Mechanisms of sarcopenia in heart failure

Mechanisms of sarcopenia in heart failure. Closing date: 29 October 2026

Heart failure is a common ageing disease, affecting ~1 million patients in the UK, and rates continue to increase, stressing local and national health, social, and financial infrastructures. There remains no cure. Despite optimised cardiac therapies, patients with heart failure’s main complaint is limiting symptoms. In this regard, heart failure promotes a global skeletal muscle pathology (also termed sarcopenia), which is closely associated with greater disability, symptoms, and poor quality of life. However, the underlying biological mechanism increasing sarcopenia in elderly patients with heart failure remains unclear. This project will build upon our recently published studies (Espino-Gonzales et al., JACC Basic Tranl Sci 2023; Wood et al., Circ Heart Fail 2024) to dissect the underlying biological mechanisms that exacerbate sarcopenia in heart failure. To achieve this, you will work within an inclusive and dynamic supervisory team and wider environment with expertise in clinical muscle biology and heart failure, receiving comprehensive training to explore muscle structural changes (immunohistochemistry) and molecular signatures (immunoblotting/qPCR/multi-omics), combining cell, animal, and/or patient approaches. Our established clinical links and international collaborations will be harnessed to strengthen scientific excellence during the project, helping to expand your training portfolio, personal development, and wider network.

This project’s main aim is to identify the underlying biological mechanisms that exacerbate sarcopenia in heart failure. As part of this, the key objectives will include characterising the muscle signature in heart failure, validating new mechanisms of interest, and testing a viable therapeutic target with clinical potential capable of reducing symptoms. We aim to extend findings on this topic as previously published by our team; for example, see here: Bowen TS - Search Results - PubMed

The qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience applicants should have for this project, in addition to our standard entry requirements .

Candidates with a BSc or preferably MSc degree in biomedical sciences, molecular biology, biochemistry, and/or exercise physiology will be considered. Those with a passion and interest in muscle biology and cardiovascular medicine are especially encouraged to apply. Prior training in wet lab skills such as protein and gene biochemistry would be advantageous, as would familiarity with the skeletal muscle and/or heart failure literature.

Home students can apply only. Home tuition fees will be covered for the duration of the 3.5-year award, which is £5,238 for the year 2026/27.

The student will receive a standard stipend payment for the duration of the award. These payments are set at a level determined by UKRI, currently £21,805 for the year 2026/27.

If you have any questions, please contact the proposed First Supervisor, Dr Adam Lightfoot ( [email protected] ).

To apply you will need to complete the online application form for a full time PhD in Biological Science.

Please complete the Doctoral Project Applicant Form , and include your CV and a covering letter to demonstrate how your skills and experience map to the aims and objectives of the project, the area of research and why you see this area as being of importance and interest.

Please upload these documents in the supporting documents section of the University’s Admissions Portal or email the requested documents to [email protected] .

Application closing date: Thursday 29 October 2026.

Expected start date: January 2027

Please quote the reference: SciEng-Jan 2027-SB-Sarcopenia Heart Failure

Research areas