Nutrition, Nutrigenetics, omega-3 fatty acids, Cognition, Dementia, Menopause

Video: Menopause for all (2024)

Video: Nutrition, brain vitality and dementia (UEA London Lectures 2019)

Professor of Nutrigenetics, Head of Nutrition and Preventive Medicine in Norwich Medical School and domain lead in Norwich Institute of Healthy Ageing (NIHA) and Lifespan Health Centre

Our research investigates the impact of select dietary components, in particular n-3 fatty acids and a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern on cognitive health, dementia risk, and mood and anxiety, with a recent focus on the menopause transition as an important window of intervention opportunity. We also investigate nutrient-genotype interactions with a focus on the APOE genotype, establishing the aetiology of genotype-health associations and dietary strategies to mitigate the effects of the ‘at-risk’ APOE4 allele. 

Having completed my first degree in Nutrition and Biochemistry at University College Cork (Ireland), I moved to the UK to complete my PhD. I have been based here ever since, apart from a one-year stay at Auckland Medical School (NZ).

I enjoy the outdoors and in particular running, good food, social and historical fiction, and travel and its planning.

Professional Memberships

• British Nutrition Society
• American Society of Nutrition
• International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL)
• Nutrigenomics Organisation (NuGO)

I am Head of the NUTRIGENETICS group within the Department of Nutrition and Preventive Medicine, with our key research interests being:

• Nutrigenetics and in particular APOE genotype
• n-3 fatty acids metabolism and efficacy
• Mediterranean-style dietary pattern
• Cognition and Alzheimer’s disease risk
• Menopausal well being

Research approaches

A large proportion of our research involves human intervention trials (RCTs). In addition, we employ a variety of wild-type and transgenic rodent models and cell and molecular techniques to investigate underlying mechanisms, and to inform the foci of our RCTs.

Examples of ongoing RCTs include:

• Enhancing cognition through the menopausal transition in at-risk 'APOE4' carriers by fatty acid and hormonal modulation (BBSRC funded, 2023-2026, with the University of Exeter): Series of interventions in transgenic rodent models and a UK Biobank analysis,

• Apple Tree (ESRC-NIHR funded, 2019-2025): Active Prevention in People at Risk of Dementia through Lifestyle, Behaviour change and Technology to build resilience, 20+ research partners, 

• MediMood: The acute effect of a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern (MDP) on mood, anxiety and cognition in UK adults with mild to moderate anxiety and depression: (BBSRC-MRC-NIHR funded, UK NRP, 2023-2025):

• Inclusivity in Menopausal Research (NIHR funded, 2024-2025)

Current Collaborators

• Prof Andrew Pipingas, Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia
• Associate Professor Karen Murphy, University of Southern, Australia
• Dr Sonia de Pascual-Teresa, Spanish National Research Council, Spain
• Prof Nils Helge Schebb, University of Wuppertal, Germany
• Dr Jessica Rigutto-Farebrother, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
• Prof John Mathers, Dr Oliver Shannon, Prof Emma Stevenson, Newcastle University, UK
• Dr Sarah Aldred, University of Birmingham, UK
• Prof David Llewellyn, University of Exeter, UK
• Dr Cristina Legido-Quigley, Prof Wendy Hall, Prof Sarah Berry, KCL, UK
• Prof Julie Lovegrove, Dr Kim Jackson, University of Reading, UK