A common medicine used to treat babies with reflux is to be assessed in a new trial. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) have awarded £2.5 million to carry out the national study. It will be led by Southampton’s Professor Mark Johnson, together with Dr Deepthi Jyothish in Birmingham. It will be delivered within the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre. Babies under six months of age will be recruited from 10 health centres and 35 hospitals across the UK. The three-year programme aims to inform guidance on future treatment. Treating babies with reflux Babies with reflux can bring up milk, be sick or become very uncomfortable during or shortly after feeding. It’s very common and most babies have only mild symptoms and do not need any treatment. It usually gets better on its own over the first few months. However, in some babies, symptoms can be more severe with pain, discomfort, screaming and poor weight gain. Reflux is especially common in premature babies. An initial treatment for formula-fed babies is to use special powder to thicken their usual formula milk. Alternatively, parents can switch to using pre-thickened formula milk. In breast-fed babies products can be given that thicken in the stomach to help prevent milk from coming back up. These methods are not always effective and can be challenging to use in breast fed babies. In cases where babies’ symptoms do not improve, or where thickener products can’t be used, the doctor may prescribe a medicine to stop their stomach producing as much acid. The most prescribed of these medicines for young babies is omeprazole. Although omeprazole has been used for a while, and is helpful in adults who have heartburn and indigestion, it is not clear if it is effective in babies. This is because the symptoms experienced by babies with reflux can be due to milk coming back up into the mouth in addition to the discomfort caused by stomach acid. Stomach acid may also be important for babies to help protect them from infections or absorb some nutrients, so reducing it may cause problems. Investigating omeprazole        The OTTER trial will review the effectiveness of omeprazole as a treatment for babies with reflux. Babies taking part in the trial will be less than six months of age and have been diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal reflux. A group of babies born prematurely will be included, together with a group of babies born around their due date. Babies will be given either omeprazole or placebo (a fake treatment with no medicinal effect) for four weeks. Neither parents nor doctors treating the babies will know which treatment they received. Their reflux symptoms will be monitored and the omeprazole and placebo groups compared. This will help determine if omeprazole is an effective treatment. The researchers will also track any potential side effects for six months after a baby joins. They will compare these against the placebo group to identify any safety concerns with omeprazole treatment. The study will also ask parents about their experiences of reflux and its treatment, and the impact on their lives. Helping babies grow Prof Johnson is Professor of Child Health at the University of Southampton, and an honorary consultant neonatologist at Southampton Children’s Hospital. He is part of the University Hospital Southampton Research Leaders Programme. Co-chief investigator Dr Jyothish is a consultant paediatrician in Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital NHS Trust. Prof Johnson said: “Omeprazole is already commonly prescribed for babies with reflux. This research will provide the evidence doctors need to support decisions around whether to prescribe it for young babies. This is particularly important for premature babies, who are more likely to have reflux. “Knowing which medicines work will mean doctors can treat babies with this condition more effectively and safely, relieving their symptoms and helping them to feed and grow. This in turn would have a positive impact in them and their families.” The OTTER trial is expected to start in spring 2025 and will last for over three years. It has been funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme.

