biomedical sciences research institute - Research - University of Ulster

Other core research facilities identified were those involved with the analysis of water-soluble vitamins, fattyacids and fat-soluble vitamins, trace elements and immune measures. Most other analysis would be outsourced tointernational centres of excellence including the Vitamin Research Laboratory, Trinity College Dublin and the MRCHuman Nutrition Research, Cambridge. Research funding opportunities will be mainly through a reactionary modeand opportunities will include the recent MRC’s Patient Research Cohorts Initiative Call. Proactive approaches willbe focused under the research areas identified above.In most cases it is anticipated that research outcomes will be of direct relevance to public health but fundamentalresearch in vitro and in collaboration with those undertaking genomic and proteomic research will remain a feature.In particular, the University’s investment in a metabolomics facility under SRIF 3 will give exciting opportunities forbasic research in humans. Researchers within NICHE will continue to engage with the food industry in an effort toexploit potentially lucrative opportunities in relation to the functional food business and the health claims agenda. Itis anticipated that part of this portfolio of research will be applied research of direct relevance to the food industrywith consultancy encouraged and providing a stronger stance on intellectual property and commercialisation thanhitherto.MEMBERS OF THE GROUP:Professor Sean StrainProfessor of Human NutritionDirector of NICHEContact Details:T: +44 (0)28 70324795jj.strain@ulster.ac.ukAfter graduating with a BSc (Chemistry), BAgr (Agricultural Chemistry) and PhD (Nutritional Biochemistry), all fromQueen’s University, Professor Sean Strain spent several years (1977-1980) in academia in Australia before joining theUniversity of Ulster 1981. He is Professor of Human Nutrition (since 1994) in the Northern Ireland Centre for Food& Health (NICHE). His research interests are mainly in the areas of nutrition and toxicology, trace element nutritionand in B-vitamin and homocysteine metabolism. The work on nutrition and toxicology involves collaboration withUniversity of Rochester, New York and the Ministry of Health, Seychelles in a longitudinal observational motherchildcohort which is investigating associations between maternal exposure to nutrients, especially long-chainpolyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) and child development in the Republic of Seychelles where fish consumptionis high. Findings to date, support the potential importance to child development of n-3 LCPUFA present in fish andof LCPUFA in the overall diet and indicate that the beneficial effects of LCPUFA can outweigh the adverse effects ofmaternal methyl-mercury exposure. Work on B-vitamins and homocysteine metabolism is in collaboration with thegroup led by Professor Helene McNulty.Professor Strain is a member of various national and international committees including the Dietetic Products andNutrition Panel of the European Food Safety Authority, Parma and Chairs its Working Group on Health Claims;Food Strategy Implementation Partnership; MRC College of Experts; MRC Physiological Systems and Clinical SciencesSpecial Review Panel; Food Safety Promotions Board, Cork; Member of the Board of Directors, International LifeSciences Institute, Europe; Member of the Board of Governors of BBSRC Food Research Institute, Norwich;Chairman of the Board of European Nutrition Leadership Programme.Invited Lectures9-13 June 2008: EURECCA Annual Meeting, Montenegro5 June 2008: Health Claims Meeting, Health & Wellbeing, Special Interest Group, London13-15 May 2008: Second International Seafood & health Meeting, Bergen25-29 March 2008: Organised Workshop and gave opening talk, PHIME Meeting, Prague5 March 2008: Chair, Dairy Council Conference, Belfast8 November 2007: Colloquium on Nutrient Profiling, FIN, Paris71