Research
Research Projects
Sweet tasting:
I am interested in how animals taste sweet compounds and how the taste parameters differ among species. Whether this be in the ability of an individual species to taste a certain "sweet-tasting" compound, or in the intra-species variability for sweet-tasting compounds. I have been involved in the design of new sweetener formulations for the inclusion in early years swine diets. The formulations were designed using a swine heterologous expression system and tested in vivo, in small-scale and large-scale feeding trials, with improvements in swine gut health, increased intestinal glucose absorption, and reduced feed-conversion ratios being observed.
Nutrient regulation of nutrient absorption:
The intestinal nutrient transport systems involved in the absorption of sugars and amino acids are highly complex, involving numerous cell types and intracellular messengers. Understanding the processes involved and how they are regulated will allow for better outcomes in the agricultural sector and for improvements in human health. With the ever-increasing demand for animal protein in the world, improving animal health through reducing enteric disease, increasing the efficiency of animal feed and reducing feed waste are critical. I have investigated how the inclusion of 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 and glucose absorption has also been researched, with key parts of the pathway now known. For better human health, understanding the factors that contribute to the obesity and diabetic epidemic is key, with the differences in sweet-taste preference now emerging. I have been involved in research investigating the differences in various parts of the pathway regulating intestinal glucose absorption in the obese and diabetic gut.