Weight loss, exercise, and bone health: understanding their interactions in the era of obesity pharmacotherapy (Ref: SSEHS/SF-JK26)

About the Project

New obesity pharmacotherapies are enabling levels of weight loss once achievable only through bariatric (weight loss) surgery, delivering substantial metabolic benefits and reshaping treatment pathways. Yet as these medications become widely used, important questions remain about their impact on bone health - particularly in groups already at higher-risk of bone loss and fracture, such as older adults and post-menopausal women. While weight reduction is known to influence bone turnover and fracture risk, the effects of rapid, medication-induced weight loss are not well understood, nor is the extent to which exercise may protect the skeleton during such changes.

This PhD project will address this knowledge gap by investigating how pharmacologically induced weight loss interacts with exercise training to influence bone health. This project will integrate research from a systematic review, clinical studies, and epidemiology to build a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms and real-world consequences involved.

The overarching aim is to determine whether bone loss associated with traditional weight reduction also occurs - and to what degree - following obesity pharmacotherapy, and whether targeted exercise can mitigate these effects.

The student will gain broad, multidisciplinary training in evidence synthesis, clinical research, laboratory assessment of bone and metabolic markers, and advanced data analysis. Working within a collaborative team spanning endocrinology, exercise science, and epidemiology, they will develop the expertise needed to connect mechanistic findings with clinical and public health relevance.

The outcomes of this work will have implications for clinical guidelines and long-term weight management strategies. As obesity medications continue to expand in use, understanding their effects on bone, and identifying effective countermeasures, will be essential for ensuring safe and sustainable treatment. This PhD offers a unique opportunity to contribute pioneering research in a rapidly developing field, generating evidence that is timely, clinically meaningful, and vital to population health.

Name of primary supervisor/CDT lead:

Dr James King j.a.king@lboro.ac.uk

Name of secondary supervisor:

Prof Katherine Brooke-Wavell https://www.lboro.ac.uk/schools/sport-exercise-healthsciences/people/katherine-brooke-wavell/

Entry requirements:

In addition to the university's requirements, applicants are expected to hold a good first degree in an area relating to: biology, psychology, nutrition, sport science, health sciences.

English language requirements:

Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website (http://www.lboro.ac.uk/international/applicants/english/).

Bench fees required: No

Closing date of advert: 31st May 2026

Start date: July 2026, October 2026

Full-time/part-time availability: Full-time 3 years, Part-time 6 years

Fee band: 2025/26 Band RB (UK £5,006, International £28,600

Project search terms: behavioural biology, obesity, weight management, exercise, bone, frailty, nutrition, metabolic health, physical activity, diabetes

Email Address SSEHS: ssehs.pgrapplications@mailbox.lboro.ac.uk