Research strategy

The foundations of lifelong health, and the origins of many chronic diseases (e.g. obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer) are in early life and childhood.  The research strategy of the Division of Developmental Medicine is to understand the genetic-environmental interactions which underpin the physiology of normal and disordered growth and development, how they impact on health in infancy, childhood, pregnancy and adulthood, and to apply this knowledge to prevent, detect, and treat disease throughout the life course.

Research is focussed within two themes of major public health and clinical importance:

• Obesity and Disordered Metabolism
• Biology and Pathology of Early Life

Obesity, and the chronic diseases associated with it, has rapidly come to challenge cardiovascular disease, cancer and mental health as a condition of enormous medical significance, and the vital importance of early life to the genesis of these diseases, and to health in later life, is now well recognised.  Focus of research within these two themes takes advantage of the high prevalence and morbidity associated with chronic diseases that have their origins in early life, in Glasgow and in Scotland in general.

Such a focus has been the mission of the Division of Developmental Medicine since 1992, leading to a 4 rating in RAE 1996 and a 5 rating in RAE 2001 (UOA3).  Traditional departmental and discipline-based boundaries have long since been transcended so that research priorities exploit the full range of approaches and methods, which include molecular-genetic, whole-body, clinical trials and epidemiology; a focus on genotype-phenotype interactions in early life; and on mechanisms and pathways of disease, especially their impact on growth and development.

The Division of Developmental Medicine is located in university accommodation, largely on the Glasgow Royal Infirmay and Yorkhill Hospitals sites, and also shares labs within the University and SUERC.  The Division enjoys substantial external funding support from the BHF, SEHHD, BBSRC, MRC, NIH, EU, Wellcome Trust, CSO Scotland, NHS R&D, FSA, Wellbeing, ARC and industry.  Major recent achievements have been:

• Quantification of the childhood epidemic of obesity and characterisation of signal biometric features of adult obesity has changed international thinking and public health policy.
• Determination of the health benefits and metabolism of key bioactive components of foods have promoted the consumption of specific foods and beverages that protect vascular health.
• Identification of the genetic basis of six serious diseases points the way to new approaches to their detection, prevention and cure.

Further details of the research programmes of individual Sections may be found at: Child Health, Reproductive and Maternal Medicine, Medical Genetics, Human Nutrition, Surgical Paediatrics and Anaesthesia.