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Dr Lucy Spain, PhD

  • Lecturer in Biological and Biomedical Science
  • Institute of Science and Environment
  • Active Ageing Research Group (AARG)
  • Science
Dr Lucy Spain, PhD

Biography

I completed my BSc in Biomedical Science at Sheffield University, going on to study my PhD in the Medical School which moved my focus to clinical applications of basic biology. I gained experience in a truly interdisciplanary field, combining engineering techniques and analyses, human physiology and clinical science to evaluate the potential use of whole body vibration as a therapy for osteoporosis, by quantifying the impact it has on the skeleton. This sparked my enthusiasm for investigating physical activities as a countermeasure to ageing and I applied my medical engineering skills in a postdoctoral research position looking to develop a new diagnostic technique for osteoarthritis. 
Following on from my postdoctoral  research post, I developed my lecturing in further education before moving into the role of lecturer of biological and biomedical science.
 

Qualifications and memberships

PhD: 'Evaluation of the Impact of Mechanical Vibration on the Adult Skeleton' (University of Sheffield Medical School)
 
BSc Biomedical Scince (University of Sheffield)
 
Society for Endocrinology: Scientist-in-training
 

Academic and research interests

My research interest lies in the use of exercise and physical interventions for the management of musculoskeletal conditions in older populations. In addition to this, I also have an interest in the effects of ultra distance sport on the musculoskeletal system amongst other physiological systems. I conduct research in the following areas:

Clinical trials

Clinical Diagnostics

Bone biochemistry

Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics

Ageing

Publications

Spain L, Yang L, Wilkinson JM, McCloskey E. (2021) Transmission of whole body vibration - Comparison of three vibration platforms in healthy subjects. Bone. Mar;144:115802. 

Spain L. & Cheneler, D. (2020). Acoustic Monitoring of Joint Health, Data Acquisition - Recent Advances and Applications in Biomedical Engineering, Bartłomiej Płaczek, IntechOpen, 

Daniela K. Schlüter, Lucy Spain, Wei Quan, Harry Southworth, Nicola Platt, Joe Mercer, Lik-Kwan Shark,  John C. Waterton, Mike Bowes, Peter J. Diggle, Mandy Dixon, Jane Huddleston, John Goodacre. (2019) Use of acoustic emission to identify novel candidate biomarkers for knee osteoarthritis. Plosone

Spain L, Rajoub B, Schlüter D, Waterton J, Bowes M, Shark LK, Diggle P, Goodacre J. Biomarkers for Knee Osteoarthritis: New Technologies, New Paradigms. Clinical Rheumatology (2015).

John Goodacre, Daniela K Schlueter, Lik-Kwan Shark, Lucy Spain, Nicola Platt, Nicola Platt, Joe Mercer, John C Waterton, Mike Bowes, Mandy Dixon, Jane Huddleston; 097 Identifying novel acoustic emission biomarkers for use in knee osteoarthritis clinical trials, Rheumatology, Volume 57, Issue suppl_3, 1 April 2018.