125th Anniversary Scholarship in Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation

About the project

This PhD programme will examine how physical exercise and sedentary behaviour impacts the clinical presentation and underlying immune profile of people with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). SLE is a chronic autoimmune disease that has higher incidence and prevalence rates in females of Black Caribbean ethnicity. SLE affects multiple organs and results in higher levels of fatigue, joint pain and comorbidities that predict a 2.6-fold higher mortality rate compared to the general population. Furthermore, this is even greater in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) populations (Walsh, Algert, and Rothfield 1996). The disease has a huge impact on patients’ capacity to work, sleep and perform daily activities. Despite a range of medications focused on reducing disease activity, preventing disease flares and reducing organ damage, there is no cure for SLE. Recent data indicates that self-reported sedentary behaviour time was associated with greater disease activity and incidence of flares in people with SLE (Margiotta et al. 2018).

Our team are currently completing analysis on the ‘EXamining the feasibility of exerCisE to manage symptoms of Lupus’ (EXCEL) project – a pilot study conducted in people with stable SLE disease activity (Quickfall et al. 2025). Individuals randomised to a 12-week exercise intervention supported by a mobile health digital platform achieved an average of 103 minutes of structured exercise per week vs. 3 minutes in the control group. This equated to 67% of the SLE cohort meeting UK physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes, which was substantially higher than a previous report of 10% (Legge, Blanchard, and Hanly 2017). People in the exercise group also reported reduced fatigue and improved physical health compared to those in the control group. These findings are encouraging; however, the underpinning clinical and immunological mechanisms are unclear.

This PhD programme will be composed of 3 chapters involving 2 original investigations and secondary analysis from the EXCEL project. Collected data will be used to design a multi-site UK randomised controlled trial to examine deployment of exercise into routine SLE clinical care.

The student on this project will benefit from a breadth of training in clinical, biomedical and behavioural research, which will be provided by the interdisciplinary supervisory team. Supervision on contemporary biological techniques (flow cytometry, extracellular flux analysis and proteomics) will be provided by Dr Alex Wadley, and this will be coupled with clinical support from Dr John Reynolds, who is the academic lead of the Lupus UK Centre of Excellence at City Hospital. In addition, Dr. Sally Fenton will provide expertise and training on the application of device-based assessments of physical activity and sedentary behaviour for people with SLE (e.g. accelerometers, commercial wearables) (Fenton et al. 2023). An award-winning research nurse team will support the project, which will provide an outstanding environment to support the candidate’s development. The candidate will be encouraged to contribute to quarterly team meetings, which will promote regular interaction with all supervisors, clinical support staff and members of our patient volunteer network. This will maximise the impact of the student’s research. The working environment will provide a platform for the candidate to gain unique scientific and transferable skills to purse a variety of future career opportunities in academia, healthcare and/ or industry sectors.

References

• Fenton, Sally A. M., Ciara M. O’Brien, George D. Kitas, Joan L. Duda, Jet J. C. S. Veldhuijzen van Zanten, and George S. Metsios. 2023. “The Behavioural Epidemiology of Sedentary Behaviour in Inflammatory Arthritis: Where Are We, and Where Do We Need to Go?” Rheumatology Advances in Practice 7(1):rkac097.
• Legge, Alexandra, Chris Blanchard, and John G. Hanly. 2017. “Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid Arthritis.” Open Access Rheumatology : Research and Reviews 9:191–200.
• Margiotta, Domenico Paolo Emanuele, Fabio Basta, Giulio Dolcini, Veronica Batani, Marina Lo Vullo, Alessia Vernuccio, Luca Navarini, and Antonella Afeltra. 2018. “Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.” PloS One 13(3):e0193728.
• Quickfall, Megan, Scott Green, Katie Hesketh, Jet Veldhuijzen Van Zanten, Matthew Cocks, John Reynolds, and Alex J. Wadley. 2025. “EXamining the Feasibility of ExerCisE to Manage Symptoms of Lupus (EXCEL): A Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Pilot Study.” Lupus Science & Medicine 12(1).
• Walsh, S. J., C. Algert, and N. F. Rothfield. 1996. “Racial Aspects of Comorbidity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.” Arthritis Care and Research : The Official Journal of the Arthritis Health Professions Association 9(6):509–16.

Entry Requirements

Applicants will be expected to have a good Honours degree (First Class or Upper Second Class Honours degree) awarded by a recognised University in a relevant subject, or an alternative qualification, or experience of equal quality. In certain cases, a Masters degree or equivalent may be expected in a relevant subject.

Who can apply?

These scholarships are designed to create opportunities and address the underrepresentation of talented Black or Black mixed heritage students in academia. Applicants who meet all of the following criteria are eligible to apply:

1. Students classified as 'Home' for tuition fee payments
2. Members of one of the following ethnic groups:
   • Black African
   • Black Caribbean
   • Black Other
   • Mixed – White and Black Caribbean
   • Mixed – White and Black African
   • Other mixed background (to include Black African, Black Caribbean or Black Other)
3. Not already enrolled on a PhD programme at the University of Birmingham

What does the scholarship provide?

1. Financial Support: Recipients of these scholarships will receive substantial financial support, including a stipend at UKRI rates, which is set at £20,780 per year for the 2025/26 academic year, and will be paid to you in regular instalments. Successful awardees will also have their tuition fees covered at a minimum of £5,006 per year. This support is designed to alleviate the financial burden often associated with pursuing a doctoral degree, such as covering tuition fees, living expenses, and research-related costs.
2. Mentorship and Guidance: Scholarship recipients will benefit from mentorship opportunities and guidance from accomplished faculty members who are dedicated to helping them succeed in their academic and research endeavours.
3. Research Opportunities: We are committed to providing an exceptional research environment. Students will have access to state-of-the-art facilities, cutting-edge resources, and a vibrant scholarly community.
4. Community Building: A key component of the scholarship programme is the creation of a supportive community of Black British researchers pursuing PhDs. This network will foster collaboration and peer support among scholars.
5. Research Training Support Grant: In addition to financial support, scholarship recipients will receive a research training support grant at £2,250 across the duration of the PhD. This grant is intended to support conference attendance, fieldwork, and other essential activities that enhance their research and academic growth.
6. Commitment to Inclusivity: We are dedicated to building an inclusive academic environment that values diversity and ensures equitable access to education.

Contact the supervisory team

Once applicants have familiarised themselves with the above project details, they are encouraged to contact the lead PhD supervisor to discuss the project and the applicant's suitability for the project. This is recommended before you submit an application to the PhD project.

The lead supervisor for the PhD is Dr Alex Wadley, a Lecturer in Exercise Metabolism and the Academic Director, Cellular Health and Metabolism Facility, whose work centres on understanding how exercise can prime the immune system to improve patient responses to treatment and reduce disease activity. The co-supervisor is Dr John Reynolds, a Clinical Senior Lecturer in Rheumatology, who leads the lupus research programme at the University of Birmingham. His research focuses on improving the longer-term outcomes for patients with SLE.

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Find out more

For more information about the scholarship programme, including announcements of available projects and the application process, please register your interest using the form below.