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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

Body mass index trajectories in the first two years and subsequent childhood cardio-metabolic outcomes
Izzuddin M. Aris, Ling-Wei Chen, Tint Mya, Wei Wei Pang, E. Soh Shu, Seang-Mei Saw, Lynette Pei-Chi Shek , Kok Hian Tan, Peter D Gluckman, Yap-Seng Chong, Fabian Yap, Keith Godfrey, Michael S. Kramer & Yung Seng Lee, 2017, Scientific Reports, 7
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09046-y
Type: article
Circadian feeding patterns of 12-month-old infants
Poh Hui Wee, See Loy, Jia Ying Toh, Elaine Kwang Hsia Tham, Yin Bun Cheung, Keith M. Godfrey, Peter Gluckman, Seang-Mei Saw, Yap-Seng Chong, Ngee Lek, Jerry Kok Yen Chan, Daniel Yam Thiam Goh, Mary Foong-Fong Chong & Fabian Yap, 2017, British Journal of Nutrition
DOI: 10.1017/S0007114517001684
Type: article
A description of an 'obesogenic' eating style that promotes higher energy intake and is associated with greater adiposity in 4.5 children
Anna Fogel, Ai Goh, Lisa Fries, Suresh Sadananthan, S. Velan, Navin Michael, Tint Mya, Marielle Fortier, Mei Chan, Jia Toh, Yap-Seng Chong, Kok Tan, Fabian Yap, Lynette Shek, Michael Meaney, Birit Broekman, Yung Lee, Keith Godfrey, Mary Foong-Fong Chong & Ciaran G. Forde, 2017, Physiology & Behavior, 176, 107-116
DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.02.013
Type: article
Is cellular heterogeneity merely a confounder to be removed from epigenome-wide association studies?
Joanna D Holbrook, Karen Lillycrop & Sheila Barton, 2017, Epigenomics, 9(8)
DOI: 10.2217/epi-2017-0032
Type: review
Maternal night-fasting interval during pregnancy is directly associated with neonatal head circumference and adiposity in girls but not boys
See Loy, Poh Hui Wee, Marjorelee T. Colega, Y.B. Cheung, I.M. Aris, J.K.Y. Chan, Keith Godfrey, Peter Gluckman, Kok Hian Tan, L.P. Shek, Yap-Seng Chong, P. Natarajan, L. Muller-Riemenschneider, N Lek, V.S. Rajadurai, Tint Mya, Yung Seng Lee, Mary F.F. Chong & Fabian Yap, 2017, Journal of Nutrition
DOI: 10.3945/jn.117.250639
Type: article
Modifiable risk factors of maternal postpartum weight retention: an analysis of their combined impact and potential opportunities for prevention
J. L. Hollis, S. R. Crozier, H. M. Inskip, C. Cooper, K. M. Godfrey, N. C. Harvey, C. E. Collins & S. M. Robinson, 2017, International Journal of Obesity, 41(7), 1091–1098
DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2017.78
Type: article
Maternal plasma phosphatidylcholine polyunsaturated fatty acids during pregnancy and offspring growth and adiposity
Jonathan Y. Bernard, Mya Thway Tint, Izzuddin M. Aris, Ling-Wei Chen, Phaik Quah, Kok Hian Tan, George Seow Heong Yeo, Marielle Fortier, Fabian Yap, Lynette Shek, Yap-Seng Chong, Peter D. Gluckman, Keith Godfrey, Philip Calder, Chong Mary, Michael S. Kramer, Jeremie Botton & Yung Seng Lee, 2017, Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 121, 21-29
DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2017.05.006
Type: article