Pancreatic cancer (PC) is an aggressive malignancy with poor survival outcomes. Incidence and mortality rates remain high, with PC projected to surpass breast cancer as the third leading cause of cancer death in Europe by 2025. Standard of care treatment methods are associated with chronic toxicities and the risk of comorbidities (i.e. sarcopenia). Previous work from this team has shown exercise training, delivered as surgical rehabilitation and adjuvant to chemotherapy, provokes numerous benefits that can alleviate this treatment burden and improve quality of life [PMID: 33422020; PMID: 37735664]. Unlike other gastrointestinal cancers, epidemiological evidence of the association between PC risk and / or progression and exercise remains limited.

Although our early observations are important and begin to consolidate and enhance our current understanding of exercise as part of cancer treatment, this data cannot be extrapolated to patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy. As such, the primary aim of this research project is to ascertain the feasibility of delivering exercise during neoadjuvant therapy and its potential impact on several pertinent treatment-related toxicities.

This PhD studentship will involve undertaking several studies designed to generate preliminary evidence for exercise as a supportive therapy to neoadjuvant treatment. This PhD studentship will build on our history of clinical exercise trials in cancer populations and will merge oncology with the scientific domains of exercise biochemistry and molecular biology. The multidisciplinary nature of this project will allow the PhD researcher to gain experience in clinical trial management, mixed methods research and a range of biochemistry based techniques.

This PhD studentship would suit a graduate from Sport and Exercise Sciences, Health, Physiotherapy, Medicine, Nursing, Public Health or Biomedical Science. The successful applicant should have a knowledge of exercise oncology and experience of project management / clinical trials would be an advantage.