Dr Neil Martin

BSc, MSc, PhD

Pronouns: He/him
  • Senior Lecturer in Cellular & Molecular Biology

Neil has a first-class honours degree in Exercise Physiology, and an MSc in Sport and Exercise Nutrition. After completing his MSc, Neil undertook a PhD with Professor Mark Lewis, where he explored the factors affecting the formation of 3D tissue engineered human skeletal muscle using in vitro techniques.

Subsequently, Neil worked on an RCUK funded collaborative project between Loughborough University and UCL, and went on to work as a post-doctoral scientist at Loughborough University using cell culture models of skeletal muscle to understand physiological, molecular and cellular adaptation to external stimuli such as loading and nutrients. In December 2016, Neil was appointed as Lecturer in Cellular and Molecular Biology, and his current research is chiefly concerned with understanding how cellular stresses affect muscle size in ageing and metabolic diseases.

Neil’s current research is focused on skeletal muscle ageing, and the role of the mTORC1 pathway in its regulation. Neil uses an integrative research approach, and through internal and external collaborations uses human and cell culture studies to investigate how skeletal muscle size and quality is attenuated as we age. Neil also continues to contribute to ongoing work within the department developing engineered skeletal muscle, and works alongside human physiologists and nutritionists to explore cell and molecular changes associated with exercise and diet.

Professional memberships

  • Physiological Society
  • European College of Sports Medicine
  • Tissue and Cell Engineering Society
  • Society for Endocrinology
  • British Society for Research on Ageing

Regular Reviewer

  • Biomaterials
  • Journal of Tissue Engineering

Featured publications

  • Ferguson RA, Hunt JEA, Lewis MP, Martin NRW, Player D, Stangier C, Taylor CW, Turner MC (2017) ‘The acute angiogenic signalling response to low load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction’European Journal of Sports Sciences
  • Martin NRW, Turner MC, Farrington R, Player DJ, Lewis MP (2017)‘Leucine elicits myotube hypertrophy and enhances maximal contractile force in tissue engineered skeletal muscle in vitro’ Journal of Cellular Physiology 232(10): 2788-2797.
  • Martin NRW, Aguilar-Agon K, Robinson GP, Player DP, Turner MC, Myers SD, Lewis MP (2017) ‘Hypoxia impairs muscle function and myotube size in tissue engineered skeletal muscle’ Journal of Cellular Biochemistry doi: 10.1002/jcb.25982
  • Kasper AM, Turner D, MartinNRW, Sharples AP (2017) ‘Mimicking exercise in three-dimensional bioengineered skeletal muscle to investigate cellular and molecular mechanisms of physiological adaptation’ Journal of Cellular Physiology 202(3-4): 143-158.
  • Taylor CW, Ingham SA, Hunt JE, Martin NRW, Pringle JS, Ferguson RA (2016) ‘Exercise duration-matched interval and continuous sprint cycling induce similar increases in AMPK phosphorylation, PGC-1α and VEGF mRNA expression in trained individuals’ European Journal of Applied Physiology 116 (8): 1445-54.
  • Martin NRW, Passey SL, Player DJ, Mudera V, Baar K, Greensmith L, Lewis MP (2015) ‘Neuromuscular junction formation in tissue engineered skeletal muscle augments contractile function and improves cytoskeletal organisation’ Tissue Engineering 21 (19-20): DOI: 10.1089/ten.tea.2015.0146
  • Martin NRW, Passey SL, Player DJ, Khodabukus A, Ferguson, RA, Sharples AP, Mudera V, Baar K, Lewis MP (2013) ‘Factors affecting the structure and maturation of human tissue engineered skeletal muscle’ Biomaterials 34: 5759-5765.
  • Sharples AP, Player DJ, Martin NRW, Mudera V, Stewart CE, Lewis MP (2012) ‘Modelling in vivo skeletal muscle ageing in vitro using three-dimensional bioengineered constructs’ Aging Cell 11(6): 986-995.