Programme Leader – Dr Ken Ong

There is much evidence for links between childhood growth, reproductive ageing and various health outcomes, including type 2 diabetes and other obesity-related co-morbidities. However, poor understanding of the mechanisms that underlie these trajectories has limited the translation of such findings to the development and adoption of early life preventive strategies. The overall goal of this programme is to describe and understand the mechanisms that link growth and development to risks for obesity and type 2 diabetes, and to use this understanding to inform early life interventions to prevent such diseases. This programme builds on its expertise in life-course and genetic epidemiology, endocrinology and paediatrics, with particular strengths in large-scale data analysis and interpretation, and by close working with other Unit programmes.

The specific objectives of our research are to:

• Characterise the trajectories linking childhood growth and development to later T2D and other obesity-related outcomes
• Understand the genetic, epigenetic, hormonal and metabolic mechanisms that underlie these trajectories
• Inform the development of early life strategies to avoid later T2D and other obesity-related outcomes

In collaboration with the Unit’s Prevention of diabetes and related metabolic disorders and Behavioural Epidemiology programmes, we also perform work to develop and test interventions to avoid excessive infant weight gain and prevent childhood obesity.

Programme members:

• Alexia Cardona – Career Development Fellow
• Emma Clifton – Ph.D. Student
• Felix Day – Career Development Fellow
• Emanuella De Lucia Rolfe – Anthropometry Specialist
• Denise Gigante – Visiting Scientist
• Ben Hollis – Ph.D. Student
• Rajalakshmi Lakshman – Clinical Senior Investigator Scientist
• Ken Ong – Programme Leader
• John R.B. Perry – Senior Investigator Scientist
• Richard Powell – Anthropometry Research Assistant

Programme alumni:

• Cathy Elks – Career Development Fellow
• Leonardo Pozza – Visiting Ph.D. Student