A new collaboration to reduce disparities in maternity outcomes has marked its launch with a networking event. The NIHR Challenge: Maternity Disparities consortium brings together nine collaborations across the UK. Together, they will improve care and support for women before and between pregnancies. They will be supported by £50 million over five years from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Southampton’s Professor Keith Godfrey is leading one of the collaborations in the challenge. He co-chaired the first networking event in December. Disproportionate impact Maternal mortality rates in the UK have risen since 2000. There has been an increase in mental and physical health challenges faced by women and their partners before pregnancy. These have a disproportionate impact on women from minority backgrounds and those living in disadvantaged areas. Recent evidence suggests that maternal mortality for black women in the UK is almost three times higher than for white women. Significant disparities also exist for Asian women. Factors such as pre-existing physical and mental health conditions, lack of access to care and social determinants of health can make this worse. The consortium aims to create an equitable care system that meets the needs of all women and their partners. This will ensure healthier outcomes for mothers and their families. Collaborative start Prof Godfrey co-chaired the event with Ngawai Moss, a public contributor. Prof Godfrey is a Professor of Epidemiology and Human Development in Southampton. He is also a theme lead at the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre. “People who are healthier before they get pregnant have better outcomes for themselves and their babies”, Prof Godfrey said. “It is often too late to fix health problems once a woman is already pregnant. This means we need to focus on improving health before pregnancy (preconception) and between pregnancies (interconception).” There were over 65 in-person and 25 online attendees from across the UK. They included women and men with lived experiences, as well as academic, healthcare and community leaders. Attendees came together to discuss the challenges faced by women before and between pregnancies. They explored potential solutions, with breakout sessions including: Supporting care and health before and between pregnancies Best practices for high-quality, consistent care Addressing cultural and social determinants of health Leveraging data to refine and evaluate interventions Tailoring support for marginalised and minoritised groups These discussions aimed to build relationships. Attendees also created a roadmap for co-designing and implementing scalable interventions. Ilda Sinani, a public contributor, moved to the UK from Albania in 2012. She became pregnant, couldn’t speak any English and did not understand the system. Her experience led her to set up a charity called Welcome to the UK. "I’ve seen firsthand how vital it is to empower families with knowledge, resources and a sense of community, she explained. “Many of the families we support are navigating new systems while facing language and cultural barriers. Access to better maternal care could make a huge difference in their lives.”

Southampton researcher Dr Hannah Schiff has won a prestigious national prize. Dr Schiff is the winner of the 2024 British Thoracic Society (BTS) Early Career Investigator Award. The prize recognises her work on new diagnostic markers for tuberculosis. She received the award at the BTS annual meeting in London. Improving tuberculosis diagnosis Tuberculosis (TB) is a respiratory infection caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis . Pulmonary TB is spread by coughing. It can be challenging to diagnose these TB infections before they have spread. Dr Schiff’s research identified six proteins released into the blood that could be used in TB diagnosis. She found these can help distinguish people with TB from those who are healthy or have other respiratory infections. Her results were published in JCI Insight  earlier this year. Hannah is a newly appointed Senior Clinical Lecturer and Consultant in Respiratory Medicine. She is part of the Southampton Tuberculosis research group led by Prof Paul Elkington. The NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre supported her recent NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer post, through which she has also won an Academy of Medical Sciences grant to take her work forward. Prestigious prize BTS Early Career Investigator Awards are prestigious prizes that are highly competitive. They are awarded to the very best research performed in the UK respiratory community by early career investigators. The prizes are awarded based on the quality and content of the research performed, abstract submitted and the quality of the conference presentation. Clinicians, scientists and professionals allied to medicine are eligible to submit their work. Dr Schiff said: “I was delighted to receive this award for my research, which could not have happened without the wide-ranging support and collaboration of researchers from both within the University of Southampton and across the world. “Through further research these biomarkers have potential for development as a near patient TB screening assay. Such a test could help find the estimated three million cases of undiagnosed TB that is driving the ongoing TB pandemic.” Image courtesy: British Thoracic Society

