Micronutrient Research Laboratory
Micronutrient Research Laboratory
The micronutrient research laboratory is foundational for the nutritional intervention trials conducted in the Center for Human Nutrition. The laboratory is situated at the intersection of CHN's interventions and human biology and is the primary resource the Center relies upon to assess nutritional impact at a biochemical level.
Biospecimens
The Micronutrient Research Laboratory possesses substantial biospecimen archives that stretch back to the early 1990s, primarily containing samples from Nepal and Bangladesh (see table at left).
Most biopspecimens represent serial data, as women were followed through pregnancy, and multiple cohorts have been followed-up for 15 to 20 years following birth.
The Research Laboratory's bioarchives also offer opportunities to conduct proteomic and metabolomic analyses. They have already been used in collaboration with archived specimens in other centres to examine, for example, the role of selenium in preterm birth (collaboration with the University of Cincinnati) and the prevalence of aflatoxin exposure in Bangladeshi mothers and infants (collaboration with University of California - Davis).
Instrumentation and Assays
The team in the Micronutrient Research Lab (depicted at right) specializes in measuring an array of vitamins, minerals, inflammatory markers, and endocrine factors as a means of assessing nutritional impact.
Equipment at the lab includes:
- HPLC/UPLC for fluorescent or UV detection
- Manual immunoassays
- Colorimetric assays for urinary iodine
- Immunilite 2000 for chemiluminescent immunoassays
- ICP-MS Agilent 7850 for plasma and milk mineral detection
Measuring Impact
Evidence We've Generated
The Micronutrient Research Laboratory has helped produce some of the most substantial evidence of nutritional impact seen across the Center's current historical trials and is helping to elucidate the mechanisms by which micronutrient interventions impact human health.
Take the video tour!
Lab manager Sarah shares an in-depth look at the workings of the Human Nutrition Laboratory.
Other Components of the Center for Human Nutrition
Who We Are
The Center encompasses a multidisciplinary group of faculty from across the University.
Training Opportunities in the Center
With the Human Nutrition Program as its hub, the Center offers multiple training opportunities to interested individuals.
Partnerships
The Center works with multiple organizations and research groups with similar interests and priorities in tackling complex issues in the fields of food and nutrition.