The public health importance of vitamin D: determining causal effects of intrauterine and lifetime exposure to vitamin D
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Social Medicine
Abstract
This aim of this grant is to determine whether low levels of vitamin D during fetal development and in childhood increase the risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high glucose and insulin (markers of diabetes) in early adulthood. Vitamin D is generated by exposure of the skin to sunlight. Recent public health campaigns to reduce skin exposure to sunlight have been successful in reducing the occurrence of skin cancer, but there is some concern that they have also caused low levels of vitamin D in many people. Pregnant women and children in particular are likely to have inadequate levels. Low levels of vitamin D could have detrimental effects. There is increasing evidence that individuals who have lower levels of vitamin D have higher risk factors for diabetes and heart disease, such as higher fasting blood sugar levels and higher cholesterol and blood pressure. We will examine the association of vitamin D (measured in blood samples taken from their mothers during pregnancy and themselves when aged 7-9 years) with measures of blood cholesterol, glucose and insulin and blood pressure in a large study of individuals who are now aged 17-18 years.
Technical Summary
The success of public health campaigns to decrease UVB exposure has contributed to population level declines in vitamin D. A high proportion of pregnant women and children in developed countries have sub-optimal vitamin D levels. There is increasing evidence that lower levels of vitamin D are associated with increased risk of type 1 and 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular disease. There is also some evidence that low levels of vitamin D during pregnancy could increase the risk of adverse metabolic and cardiovascular traits in the next generation. However, whether any of these associations are causal is unclear. Most studies to date have been cross-sectional, unable to control for potentially important confounders and of small sample size. There is a need to determine whether these associations are causal and also the magnitude of any causal associations. Randomised controlled trials provide the gold-standard for determining causality but are expensive and often have problems with generalisability. A better understanding of whether vitamin D is causally related to metabolic and vascular outcomes, and if so the magnitude of this causal effect, could be obtained by better designed epidemiological studies (prospective studies, with large numbers and adequate detail on important confounders), and by the use of genetic variants that are robustly associated with vitamin D levels as instrumental variables to provide causal inference. Such approaches within an established cohort would provide timely and resource efficient results. We propose to examine the association of intrauterine vitamin D (maternal pregnancy levels of 25(OH)D) and childhood vitamin D (own levels of 25(OH)D assessed at mean age 10 years) with fasting glucose, insulin and lipid levels and blood pressure at age 17 (N=7,000). Further, we propose to identify genetic variants that are robustly associated with variation in 25(OH)D (heritability 40-80%) in genome-wide association analyses of 8,200 individuals, with replication of any variants identified in the genome-wide approach in over 22,000 individuals. Identified variants will then be used in our main cohort and collaborating cohorts (numbers totalling 15,000 for continuous traits and 7,000 cases for pre-eclampsia) as instrumental variables to determine the unbiased and unconfounded association of life-time exposure to different levels of vitamin D with fasting glucose, insulin and lipid levels, blood pressure and pre-eclampsia. We will also combine maternal and offspring genotype to determine the unbiased and unconfounded association of variation in intrauterine vitamin D with later metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors.
Organisations
- University of Bristol, United Kingdom (Collaboration, Lead Research Organisation)
- University of Bradford (Collaboration)
- University of Southampton, United Kingdom (Collaboration)
- University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (Collaboration)
- Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Collaboration)
- CHICOS: Developing a Child Cohort Research Strategy for Europe (Collaboration)
- Imperial College London, United Kingdom (Collaboration)
- Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (Collaboration)
- Yeshiva University (Collaboration)
- London Sch of Hygiene and Trop Medicine, United Kingdom (Collaboration)
- Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) (Collaboration)
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (Collaboration)
- Greifswald University, Germany (Collaboration)
- University of Glasgow, United Kingdom (Collaboration)
- University of Oulu, Finland (Collaboration)
- Harvard University (Collaboration)
- McGill University, Canada (Collaboration)
- University of Copenhagen, Denmark (Collaboration)
- University of Cambridge (Collaboration)
- Bradford Institute for Health Research (Collaboration)
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Collaboration)
- University of Queensland, Australia (Collaboration)
- University of Western Australia, Australia (Collaboration)
Publications

Berry DJ
(2017)
Harmonization Study Between LC-MS/MS and Diasorin RIA for Measurement of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations in a Large Population Survey.
in Journal of clinical laboratory analysis