A major study aiming to improve outcomes from higher risk operations has ruled out a fluid therapy approach during surgery. The results from the large international trial have been published in the BMJ . Researchers found using a type of fluid therapy during major planned gut surgery did not reduce infections afterwards. It did, however, increase the risk of arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms). Due to these results, they recommend avoiding routine use of this technique for these patients. The trial involved almost 2,500 patients from 11 countries. It was led by Professor Rupert Pearse from Queen Mary University of London. Professor Mark Edwards from University Hospital Southampton (UHS) helped lead the trial and co-ordinated the BMJ publication. Major surgeries More than 300 million major surgeries are performed around the globe each year. High-risk surgeries can lead to short or long-term medical problems. In the UK, more than 50,000 patients aged over 50 are reported to undergo major gut surgery every year. After surgery, around one third of these patients develop a hospital acquired infection. Many of these patients will die within a few months of surgery. Previous smaller studies had suggested that a fluid therapy approach using advanced cardiac monitoring might reduce complications after major surgery. This global clinical trial aimed to either recommend the treatment if it was beneficial, or withdraw it from routine use if ineffective or harmful. Large-scale research The trial was known as OPTIMISE II. Patients undergoing major planned operations on their gut took part at 55 hospitals worldwide. They were all over 65 years of age, with long term conditions that can increase the risks from surgery. Half were randomly assigned to receive the treatment, during and four hours after surgery. The other half received usual care, without cardiac output monitoring, for comparison. Those who had the treatment were given fluids into their veins using a drip, alongside a low-dose inotrope infusion. Their heart was constantly monitored, and the amount of blood being pumped was used to guide how much fluid they were given. Inotropes are medicines that alter how strongly the heart muscle contracts, and are used to regulate blood flow.   Complications such as infections, heart problems or kidney issues were tracked for 30 days after they joined. Highlighting safety concerns This trial found the more advanced treatment approach made no difference to the risk of infection following major planned gut surgery. However, it did find that more patients in the treatment group had abnormal heart rhythms just after surgery, presumably due to the inotrope treatment. The researchers therefore state that routine use of this technique in this circumstance should be avoided. Prof Edwards is a Consultant in Anaesthesia & Perioperative Medicine at UHS and a researcher at the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre. He said: “This was an amazing international effort to get high quality evidence on this intervention, following decades of uncertainty. “Although the approach we trialled was unfortunately not found to be beneficial, we now have clear information that could support practice recommendations impacting thousands of patients having surgery.” Professor Rupert Pearse was Chief Investigator for the trial. Prof Pearse, a Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine at Queen Mary, said: “We are delighted to complete this international trial which brings to closes a decades long and controversial debate among doctors about how to care for patients having major surgery. “Our findings will guide treatment for tens of thousands of patients each year.”

New research suggests a molecule found in olive leaves could help combat age-related muscle loss. Weakening of muscles is a major public health challenge. As it progresses, people can become weak, frail and lose their independence. Insights from an international study suggest that oleuropein could help protect muscle health in older age. Researchers from our NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) were part of the study team. The consortium was led by   the University of Padua in Italy. Their findings have been published in Cell Metabolism . Understanding muscle loss Sarcopenia causes a loss of muscle mass and function in older age. Around 2.7 million people in the UK are living with sarcopenia. This number is expected to rise as the number of older people increases. There are several factors that contribute to muscles losing strength. One of these is linked to calcium uptake into the mitochondria, the part of our cells that is responsible for energy production. As we age, this process slows down. This results in muscles producing less energy. A natural molecule Oleuropein is a molecule found in olive leaf extract. A concentrated dose of oleuropein is already marketed as a dietary supplement for human use. Oleuropein is also present in olives and olive oil, although in smaller quantities. In this study, researchers took muscle samples from older people with low muscle mass and weak grip strength. They discovered that they had lower levels of a key protein that supports calcium transport into the mitochondria. Mice bred to have higher levels of this protein had improved mitochondrial function, together with enhanced endurance and reduced fatigue. ‘Exciting results’ The research team screened almost 5,000 natural molecules. They found that oleuropein attaches to the protein that helps move calcium into the mitochondria. “Normal muscle function requires the uptake of calcium into the mitochondria that generate the energy for muscle contraction”, explained Emma Garratt, one of the research leads in Southampton. “This uptake of calcium into muscle cells declines during muscle aging, compromising muscle function.” “Targeting mitochondria to boost muscle health has been an area of intense investigation over the past decade. In the present study, we identified a natural dietary molecule that directly stimulates energy production in muscle mitochondria, signposting a new way to support muscle health in older people.” Prof Keith Godfrey, a Professor of Epidemiology and Human Development at the University of Southampton, was involved in the study. He leads the NIHR Southampton BRC’s Nutrition, Lifestyle and Metabolism theme. Prof Godfrey said: “For the first time, we’ve shown that oleuropein can boost muscle energy metabolism and exercise performance. “Our work with muscle biopsies from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study has provided important evidence to support this discovery. We’ve shown that oleuropein improves the function of mitochondria in older people and helps combat muscle fatigue. This closely mirrors results seen in aged mice. “These exciting results could pave the way for new approaches to prevent sarcopenia.”

