Leicester Diabetes Centre (LDC) is committed to supporting future researchers, like Martha Thomas, flourish in their careers. Martha, an Exercise Physiologist Research Assistant and PhD student, shares her experience as an early career researcher at LDC.
Martha completed a Sport and Exercise Science degree and an Exercise Physiology Masters at Leeds Beckett University. It was here that she first became interested in working at LDC.
Martha explains: “When I was at university my favourite lecturer, Dr Oliver Wilson, inspired my interest in type 2 diabetes and the mechanisms of how we adapt to exercise. I’ve always loved sport and exercise, but he helped me to understand just how impactful exercise can be in the real world, particularly in the prevention and management of long-term health conditions.
“He asked me what I wanted to do after university, and we spoke about my interest in the effect of exercise on health and disease, particularly the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. He asked me where I lived before university, and when I said Leicester, his eyes lit up. He told me about LDC and from that moment I knew I wanted to work here.”
Martha joined LDC in 2022. After working as a research assistant for just over a year, she was approached by colleagues and offered the opportunity to do a PhD to progress in her career in 2023.
“The LDC are really supportive of young researchers looking to develop a career in research”, explains Martha.
“During my PhD it has been really inspiring to work with other women who are at the top of their field in research and who are respected in healthcare. But it’s not just about having female role models, all my colleagues at LDC are very supportive and always happy to listen and give advice.”
Whilst working as a research assistant and now as part of her PhD, Martha has been working to adapt and refine online programmes to support people living with long-term conditions to improve their 24-hour behaviours through the five S’s: Sitting, Stepping, Sweating, Strengthening and Sleep.
Martha explains: “Digital tools can help to inform and educate people so that they are able to be more involved in their own care. We are working to adapt and refine some of our online tools for people living with multiple long-term conditions to help reduce the high burden of treatment and everyday challenges that many of these individuals face.”
Steps4Health is one of the programmes Martha has contributed to by developing over 50 exercise videos and writing step-by-step exercise guidance. Steps4Health provides people, including those living with long-term health conditions such as obesity and diabetes, with a personalised walking programme, educational resources, and ongoing support to become more physically active.
Martha enjoys seeing the positive impact her work has on research participants, explaining: “The positive impact of physical activity can be immediate. For example, people arrive for an exercise session or to take part in a research trial and they’re feeling tired or stressed but they end up leaving feeling energised, listened to and with a smile on their face.
“Over time, I’ve seen people improve their strength, body composition, mental wellbeing and even achieve remission from type 2 diabetes. Seeing the impact that our research can have is a really rewarding part of my job.”
When asked about her career goals, Martha said: “My goal is to continue to support people living with long term conditions to improve their lives through physical activity. Through digital tools we hope to improve understanding of health, physical activity and help people to feel more in control of their own health.”