About the Project
Although exempt, many pregnant Muslim women take part in the daily fast during the month of Ramadan. Potential long term effects on the child are not fully known, although an association between exposure to fasting in utero and an increased incidence of mental impairment in children has been shown.
Colleagues in Saudi Arabia found that in women who fasted during the second or third trimester, the placenta was smaller and that fetal growth velocity and birth weight were positively correlated with placental dimensions. Thus the narrower, lighter placenta in mothers who fasted during Ramadan was associated with having a smaller baby. Low birth weight is now recognised as a risk factor for a variety of diseases in adulthood, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.
Using pregnant rats, we have developed an animal model of maternal intermittent fasting which results in lighter placentas, and smaller fetuses with reduced length, head and abdominal circumferences, and a diminished kidney weight. These observations imply that there is altered growth and development of the fetal brain and visceral organs, consistent with an earlier study showing a greater incidence of mental impairment in children whose mothers fasted when pregnant.
This proposed PhD project will investigate how maternal intermittent fasting affects fetal development, focusing on placental nutrient transport capacity and development of the kidney. Studies will focus on methionine and folate as key nutrients involved in the modulation of DNA methylation and regulation of gene expression. Altered gene methylation may underlie the programming of altered physiological function in the offspring later in life.
There is also an exciting opportunity, through a collaborative link with King Saud University in Riyadh, to screen candidate genes in placentas collected from women who fasted at different stages of pregnancy.
Training will be provided in a range of molecular and biochemical techniques, including PCR, methylation analysis, immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, enzyme activity and transporter assays. The project will provide in vivo methods training.
Successful completion of this PhD would provide an ideal platform for progression into a variety of career positions within academic or industry settings particularly those related to reproductive biology, women’s health and physiology.
Applicants should hold a minimum upper 2nd class honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant biological/medical science, molecular biology or related discipline. A Masters qualification in a similar area and/or previous research experience would be advantageous.
This 3-year full-time PhD is open to candidates able to provide evidence of self-arranged funding/sponsorship. Fee rates for this project, due to commence September 2014, are:
UK/EU nationals: £18, 450p.a.*
Non-EU nationals: £30, 300p.a.
Please direct applications in the following format to Dr Jocelyn Glazier ([Email Address Removed]):
• Academic CV
• Official academic transcripts
• Contact details for two suitable referees
• A personal statement (750 words maximum) outlining your suitability for the study, what you hope to achieve from the PhD and your research experience to date
• Evidence of funding
Any enquiries relating to the project and/or suitability should be directed to Dr Glazier. Applications are invited on an on-going basis but early expression of interest is encouraged.
http://www.human-development.manchester.ac.uk/staff/JoGlazier
http://www.human-development.manchester.ac.uk/
http://www.mhs.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/
https://twitter.com/GradSch_MHS_UoM
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