Dr Alistair Monteyne
University of Exeter, UK
Dr Marlou Dirks
University of Exeter, UK
Recent Advances in Nutritional Physiology: A Muscle-centric Perspective
This meeting will explore recent advances in nutritional physiology as they pertain to skeletal muscle tissue. Contemporary topics will include the influence of age and sex on protein turnover, the skeletal muscle response to obesity and weight loss, ketone metabolism, and the interplay between exercise and nutrition. Over the two days, the programme will present a diverse range of emerging evidence, spanning mechanistic experimental physiology through to clinical applications.
Be part of the Physiological Society’s legacy
In 2026, the Society celebrates its 150th anniversary: a landmark moment to celebrate physiologists past and present, the discoveries that have shaped our understanding of the body, and the community driving physiology forward.
This meeting is one of the many exciting activities in our biggest programme of events to date celebrating this important milestone.
All abstracts presented throughout the year will be published in a special 150th Anniversary Abstract Booklet, which will become part of our historical archive capturing a snapshot of physiological research in 2026.
09:30 PL05 Breaking barriers, from the mile to the marathon: Physiological determinants of sporting success
Professor Andrew Jones, University of Exeter, UK
10:45 SA01 Role of ketone bodies in the regulation of skeletal muscle protein metabolism
Dr Tyler Churchward-Venne, McGill University, Canada
11:15 Exogenous ketones and carbohydrate metabolism: the key-to(ne) managing glycaemia?
Dr George Pavis, University of Exeter, UK
11:45 SA02 Effects of dietary and supplemental ketosis on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism
Professor Javier Gonzalez, University of Bath, UK
13:15 C01 Effects of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant supplementation on exercise-induced muscle damage and the repeated bout effect: An interim analysis
Max Davis, University of Bath, UK
13:30 C02 Semaglutide effects on muscle function and morphology in ageing: implications for nutritional physiology and sarcopenia mitigation
Matthew Davitt, Lancaster University, UK
13:45 C03 A self-selected vegan diet reduces skeletal muscle mass in healthy older adults: A randomized controlled trial
Dr Jacintha Domic, Wageningen University, Netherlands
14:00 C04 Protein requirements measured by the indicator amino acid oxidation method are elevated long-term after roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery in adult men
Gabriel Eksteen, University of Leuven, Belgium
14:45 SA03 Plant protein nutritional quality: What can in vitro models tell us about digestibility and amino acid Bioaccessibility?
Dr Patricia Duque-Estrada, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
15:15 SA04 The brain as a regulator of organismal amino acid homeostasis
Professor Clemence Blouet, University of Cambridge, UK
15:45 SA05 Protein and muscle conditioning: What's new?
Professor Luc van Loon, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
16:30 C05 Recycle, repair, recover: Investigating the human skeletal muscle autophagic response to muscle damaging resistance exercise and nutraceutical supplementation
Jordan Acheson, University of Birmingham, UK
16:37 C06 Comparative effects of butter, coconut oil, and olive oil-based ketogenic diets on liver and kidney function in wistar rats
Dr Bibiana Eiya, University of Benin, Nigeria
16:44 C07 Intergenerational and sex-specific effects of gestational exposure to low-level environmental chemical mixtures on skeletal muscle structure
Ansley Li, University of Glasgow, UK
16:51 C08 Diabetes-induced muscular atrophy was reversed by ocimum gratissimum leaf extract treatment in male wistar rat
Dr Shehu-Tijani Toyin Shittu, Crescent University, Nigeria
16:58 C09 Nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) deficiency impairs glucose tolerance and muscle endurance regardless of sex and age in B6JRccHsd mice
Jinmeng Yang, Wangingen University, Netherlands
17:05 C10 Chronic spinal cord injury is associated with lower fat-free mass across all body compartments compared to non-injured controls
Rebecca Young, University of Bath, UK
09:00 Metabolic phenotyping in obesity: Implications for precision nutrition
Professor Ellen Blaak, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
09:30 GLP1 based therapy: Skeletal muscle matters
Professor Dan Cuthbertson, University of Liverpool, UK
10:00 High-protein diets and glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes
Dr Gráinne Whelehan, University of Leicester, UK
11:00 SA06 The role of n-3 fatty acids in muscle health during ageing
Professor Stuart Gray, University of Glasgow, UK
11:30 SA07 Exercise and nutrition as co-regulators of skeletal muscle adaptation
Professor Brian Carson, University of Limerick, Ireland
12:00 SA08 Molecular and mitochondrial responses to exercise in human skeletal muscle myotubes
Dr John Noone, University of Limerick, Ireland
13:30 C11 The effect of sleep restriction on physical and subjective markers of recovery after a late-evening simulated soccer match in male team sport players
Vinicius Faria, Dublin City University, Ireland
13:45 C12 Possible sex-specific effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on muscle recovery following acute exercise in older adults
Dr Catrin Herpich, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Germany
14:00 C13 Metabolomic profiling of patients with heart failure and frailty: Cross-sectional insights related to inflammation and energy metabolism
Dr Konstantinos Prokopidis, University of Liverpool, UK
14:15 C14 Bolus feeding promotes coordinated temporal phosphorylation patterns in human skeletal muscle compared to continuous feeding
Dr Harry Smith, University of Bath, UK
15:00 SA09 The effect of menstrual cycle phase on muscle protein turnover
Dr Marianna Apicella, University of Leicester, UK
15:30 SA10 Aging muscle and anabolic resistance: From whole muscle to the single-fiber level
Dr Oscar Horwath, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
16:00 SA11 Sex differences in skeletal muscle response to endurance exercise
Dr Simon Dreher, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Germany
Registration
Registration is now closed.
