• Skip to content
  • Skip to footer
  • Accessibility options
University of Brighton
  • About us
  • Business and
    employers
  • Alumni and
    supporters
  • For
    students
  • For
    staff
  • Accessibility
    options
Open menu
Home
Home
  • Close
  • Study
    • Courses and subjects
    • Find a course
    • A-Z course list
    • Explore our subjects
    • Academic departments
    • Visiting the university
    • Explore online
    • Online events
    • Virtual tours
    • Chat to our students and staff
    • Open days
    • Applicant days
    • Order a prospectus
    • Ask a question
    • Studying here
    • Clearing 2021
    • Accommodation and locations
    • Applying
    • Undergraduate
    • Postgraduate
    • Transferring from another university
    • The Student Contract
    • International students
    • Fees and finance
    • Advice and help
    • Advice for students
    • Advice for parents and carers
    • Advice for schools and teachers
    • Managing your application
    • Undergraduate
    • Postgraduate
  • Research and enterprise
    • Research and enterprise
    • Research and enterprise organisation
    • Brighton Futures – our themes
    • Centres of Research and Enterprise Excellence (COREs)
    • Research and Enterprise Groups (REGs)
    • Our research database
    • Information for business
    • Community University Partnership Programme (CUPP)
    • Postgraduate research degrees
    • PhD research disciplines and programmes
    • PhD funding opportunities and studentships
    • How to apply for your PhD
    • Research environment
    • Investing in research careers
    • Strategic plan
    • Research concordat
    • News, events, publications and films
    • Research and enterprise news
    • Research and enterprise public events
    • Inaugural lectures
    • Research publications and films
    • Academic staff search
  • About us
  • Business and employers
  • Alumni, supporters and giving
  • Current students
  • Staff
  • Accessibility
Search our site
Book on beach
Research and enterprise
  • Research organisation
  • Postgraduate research degrees
  • News and events
  • Research environment
  • Postgraduate research degrees
    • Postgraduate research degrees
    • PhD-films
    • Our postgraduate research disciplines
    • Funding and studentships
    • Apply for a PhD
    • Support and training
    • Research Masters
    • Postgraduate virtual events
    • Contact us
  • Research students
    • Research students
    • Shaun Williams
    • Alex Fitch
    • Alexander Kolliari-Turner
    • Arben Lubach
    • Ash Willmott
    • Bahar Khayamian Esfahani
    • Caleb Madden
    • Caroline Hamilton
    • Catherine Payne
    • Charlotte Coombs
    • Claudia Treacher
    • Conor Sheehan
    • Conor Strong
    • Daniel Nsikane
    • David Felix
    • Dicle Kortantamer
    • Emelia Akashah Patah Akhir
    • Filippo Gerbino
    • Gelu Varghese
    • Gemma Williams
    • Gregor Eichhorn
    • Hannah Ray
    • Hanno Martens
    • Hiba Almasri
    • Indra Kusumawardhana
    • Isa Kwabe
    • Jane Frances Dunlop
    • Jennifer Holland
    • Jocelyn Bailey
    • Josie Maitland
    • Judith Roemhild-Raviart
    • Julian D Riano
    • Katie McCallum
    • Kimberley Chandler
    • Lilián Sánchez-Moreno
    • Lujain Yousif Mirza
    • Majed Al-Jefri
    • Mana Al Mashreef
    • Maria Gebbels
    • Mariana Lima
    • Marta Falcinelli
    • Mary Edward
    • Matyas Varga
    • Merryn Haines-Gadd
    • Mohammed Ghazi Al-Obeidallah
    • Myrsini Samaroudi
    • Nagham Al-Qaysi
    • Niall Walkden
    • Oliver Gibson
    • Samuel Penny
    • Shafq Al-Azzawi
    • Shai Kassirer
    • Tom Raven
    • Wulan Koagouw
    • Yahya Ibraheem
    • Aaron Greenhouse-Tucknott
    • Antonia Karanikolou
    • Ben Duncan
    • Carl James
    • Emily Watkins
    • Gareth Turner
    • Jake Butterworth
    • James Wrightson
    • Jet Van Zalen
    • Kirsty Waldock
    • Marina Garcia Hortal
    • Rebecca Relf
    • Rosemary Twomey
  • Alexander Kolliari-Turner

Alexander Kolliari-Turner

Alex graduated from the University of Oxford with a BA in Biological Sciences in 2015. He achieved the highest 2:1 in his year group and was awarded the Heron-Allen Academic Scholarship from Lady Margaret Hall.

Email address: A.Kolliari-Turner@brighton.ac.uk

Qualification: PhD

Timeframe: November 2017- November 2024

Alex-Kolliari-Turner

Thesis title

Implications of RNA-seq in the detection of anabolic steroid use and the harnessing of the molecular mechanism(s) of muscle memory

My research

Studies in both humans and mice have demonstrated that anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) can increase the number of nuclei within muscle fibres. This accretion of “myonuclei” is how AAS increase hypertrophy via enhanced rates of protein synthesis. In a mouse model these myonuclei have been demonstrated to be retained after AAS usage has ceased and these subsequently elevated levels facilitate muscle re-growth and thus enhance "muscle memory". These findings indicate that the benefits of AAS usage are long lasting and suggest that if an athlete serves a ban and returns to sport they may have a permanent advantage in their ability to build muscle - even when they are no longer taking AAS. Previous studies on powerlifters who took AAS in the past (PREV group), but are currently drug free, have demonstrated that these individuals have more myonuclei in their trapezius muscle than powerlifters who are currently using AAS (PAS group), clean powerlifters (P group) and controls (C group). Additionally, the number of myonuclei within the vastus lateralis was comparable between the PREV and P groups. This data suggests that the myonuclei obtained via strength training and AAS usage are retained in humans and therefore could provide long term advantages to AAS users, but more data is needed to confirm this hypothesis. This thesis aims to recruit similar groups to further investigate muscle memory. Additionally, RNA-Sequencing will be conducted on blood samples to explore the possibility of a transcriptomic signature of doping that could enhance AAS detection strategies.       

Funder: World Anti-Doping Agency

Supervisors

Professor Yannis Pitsiladis

Dr Guan Wang

Back to top
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn icon

Contact us

University of Brighton
Mithras House
Lewes Road
Brighton
BN2 4AT

Main switchboard 01273 600900

Course enquiries

Sign up for updates

University contacts

Report a problem with this page

Quick links

  • Courses
  • Open days
  • Order a prospectus
  • Academic departments
  • Academic staff
  • Professional services departments
  • Jobs
  • Privacy and cookie policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Libraries
  • Term dates
  • Maps
  • Graduation
  • Site information
  • Online shop
  • COVID-19

Information for

  • Current students
  • International students
  • Media/press
  • Careers advisers/teachers
  • Parents/carers
  • Business/employers
  • Alumni/supporters
  • Suppliers
  • Local residents