Overall lab research interest and focus
Our lab adopts a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the impact of diet on human health, focusing on metabolic health, the gut microbiome, cognitive function, and long-term health outcomes. We conduct clinical studies to observe changes at the population level and employ animal models, including rodents and pigs, to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects. Our integrated multi-omics approach, combining metabolomics, clinical and phenotypic measures, global gene expression profiles, and microbial ecology/metagenomics, offers a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between diet, environment, and health from pregnancy through early childhood.
Central to our interests are the critical window of first 1000 days of life, during which we examine the impact of diet and stress on maternal and child health, particularly in relation to disturbances in metabolism, immune system and gut microbiota. We investigate how diet-linked metabolic phenotypes, from pregnancy to lactation, birth to toddlerhood, may be associated with cognition, future health outcomes and susceptibility to diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Our lab has made significant contribution in understanding how diet affects metabolism and gut microbiota during these crucial periods.
We are particularly focused on how maternal diet affects fetal development and subsequent health or disease outcomes in adulthood. Moreover, we are keen on unraveling the complex, functional roles and dynamic nature of human milk. Our research also explores how early dietary and environmental exposures shape lifelong health trajectories, with special attention on linking maternal metabolic phenotypes to human milk composition, aiming to optimize human milk feeding practices and improve lactation outcomes.
In terms of clinical applications, we explore how dietary choices, whether formula-feeding or breastfeeding, composition of infant formulas and complementary food, and the inclusion of milk bioactives in the infant diet influence the development of the gut microbiome, immune function, and metabolic outcomes. We have linked early dietary patterns to long-term metabolic health, potentially offering insights into preventing future diseases. Additionally, our lab investigates metabolic changes in autistic children, seeking to uncover potential causes and mechanisms that could inform strategies to mitigate this condition. We investigate the metabolic effects of functional ingredients, including human milk oligosaccharides, ketone esters, probiotics and prebiotics, particularly focusing on the translational potential of the insights from healthy infants and model organisms to benefit other vulnerable populations, such as pregnant and lactating women, premature infants, and the elderly.
Furthermore, our research delves into the effects of food processing and sustainable agricultural practices on the nutrient content and sensory aspect of food, aiming to provide insights that link functional food development with health management and disease prevention. This foundational work paves the way for advancements in personalized nutrition.