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Impact of maternal nutritional status and microbiota on child anthropometric and metabolic development

Project description

Effect of mother’s nutritional status on child’s metabolic status in later life

During the first 1 000 days of life, development of a child’s metabolism is profoundly affected by factors such as the nutritional and metabolic status of the pregnant mother, her gut and vaginal microbiota, the child’s gut microbiota and other clinical parameters linked to pregnancy and birth. These metabolic adjustments are linked to metabolic defects in later life such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The EU-funded MOM2CHILD project will apply genomics, microbiome analysis, epigenetics to determine the contribution of prenatal/early life exposures on the anthropometric and metabolic development of the child, and whether these effects could be mediated by epigenetic changes.

Objective

Both overnutrition and undernutrition shape the capacities of the body to process food (double burden of malnutrition), and are thus important determinants of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions including high blood sugar or excess body fat, and diet-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes or heart diseases. The first 1000 years of life (from conception to second birthday) are considered a key period of life where the metabolic capacities are adjusted. We hypothesize that during this period, exposures such as the nutritional and metabolic status of the pregnant mother, her gut and vaginal microbiota, the child’s gut microbiota and other clinical parameters linked to pregnancy, delivery and early life, have an impact on how the metabolism develops. The objective of the proposed research is to study the contribution of prenatal/early life exposures on the anthropometric and metabolic development of the child, and whether these effects could be mediated by epigenetic changes. For this, I will spend 24 months in the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, for the outgoing phase (Prof. Pascale Vonaesch) followed by a returning phase of 12 months in FISABIO, Spain (Dr. Pilar Francino). This collaboration gives me the unique opportunity to work on samples and data from two birth cohorts of under-, normally and over-nourished pregnant mothers and their offspring, both in a low and a high-income country (Lao PDR and Spain). I will bring my expertise in epidemiology and clinical research, as well as specific knowledge and skills in analysing vaginal microbiota data, to the host and associated partner. In return, I will dig into new concepts and acquire advanced skills in genomics (from bench work to bioinformatics), community analysis, epigenetics, nutrition-related diseases, as well as transferable and complementary skills, in order to enhance my career’s perspectives. This interdisciplinary research will generate new insights in both basic science and public health.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01

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Coordinator

FUNDACION PARA EL FOMENTO DE LA INVESTIGACION SANITARIA Y BIOMEDICA DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA
Net EU contribution
€ 293 445,60
Address
CALLE MICER MASCO 31
46010 Valencia
Spain
Region
Este Comunitat Valenciana Valencia/València
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
No data

Partners (2)