My research at DMU

The following summarises my research activity as part of the strategy of the faculty of health and life sciences and the School of Allied Health Sciences:

Qualifications: PhD, BSc (Hons. Sand.)

Research Interests

• Diet and health based human intervention trials
• Sickle Cell Anaemia and Diet
• Ethnicity and the health paradox
• Diet, pregnancy and infant health
• Folic Acid: Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease – clinical blood results, biomarkers and physiological measurements
• Induction of phase-II detoxification enzymes by cruciferous vegetables: Glucosinolates, super broccoli and cancer
• Clinical chemistry method development

Recent Publications

• Basten, G.P., Duthie, S.J., Pirie, L., Hill, M.H., Powers, H.J, Sensitivity of markers of DNA stability and DNA repair activity to folate supplementation in healthy volunteers. British Journal Of Cancer 2006, 94, 1942-1947.
• Basten, G.P., Hill, M.H., Duthie, S.J, Powers, H.J., Effect of Folic Acid Supplementation on the Folate Status of Buccal Mucosa and Lymphocytes, Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers 2004; 13, 7.
• Narayanan, S., McConnell, J., Little, J., Sharp, L., Piyathilake, C.J., Powers, H., Basten, G., Duthie, S.J., Associations between Two common variants C677T and A1298C in the Methylenetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene and Measures of Folate Metabolism and DNA Stability (Strand Breaks, Misincorporated Uracil and DNA Methylation Status) in Human Lympocytes In Vivo, Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers & Prevention, 2004, 13, 1436-1443
• Basten, G.P., Y, Bao., Williamson, G., Sulforaphane and its glutathione conjugate but not sulforaphane nitrile induce UDP-glucuronosyl transferase (UGT1A1) and glutathione transferase (GSTA1) in cultured cells. Carcinogenesis 2002 Vol. 23, 8, 1399-1404.

Projects

• Assessment of the dietary intake of ethnic populations in Leicester using 24 hour recall and 7 day food diaries.
• Food fortification vs supplements and the nutrient contents of various food and drinks.
• Antioxidant capacity of generic ethnic ingredients and dishes.
• Role of phytochemicals in cancer and heart disease.

Esteem/Professional Contribution

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Senior Fellow Award Panel Judge for the HEA
• Grant review expert for the BBSRC AgriFood Committee
• Member of Health and Wellbeing Nutrition Advisory panel for PEPSICO
• University Representative for the Society of Biology
• Member of The Institute of Biomedical Science
• Member of The Phytochemical Society of Europe