Epigenetic disorders in the development of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes

A large body of evidence from epidemiological and animal studies have demonstrated that abnormal nutrition (either poor or over-nutrition) during early life has long-term adverse impacts on the aetiology of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in later life. Our previous studies have shown that a maternal high fat diet have caused altered long-lasting changes in miRNA expression profile, expression of key metabolic genes in the offspring, and these offspring if fed a high fat diet again, develop features of the metabolic syndrome including fatty liver, abnormal mitochondrial functions (see reference below). The aim for this PhD project is to characterize changes in epigenetics that might be closely associated with the development of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. You will be working with an in vivo animal model of HF diet induced obesity and the metabolic syndrome, and measures changes in global DNA methylation profile to determine which CpG islands are closely related to maternal HF diet-induced changes in fat metabolism in the offspring.

The successful candidate will work with a team of researchers in a multi-disciplinary environment within Dept of Biological Sciences. The project will involve the use of a mouse model for developmental programming of the metabolic syndrome. The student will gain experience in a range of techniques including histology, immunohistochemistry, molecular biology, epigenetics and biochemical assays, and whole-animal metabolic assays. Successful graduates will receive a PhD degree from the University of Liverpool.