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Dr Les Wood
Senior Lecturer in Physiology
E: L.Wood2@gcu.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)141 881 8518
Profile:
I graduated in Physiology from Glasgow University in 1981 and subsequently undertook a PhD in Physiology at Glasgow working with Bill Ferrell on pressure-volume relationships in joints and their effects on the discharge of articular mechanoreceptors. A post-doctoral position at Glasgow followed, working with Bill Ferrell and Ron Baxendale on the reflex effects of joint afferent stimulation on motor units and muscle contraction. In 1987 I took up an appointment as Lecturer in Physiology at Queen’s College, Glasgow becoming Senior Lecturer in 1991 and joined the Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences as Senior Lecturer in Physiology when GCU was formed in 1992. I took over from Iain Wilkie as Head of Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences in 2008 until 2011 when the Department of Life Sciences was formed.
Research Interests:
Recent research has concentrated on three main areas:
- Cutaneous influences on motoneuronal excitability in humans: afferent inputs from the skin can have powerful influences on the excitability of motoneurones in the spinal cord. In work in conjunction with Dr. Joyce Nicol and Christina Thulin from Umea, Sweden, we have previously monitored changes in the excitability of the H-reflex during simple, non-noxious mechanical stimulation of the skin via brushing. This demonstrated a strong reduction in triceps surae H-reflex excitability which is frequency-dependent and which is also dependent on stimulation of cutaneous afferents in areas close to the muscle. Elaine Carruth has just completed her PhD project with me, investigating further types of cutaneous and muscular inputs with the possibility of utilising these techniques as part of a therapeutic intervention in the treatment of spasticity.
- Factors influencing muscle fatigue in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS): Patients with CFS often complain of debilitating muscle fatigue following periods of exercise and this is often seen to be worse at 24 hours or more after the period of exercise. Research with Lorna Paul has demonstrated a delay in recovery of muscle strength at this time. We have also demonstrated some effects of exercise on the gait and balance of these patients. More recent work with Rebecca Marshall has focused on establishing pain treatment protocols for subjects with CFS.
- Use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation as a treatment for spasticity and pain in multiple sclerosis: in collaboration with Linda Miller, Ayrshire Central Hospital. Nutritional status in patients with MS: in collaboration with Helen Bennewith.
Teaching Interests:
- I have extensive experience in teaching across many programmes and modules at all levels both within the Department of Life Sciences and to programmes in other departments. My main teaching areas are in neurophysiology and pathophysiology and in general physiology.
- In 2011 I was awarded a Student-Led Teaching Award for effective teaching that helps make sense of the subject.
Recent Publications:
- Marshall R, Paul, L and Wood L (2012). The search for pain relief in people with chronic fatigue syndrome: a descriptive study. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice. In Press. Early Online. DOI: 10.3109/09593985.2010.502554
- Marshall R, Paul L, McFadyen AK, Rafferty D and Wood L (2010): Pain characteristics of people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain 18 127 – 137
- Paul L, Rafferty D, Wood L and Maclaren W (2008): Gait characteristics of subjects with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and controls at self-selected and matched velocities. Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation. 5:16
- Miller L, Mattison P, Paul L, Wood L (2007): The Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) on Spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis 13 527 – 533
Research Collaborators:
- Lorna Paul
- Elaine Kennedy/Carruth
- Joyce Nicol
- Rebecca Marshall
- Linda Miller
- Helen Bennewith
Research Alumni:
- Previous PhD students:
- Dr. Lorna Paul (now Reader in Rehabilitiation, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow) http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/medicine/staff/lornapaul/
- Dr. Margot McBride (now Lecturer in School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Dundee)
- Dr. Elaine Carruth, (Lecturer in Physiotherapy, Glasgow Caledonian University )
Memberships:
- Member of The Physiological Society
- Member of the British Neuroscience Association
External Ph.D Examiner:
- Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, June 1995
- Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, March 1997
- Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, April 2003
- Dept. of Applied Physiology, University of Strathclyde, March 2007
- Institute for Sport and Health, University College Dublin, March 2012
External MPhil Examiner:
- Dept. of Bioengineering, University of Strathclyde, January 2000
External Examiner:
- B.Sc. Sport & Exercise Science, University of Strathclyde, 1997 - 2002
- B.Sc. Health Sciences, University of Abertay, 2007 – present
I am a keen and experienced brass player, having been a Scottish Champion on ten occasions, and have represented Scotland at many National and International competitions I enjoy hillwalking (and I’m proud to have reached the summit of Kilimanjaro) and photography (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7766159@N08/). I also write in my spare time and have had several short stories and poetry published in various anthologies and magazines and in 2002 was a winner of the prestigious Canongate Prize for New Writing. I graduated with an MPhil in Creative Writing from the University of Glasgow in 2007.