BASIC NUTRITION

WCHRI RESEARCH

 

 

 

STAFF

Laboratory Head

  Professor Robert Gibson
Ph: 08 8303 4333
Email: robert.gibson@adelaide.edu.au

Research Staff

  David Apps david.apps@adelaide.edu.au
  Ted McMurchie  
  David Rutley  
  Anna Seamark anna.seamark@adelaide.edu.au
  Ela Zielinski ela.zielinski@adelaide.edu.au
     

Students

  Melissa Gregory melissa.gregory@flinders.edu.au
  Lilik Kartikasari  
  Wei-Chun Tu wei-chun.tu@adelaide.edu.au
     

GOALS

The overall aim of our research is to understand how nutrients work so that we are in a better position to design intervention trials and base recommendations on a sound biochemical understanding of mechanisms as well as optimising the nutrient composition of the foods we eat.

 

 

RESEARCH PROJECTS

1. Regulation of LCPUFA biosynthesis

A series of experiments designed to unravel the effects of dietary PUFA consumption on the endogenous synthesis of DHA from ALA have been conducted in rats, chickens and fish. The results demonstrated the sensitivity of DHA accumulation to dietary PUFA content, presumably because of inhibition of the 6 desaturase. These studies will be extended to test whether DHA accumulation was chiefly regulated via PUFA inhibition of DHA synthesis or through PUFA inhibiting DHA incorporation into membrane phospholipids.

To address the effect of PUFA on DHA biosynthesis we have also initiated studies involving cloning of desaturase and elongase genes. RT-PCR studies on the genes inserted into yeast have established that although ALA inhibits the 6 desaturase, the limiting step in the conversion of ALA to DHA, the effect is not specific and all unsaturated fatty acids also act in this way. Further studies are underway to assess the effect of PUFA on incorporation of DHA into membrane phospholipids.

 

 

2. Fighting gluten intolerance

Many food intolerances have been attributed to the presence of the wheat protein known as gluten, which is a composite of the proteins gliadin and glutenin. Currently there are research projects based at the Waite campus to develop low-gliadin wheat and barley for gluten-free foods. Many grains also contain beta glucans that can have immuno-modulatory activity. The balance between the opposing actions of glutens and glucans is being explored.


 

 

 

 

Applied Nutrition
Basic Nutrition
Epithelial Biology
Leucocyte Biology
Molecular Immunology
Nutritional Immunology
Nutritional Immunology
Wound Healing