Senior Research Fellow
- About
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- Email Address
- a.kolb@abdn.ac.uk
- Telephone Number
- +44 (0)1224 438645
- School/Department
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition
Biography
2015-present: Senior Research Fellow, Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
2006-2015: Research Fellow, Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
2002-2005: Principal Investigator, Molecular Recognition Group, Hannah Research Institute, Ayr, Scotland, UK.
1997-2002: Investigator, Cell Physiology Group, Hannah Research Institute, Ayr, Scotland, UK.
1992-1997: Postdoc, Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of Würzburg, Germany.
1989-1992: PhD Student, Institute of Molecular Animal Breeding, University of Munich, Germany.
Memberships and Affiliations
- Internal Memberships
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Postgraduate Research Coordinator, Rowett Institute
Chair, PGR Liaison Committee, School of Medicine Medical Sciences and Nutrition
- External Memberships
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Associate Fellow of The Higher Education Academy
- Research
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Research Overview
My research interest covers two overlapping research areas, namely:
- Impact of secondary plant metabolites and toxins on metabolic health regulation, mediated by the gut microbiome and bile acid
- Impact of nutrition in early life stages on adult metabolic health and aging.
Research Areas
Accepting PhDs
I am currently accepting PhDs in Nutrition and Health.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss your research ideas further.
Current Research
Dietary and environmental impacts on metabolic health
The gut represents the main interface with which mammals interact with their environment. Bile acids are essential for the emulsification and uptake of dietary lipids and lipid-soluble vitamins. However, bile acids also act as signaling molecules via several nuclear receptors and G-protein coupled receptors. Many of these signaling events take place in the gut, but bile acids also circulate in serum and can also signal in other organs. Bile acids are synthesized in the liver, secreted via the gall bladder, and chemically modified by the gut microbiome to give rise to more than 20 different bile acids. We have found that dietary components can substantially alter the composition of bile acids in the gut and in serum. Environmental toxins (including mycotoxins and synthetic plastic compounds) can interact with bile acid signaling (directly or via the modulation of the microbiome) and derail the metabolic equilibrium. We are investigating the molecular mechanisms which are critical for bile acid signaling and how dietary components and toxins can influence these events. We apply this knowledge to develop cell-based assay systems to measure toxin concentrations in environmental and food samples.
Early life nutrition and metabolic health outcomes
Nutrition during early phases of life can have profound impacts on metabolic health in adulthood. Intrauterine growth restriction has been shown to alter body composition and epigenetic processes. This leads to increased susceptibility to obesity, type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease and shortened lifespan. Attenuated growth after birth, in contrast, is protective against aspects of the metabolic syndrome and extends lifespan. We are using in vitro and in vivo models of post-natal attenuated growth to study the molecular events which underlie the improved metabolic health outcomes and delayed aging. We apply this knowledge to develop pharmacological interventions to improve metabolic health.
Supervision
My current supervision areas are: Nutrition and Health.
Current PhD students:
Khulod Hasaballah
Amane Alaroud
Amanda Mathieson
Brendan Kesler
Past PhD students:
Alina Zitskaja (2016-2021)
Patrikas Pultinevicius (2015-2020)
Jennifer Harbottle (2013-2017)
Christopher Knowles (2012-2016)
- Teaching
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Teaching Responsibilities
ME2511: Student Selected Components Year 1, course coordinator
SM2501: Research Skills for Medical Sciences
SM2001: Foundation Skills for Medical Sciences
GN3502: Genetics
Non-course Teaching Responsibilities
Supervision of Honours and MSc projects
- Publications
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Page 2 of 5 Results 11 to 20 of 49
Behaviour of postnatally growth-impaired mice during malnutrition and after partial weight recovery
Nutritional Neuroscience, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 125-134Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1179/1476830512Y.0000000038
Mammary gland development is delayed in mice deficient for aminopeptidase N
Transgenic Research, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 425-434Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11248-012-9654-7
Milk lacking α-casein leads to permanent reduction in body size in mice
PloS ONE, vol. 6, no. 7, e21775Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0021775
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/3568/1/Milk_lacking.pdf
Zinc finger recombinases with adaptable DNA sequence specificity
PloS ONE, vol. 6, no. 4, e19537Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0019537
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/3628/1/Zinc_finger.pdf
TRANSFER VEHICLE FOR PRODUCING PROTEINS IN TRANSGENIC ANIMALS
Patents: PatentsRecombinase mediated cassette exchange into genomic targets using an adenovirus vector
Nucleic Acids Research, vol. 38, no. 11, e123Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkq192
Hyperglycaemia: effects on expression of genes affecting epithelial differentiation and vascularisation
Scottish Medical Journal, vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 48Contributions to Journals: Abstracts- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1258/rsmsmj.54.4.47
Analysis of mammary specific gene locus regulation in differentiated cells derived by somatic cell fusion
Experimental Cell Research, vol. 315, no. 3, pp. 508-522Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yexcr.2008.10.029
Hyperglycaemia: Effect on Expression of Genes Affecting Epithelial Differentiation and Vascularisation
Scottish Medical Journal, vol. 54, no. 1, pp. 52Contributions to Journals: Abstracts- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1258/rsmsmj.54.1.51
EMMPRIN (basigin/CD147) Expression is not Correlated With MMP Activity During Adult Mouse Mammary Gland Development
Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, vol. 106, no. 1, pp. 52-62Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jcb.21975