Dr Liba Sheeran

Liba Sheeran¡¯s teaching is closely aligned with her research in musculoskeletal health and digital innovation. She embeds AI, biomechanics, and digital self-management into physiotherapy and allied health curricula, preparing students for future-ready practice. Her teaching spans undergraduate to doctoral levels, with particular focus on pain, sports and exercise physiotherapy, and technology-enhanced rehabilitation. Internationally, she contributes as Visiting Teaching Fellow at the University of Salzburg and SUPSI, Switzerland, and delivers specialist training through professional bodies such as Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports and Exercise Medicine (ACPSEM), and Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and Ergonomics (ACPOHE).

Dr Liba Sheeran is Associate Professor of Allied Health Professions (Physiotherapy) at the University of Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖÆåÅÆ_Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖAPP-¹ÙÍø|ÏÂÔØ She has a balanced portfolio of education, research and enterprise, underpinned by over 20 years of clinical and translational research experience in musculoskeletal health. Clinically active as a consultant physiotherapist for Swiss Bobsleigh, German Ski Federation and Athletics, she integrates clinical insight complex spine pain management, with academic innovation to deliver impact in healthcare and occupational health. 

Her research leadership is evidenced by securing over ?8.6M in funding, authoring 40+ peer-reviewed papers, and developing AI-enabled tools (BACK-on-LINE?, BACK-to-MOVE, SpineSighter, BackTracker) now embedded in NHS and workplace health settings. These innovations have attracted partnerships with industry and occupational health organisations including IBM Insights, getUBetter, and the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). They have been cited in national policy, demonstrating international impact, further evidenced by an h-index of 14 (i10-index 16), >1322 citations (Google Scholar) and >2,700 captures (PlumX).

In education, she has led curriculum development embedding digital health and AI into physiotherapy and allied health doctoral, postgraduate and undergraduate programmes, and supervised numerous doctoral and postgraduate researchers. She is internationally established in physiotherapy education as Visiting Teaching Fellow at the University of Salzburg and SUPSI, co-developer of Pain-Ed courses, and invited educator at ACPSEM, ACPOHE and Isokinetic Football Conferences.

Dr Sheeran's academic leadership includes election as Vice President-Elect of the Society for Back Pain Research, membership of NIHR i4i Funding Committees and the NIHR & Versus Arthritis MSK Translational Research Collaboration, and advisory roles with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy on digital strategy. Through these positions she has shaped research priorities, funding decisions and digital health strategy at national and international levels.