Researchers are developing a wearable device that can detect changes in breathing. Currently, the standard way to check a person's breathing (or respiratory) rate is to manually count the number of breaths they take in a minute. This requires a nurse to be actively checking it. Now, a new device has been shown to be able to constantly monitor breathing rate. It is thought to be the first of its kind, and could provide a crucial early warning system that could save lives. The research, published in Sensors , was led by Nottingham Trent University, the University of Southampton (UoS) and University Hospital Southampton (UHS). Wearable ‘sticker’ device Changes in breathing rate can often be the first sign that a patient’s condition is getting worse. Now, researchers are developing a wearable device known as a Pneumorator. This textile-based technology can be worn on the chest like a sticker to monitor breathing. The device works even when not touching the skin. It could be wirelessly linked to a smartphone or tablet to alert healthcare professionals to changes in a patient’s condition. This work has been made possible by almost £1 million from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It is being advanced within the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre. Early warning system In this study, the device was shown to be capable of continuously measuring the breathing rate of volunteers within an accuracy of two breaths per minute. It included researchers from Nottingham and Southampton. The med-tech company Zelemiq Ltd was also involved. Professor Neil White is Director of the Centre for Healthcare at UoS. He worked with Dr Harry Akerman, Consultant Anaesthetist at UHS, to deliver the study in Southampton. Dr Akerman said: “Respiratory rate is often the first physiological parameter to change as a patient is becoming unwell ahead of changes to heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and oxygen levels. It is also the only one of these that is routinely measured manually, and so is susceptible to human error. “We know that earlier detection of diseases is better for patients whilst also being cheaper to treat, so a device that continuously and non-invasively measures respiratory rate could be a great tool in the early detection of deteriorating patients.” Testing it in a trial The next step will be to test the device in a clinical trial at UHS, with the aim of achieving regulatory approval within the NHS. The device is low cost and could easily be manufactured at scale. Professor White said: “This wearable technology allows the measurement of respiratory rate over long periods of time, which is not achievable using conventional manual breath counting. “Trends in respiratory rate can therefore be recorded and observed, offering the potential for rapid interventions that can potentially save lives.”

New research shows how health behaviours of young people have changed across generations. Results reveal progress in some areas, with a decrease in smoking and soft drink consumption. However, the researchers warn of ‘ongoing challenges' - including rising rates of obesity. This will have implications for preparing for pregnancy. The study was led by King’s College London and the University of Southampton. Researchers say their findings could have broad implications for reducing health disparities. They could also be used to design targeted public health interventions. The findings were published this week in   PLOS ONE . Supporting future parents Research shows that women and men who are healthy and well when they (or their partner) get pregnant are less likely to develop complications. Their children also tend to have better long-term developmental and health outcomes. A previous Southampton-led study  found that nine in ten women in England enter pregnancy with risk factors that put them at higher risk of complications. These include poor diet, smoking, diabetes, hypertension and obesity. They were found to disproportionately affect people from disadvantaged backgrounds. In the UK, initiatives have been put in place to improve preconception health and reduce inequalities. Three generations Previous studies have considered women’s health during prenatal visits. There hasn’t been a national picture of preconception health of men and women of reproductive age. The current study involved three cohorts of people in the UK, born approximately ten years apart. This included around 17,000 people born in 1970, 15,000 people born in 1989-1990 and 19,000 people born in 2000-2002. The research team analysed data on various health indicators and behaviours. They did this for data that was collected when participants were aged 16-17 and 25-26. ‘Ongoing challenges’ The data showed that some suboptimal health behaviours persisted in both men and women across generations. These included not eating enough fruit. Other unhealthy behaviours, such as alcohol and tobacco use and soft drink consumption, decreased in younger generations. However, the number of people living with obesity increased. Olivia Righton, a PhD student at King’s, was the lead author of the paper. She said: “Optimising the health of both women and men before pregnancy can greatly improve pregnancy outcomes. It could also have benefits for their children's long-term health. “However, our findings reveal ongoing challenges in preconception health across generations in the UK. Suboptimal behaviours such as low fruit intake and rising obesity rates persist. This is despite progress in reducing alcohol, tobacco and soft drink consumption.” Dr Danielle Schoenaker is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Southampton. She is also part of the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre. “These trends call for further public health efforts to support adolescents and young adults to adopt healthy behaviours”, Dr Schoenaker explained. “This is not only important for their own health but also to improve the health outcomes of future generations.” The research team could not identify trends for some key health indicators important for pregnancy. These include folic acid supplementation, cervical screening and mental health conditions. This was due to them not being consistently reported across the three cohorts.

‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,’ or so we are told. There are many senior research leaders in Southampton that will disagree. They are part of a growing scheme across our NIHR infrastructure that has flipped the traditional notion of mentorship. There are great benefits for equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in our research communities. The scheme is inspired by a programme that started in the University of Southampton’s Faculty of Medicine. This year, ten pairs of mentors and mentees have taken part. What is reverse mentoring? Usually, a mentor will be someone in a senior position, helping a mentee in a junior role. Reverse mentoring turns that upside down, with the person in the junior role being the mentor. It means the person in the junior role can use their own lived experience to educate their mentee. Achsah, a final year BSc Podiatry student, is a keen advocate for EDI in health research. “Reverse mentoring is all about flipping the hierarchy,” she explains. “So, someone who is less experienced or a relatively new researcher can talk to someone in a more senior position, to help them understand the barriers they may face and their own unique experience.” Achsah’s experience Achsah first became involved in the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) through the Confident to Talk project. This aimed to find and solve the barriers that resulted in under-reporting of racism on health placements. She is now building on this experience as an intern in the University’s Long Term Conditions research group , alongside developing a self-management toolkit for people with arthritis in their big toe. Achsah has been paired on the reverse mentoring scheme with BRC Senior Programme Manager Kay Mitchell. She first became a mentor for Kay in February, and says she’s found the experience really insightful and enjoyable. She’s also found it relatively straightforward to do. “For me, reverse mentoring has involved some planning,” she says, “but a lot of it has just been being open and having genuine conversations with someone who maybe I wouldn’t have met naturally.” Being a mentor has enabled Achsah to help her mentee understand her background and how that shapes her as a researcher. It allowed them to discuss their similarities and differences.   “Reverse mentoring is really important,” she says, “because it fosters a research culture that’s a lot more empathetic and understanding of certain barriers that a new researcher might have. “Even though everyone might have a different experience and a different background, we’re all working together to create a much more diverse and inclusive workplace.” Kay’s experience Kay decided to take part to challenge herself and examine her own way of thinking. While she doesn’t consider herself to have prejudices or a lack of insight, she cannot know that for certain. “Reverse mentoring is important because it challenges people’s perceptions,” she says. “Sometimes we don’t even understand what our privileges are, or what is causing us to think or behave in a certain way.” The scheme has allowed Kay to hear about Achsah’s experience and compare it to her own. This has involved reflecting on her own background and how society has changed since her childhood. “It’s made me examine what’s maybe shaped the way I am,” she says. Being a mentee might not come naturally to someone who is used to being in a position of authority, so mentees are given training on how to engage with their mentor. “When you’re putting two individuals together and flipping the power balance, you need to make sure the people normally in a position of power understand how to behave,” Kay explains. The next challenge for the BRC, she says, will be to use the insights she and other mentees have gained to drive culture change. She recognises this is not always easy. “It’s a really difficult thing to do,” she says, “but we need to try to understand how to take that culture change on and to do it in a way that works for everybody. It’s our joint challenge.”  Kay says taking part in the scheme has been a really positive experience, and she would recommend it to other staff interested in becoming a mentee. “I’ve enjoyed it,” she says. “It’s made me think about things that I’ve never thought about before.” Next steps The reverse mentoring scheme is coordinated by the NIHR Southampton BRC and also involves mentees from the university’s NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility and NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Wessex. New mentors and mentees will be invited to apply in 2025. If you would like more information on the scheme, please contact BRC Project Manager Matt Gale ( matt.gale@uhs.nhs.uk ).

