In 1994 Rob was awarded a PhD by the University of Leeds, for work on the mechanical and physiological properties of mammalian muscle. Rob then undertook four years of postdoctoral research at the University of St. Andrews to study the effects of temperature and growth on skeletal muscle and locomotory performance of fish and frogs. Since then Rob has worked with leading international collaborators in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, UK and USA to undertake a range of research projects that have involved reciprocal travel to work at different research laboratories. These projects have included investigating the effects of obesity, ageing, temperature and seasonal muscle disuse (e.g. hibernation and aestivation) on skeletal muscle and locomotor performance in various vertebrate species. The funding of this work has included collaborative project grants from EU FP7 (€100,000; 2009-2013) and FAPESP (US$1,000,000, 2009-2013). The international collaborative projects have also generated over 30 peer reviewed journal papers. Recent collaborative work, with Professor Helen Maddock, related to drug induced cardiac toxicity, has attracted Innovate UK- NC3R, ERDF-KEEN and TSB-NC3R funding totalling over £1M.

 

Vision Statement

I am recognised internationally as one of very few experts in the usage of the work loop technique to analyse the mechanical performance of muscle, leading to multiple international collaborative research partnerships. Such work includes investigations into the effects of diet, ageing and activity on skeletal muscle performance. I am also working with Professor Helen Maddock to further develop the work loop technique as a ground breaking in vitro contractility assay that can provide a more accurate prediction of potential drug induced cardiac toxicity in preclinical and clinical settings, thereby reducing attrition within the drug discovery process.

Thermal physiology of skeletal muscle; Drug induced changes in myocardial performance; Trade-offs between sprint and endurance performance; Effects of body size on skeletal muscle performance; Effects of ageing, diet and activity on skeletal muscle performance; Effects of temperature on locomotor and skeletal muscle performance ; Ageing related changes in whole body and isolated muscle performance ; Usage of caffeine as an ergogenic aid to improve whole body and isolated muscle performance ; Effects of natural periods of hypometabolism (aestivation and hibernation) on muscle performance; Effects of natural periods of reduced metabolism (hibernation and aestivation) on skeletal muscle performance