Therapeutic approaches to prevent age-associated muscle weakness

The School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences is seeking one candidate to undertake a Doctor of Philosophy at the Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

Project Background: During ageing, we lose approximately 30% of our peak muscle mass by the age of 80. This age-related muscle loss, termed Sarcopenia, results in reduced muscle size and strength, increased adiposity and contributes to insulin resistance. Thus, understanding the regulation of skeletal muscle at the cellular level holds tremendous therapeutic potential for healthy ageing. The function and maintenance of mitochondria is thought to decline with age, with this process hypothesised as a central mechanism in the progression of sarcopenia. Thus, therapies aimed at maintaining or boosting mitochondrial function, specifically in skeletal muscle, hold tremendous potential for combating sarcopenia.

Project Approach: Supervised by A/Prof. Andy Philp (Centenary Institute/UTS) and Professor Aaron Coutts (UTS), the proposed project will combine molecular biology expertise at the Centenary Institute with human physiology expertise in the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Initial studies will use cell and rodent based models of ageing to identify molecular causes of sarcopenia, with subsequent studies examining sarcopenia therapeutics in young and old human cohorts.

Applicant requirements: The ideal candidate will have a 1st class bachelors honours, in exercise physiology, metabolism, biochemistry or an associated discipline, with a desire to establish novel, integrative research approaches to understand basic principles of skeletal muscle adaptation in humans