Musculo-Skeletal system, Locomotion, Exercise
The overall purpose of the MuSkLE (Musculo-Skeletal system, Locomotion & Exercise) consortium is to set up a network of close to 600 scientists (18 teams and 8 institutes) and clinicians in Saint-Etienne and Lyon specialized in the study of the musculoskeletal system, locomotion and exercise.
MuSkLE aims at identifying the impact of physical exercise, in particular locomotor activities, on the entire musculoskeletal system in different physiological (e.g., athletes, nutrition) and pathophysiological contexts (e.g., osteoporosis, neuromuscular diseases, cancer, inflammatory rheumatism, aging…). Indeed, exercise has been consistently described as a ‘polypill’ to prevent and care multiple diseases but the posology still has to be defined and individualized.
The objective is to break down the borders between fields to propose a true interdisciplinary research on this theme from a molecular to an integrative level, using different models (cell, drosophila, zebrafish, rodent, athlete, patient…).
This original and multi-scale approach (i.e., cellular, tissue, whole organ) will allow to:
- Improve our understanding of several diseases
- Study the role of physical exercise and locomotion in their management,
- Understand the plasticity of this system in response to exercise,
- Understand the plasticity of this system in response to exercise,
The MuSkLE consortium is coordinated by Dr Rémi Mounier and Prof. Vincent Pialoux.
2025-2026: Call for Excellence Scholarships
1st year of Master
We are pleased to announce the launching of the Excellence Scholarship Campaign for Masters students who wish to attend the master 1 of the MuSkLE Graduate Programme.
- Submissions open: December 17, 2025
- Deadline for applications: February 28, 2026
2025-2026: Call for Excellence Scholarships
2nd year of Master
We are pleased to announce the launching of the Excellence Scholarship Campaign for Masters students who wish to attend one of the masters 2 of the MuSkLE Graduate Programme.
- Submissions open: December 17, 2025
- Deadline for applications: February 28, 2026
2025-2028: Call for Excellence Doctoral Scholarship InnovInOnco/MuSkLE
The Lyon1 University is very proud to announce scholarships in support of excellent students who wish to complete their PhD in France, in an interdisciplinary doctoral program dedicated to link Oncology and the musculoskeletal system. Scholarships are supported by the Graduate initiative InnovInOnco and MuSkLE within the Graduate + framework.
- Deadline: May 04, 2025
MuSkLE: Summer school
May 31 to June 05, 2026 – Lyon
We welcome Bachelor (in priority) and Master students in molecular biology, cell biology, medicine, physiotherapy, physiology and exercise science interested in research on the musculo-skeletal system.
Application dealine: January 9, 2026
Internship offers - Master
The Graduate Initiative “Musculoskeletal System, Locomotion, and Exercise” will fund several research internship grants for Master’s students for the 2025/2026 academic year.
Find all internship opportunities at the link below.
Fields
Musculo-Skeletal system
Biology
Biomechanics
Health
Kinesiology
Medicine
Physiology
A Programme from Master to PhD
Upon entering the Graduate+ Initiatives Master programme, students will work closely with faculty and researchers to build their academic project. Each student will be assigned an academic advisor and will be actively involved in research activities throughout the programme.
Select from one of our Master's programmes and map out your own academic journey. You can customise your path according to your interests and objectives with a diverse range of Master's options.
Master in Integrative Biology and Physiology
M1 : Musculo-Skeletal system, Locomotion, Exercise (M1 MuSkLE)
M2 : Musculo-Skeletal system, Locomotion, Exercise (M2 MuSkLE)
M2 : Régulations cardiovasculaires, métaboliques et nutritionnelles - Cardiovascular, Metabolic, and Nutritional Regulations
M2 : Recherche animale pré-clinique et clinique - Pre-clinical and Clinical Animal Research
STAPS Master's: Training and Optimization of Sports Performance
M2 : Musculo-Skeletal system, Locomotion, Exercise (M2 MuSkLE)
M2 : Sciences du Mouvement et Santé - Movement Sciences and Health
M2 : Préparation du sportif: aspects physiques, mentaux et ré-atlhétisation - Athlete Preparation: Physical, Mental, and Re-athletization Aspects
Master in Mechanical Engineering
Master in Health Engineering
M2 : Recherche et réhabilitation du handicap moteur - Research and Rehabilitation of Motor Disability
Doctoral research is conducted in a partner laboratory at Graduate +. The training takes place in a doctoral school.
Associated doctoral schools:
Ecole Doctorale Interdisciplinaire Sciences Santé (EDISS ED 205) - Health Sciences
Ecole Doctorale Sciences, Ingénierie, Santé (SIS ED 488) - Science, Engineering and Health
Ecole Doctorale Biologie Moléculaire Intégrative et Cellulaire (BMIC ED 340) - Integrative and Cellular Molecular Biology
Ecole Doctorale Mécanique, énergétique, génie civil, acoustique (MEGA ED 162) - Mechanics, Energy, Civil Engineering and Acoustics
Partner laboratories
LIBM - Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité
LBMC - Laboratoire de Biologie et Modélisation de la Cellule
Institut NeuroMyoGène - Physiopathologie et Génétique du Neurone et du Muscle
CarMeN Lyon - Laboratoire Cardiovasculaire, métabolisme, Diabète et Nutrition
LYOS - Laboratoire Pathophysiology, Diagnosis & Treatments of Musculoskeletal Disorders