![Dr Andreas Kolb Dr Andreas Kolb](/img/200x200/staffpages/assets/images/default-profile-picture.jpg)
Senior Research Fellow
- About
-
- 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
-
Postgraduate Research Coordinator, Rowett Institute
Chair, PGR Liaison Committee, School of Medicine Medical Sciences and Nutrition
- External Memberships
-
Associate Fellow of The Higher Education Academy
- Research
-
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
-
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
-
Page 4 of 5 Results 31 to 40 of 50
The first intron of the murine beta-casein gene contains a functional promoter
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, vol. 306, no. 4, pp. 1099-1105Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-291X(03)01104-5
Structure and regulation of the murine gamma-casein gene
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Gene Structure and Expression, vol. 1579, no. 2-3, pp. 101-116Contributions to Journals: ArticlesEngineering immunity in the mammary gland
Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 123-134Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020395701887
Genome engineering using site-specific recombinases
Cloning and Stem Cells, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 65-80Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/153623002753632066
The prospects of modifying the antimicrobial properties of milk
Biotechnology Advances, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 299-316Contributions to Journals: Literature Reviews- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0734-9750(01)00069-6
Selection-marker-free modification of the murine beta-casein gene using a lox2722 site
Analytical Biochemistry, vol. 290, no. 2, pp. 260-271Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1006/abio.2000.4984
Virus-neutralizing monoclonal antibody expressed in milk of transgenic mice provides full protection against virus-induced encephalitis
Journal of General Virology, vol. 75, no. 6, pp. 2803-2809Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.75.6.2803-2809.2001
A virus-neutralising monoclonal antibody expressed in the milk of transgenic mice
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol. 494, pp. 411-414Contributions to Journals: ArticlesInsertion of a foreign gene into the beta-casein locus by Cre-mediated site-specific recombination
Gene, vol. 227, no. 1, pp. 21-31Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1119(98)00607-6
A functional eukaryotic promoter is contained within the first intron of the hGH-N coding region
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, vol. 247, no. 2, pp. 332-337Contributions to Journals: Articles