Southampton’s LifeLab programme has been nationally recognised for its work to improve the health and wellbeing of young people.   LifeLab is a unique research-based educational programme. It empowers children and young people to understand the science behind their health. This inform the choices they make for their own lives – for their health now, in the future, and for their future families.   It is a collaboration between the University of Southampton, NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre and University Hospital Southampton.   LifeLab is a winner at last week’s Health & Wellbeing Awards organised by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH).   National recognition   The programme was named the winner of the Health at Every Age category.   This celebrates initiatives that improve the health of groups in the here and now and makes efforts to protect their future health.   More than 16,000 students from over 100 schools have visited the faciliy at Southampton General Hospital. It celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.   LifeLab Programme Manager, Professor Kath Woods-Townsend said:   “Everyone involved in LifeLab strongly believes that we can improve the health of the population by starting with the younger generation.   "For more than 10 years we have been working with young people, parents and teachers across the city to empower them to make healthier lifestyle choices. This award is recognition that this work makes a real difference."   Expanding programme   LifeLab is a fully resourced, curriculum-linked programme. It gives students an immersive educational experience, so they can understand the science behind the health messages.   It has been expanded to include the Early LifeLab programme. This is now in over 40% of the primary schools in Southampton. It is reaching more than 5,500 children and training almost 300 school staff.   The new resources make the science of the need for a healthy diet, physical activity and sleep more accessible to younger children. This helps them discover why this matters and supports them and their families in making better health choices.   There are also further peer-to-peer opportunities for young people with the ‘Young Health Champions’ qualification, the Young Researcher Training Programme and the Youth panel. These aim to give young people chances to develop research skills, build social connections and foster engagement with their communities. It equips them with tools to support their education and future careers.   'Far reaching benefits'   The RSPH Awards took place in London on Thursday 28th November.   Speaking about LifeLab, RSPH assessors said: “The importance of this programme cannot be underestimated in terms of its impact on lifelong learning and opportunity.   "Health and wellbeing is the foundation of a vibrant community and productive workforce and economy.   "This preventative approach provides far reaching Public Health benefits on an ongoing and enduring basis.”   Image credits: Matthew Walker Photography   Lead photo (left to right). Vishaan Vohra, Lisa Bagust, Kath Woods-Townsend, Donna Lovelock and Maddie Harris.   Second photo (left to right). Lord Patel, President of the RSPH, Lisa Bagust, Donna Lovelock, Kath Woods-Townsend, Maddie Harris, Becky Attwood and Graham Rushbrook.

New recommendations from a national audit could lead to better care for people with respiratory conditions. The National Respiratory Audit Programme (NRAP) has published its Organisational Audit Report 2024. The audit was led by Southampton’s Professor Tom Wilkinson, NRAP senior clinical lead. He leads the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre’s respiratory and allergy theme. Five recommendations The report used data from 2022 to 2024. It assessed the resourcing and organisation of asthma and COPD care in hospitals, and pulmonary rehabilitation services across England and Wales. Based on this data, the report highlights five key areas of improvement: Implementation of workforce ratios Seven-day access to respiratory specialist advice and respiratory nurse specialists Supporting for young people with asthma to transition into adult care Tobacco dependence treatment and support Widening access to pulmonary rehabilitation ‘Driving real impact’ Prof Wilkinson is a Professor of Respiratory Medicine and Associate Dean for Enterprise at the University of Southampton, and Honorary Consultant at University Hospital Southampton. He is an NIHR Senior Investigator, recognising his status as one of the most prominent health researchers in the UK. Prof Wilkinson said: “Respiratory conditions affect the lives of millions of people in the UK. Asthma and COPD are key drivers of chronic symptoms, impaired quality of life and acute illness, causing hospital admissions through infection and exacerbations. “In this report, we provide unique insights into how respiratory services are organised, and identify variations in both team structure and resourcing. It carries five recommendations focusing on key areas, which if improved will drive real impact and improve outcomes.” To read the report and find out more, please visit the Organisational Audit Report 2024 webpage .

