Michael Attwaters

Pathway 0+4

Cohort 2017

0+3.5 Student

I graduated from King’s College London in January 2018 with an MSc in Human & Applied Physiology. During my time at King’s, I worked in Professor Stephen Harridge’s laboratory on a model of senescence in skeletal muscle stem cells. This project developed my interest in the cellular and molecular control of muscle mass and function. I decided to join the MRC DTP because I was attracted by the range of exciting projects available in this area of research and because of the excellent reputation of the Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics. So far, the MRC DTP has fostered my growth as a well-rounded scientist, giving me exposure to a wide range of workshops and seminars, and the opportunity to interact with a supportive network of PhD students. I am already collaborating on a paper for my project and I am excited to see what the next 3 years brings!

Project title: Investigating how sarcomeric muscle senses high-force exercise and grows in response (Professor Simon Hughes and Professor Mathias Gautel).
Mechanical force has been implicated in exercise-induced muscle growth. I aim to understand the mechanisms by which force is sensed and transduced in muscle to ultimately regulate muscle mass. Understanding force-dependent muscle growth is important for the development of therapies for muscle diseases, to counteract age-related muscle deterioration and to mitigate cardiac disease.