Nutrition and Type 2 Diabetes Laboratory

Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia
What the facility does

Our research involves the application of nutrition and nutrigenetics to the nutraceutical prevention and post-onset management of type 2 diabetes in humans, with a view to the reduction of polypharmacy.

Areas of expertise

My lab’s research involves the application of nutrition and nutrigenetics to the nutraceutical prevention and post-onset management of type 2 diabetes in humans, with a view to the reduction of polypharmacy. The nutrigenetic work is done by genotyping, to identify polymorphisms in genes and the best responders, in terms of phenotypes, to a particular treatment. Phenotypic determinations include the seven major clinical associations with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes: obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, hypertension, inflammation, oxidation and the prothrombotic state. Other research involves metabolomic studies of plasma to determine the molecular trigger(s) of type 2 diabetes, with a view to prevention.

Research services
  • HbA1c
  • ELISAs
  • lipoprotein separation via ultracentrifugation
  • blood levels (glucose / lipids / lipoproteins / oxidation / anti-oxidation and inflammation)
  • individual and total fatty acids including free fatty acids
  • genotyping
Sectors of application
  • Education
  • Healthcare and social services
  • Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment

Equipment

Function

HPLC

Fatty acid analysis, HbA1c

UPLC MS MS- photodiode array

Fatty acid analysis

Ultracentrifuge

Lipoprotein isolation

High-speed centrifuge

Separation of blood components

Plate reader

ELISAs (including, but not limited, to measures of oxidation, anti-oxidation and inflammation),blood glucose, lipids, and protein content

Freezer, -80 degree Celsius

Blood component storage

Fridges, 4 degree Celsius,  and freezers, -20 degree Celsius

DNA and chemical storage for genotyping

Gel electrophoresis

Genotyping

  • University of Saskatchewan
  • Western University
  • University of Toronto
  • St. Francis Xavier University
  • Memorial University