Nutritional and Biochemical Ontogeny of Fat Oxidation Insights gleaned from a piglet model

       For the past 15 years, I have worked to establish a research program focused on the "Nutritional Biochemistry of the Neonate". This focus is justified by high rates of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Neonatal animals from all mammalian species face a number of biological stressors which accompany the transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life, that are responsible for the high postnatal morbidity. For example, the U.S. ranks 28th in the world with respect to neonatal mortality, with mortality rates among infants weighing less than 1.5 kg approaching 40%. Similarly, reproductive inefficiencies, including postnatal survival, have long been recognized as major obstacles facing production agriculture. Recent estimates from the U. S. Department of Agriculture suggest that up to 15% of piglets born alive do not survive through weaning age. In both cases, newborns that are born prematurely or small-for-gestational-age are at greater risk. These national statistics underscore the need for research designed to increase our understanding of the various stressors that impinge upon the neonate in order to design strategies to minimize and/or eliminate their deleterious effects. Development of these strategies constitutes a formidable challenge to both medical as well as agricultural sciences.

       My multiple appointments within the Department of Animal Science, the Nutrition Graduate Program, the Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, and the Biotechnology & Genomics faculties factor strategically into my commitment to address problems that are relevant to both Agricultural and Medical sciences. A primary focus of my research has been upon the development of the piglet model for the study of lipid metabolism and intestinal growth & development during the early postnatal period. While the research findings from this program relate directly to swine physiology and therefore to production agriculture, they also have important ramifications for other species as well, including humans.

Primary research efforts involve four areas:
(1) Investigation of factors that may enhance the utilization of medium-chain triglycerides, including effects of fatty acid chain length, emulsification, and supplemental carnitine.
(2) Delineation of the biochemical limitations in fatty acid oxidation in the low birth-weight neonate, including: -- role of carnitine palmitoyltransferase & hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase. -- role of peroxisomal & microsomal metabolism. -- description and molecular characterization of the metabolic basis for low hepatic ketogenesis in newborn piglets.
(3) Investigation of neonatal gastrointestinal growth & development, including responses to bioactive substances in milk (epidermal growth factor and insulin-like growth factors) during normal and pathophysiological states.
(4) Optimal use of dietary fats for swine throughout the life cycle.
(5) Functional genomic approach to explore alterations in lipid metabolism accompanying obesity.