Projects and supervisors 2025

Supervisor: Dr David Guttery

My work in this area leverages state-of-the-art techniques, including next-generation sequencing (NGS), quantitative PCR (qPCR), droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), and multi-omic analysis. NGS allows for comprehensive genomic profiling, detecting mutations, and alterations that drive cancer progression. qPCR and ddPCR provide precise quantification of specific genetic changes, essential for tracking minimal residual disease and assessing treatment efficacy. Multi-omic analysis integrates genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data, offering a holistic view of the tumour environment and identifying biomarkers for early detection and personalised treatment strategies.

For any enquiries regarding this project, please feel free to contact me: dsg6@le.ac.uk

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Supervisor: Professor David Stensel

I have been working in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University for 25 years. Prior to that I worked for 6 years in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. My research interests concern the potential of exercise to reduce the risk of developing chronic disease and to alleviate symptoms in those with chronic disease. This includes the role of exercise in optimizing appetite and facilitating maintenance of a healthy body composition. I have supervised 27 PhD students to completion including students from Brazil, China, Japan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, the USA and the UK. I will supervise this project together with colleagues from the University of Leicester, Dr Matthew Graham-Brown who specialises in renal medicine and Professor Sally Singh, an expert in pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation.

For any enquiries regarding this project, please feel free to contact me: d.j.stensel@lboro.ac.uk

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Supervisor: Dr Emer Brady

I am an early career researcher in heart failure and type 2 diabetes. I have growing supervisory experience with a total of nine PhD students (three completed), for one of whom I am primary supervisor, and nine Masters students completed to date as primary supervisor. Grant income of £3.7million and 74 publications (10 as first author, 5 as senior author).

For any enquiries regarding this project, please feel free to contact me: emb29@le.ac.uk

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Supervisor: Dr Enya Daynes

I am a senior specialist physiotherapist and senior researcher within the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre since 2016. I am a senior manager within the Pulmonary Rehabilitation team. I am a senior and postdoctoral researcher within the Centre of Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences department with a specialist interest in non-pharmacological treatments, and treatable traits. I have successfully delivered on many randomized controlled trials including a recent three armed multicentre RCT on long COVID funded by UKRI/NIHR. Working as a clinical academic has allowed me to design research that has clinical relevance, and implementable at pace. I am the current chair of the British Thoracic Society Pulmonary Rehabilitation Specialist Advisory Group, Quality Lead for the Royal College of Physicians Pulmonary Rehabilitation Services Accreditation Scheme and, have contributed to national guidelines and NICE policy.  I am committed to supporting clinical academic careers and I have contributed to UHL strategies on clinical academics, and was successfully awarded the NIHR Undergraduate Internship Programme supporting physiotherapy students on a summer internship. Professor Sally Singh (Head of Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation) and Dr Hannah Young (Specialist Research Physiotherapist) will co-supervise this project. They are both physiotherapists with specialty in multiple long term conditions and rehabilitation.

For any enquiries regarding this project, please feel free to contact me: enya.daynes@uhl-tr.nhs.net

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Supervisor: Professor Gerry McCann

Gerry McCann is a NIHR Research Professor/Professor of Cardiac Imaging and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist at the University of Leicester. He is the Cardiovascular theme lead for the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre and the Intervention theme lead for the BHF Leicester Centre of Research Excellence. Gerry was a full-time NHS consultant cardiologist before undertaking successive NIHR research fellowships since 2011. His major focus is on capacity development. He directs a very active clinical imaging research programme with funding from the British Heart Foundation, MRC and his NIHR Research Professorship and subsequent BHF programme grant is focused on the prevalence of heart failure in a multi-ethnic population with T2D and how best to diagnose and prevents symptom onset, working closely with researchers from the Leicester Diabetes Centre. He has numerous national and International collaborations on multicentre work. Gerry has an excellent track record in building research capacity and has undertaken extensive leadership and mentoring training. His students have won numerous national and international awards for their research and have published over 100 papers in the last 5 years. 

For any enquiries regarding this project, please feel free to contact me: gpm12@le.ac.uk

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Supervisor: Dr Hannah Young

I am a specialist research physiotherapist at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Leicester. I have held multiple NIHR awards including an NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship, an NIHR Development and Skills Enhancement Award. In 2023 I was awarded an advanced NIHR fellowship focused on frailty and multiple long-term conditions. Research interests include frailty, multiple long-term conditions, chronic kidney disease physical activity, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation. I also have a particular passion for mixed-methods research, clinical trials and patient and public involvement. I was a Principal Investigator, and qualitative work package lead for the Kidney Beam trial, which was recently published in the Lancet Digital Health. I fell into research by accident, with no previous experience and have loved it ever since. I would love to be able to support someone on their research journey in the same way. I’m keen to support PhD candidates of all backgrounds and professions, whatever their experience.

For any enquiries regarding this project, please feel free to contact me: hy162@le.ac.uk

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Supervisor: Dr James King

I completed my PhD at Loughborough University in appetite regulation and energy balance in 2010; and then embarked on 5-years of post-doctoral research within the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre. In 2015 I took-up a lecturing post at Loughborough within the School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, and was promoted to Reader in 2023. My current research focuses on the links between obesity and related diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes and chronic liver disease. A lot of my work is conducted in collaboration with colleagues at the Leicester Diabetes Centre, where the role of exercise and diet as therapies is a key interest. With academic colleagues and research associates, my PhD students form part of a team which provides a network of support and natural opportunities for knowledge exchange. I feel this is really important so that students gain a wide-range of skills, but importantly, helps to make students’ research training more enjoyable. With a two-year old and a four-year old, life is very busy for me outside of work. As a family, we love going on long walks, as long as coffee and cake is available along the way!

For any enquiries regarding this project, please feel free to contact me: j.a.king@lboro.ac.uk

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Supervisor: Dr Kajal Gokal

I am a NIHR Advanced Fellow and theme lead for Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Illness within the Centre for Lifestyle Medicine and Behaviour at Loughborough University. With a background in psychology, my research focuses on the development and implementation of behavioural interventions for the prevention and management of cancer.

I returned to Loughborough University in 2019 as a senior researcher on a NIHR funded Programme Grant called Snacktivity™. Prior to this I was a post-doc at Coventry University joint with Public Health Warwickshire where I supported on the delivery of multiple NIHR, MRC and CRUK funded projects exploring the development and delivery of behavioural interventions including uptake of stop smoking services, promotion of safe breast feeding and promotion of physical in both community and healthcare settings. 

I completed my PhD at Loughborough which explored the impact of moderate bouts of physical activity upon the psychosocial well-being and cognitive function of those undergoing chemotherapy for their breast cancer. Conducting multiple trials nationally and internationally has enhanced my knowledge of co-designing behavioural interventions for a range of clinical patient groups and those from underserved communities whilst working alongside multi-disciplinary teams and stakeholders as well as patient and public contributors.

For any enquiries regarding this project, please feel free to contact me: k.gokal@le.ac.uk

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Supervisor: Professor Manish Pareek

Professor Pareek has extensive experience in clinical epidemiology and the design, delivery, and evaluation of infectious diseases interventions, particularly with respect to infections such as TB. He has led national, multiple institution, studies including UK-REACH and DIRECT which have required the coordination of multiple investigators and institutions.

For any enquiries regarding this project, please feel free to contact me: mp426@le.ac.uk

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