PhD Studentship - The Role of Branched-chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) in the Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Mass and Metabolic Health

Location:

University of Exeter: Public Health and Sports Sciences, St Luke’s Campus, Exeter, UK

Wageningen University: Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen, the Netherlands

The University of Exeter’s Department of Public Health and Sports Sciences is inviting applications for a PhD studentship funded by the University of Exeter and Wageningen University to commence 1^st June 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter. For eligible students the studentship will cover Home tuition fees plus an annual, tax-free stipend of at least £18,622  for 4 years full-time, or pro rata for part-time study. Successful students would be part of a joint PhD programme with the University of Exeter and Wageningen University. They will spend at least 40% at each University and will graduate with a joint degree from the University of Exeter and Wageningen University. At the project start the student will be based for ~18 months within the chair group Human and Animal Physiology at Wageningen University, after which for (part of) the remaining time the student will be based in the Nutritional Physiology Research Group within Public Health and Sports Sciences at the St Luke’s Campus in Exeter. The student will benefit from the combined expertise and facilities offered at the two institutions, with the same lead supervisor within each university.

Project Description:

Skeletal muscle tissue is of great importance for functional capacity and metabolic health, and maintaining muscle mass and metabolic health is crucial for healthy ageing in absence of metabolic disease. Key regulatory factors for muscle mass maintenance and metabolic health are the increase in muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle glucose uptake in response to food ingestion. The postprandial increase in plasma amino acid concentrations, and specifically the BCAAs, is thought to be the key nutritional signal for modulating rates of MPS (Koopman 2009 Am J Clin Nutr), yet its reported effects on MPS are equivocal (Wolfe 2017 JISSN). Moreover, a growing body of evidence links BCAAs to skeletal muscle insulin resistance. The current lack of mechanistic insight in skeletal muscle BCAA metabolism hinders the development of effective interventional strategies to maintain muscle mass and health across the lifespan.

The focus of this PhD studentship will be to investigate the role of BCAAs in the regulation of muscle mass and metabolic health, using detailed in vivo physiological techniques involving stable isotope tracers and arteriovenous forearm balance. Emphasis will be placed on the mechanistic regulation of muscle amino acid and glucose metabolism in healthy volunteers, as well as translational aspects relevant to conditions in which muscle BCAA metabolism is perturbed (e.g. (metabolic) disease, physical inactivity, ageing).

This award provides annual funding to cover Home tuition fees and a tax-free stipend. Students who pay international tuition fees are eligible to apply, but should note that the award will only provide payment for part of the international tuition fee (~£22,000 towards the £25,000 tuition fee) and no stipend.

International applicants need to be aware that you will have to cover the cost of your student visa, healthcare surcharge and other costs of moving to the UK to do a PhD. 

The conditions for eligibility of home fees status are complex and you will need to seek advice if you have moved to or from the UK (or Republic of Ireland) within the past 3 years or have applied for settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

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