Dr Ian-Ju Liang

Dr Ian-Ju Liang is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Medical School, working on the Digital PROSPER (PRevention Of Shoulder ProblEms tRial) project, which aims to develop a digital version of an evidence-based rehabilitation programme that has been shown to be clinically and cost-effective in improving quality of life and function in people who have undergone breast cancer treatment.

Before joining Exeter, she worked at the University of Dundee in the Chronic Pain Research Group, where her work focused on supporting physical activity engagement in people with chronic pain. She led two major projects: C-Picture, which focused on the development and validation of an algorithm to identify people with chronic pain using primary care data, and SUSSED, which explored barriers and motivators for physical activity in this population and involved the development of a clinical decision support tool to improve physical activity levels and quality of life. Prior to this, she worked at the University of Bath, leading interdisciplinary research focused on promoting health in older adults and exploring exercise physiology, including personalised digital prehabilitation prior to major elective surgery. Previously, Dr Liang led research investigating the impact of synchronous online exercise programmes in older populations, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. She completed her PhD in Health at the University of Bath, where she conducted cross-cultural research on exercise interventions to improve physical function, cognition, and wellbeing in older adults. Dr Liang also holds a Master’s in Physical Education from National Cheng Kung University and a BSc in Sports Medicine from Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan.

Dr Liang’s research interests lie at the intersection of physical activity, sports science, and health promotion. She is particularly focused on developing sustainable, personalised interventions and digital tools that support individuals with long-term conditions to initiate and maintain meaningful physical activity.

Alongside her academic work, Dr Liang serves on the research committee for the National Physical Fitness Instructor Certification Regulations under Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, Sports Administration. Her expertise spans sports medicine, health promotion, and mixed-methods research, with a focus on developing evidence-based, person-centred interventions to improve health and quality of life. In addition, she is a certified athletic trainer, corrective exercise specialist, and ACE certified personal trainer, with extensive experience in sports injury prevention, sports taping and athletic functional training, post-injury rehabilitation, soft tissue treatment and motion correction, and physical activity training in the general population.