Southampton researchers are looking at new ways to maintain muscle strength and resilience in later life.
Sarcopenia causes a loss of muscle mass and function in older age. As it progresses, people can become weak, frail and lose their independence.
Researchers in our NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) are leading new approaches to prevent weakening of muscles.
They include Dr Mark Burton. He explains what he hopes to achieve through a one-year BRC Postdoctoral Bridging Fellowship and shares advice for other early career researchers.
How did you become interested in research?
From a young age I was passionate about sports and how exercise affects human physiology and anatomy. This led me to complete a degree in Sports Studies and Psychology. During my third-year undergraduate research project, I became increasingly interested in medical sciences. I enjoyed using laboratory-based approaches to answer important questions about the human body.
I did a second degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Southampton, followed by an MSc in Molecular Neuroscience at the University of Bristol. This exposed me to a range of different scientific research techniques and ideas.
I returned to Southampton in 2013 to complete a PhD within the Epigenetics research group. I have since been employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. This year, I have been promoted to Senior Research Fellow. I have also secured a NIHR Southampton BRC-funded Bridging Fellowship to support my transition to academic independence.
A career in medical research is diverse, challenging and rewarding. It requires you to develop a variety of skills through guidance from experts in the field. The challenges of this career allow me to continually learn, stimulate my creative thinking and engage in complex problem solving. This enables me to answer new and innovative questions linked to improving health.
What is the healthcare challenge that you are seeking to address?
As we age, muscle mass, strength and function decline. However, some people experience more severe and accelerated muscle loss. This leads to an age-associated condition called sarcopenia. Approximately 2.7 million people in the UK are currently living with the disease. This number is expected to soar as life expectancy increases.
Muscle is essential for posture, physical function and metabolic health. Muscle loss leads to increased risk of falls, fractures, physical disability and premature death. As such, sarcopenia is a major cause of lost independence in older age. There are no effective treatments.
There is an urgent need for new molecular targets. My research aims to bridge the gap between molecular biology and clinical intervention. Discovering novel molecular biomarkers of sarcopenia is key to improving diagnosis and treatment.
What do you hope to achieve in your research at the BRC?
My research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms behind sarcopenia. This will help us to identify biomarkers for early diagnosis and potential treatment targets.
My BRC Bridging Fellowship is supporting me to prepare high-quality external fellowship applications. I hope to secure funding to continue my research into age-associated muscle dysregulation Such fellowships will help me move towards academic independence. I’m also delivering cutting-edge projects through the MyAge research network.
How would you sum up your fellowship in three words?
Innovative, transformative, pivotal
What's it like being an early career researcher in Southampton?
Being an early career researcher (ECR) at the University of Southampton is a privilege. It is a superb setting to be involved in cutting-edge research that has the potential to improve health and wellbeing. I enjoy being part of a collaborative team of excellent academics. They are at the forefront of medical research, developing new ideas to approach real world problems linked to ageing health.
Research can be challenging - but I always find the role rewarding. I have excellent support from my research group and senior management. Southampton is a great city to be located near to and is surrounded by so many excellent places to visit.
What advice would you give other early career researchers?
My primary advice to other ECRs would be to never limit your ideas or creativity. Collaborate with colleagues who support your ideas and always keep an open mind about what is possible. Sometimes the best research stems from ideas that pop into your head when you are not at work. These ideas may seem abstract at the time but in fact lead to a new way of thinking about or approaching a problem.
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