Dr Scott Willis

Scott graduated from Loughborough University in 2015 with a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science. He then continued his studies at Loughborough and completed an MSc in Exercise Physiology in 2016.

Scott completed his PhD in 2020 at Loughborough University under the supervision of Dr James King, Professor David Stensel and Professor Guruprasad Aithal. His thesis focused on the interaction of hepatokines and hepatic lipids with exercise, diet and metabolic health, which was jointly supported by the Leicester and Nottingham NIHR Biomedical Research Centres.

Since April 2020, Scott has held the position of post-doctoral Research Associate at Loughborough University, working with Dr James King as part of the Lifestyle Theme of the NIHR-funded Leicester Biomedical Research Centre. His current research broadly focuses on exercise, diet and obesity-related chronic disease.

Scott has expertise in exercise physiology and metabolic health, and has currently published over 18 peer-reviewed journal articles. Scott’s area of research broadly encompasses exercise, diet and obesity-related metabolic disease.

More specifically, his research primarily investigates novel mechanisms linking obesity to associated metabolic disease such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD; formerly NAFLD). Furthermore, he explores how lifestyle (including exercise and diet) and/or pharmaceutical interventions can be used to prevent, manage and treat these diseases.

Current research projects include:

• The impact of impaired glycaemic regulation and exercise on hepatic lipid composition in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.
• Hepatokines as novel mechanisms linking obesity-related liver disease and metabolic dysfunction: the influence of exercise and diet.
• The relationship of exercise, physical activity and sedentary behaviour with adipose tissue insulin resistance.
• The associations of lean mass, resting metabolic rate and smoking with appetite and eating behaviours.

Scott is also currently involved in setting up new projects through the NIHR-funded Midlands Liver Research Alliance. He has experience in leading and managing NHS clinical trials through his work on a Diabetes UK-funded project between 2018 and 2022.

Scott is open to collaboration within any of these broad research areas.

Scott is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) and a member of the European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance (EGIR) and the MASLD study group. He has served as a peer reviewer for numerous journals including: International Journal of Obesity, European Journal of Nutrition, European Journal of Sport Science, British Journal of Nutrition, Journal of Sport Sciences, Nutrition Research Reviews, Nutrients, Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology and Diabetes, BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Scott regularly disseminates his research at national and international conferences such as the European Congress on Obesity, the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting, the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences annual conference and the Diabetes UK Professional Conference. Furthermore, he has given the following internal and external invited guest lectures:

• Exercise Prescription; Ulster University; 2023
• Chronic Liver Disease; Loughborough University; 2023
• Ectopic Lipids & NAFLD; Loughborough University; 2023
• Location, location, location: Understanding why all fat is not equal; Healthcare Professional Lifestyle Education Series; 2021
• All fat is not equal; National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine Public Lecture Series; 2021
• Current Research in Exercise Physiology; Loughborough University; 2021

Scott also currently co-supervises two doctoral (PhD) researchers within the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University.

