Objective
Stable isotope ratio analysis is a powerful tool that can be used to elucidate dietary patterns in humans. This technique is based on the principal that 'you are what you eat' such that the isotopic composition of body tissues can be used to reconstruct t he general types of foods and liquids consumed.
An emerging application of this method is in the area of infant health and nutrition where stable isotope ratios have the ability to determine breastfeeding and weaning habits in modern and archaeological populations. To date only one large scale study of modern breastfeeding and weaning patterns has been conducted, and this was limited to only carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios. Recent advances in mass spectrometry now permit additional elemental ratios to be analyzed (oxygen, sulphur, hydrogen, amino acids) in biological samples.
These new isotopic ratios have the potential to provide more information about modern and ancient infant health and nutrition, but there have been no studies in this area of research. As a Marie Curie Incoming International Fellow, I plan to focus my research on the stable isotope ratios of oxygen, sulphur, hydrogen, and amino acid to discover new information about modern and ancient infant nutrition, specifically breastfeeding and weaning practices.
The primary goals of this research include: the identification and characterization of the isotopic signatures of breastfeeding and weaning in modern infants under controlled dietary conditions, and the application of these isotopic markers to archaeological specimens to elucidate breastfeeding and weaning patterns in past populations.
This multi-pronged isotopic approach to understanding infant health and nutrition will allow the development of isotopic models that can be use d to glean the maximum amount information from archaeological samples and will provide a glimpse of societal views and health patterns that are largely invisible in the archaeological record.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences health sciences nutrition
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry amines
- natural sciences chemical sciences analytical chemistry mass spectrometry
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP6-2005-MOBILITY-7
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Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
LEIPZIG
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.