Mechanisms underlying the developmental origins of adult metabolism and lifespan

There is substantial evidence from human and rodent studies that fetal malnutrition is a major risk factor for developing metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, during adult life. The identification of the mechanisms by which early-life nutrition can have long-term or programming effects upon adult health is likely to have an impact upon dietary guidelines and other approaches for preventing and treating metabolic disease. Dr Gould will harness the genetic advantages of a newly developed Drosophila model to investigate the nutritional programming of metabolism and lifespan. His aims are to identify new molecular mechanisms responsible for nutritional programming and to define the complex interactions between early-life and adult diets during this process. He will also test the degree to which nutritional programming mechanisms are conserved between Drosophila and mammals.