Martin Whitham

Dr Martin Whitham is a Senior Lecturer in Exercise Metabolism at the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham. He leads the Tissue Cross Talk laboratory, focusing on endocrinology and inter-tissue communication during exercise. His research investigates the role of extracellular vesicles, exosomes, and myokines in metabolic health and disease.

• PhD in Exercise Physiology, University of Birmingham
• BSc (Hons) in Physiology & Sports Science, University of Glasgow

His research interests include Exercise Metabolism, Endocrinology during exercise, Extracellular Vesicles, Quantitative Proteomics, and Myokines. He employs advanced techniques such as mass spectrometry to study inter-tissue signalling in health and disease. His work bridges molecular physiology with clinical applications in metabolic disorders like diabetes.

Dr Whitham’s recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on exosome-mediated tissue crosstalk, myokine biology, and the molecular regulation of metabolic responses to exercise. His work has contributed to redefining how exercise-induced signals are transmitted systemically via vesicles and proteins.

Scientific Awards and Recognition:

• Invited speaker at the 2019 'Rising Stars in Physiology' August Krogh Symposium, Copenhagen
• Presentations at Experimental Biology Conference (USA), SCWD Cachexia Conference (Netherlands), and Endocrine Society of Australia Conference

He mentors several researchers, including Dr Alex Seabright (Wellcome Trust ISSF Accelerator Fellow), Dr Luke McIlvenna, Hannah-Jade Parker (MRC-Versus Arthritis PhD student), and MSc students Evie Angilheri and Benedict Sale. He has received research funding and leads collaborative projects across institutions.

Dr Whitham holds a secondary affiliation as Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Australia. He is actively involved in professional service as a member of the editorial boards of the European Journal of Extracellular Vesicles and Cell Stress & Chaperones, and as a member of the American Physiological Society, UK Extracellular Vesicle Society, and the Endocrinology Society, UK.