• Engin B, Willis SA, Malaikah S, Sargeant JA, Stensel DJ, Jelleyman C, Ennequin G, Aithal GP, Yates T, King JA (2024) The Hepatokine Leukocyte Cell-Derived Chemotaxin-2 Is Elevated in People with Impaired Glycaemic Regulation and Augmented by Acute Exercise. Livers DOI: 10.3390/livers4010005
• Shen T, Thackray AE, King JA, Alotaibi TF, Alanazi TM, Willis SA, Roberts MJ, Lolli L, Atkinson G, Stensel DJ (2024) Are There Interindividual Responses of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Markers to Acute Exercise? A Replicate Crossover Trial. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003283
• Malaikah S, Willis SA, Henson J, Sargeant JA, Yates T, Thackray AE, Goltz FR, Roberts MJ, Bodicoat DH, Aithal GP, Stensel DJ, King JA (2023) Associations of objectively measured physical activity, sedentary time and cardiorespiratory fitness with adipose tissue insulin resistance and ectopic fat. International Journal of Obesity DOI: 10.1038/s41366-023-01350-0
• Willis SA, Malaikah S, Parry S, Bawden S, Ennequin G, Sargeant JA, Yates T, Webb DR, Davies MJ, Stensel DJ, Aithal GP, King JA (2023) The effect of acute and chronic exercise on hepatic lipid composition. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports DOI: 10.1111/sms.14310
• Engin B, Willis SA, Malaikah S, Sargeant JA, Biddle GJH, Razieh C, Argyridou S, Edwardson CL, Jelleyman C, Stensel DJ, Henson J, Rowlands AV, Davies MJ, Yates T, King JA (2023) Sedentary Time Is Independently Related to Adipose Tissue Insulin Resistance in Adults With or at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003193
• Malaikah S, Willis SA, Henson J, Sargeant JA, Yates T, Thackray AE, Goltz FR, Roberts MJ, Bernard-Deshong D, Aithal GP, Stensel DJ, King JA (2023) Circulating leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 and fibroblast growth factor 21 are negatively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness in healthy volunteers. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2022-0445
• Sherry AP, Willis SA, Yates T, Johnson W, Razieh C, Sargeant JA, Malaikah S, Stensel DJ, Aithal GP, King JA (2023) Physical activity is inversely associated with hepatic fibro-inflammation: a population-based cohort study using UK Biobank data. JHEP Reports DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100622
• Sargeant JA, King JA, Yates T, Redman EL, Bodicoat DH, Chatterjee S, Edwardson CL, Gray LJ, Poulin B, Waheed G, Waller HL, Webb DR, Willis SA, Wilding JPH, Khunti K, Stensel DJ, Davies MJ (2022) The effects of empagliflozin, dietary energy restriction, or both on appetite-regulatory gut peptides in individuals with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity: The SEESAW randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism DOI: 10.1111/dom.14721
• Engin B, Willis SA, Malaikah S, Sargeant JA, Yates T, Gray LJ, Aithal GP, Stensel DJ, King JA (2022) The effect of exercise training on adipose tissue insulin sensitivity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews DOI: 10.1111/obr.13445
• Varley I, James LJ, Willis SA, King JA, Clayton DJ (2022) One week of high-fat overfeeding alters bone metabolism in healthy males: A pilot study. Nutrition DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2022.111589
• Willis SA, Bawden SJ, Malaikah S, Sargeant JA, Stensel DJ, Aithal GP, King JA (2021) The role of hepatic lipid composition in obesity-related metabolic disease. Liver International DOI: 10.1111/liv.15059
• Fenton JM, King JA, Hoekstra SP, Willis SA, Ogawa T, Goosey-Tolfrey VL (2021) Accentuated early postprandial satiety in people with spinal cord injury versus able-bodied controls. Appetite 167:105628.
• Thackray AE, Willis SA, Clayton DJ, Broom DR, Finlayson G, Goltz FR, Sargeant JA, Woods RM, Stensel DJ, King JA (2020) Influence of Short-Term Hyperenergetic, High-Fat Feeding on Appetite, Appetite-Related Hormones, and Food Reward in Healthy Men. Nutrients 12(9): 2635
• Thackray AE, Willis SA, Sherry AP, Clayton DJ, Broom DR, Demashkieh M, Sargeant JA, James LJ, Finlayson G, Stensel DJ, King JA (2020) An acute bout of swimming increases post-exercise energy intake in young healthy men and women. Appetite 154: 104785
• Willis SA, Sargeant JA, Yates T, Takamura T, Takayama H, Gupta V, Brittain E, Crawford J, Parry SA, Thackray AE, Varela-Mato V, Stensel DJ, Woods RM, Hulston CJ, Aithal GP, King JA (2020) Acute Hyperenergetic, High-Fat Feeding Increases Circulating FGF21, LECT2 and Fetuin-A in Healthy Men. Journal of Nutrition 150(5): 1076-1085 
• Willis SA, Sargeant JA, Thackray AE, Yates T, Stensel DJ, Aithal GP, King JA (2019) Effect of exercise intensity on circulating hepatokine concentrations in healthy men. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism 44(10): 1065-1072
• Sargeant JA, Gray L, Bodicoat D, Willis SA, Stensel DJ, Nimmo MA, Aithal GP, King JA (2018) The effect of exercise training on intrahepatic triglyceride and hepatic insulin sensitivity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews 19(10): 1446-1459