Fully-funded PhD - Investigating the regulation of liver glycogen metabolism: Insights from 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Background

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a fully-funded PhD position at Manchester Metropolitan University in collaboration with Cargill Inc., a leading multinational food corporation. This project will explore the impact of different nutritional interventions on liver glycogen metabolism, utilising state-of-the-art magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)—a cutting-edge, non-invasive technology housed within our institute. This PhD is ideal for a passionate and driven researcher looking to make a meaningful impact in the fields of nutrition, metabolism and exercise science.

The project

This PhD will investigate liver glycogen metabolism in response to dietary interventions and exercise, addressing critical gaps in current research. The project consists of three interconnected studies, which will non-invasively characterise glycogen metabolism in response to nutrition and exercise and advance our understanding of its regulation. The successful applicant will be based full-time at Manchester Metropolitan University, joining our vibrant, growing doctoral community within the Institute of Sport, accessing our cutting-edge facilities and receiving training in a variety of laboratory techniques, including 13C MRS, indirect calorimetry and measurement of metabolic responses to nutrition and exercise. The outcomes of this research will have the potential to directly influence ingredient innovations in partnership with Cargill Inc., translating academic insights into real-world applications.

Project aims and objectives

This project will establish the impact of nutrition and exercise on the regulation of liver glycogen. To address these aims, our research objectives are:

• Quantify liver glycogen metabolism through 13C MRS in response to the ingestion of different macronutrients.
• Quantify hormonal and metabolic responses contributing to liver glycogen synthesis in response to the ingestion of different macronutrients.
• Quantify changes in substrate metabolism during exercise in response to alterations in liver glycogen content