research

environmental & genetic epidemiology research

summary

The mission of the Environmental & Genetic Epidemiology group is to improve knowledge in the prevention of child disorders, particularly immune disorders. The group is also involved in evaluating the child determinants of adult health.

This group aims to generate further knowledge that will hopefully lead into direct policy and prevention activity, thus decreasing the risk of children developing type 1 diabetes mellitus, juvenile idiopathic arthritis and other immune disorders and cancer. We also aim to identify the optimal childhood environment and lifestyle to prevent adult disorders such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

group leader(s)

Professor Anne-Louise Ponsonby
Environmental & Genetic Epidemiology Research
Royal Children's Hospital
Flemington Road
Parkville
Victoria, 3052

T  0401 678382
F +61 3 9348 1391
E anne-louise.ponsonby@mcri.edu.au

group leader biography

current research projects

Project 1:  Early Environment and Type 1 Diabetes Project

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is increasing in incidence rapidly, implicating a role for environmental drivers.  Candidate drivers include altered infection patterns, particularly Enterovirus (EV), and reduced sun exposure and subsequent vitamin D status. In the British Medical Journal 2011, demonstrated with a meta-analysis that a strong association exists between Enterovirus (EV) infection, detected by enteroviral RNA or viral protein, and newly diagnosed T1D with a pooled odds ratio of 12.73 (95% 6.43, 25.19). Vitamin D is an immunomodulator that can increase host resistance to initial or persistent viral infection and potentially beneficially alter host response to infection, such as reducing associated inflammatory damage. The NHMRC 546425 case control fieldwork on past UVR exposure and T1D risk is on track to have data and blood samples from 330 incident T1D cases and 660 controls by project completion at the end of 2011. Furthermore an investigation of EV and vitamin D status in clinical T1D onset.

Project 2:  Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia Incubator Grant

This work builds on our report in the British Medical Journal in 2010 that mothers who experienced lower sunlight levels during early pregnancy were more likely to have offspring who later developed multiple sclerosis, even after taking into account where the mothers were residing within Australia at the time of pregnancy. The proposed work extends this finding by now investigating if children who develop MS have either lower vitamin D levels at birth and/or lower sun exposure during early life.

The work is highly novel as it assesses these issues using two new biomarkers developed in Australia over the past three years- neonatal vitamin D assay dried blood spot (DBS) and Ultraviolet Fluorescence Photography (UVFP). The study design is that of a case control study where children with early onset multiple sclerosis are compared to healthy controls. In addition, there is the opportunity to compare case children to children with other immune diseases. This work will provide evidence of critical importance to public health policy on vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and recommended levels of sun exposure for infants and children.

Project 3:  Barwon Infant Study - Allergy Investigation

Allergic disease prevention is not yet possible but the most promising window of altering immune programming is in the first postnatal year. We will conduct a modern unselected Australian birth cohort with one year follow-up, the Barwon Infant Study, to investigate predictors of eczema and allergic sensitisation at one postnatal year. The cohort has been designed to generate new knowledge regarding the mechanisms by which the early life environment modifies postnatal immune programming and the risk of allergic disease.

Project 4:  Barwon Infant Study - Lung development Investigation

This new NHMRC study was funded within the BIS study. It involves measuring infant and child lung function at 4 weeks and 3 years. It aims to :-

  1. To investigate whether lower respiratory tract illness (LRTI) in the first years of life is associated with deterioration in lung function between birth and age 3 years.
  2. To investigate whether aeroallergen sensitisation in the first years of life is associated with deterioration in lung function between birth and age 3 years.
  3. To explore in detail the interplay between LRTI, aeroallergen sensitisation, lung function development between birth and age three years and preschool wheezing.

 

team members

  • Julian Carlin - DATA ENTRY CLERK
  • Raul Chavez - Research Assistant
  • Justine Ellis - Senior Research Fellow
  • Amanda Hawker - Research Assistant
  • Stacey Hayes - Research Assistant (Nurse)
  • Kaye Hollingworth - Research Assistant (Nurse)
  • Erica Jelley - Visiting UGrad Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Andrew Kemp - Clinical Paediatric Research Immunologis
  • Louise King - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
  • Angela Lamantia - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
  • Catherine Lloyd-Johnson - HONORARY RESEARCH FELLOW
  • Susan Matthysz-Rosa - ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
  • Angela Pezic - Research Officer
  • Helen Raschella - Administrative Assistant
  • William Siero - Research Assistant
  • Cong Sun - Senior Research Officer
  • Christos Symeonides - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Gabriella Tikellis - Senior Research Officer
  • Peter Vuillermin - RESEARCH OFFICER
  • Ning Wang - VISITING ACADEMIC