To celebrate our 150th anniversary in 2026, we have introduced a new, more inclusive membership model, including the launch of a new free category, Associate Member, to welcome qualified individuals and strengthen the future of the Society. This is alongside reduced global membership fees to make joining and staying involved more accessible for all.
| Membership category | Early registration rate until 07 July 2026 | Standard registration rate until 27 July 2026 |
| Undergraduate & Master’s member | £50.00 | £100.00 |
| Postgraduate member | £50.00 | £100.00 |
| Full member (concessionary) * | £50.00 | £100.00 |
| Full member | £100.00 | £150.00 |
| Fellow member | £100.00 | £150.00 |
| Honorary Fellow | £100.00 | £150.00 |
| Retired member | £50.00 | £100.00 |
| Associate member | £150.00 | £200.00 |
| Non-member | £200.00 | £250.00 |
| ECR Non-member * | £100.00 | £150.00 |
*please email events@physoc.org for the discount code
Please note, Full Member (concessionary) refers to those who have Full Membership at the reduced rate.
Before registering, please read our event terms and conditions.
Member registration
In order to register as a member, you first need to log in with username and password. The system will default to the correct fee for your membership category.
Should you have any queries, please email events@physoc.org
Non-member registration
In order to register as a non-member you need to create a guest account.
Non-member rates include a complimentary one-year Society membership. Non-member attendees will be contacted after the event to confirm their membership activation.
By joining as a member, you will benefit from reduced registration and other key member benefits including:
- Free online access to The Society’s three world-class journals
- Free or discounted registration for Society events
- Eligibility for Society’s grant schemes
To find out more about membership with The Society, please click here or email membership@physoc.org
Applying for a visa
Do you need a visa to be able to participate in the meeting?
To check whether you need a visa to be able to attend, please click here
For more detailed information, application forms and guidance notes, please visit the official UK visa website.
It is recommended that you apply for your visa well in advance (at least 12 weeks before the meeting) as applications for UK visas in certain countries can take longer than expected. Attendees are requested that they book early enough and apply for a visa with sufficient time prior to the conference.
The conference organisers cannot be held responsible if delegates do not receive their visas in time, and the cancellation policy will automatically apply. Every effort will be made to support genuine applications. The conference organisers are happy to provide you with documentation to support your application which will be sent as a PDF attachment. If you require a hard copy to be sent to you, please include your mailing (postal) address. The Physiological Society will only send via regular post.
Documentation to support visa applications will only be provided to those attendees who have registered to attend.
Please complete the webform below, and attach confirmation of your registration, and submitted abstract (if appropriate).
Supporting documentation will be distributed within 10 working days – it is the responsibility of the attendee to allow sufficient time for processing.
Please note that The Society are not involved with and cannot influence consular decisions.
Abstracts
Abstract submission is now closed. All submitters have been notified with regards to abstract acceptance and also presentation type. If you have not received an email please contact events@physoc.org
Please view our presentation guidelines in preparation for the meeting and make sure to register for the conference to join the discussions, network with peers, and expand your knowledge with the latest advancements in the field.
Key Information
Key Dates
| Registration opens | 02 March 2026 |
| Abstract submission opens | 01 April 2026 |
| Abstract submission closes | 31 May 2026 |
| Early review deadline | 15 April 2026 |
| Early bird registration deadline | 07 July 2026 |
| Conference Attendance Award deadline | 30 June 2026 |
| Registration deadline | 27 July 2026 |
| Meeting dates | 25 – 26 August 2026 |
Venue
The meeting will take place in the XFi Building at the University of Exeter, Streatham campus.
University of Exeter XFi Centre for Finance and Investment
Rennes Dr
Exeter
EX4 4ST
Below are directions to the campus. The conference venue is building 30 on the university campus map.
Travel
By train
The venue is a 20 minute walk from both Exeter St David‘s and Exeter Central rail stations. Taxis are available outside the station.
Plan your journey here.
By bus
National Express bus routes stop at Exeter coach station from various locations in UK.
The conference venue is a 20 minute walk from the coach station.
Plan your journey here.
Local UNI buses run between the city centre and the university.
By taxi
Apple Taxis Exeter have a dedicated taxi rank on campus. Apple Taxis have offices at both Exeter St David’s rail station and Exeter International Airport.
By plane
Exeter is served by Exeter International Airport. There are direct flights from various airports in the UK and Ireland.
Accommodation
We do not have a specific conference hotel so attendees are able to choose accommodation which meets their needs and budgets.
A limited number of University accommodation rooms are available to book at Holland Hall, which is a 13 minute walk from the conference venue.
The following hotels are also within walking distance of the venue:
Support to Attend
The grants below support attendance at our events.
Grants for Carers
We care because you do. We are aware that many of our members have caring responsibilities or need care. We have funds allocated to help you with care costs to facilitate your attendance at meetings.
Conference Attendance Award
Up to £375 for the support of member engagement at our own meetings. The deadline for this meeting is 30 June 2026.
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In addition, attending our conferences also gives you an invaluable opportunity to network with influential scientists from around the UK, Europe and further afield.
All external funding is used to support the scientific community by keeping event registration fees at an affordable level and to achieve the charitable aims of The Society.
Partner Packages
Opportunities range from a standard tabletop exhibition space, to more comprehensive sponsorship packages, including advertising, session sponsorship and speaking slots at the meeting.
To discuss your requirements in more detail and build a package that suits you, contact us today at events@physoc.org.