Georgina Stebbings

Dr Georgina Stebbings is the Head of the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences and a Reader at Manchester Metropolitan University. She holds a PhD in Sport and Exercise Genomics (2015) and specializes in genetic influences on sports performance and injury risk, particularly in elite athletes. Her research focuses on optimizing training, mitigating injury risks in female athletes, and understanding testosterone suppression effects in trans women. She has contributed to high-impact publications and policy discussions on sex eligibility in sports, notably through BASES expert statements.

Georgina’s career includes roles as a Physical Performance Coach with The FA and Programme Leader for BSc Sport and Exercise Science (Distance Learning). She actively contributes to education innovation in distance learning and has supervised over 10 PhD students. She is a BASES-accredited sport scientist and convenes the Molecular Exercise Physiology Special Interest Group, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.

Her teaching spans undergraduate/postgraduate physiology, genetics, and applied sport science. She has examined numerous postgraduate research projects and external programmes. Key research areas include genetic associations with marathon performance, injury predisposition, and the physiological impacts of gender-affirming therapy.

Georgina’s work has been widely cited in media (e.g., The Independent, The Times) and broadcast (BBC local radio). She bridges academic research with applied sport science, emphasizing evidence-based policies for athlete inclusion and fairness.