Dr Helena Fisk is looking at new ways to improve obesity-associated inflammation. The Southampton researcher has secured funding from the iNutriLife Innovation Hub. She is currently supported by the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). Dr Fisk’s new award will establish a cellular model of obesity. She will use this to explore how dietary fatty acids may improve inflammation and metabolic health. Omega-3 fatty acids – sometimes known as ‘healthy fats’ - are found in oily fish. They have been linked to various health benefits and a reduced risk of disease. Diet and inflammation in obesity The body can convert (metabolise) fatty acids into signalling molecules called oxylipins. Previous research has shown that specific oxylipins called pro-resolving mediators generated from omega-3 can reduce inflammation. Oxylipins and specialised pro-resolving mediators are found in blood and tissues. They are made by cells including macrophages that move to fat tissue as obesity develops. Macrophages are a type of white blood cell that plays an important role in the immune system. Dr Fisk’s previous work has shown that people who are living with obesity have fewer pro-resolving oxylipins that can reduce inflammation in their fat tissue. She has also shown that people living with obesity are not able to convert omega-3 fatty acids to pro-resolving oxylipins when we add more of them to their diet. The new study is a collaboration with a company called Solutex. They manufacture a range of fatty acid products. These include a unique combination of omega-3 fatty acids and specialised pro-resolving mediators that are reported to reduce inflammation. Exactly how this combination may improve inflammation and metabolism in obesity is not yet known. Findings from this study will be used to inform its use in a human study of obesity in the future. ‘Huge potential’  There were over one million hospital admissions due to obesity-related illness in the UK between 2022 and 2023. More than two in three adults in the UK are living with overweight or obesity, and there are over one billion people living with obesity worldwide. Despite efforts to reduce rates of obesity, these numbers are continuing to rise. “There is an urgent need to support the health of people living with overweight and obesity,” Dr Fisk explained. She continued: “Dietary interventions have huge potential. We believe this combination of omega-3 fatty acids and specialised pro-resolving mediators could help restore levels of these in obesity." “This may offer a promising way to reduce inflammation and improve metabolism, reducing the risk of diseases like diabetes and heart disease.” Dr Fisk is currently supported by a Bridging Fellowship from the NIHR Southampton BRC. Her research is part of the Nutrition, Lifestyle and Metabolism theme. Earlier this year, she was presented with The Nutrition Society STEM4Britain Award. This honour recognises scientific excellence at an early career stage. Dr Fisk has also secured further funding in recent months to establish a new methodology for measuring metabolites of dietary fatty acids.

Dr Jane Cleal has been recognised as an outstanding researcher in the field of placental biology. She was presented the 2024 Andrée Gruslin Award at a conference in Montreal, Canada. Dr Cleal is an Associate Professor in Reproductive Cell Biology at the University of Southampton. She is also part of the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). Global recognition The Andrée Gruslin Award is given by the International Federation of Placenta Associations (IFPA). Each year, it is offered to an outstanding female mid-career investigator in their field. It is named after Dr Andrée Gruslin, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and researcher. Dr Gruslin spent her life researching placental health until her death in 2014, aged 49. She is remembered for continuing an obstetrical service and research while battling breast cancer. Dr Cleal received the award this month at the IFPA conference, where she gave a plenary lecture. She said: “It is such an honour to receive this award and for the importance of my novel work on placental nutrient transfer and metabolism to be recognised. These are key findings that could inform new interventions to support fetal development.” Research focus Dr Cleal is a member of the Southampton Placenta-Endometrium Group. She specialises in the integration of whole systems biology with cellular and molecular mechanisms. These relate to developmental physiology, reproductive disorders and pregnancy-related conditions. Her pioneering research on placental nutrient transfer has significantly advanced understanding of the underlying processes. This includes establishing how amino acids reach the foetus. She also made the groundbreaking discovery of active placental control of vitamin D transfer and metabolism during pregnancy. The findings demonstrate a complex interplay between vitamin D and the placenta. They could help inform future interventions using vitamin D to support foetal development and maternal adaptations to pregnancy. Dr Cleal is part of the Nutrition, Lifestyle and Metabolism theme of the NIHR Southampton BRC.