Research
Sweet tasting
I am interested in how animals taste sweet compounds and how the taste parameters differ among species. Whether this is in the ability of an individual species to taste a particular "sweet-tasting" compound, or in the intra-species variability for sweet-tasting compounds. I have helped design new sweetener formulations for inclusion in early-year swine diets. I designed the formulations using a swine heterologous expression system and tested them in vivo in small- and large-scale feeding trials, observing improved swine gut health, increased intestinal glucose absorption, and reduced feed conversion ratios.
Nutrient regulation of nutrient absorption
The intestinal nutrient transport systems that absorb sugars and amino acids are highly complex, involving numerous cell types and intracellular messengers. Understanding these processes and their regulation will improve outcomes in agriculture and human health. With the ever-increasing demand for animal protein worldwide, improving animal health by reducing enteric disease, increasing feed efficiency, and minimising feed waste are critical. I have investigated how including artificial sweeteners in animal feed can increase glucose absorption in the intestines of pigs, cows, and rabbits. The pathway linking sweet sensing in the gut to glucose absorption has also been extensively researched, and key components are now understood. To improve human health, understanding the factors contributing to the obesity and diabetes epidemic is key, and differences in sweet-taste preference are now emerging. I have been involved in research investigating differences in various parts of the pathway that regulates intestinal glucose absorption in the gut of obese and diabetic individuals.