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Research project

Hanson RG/15/17/31749 Epigenetic Biomarkers and Determinants of Cardiovascular Risk in Children

Project overview

This application aims to determine: early biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk at birth/during childhood; the window(s) when early life interventions to reduce the risk of obesity and CVD are most effective; and the nature of potentially effective intervention(s). In the Southampton Women's Survey (SWS) prospective preconception cohort, we have discovered perinatal epigenetic biomarkers of later CVD risk in mechanistically relevant genes, now confirmed in our other cohorts. We will determine how these biomarkers relate to the trajectory of adiposity, cardiovascular structure, function and fitness in SWS children to age 12yrs. Using SWS samples collected at birth and age 12yrs we will extend our panel of epigenetic biomarkers and investigate interactions with fixed genetic variants in relation to CVD risk. Then we will relate the resulting biomarker panel to CVD risk in children from ongoing cohorts in which pre- or post-natal interventions to modify risk factors are being made.

Staff

Lead researchers

Emeritus Professor Mark Hanson

Research interests
  • Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD)
  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Developmental nutrition and epigenetic mechanisms
Connect with Mark

Email: M.Hanson@soton.ac.uk

Other researchers

Professor Cyrus Cooper

Prof Rheumatology Clinical Epidemiology
Research interests
  • Key research contributions have been:
  • discovery of the developmental influences which contribute to the risk of osteoporosis and hi…
  • demonstration that maternal vitamin D insufficiency is associated with sub-optimal bone miner…
Connect with Cyrus

Email: cc@mrc.soton.ac.uk

Professor Keith Godfrey

Associate Dean – KEE
Connect with Keith

Email: kmg@mrc.soton.ac.uk

Emeritus Professor Hazel Inskip MSc, PhD, FFPH

Connect with Hazel

Email: hmi@mrc.soton.ac.uk

Collaborating research institutes, centres and groups

Research outputs

Longitudinal analysis between maternal feeding practices and body mass index (BMI): a study in Asian Singaporean pre-schoolers
Phaik Quah, Jing Chun Ng, Lisa Fries, Mei Jun Chan, Izzuddin M. Aris, Yung Seng Lee, Fabian Yap, Keith Godfrey, Yap-Seng Chong, Lynette P. Shek, Kok Hian Tan, Ciaran G Forde & Mary F.F. Chong, 2019, Frontiers in Nutrition
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2019.00032
Type: article
The development and evaluation of a Diet Quality Index for Asian toddlers and its perinatal correlates: the GUSTO cohort study
Ling-Wei Chen, Si Ming Fung, Doris Fok, Lai Peng Leong, Jia Ying Toh, Hui Xian Lim, Wei Wei Pang, Kok Hian Tan, Yap-Seng Chong, Fabian Yap, Keith Godfrey, Yung Seng Lee & Mary Foong-Fong Chong, 2019, Nutrients, 11(3)
DOI: 10.3390/nu11030535
Type: article
Association between early life weight gain and abdominal fat partitioning at 4.5 year is sex-, ethnicity- and age-dependent
Suresh Anand Sadananthan, Mya Thway Tint, Navin Michael, Izzuddin M. Aris, See Ling Loy, Kuan Jin Lee, Lynette Pei-Chi Shek , Fabian Yap, Kok Hian Tan, Keith M. Godfrey, Melvin Khee-Shing Leow, Yung Seng Lee, Michael S. Kramer, Peter D. Gluckman, Yap-Seng Chong, Neerja Karmani, Christiani Henry & Marielle V. Fortier, 2019, Obesity, 27(3), 470-478
DOI: 10.1002/oby.22408
Type: article
Epigenetic age acceleration in adolescence associates with BMI, inflammation and risk score for middle age cardiovascular disease
R.C. Huang, K.A. Lillycrop, L.J. Beilin, K.M. Godfrey, D. Anderson, T.A. Mori, S. Rauschert, J.M. Craig, W.H. Oddy, O.T. Ayonrinde, C.E. Pennell, J.D. Holbrook & P.E. Melton, 2019, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
DOI: 10.1210/jc.2018-02076
Type: article
The association between maternal-child physical activity levels at the transition to formal schooling
Kathryn R. Hesketh, Soren Brage, Cyrus Cooper, Keith M. Godfrey, Nicholas C. Harvey, Hazel M. Inskip, Sian M. Robinson & Esther M.F. Van Sluijs, 2019, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 16(1)
DOI: 10.1186/s12966-019-0782-9
Type: article
Nutritional modulation of the epigenome and its implication for future health
Mark A. Burton & Karen A. Lillycrop, 2019, Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 1-8
DOI: 10.1017/S0029665119000016
Type: article
FUT2 Genetic Variants and reported respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses during infancy
Sheila Barton, Robert Murray, Karen Lillycrop, Hazel Inskip, Nicholas Harvey, Cyrus Cooper, Neerja Karnani, Irma Silva Zolezzi, Norbert Sprenger, Keith Godfrey & Aristea Binia, 2019, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 219(5), 836–843
DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiy582
Type: article