BioMineral Research

The work of the BioMineral Research Group focuses on minerals, particularly nano-mineral synthesis and biomineral analysis to help provide solutions to unmet needs in nutrition and health.  Much of our work concentrates on the gastrointestinal tract and in understanding the gut handling of nano-particles: an area of increasingly high priority both nationally and internationally. Our work integrates basic chemical and cellular studies with ex vivo tissue analysis and in vivo human studies and, therefore, progresses in a strong translational framework from discovery science through to health applications. We will continue to exploit intellectual property that arises through these studies, working closely with MRC Technology.

The Group conducts research into five main areas.

The first area of research is led by Dr Jonathan Powell as an ‘MRC Programme’ and concerns the “Form and Function of Endogenously Self Assembled Mineral Nanoparticles of the Mammalian Gut”. This work may provide an important link in understanding how antigen and bacterial components are transported to immune cells of the gastrointestinal tract. It is also informing on gut handling of nanoparticles. The Investigator Scientist within the team is Dr Laetitia Pele.

The second on “Novel  Iron Therapeutics and Dietary Iron” has Dr Dora Pereira as the scientific lead and focusses on the development of safe and efficacious novel iron supplements based on iron oxide nano-particles and on the investigation of gastrointestinal effects and cellular handling of dietary iron.

The third theme has Dr Ravin Jugdaohsingh as the senior scientific lead, and investigates “Dietary Silicon and Connective Tissue Health” and ultimately intends to inform upon the biological role of silicon and dietary silicon requirements.

The fourth theme “Nanomineral Synthesis and Therapeutic Application” has Dr Nuno Faria as scientific lead and investigates novel strategies to synthesise nanominerals that have a range of clinical, nutritional and environmental applications and to develop IP and licensing deals with commercial enterprises.

Finally, the technology and academic experiences underlying the above projects, especially the use of inductively coupled plasma spectrometries, are being applied to a broad range of international collaborative works including studies on the role of dietary trace elements (such as Selenium, Zinc and Iodine) and “toxic” trace elements (such as Arsenic, Mercury and cadmium) in health and diseases. Dr Sylvaine Bruggraber is the scientific lead for this team.