publications

  • Brockschmidt FF., Heilmann S., Ellis JA., Eigelshoven S., Hanneken S., Herold C., Moebus S., Alblas MA., Lippke B., Kluck N., Priebe L., Degenhardt FA., Jamra RA., Meesters C., Jockel KH., Erbel R., Harrap S., Schumacher J., Frohlich H., Kruse R., Hillmer AM., Becker T., Nothen MM. Susceptibility variants on chromosome 7p21.1 suggest HDAC9 as a new candidate gene for male-pattern baldness. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY 165 (6) : 1293 - 1302(2011) PubMed
  • Busst CJ., Bloomer LDS., Scurrah KJ., Ellis JA., Barnes TA., Charchar FJ., Braund P., Hopkins PN., Samani NJ., Hunt SC., Tomaszewski M., Harrap SB. The Epithelial Sodium Channel gamma-Subunit Gene and Blood Pressure Family Based Association, Renal Gene Expression, and Physiological Analyses. HYPERTENSION 58 (6) : 1073 (2011)
  • Dwyer T., Ponsonby AL., Ukoumunne OC., Pezic A., Venn A., Dunstan D., Barr E., Blair S., Cochrane J., Zimmet P., Shaw J. Association of change in daily step count over five years with insulin sensitivity and adiposity: population based cohort study. BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL 342 (2011) PubMed
  • Ellis JA., Ponsonby AL., Pezic A., Williamson E., Cochrane JA., Dickinson JL., Dwyer T. Apoe genotype and Cardio-Respiratory fitness interact to determine adiposity in 8-Year-Old children from the Tasmanian infant health survey. PLOS ONE 6 (10) (2011) PubMed
  • Fahy SJ., Sun C., Zhu G., Healey PR., Spector TD., Martin NG., Mitchell P., Wong TY., Mackey DA., Hammond CJ., Andrew T. The Relationship between Retinal Arteriolar and Venular Calibers Is Genetically Mediated, and Each Is Associated with Risk of Cardiovascular Disease. INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE 52 (2) : 975 - 981(2011) PubMed
  • Glasgow NJ., Ponsonby AL., Kemp A., Tovey E., van Asperen P., McKay K., Forbes S. Feather bedding and childhood asthma associated with house dust mite sensitisation: a randomised controlled trial. ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD 96 (6) : 541 - 547(2011) PubMed
  • Juonala M., Magnussen CG., Berenson GS., Venn A., Burns TL., Sabin MA., Srinivasan SR., Daniels SR., Davis PH., Chen W., Sun C., Cheung M., Viikari JSA., Dwyer T., Raitakari OT. Childhood Adiposity, Adult Adiposity, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors. NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE 365 (20) : 1876 - 1885(2011)
  • Juonala M., Saarikoski LA., Viikari JSA., Oikonen M., Lehtimaki T., Lyytikainen LP., Huupponen R., Magnussen CG., Koskinen J., Laitinen T., Taittonen L., Kahonen M., Kivimaki M., Raitakari OT. A longitudinal analysis on associations of adiponectin levels with metabolic syndrome and carotid artery intima-media thickness. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. ATHEROSCLEROSIS 217 (1) : 234 - 239(2011) PubMed
  • Kemp AS., Ponsonby AL., Dwyer T., Cochrane JA., Pezic A., Jones G. Maternal antenatal peanut consumption and peanut and rye sensitization in the offspring at adolescence. CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY 41 (2) : 224 - 231(2011) PubMed
  • Koplin JJ., Tang ML., Martin PE., Osborne NJ., Lowe AJ., Ponsonby AL., Robinson MN., Tey D., Thiele L., Hill DJ., Gurrin LC., Wake M., Dharmage SC., Allen KJ., HealthNuts investigators. Predetermined challenge eligibility and cessation criteria for oral food challenges in the HealthNuts population-based study of infants. JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY (2011) PubMed
  • Lai JK., Lucas RM., Banks E., Ponsonby AL., Ausimmune Investigator Group. Variability in vitamin D assays impairs clinical assessment of vitamin D status. Internal Medicine Journal (2011) PubMed
  • Lucas RM., Hughes AM., Lay M-LJ., Ponsonby AL., Dwyer DE., Taylor BV., Pender MP. Epstein-Barr virus and multiple sclerosis. JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY 82 (10) : 1142 - 1148(2011) PubMed
  • Lucas RM., Ponsonby AL., Dear K., Valery P., Pender MP., Burrows JM., Burrows SR., Chapman C., Coulthard A., Dwyer DE., Dwyer T., Kilpatrick T., Lay MLJ., McMichael AJ., Taylor BV., van der Mei IAF., Williams D. Current and past Epstein-Barr virus infection in risk of initial CNS demyelination. NEUROLOGY 77 (4) : 371 - 379(2011) PubMed
  • Lucas RM., Ponsonby AL., Dear K., Valery PC., Pender MP., Taylor BV., Kilpatrick TJ., Dwyer T., Coulthard A., Chapman C., van der Mei I., Williams D., McMichael AJ. Sun exposure and vitamin D are independent risk factors for CNS demyelination. NEUROLOGY 76 (6) : 540 - 548(2011) PubMed
  • Olsson CA., Moyzis RK., Williamson E., Ellis JE., Parkinson-Bates M., Patton GC., Dwyer T., Romaniuk H., Moore EE. Gene-environment interaction in problematic substance use : interaction between DrD4 and insecure attachments. Addiction Biology (2011)
