THE brief biography is enlightening, not least because of the order in which Dr Harry Leitch chooses to list his credentials.

"Medical student. Researcher in stem cells, epigenetics and developmental biology. Scottish squash player," reads the profile atop his Twitter page, its sequence suggesting that the sport is little more than a hobby; something that the 28-year-old academic uses as a release from his more sober responsibilities at Wolfson College in Cambridge.

After a fashion, such a summation is accurate. The Edinburgh native talks of the "primal" appeal of the "one-one-one warfare" of squash and of how having a racket in hand ignites a "relatively fiery" demeanour that is in sharp contrast to his daily deportment. Yet to assume its importance is housed only with the confines of the court would be a gross underestimation. So committed is Leitch to the sport that, during his four-year PhD - a feted embryonic stem cell biology thesis entitled Pluripotency and the Germline - he disappeared to Delhi to compete in the last Commonwealth Games, much to the surprise of his superiors. "Thankfully, they took it quite well . . ." he says, archly.

The sabbatical was worth it, even if he returned empty handed. Leitch and doubles partner Alan Clyne were ranked fifth in 2010 but sprung a shock by overcoming English third seeds Peter Barker and Daryl Selby in the last eight before falling to second seeds Stewart Boswell and David Palmer of Australia in the semi-finals, then another highly-regarded Australian pair, Ryan Cuskelly and Cameron Pilley, in the bronze-medal match. "We were very close to the podium," Leitch recalls. "But three years on we've improved individually and matured as a team and I wouldn't have put in the effort if I didn't think we'd be on that podium somewhere in Glasgow."

The Scots can be permitted such confidence, not just because of their efforts in India but also because of the vagaries of doubles. The gruelling demands of the professional circuit mean the world's elite simply do not have the time to hone their skills in what is a very different discipline, so that established pairs have a substantial advantage. While Clyne, as someone who is on the fringes of the world's top 30, comes into that category, he recognises that playing in tandem with doubles specialist Leitch is perhaps a more realistic source of success and so dedicates more time than many of his singles rivals.

Their showing at the Scottish Open earlier this season was the first in several months - an intermission punctuated by extensive email discussions analysing their on-court relationship - but their successful run highlighted their capabilities. "It was like pulling on an old pair of shoes," Leitch says. "We both settled into the old habits and I actually felt like we'd moved on despite not being on court because we'd had time to think about it and regain our focus."

That familiarity contributes to a hugely different dynamic from the one which characterised Leitch's first experience of the Commonwealth Games. Selected to travel to Melbourne in 2006, the then 21-year-old was paired with John White, who had only recently been deposed as the world No.1, and vividly recalls being "victimised" by opponents who identified him as the weak link of the pair.

That approach was misguided. The Scots reached the last eight before falling to the eventual winners, Lee Beechill and Peter Nicol, who by then had opted to represent England and also won singles gold. "In the quarter-finals, I was the only guy on court who hadn't been ranked world No.1," Leitch recalls. "I knew I would never be a full-time professional but it showed me I could handle the pressure and compete with these guys on a doubles court and that has been the basis for my journey through the sport ever since."

That attitude is one Leitch will try to transmit to his team-mates ahead of next summer. A sizeable Scottish contingent impressed in Australia recently at the Darwin International Doubles, facing most of the teams they will likely meet in Glasgow. Leitch and Clyne were disappointed to take only bronze in the men's event - the three other Scottish pairs finished fifth, sixth and ninth - while Alex Clark and Frania Gillen-Buchert lost a medal play-off in the women's event and another two partnerships showed up strongly in the mixed, finishing fifth and sixth.

The results were a validation of Scottish Squash's decision to focus on doubles after Melbourne, having recognised that it offered a more realistic chance of winning a first Commonwealth medal since 1998, and indicated that they are in good shape ahead of Glasgow after further valuable experience of competing against the top nations. "It's important to have the belief that what we're doing is good enough to get results," says Leitch.

While July might still seem a long way away for some of the younger members of the team, for Leitch it will be the culmination of four years in which he has had to listen to certain members of the academic community question why he is "wasting time on squash" that he could devote to his research instead. He concedes there have been times when he has considered whether it is worth it - "probably every month, actually" - but suspects neither of his passions would be improved by stepping away from the other.

Fulfilling his dream of winning a Commonwealth medal might change his mind but, equally, it might only fuel his desire for more. "I'll have qualified from medicine shortly before the Games and will hopefully start work as a doctor just after," he explains. "Maybe winning a medal in Glasgow will be enough? Maybe I'll want to keep going? I just don't know. I've muddled along not badly so far and it's worked out okay so hopefully that will continue."