Marianna Apicella
I joined the Leicester Lifestyle and Health Research Group as a Research Associate in 2025, where my work focuses broadly on protein and muscle metabolism, including strategies to mitigate muscle mass loss during weight loss. I completed my PhD at the University of Exeter, investigating how menstrual cycle phases and fluctuations in female sex hormones influence muscle protein turnover.
Alongside my research, I have four years of lecturing experience, teaching undergraduate sport and exercise science students. I previously studied at Loughborough University, earning a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science followed by an MSc in Sport and Exercise Nutrition.
Favourite way to be active
Resistance exercise and Pilates.
Contact
marianna.apicella@leicester.ac.uk
Research Areas
Nutrition
Muscle metabolism
Protein metabolism
Female physiology
Exercise physiology
Obesity
Current Projects
OPAL - Investigating and Optimising Physical Function with Weight Loss: A Multi-Arm Open Label Adaptive Platform Trial.