  • Osborne NJ., Koplin JJ., Martin PE., Gurrin LC., Lowe AJ., Matheson MC., Ponsonby AL., Wake M., Tang MLK., Dharmage SC., Allen KJ. Prevalence of challenge-proven IgE-mediated food allergy using population-based sampling and predetermined challenge criteria in infants. JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY 127 (3) : 668 (2011) PubMed
  • Ponsonby AL., Lucas RM. Shift work and multiple sclerosis. ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY 70 (5) : 680 - 683(2011)
  • Ponsonby AL., Pezic A., Cochrane J., Cameron FJ., Pascoe M., Kemp A., Dwyer T. Infant anthropometry, early life infection, and subsequent risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus: a prospective birth cohort study. PEDIATRIC DIABETES 12 (4) : 313 - 321(2011) PubMed
  • Ponsonby AL., Sun C., Ukoumunne OC., Pezic A., Venn A., Shaw JE., Dunstan DW., Barr EL., Blair SN., Cochrane J., Zimmet PZ., Dwyer T. Objectively measured physical activity and the subsequent risk of incident dysglycemia: the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study (AusDiab). Diabetes Care 34 (7) : 1497 - 1502(2011) PubMed
  • Salvi E., Kutalik Z., Glorioso N., Benaglio P., Frau F., Kuznetsova T., Arima H., Hoggart C., Tichet J., Nikitin YP., Conti C., Seidlerova J., Tikhonoff V., Stolarz-Skrzypek K., Johnson T., Devos N., Zagato L., Guarrera S., Zaninello R., Calabria A., Stancanelli B., Troffa C., Thijs L., Rizzi F., Simonova G., Lupoli S., Argiolas G., Braga D., D'Alessio MC., Ortu MF., Ricceri F., Mercurio M., Descombes P., Marconi M., Chalmers J., Harrap S., Filipovsky J., Bochud M., Iacoviello L., Ellis J., Stanton AV., Laan M., Padmanabhan S., Dominiczak AF., Samani NJ., Melander O., Jeunemaitre X., Manunta P., Shabo A., Vineis P., Cappuccio FP., Caulfield MJ., Matullo G., Rivolta C., Munroe PB., Barlassina C., Staessen JA., Beckmann JS., Cusi D. Genome wide Association Study Using a High-Density Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Array and Case-Control Design Identifies a Novel Essential Hypertension Susceptibility Locus in the Promoter Region of Endothelial NO Synthase. HYPERTENSION (2011) PubMed
  • Sanfilippo PG., Medland SE., Hewitt AW., Kearns LS., Ruddle JB., Sun C., Hammond CJ., Young TL., Martin NG., Mackey DA. Ophthalmic Phenotypes and the Representativeness of Twin Data for the General Population. INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE 52 (8) : 5565 - 5572(2011) PubMed
  • Schmidt MD., Dwyer T., Magnussen CG., Venn AJ. Predictive associations between alternative measures of childhood adiposity and adult cardio-metabolic health. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBESITY 35 (1) : 38 - 45(2011) PubMed
  • Simpson S Jnr., van derMei I., Blizzard L., Ponsonby AL., Dwyer D., Dwyer T., Pittas F., Taylor B. Anti-HHV-6 IgG titer significantly predicts subsequent relapse risk in multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis journal (2011)
  • Simpson S., Pittas F., van der Mei I., Blizzard L., Ponsonby AL., Taylor B. Trends in the epidemiology of multiple sclerosis in Greater Hobart, Tasmania: 1951 to 2009. JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY 82 (2) : 180 - 187(2011) PubMed
  • Stokes L., Scurrah K., Ellis JA., Cromer BA., Skarratt KK., Gu BJ., Harrap SB., Wiley JS. A Loss-of-Function Polymorphism in the Human P2X4 Receptor Is Associated With Increased Pulse Pressure. HYPERTENSION 58 (6) : 1086 (2011)
  • Turner PJ., Kemp AS., Campbell DE. Advisory food labels: Consumers with allergies need more than "traces" of information. BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL 343 (7828) (2011) PubMed
  • van Eekelen JAM., Olsson CA., Ellis JA., Ang W., Hutchinson D., Zubrick SR., Pennell CE. Identification and genetic determination of an early life risk disposition for depressive disorder: Atypical stress-related behaviour in early childhood. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 63 (1) : 6 - 17(2011)

competitive funding

National Health & Medical Research Council
Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia
Diabetes Australia
Arthritis Australia

collaborations & affiliations

National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane
The University of Queensland and Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
Barwon Health Geelong
Geelong; Virology Department, Centre for Infectious Diseases & Microbiology Laboratory Services, Westmead Hospital, New South Wales
The Australian National University, Canberra; Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
Centre for Neuroscience (T.K.), The University of Melbourne, Melbourne
Geelong; Virology Department Centre for Infectious Diseases & Microbiology Laboratory Services, Westmead Hospital, New South Wales
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle
AusDiab Group
University of Exeter, Exeter UK
Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne Australia
Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
Menzies Research Institute, Tasmania Australia