabolic dysfunction in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), using SCI as a human model of profound and sustained skeletal muscle disuse, and to evaluate whole-body neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) as a targeted intervention to improve metabolic health.
Objective 1: Characterise the development of cardiometabolic dysfunction following severe disuse
The student will establish and contribute to a longitudinal observational study using SCI as a model of profound disuse and sustained muscle inactivity. Participants at different stages post-injury, beginning at discharge from specialist rehabilitation, will undergo cardiometabolic phenotyping including body composition, tissue morphology, blood-based cardiometabolic risk markers, blood pressure and continuous glucose monitoring. Participants will be followed annually to map cardiometabolic decline from the early post-injury period into the chronic stage. This will continue beyond the lifetime of the PhD and will be the first longitudinal dataset describing early cardiometabolic changes following SCI.
The student will coordinate recruitment with NHS spinal rehabilitation centres and, following training, take ownership of cohort development, data collection and protocol refinement.
Objective 2 (UoB): Determine the acute effects of whole-body NMES on postprandial glycaemic control
The student will conduct acute experimental studies testing whether whole-body NMES improves glycaemic control compared with a sham-control condition.
Participants will complete:
- Whole-body NMES (60 min) during a 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and a sham-control condition.
- Serial assessment of glucose, insulin and C-peptide concentrations.
- Assessment of whole-body metabolic responses, including energy expenditure and substrate utilisation.
Glucose and insulin responses will be used to derive indices of insulin sensitivity, insulin resistance and β-cell function. Energy expenditure and substrate oxidation will be assessed using indirect calorimetry.
This objective will determine whether whole-body NMES acutely improves postprandial glucose handling.
Objective 3 (UoE): Determine the effects of a two-week whole-body NMES intervention on insulin sensitivity and metabolic function
The student will conduct a home-based intervention study to determine whether repeated exposure to whole-body NMES improves glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity in individuals with SCI. Participants will complete two daily NMES sessions, with one session performed after a standardised breakfast.
Participants will complete:
- Baseline and follow-up OGTT assessments.
- Two weeks of home-based whole-body NMES.
- Continuous glucose monitoring throughout the intervention.
A subset of participants will undergo additional metabolic phenotyping at the University of Exeter before and after the intervention, including hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamps and skeletal muscle biopsies to investigate adaptations in insulin sensitivity and metabolic signalling pathways.
The student will receive training in intervention delivery, participant monitoring, hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp methodology, skeletal muscle biopsy analysis, and molecular techniques used to investigate insulin signalling and glucose metabolism.
Requirements:
Applicants must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a first or upper second-class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of medical sciences, computing, mathematics or the physical sciences. Applicants with a lower second-class degree will only be considered if they have a grade of Merit or above in a master’s degree. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience.
Non-UK applicants will also be required to have met the English language entry requirements of the University of Bath.
Enquiries and Applications:
Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dr Maher: Jlm92@bath.ac.uk
Formal applications must be submitted direct to the GW4 BioMed3 DLP using their online application form.
A list of all the projects and details on how to apply are available DLP’s website. You may apply for up to 2 projects and submit one application per candidate only.
APPLICATIONS CLOSE AT 17:00 (GMT) ON 21 OCTOBER 2026.
IMPORTANT: You do NOT need to submit an application to the University of Bath at this stage.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:
We value a diverse research environment and aim to be an inclusive university, where difference is celebrated and respected. We welcome and encourage applications from under-represented groups.
If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement.
Funding Notes
Candidates may be considered for a 4-year GW4 BioMed3 MRC DLP studentship covering tuition fees, a stipend (£21,805 per annum for 2026/27, updated annually) and research training and support funding of up to £5,000 per annum dependent on project requirements.
Studentships are open to both Home and International students. International applicants should note that funding does NOT cover the cost of a student visa, healthcare surcharge and other costs of moving to the UK. In line with guidance from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the number of awards available to International candidates will be limited to 30% of the total.