Exploring the Effect of Ultra-Processed Food on Female Fertility (Professor Suzannah Williams)
PROJECT TITLE
Exploring the Effect of Ultra-Processed Food on Female Fertility
SUPERVISORS
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
The average adult in the UK now gets nearly 60% of their diet from ultra-processed food (UPF). UPFs are industrially created food-like substances which are typically highly palatable, energy dense and low in nutritional value. They can be recognised by containing ingredients that you wouldn’t find in your kitchen at home such as, artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers and preservatives. A diet high in UPF has already been linked to multiple adverse health outcomes including, type-II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression and all-cause mortality. However, the impact of UPF on female fertility, specifically the ovarian reserve, is poorly understood.
This project aims to improve the understanding of how UPF affects female fertility by exploring whether the frequency of UPF consumption influences ovarian reserve, using a mouse model. Animals will consume a diet containing UPF and various outcome measures will be analysed including, but not limited to, anti-Mullerian hormone, antral follicle counts, ovarian histology and gene expression.
This project could be extended to explore the effects of different categories of UPFs, variations in their frequency and quantity of consumption, and the long-term consequences of UPF-rich diets. Future studies could also examine how parental UPF intake influences the fertility of offspring, as well as its impact on xeno-transplanted ovarian tissue.
Simultaneously the rates of UPF consumption and infertility in the UK, and other countries are rising. This project could provide research that supports nutritional guidance for women with infertility, raises awareness of the impact of modern diets and add to the data being used to advocate for healthier food options.
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
The student will join a highly collaborative environment and be introduced to using an animal model approach for their project. The opportunities include:
- Research training in dissection, embedding, sectioning, histology, immunohistochemistry, image analysis and statistical analysis.
- Regular research group meetings to understand current research landscape, methodology and potential collaborations
- Skills training in presentation, scientific writing, funding applications and scientific leadership
Funding Information
The position is not currently funded and therefore the candidate will need to secure funding. We will support students in their application for independent scholarships.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply for this research degree, please click here.