Bonilla C
(2014)
Skin pigmentation, sun exposure and vitamin D levels in children of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.
in BMC public health

Carswell AT
(2018)
Influence of Vitamin D Supplementation by Sunlight or Oral D3 on Exercise Performance.
in Medicine and science in sports and exercise


Dudding T
(2015)
Re-Examining the Association between Vitamin D and Childhood Caries.
in PloS one



Goljanek-Whysall K
(2018)
Identification of a novel loss-of-function PHEX mutation, Ala720Ser, in a sporadic case of adult-onset hypophosphatemic osteomalacia.
in Bone


Green D
(2017)
miR-16 is highly expressed in Paget's associated osteosarcoma.
in Endocrine-related cancer
Guideline Title | Vitamin D and Health |
Description | Public Health England Guidance on Vitamin D in pregnancy |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in clinical guidelines |
Description | Advanced Grant |
Amount | € 1,800,000 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 669545 |
Organisation | European Research Council (ERC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | Belgium |
Start | 11/2015 |
End | 10/2020 |
Description | An examination of the association of maternal vitamin D status with abnormal glucose tolerance in pregnancy. |
Amount | £51,473 (GBP) |
Organisation | Diabetes UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Cohort Funding |
Amount | £2,700,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/N024397/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Developing and Applying Statistical Genetics Methods to Elucidate the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease |
Amount | $327,387 (AUD) |
Funding ID | 1183074 |
Organisation | National Health and Medical Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | Australia |
Start | 06/2020 |
End | 06/2023 |
Description | Horizon 2020 |
Amount | € 9,957,602 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 733206 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Department | Horizon 2020 |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 01/2017 |
End | 12/2021 |
Description | Vitamin D as a (causal) determinant of insulin resistance and diabetes? An analysis of three UK based prospective studies. |
Amount | £195,540 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 10/0004071 |
Organisation | Diabetes UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Wellcome Trust Research Training Fellowship (Tom Dudding) |
Amount | £187,327 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 201237/Z/16/Z |
Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2016 |
End | 09/2019 |
Description | Wellcome Trust call for Genome Wide Association Studies (Genome-wide association study of maternal pregnancy phenotypes and later-life maternal and offspring vascular and metabolic phenotypes) |
Amount | £2,028,579 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 088806 |
Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Title | Development of Triangulation method for causal inference |
Description | Study design and analytical method for improving causal inference Paper published in IJE and work presented at (a) Causal inference workshop in Harvard Boston USA November 2016 and (b) at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to MSc, PhD students and staff March 2017 |
Type Of Material | Model of mechanisms or symptoms - human |
Year Produced | 2016 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | To date too early to tell |
Title | Maternal and Offspring Genetic Effects Power Calculator |
Description | This website allows users to calculate the power to detect maternal and offspring genetic effects in genetic association studies. |
Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | N/A |
URL | http://evansgroup.di.uq.edu.au/MGPC/ |
Description | 25(OH)D GWAS in children |
Organisation | University of Queensland |
Department | Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are leading this collaboration which includes teams from Australia (QIMR and Perth) and the US (NHANES) who are working with us to identify genetic variants associated with 25(OH)D, calcuim, phosphate and PTH in children. |
Collaborator Contribution | Replication sample for our GWAS, which will be published Replication of our GWAS analysis, which will be published |
Impact | Draft first publication currently being circulated amongst co-authors. The collaboration is multidisciplinary including epidemiologists, statisticians, geneticists and bioinformaticians. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | 25(OH)D GWAS in children |
Organisation | University of Western Australia |
Department | School of Population Health |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are leading this collaboration which includes teams from Australia (QIMR and Perth) and the US (NHANES) who are working with us to identify genetic variants associated with 25(OH)D, calcuim, phosphate and PTH in children. |
Collaborator Contribution | Replication sample for our GWAS, which will be published Replication of our GWAS analysis, which will be published |
Impact | Draft first publication currently being circulated amongst co-authors. The collaboration is multidisciplinary including epidemiologists, statisticians, geneticists and bioinformaticians. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Born in Bradford |
Organisation | Bradford Institute for Health Research (BIHR) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are collaborating with the Born in Bradford cohort to examine the association of maternal 25(OH)D in pregnancy with pregnancy complications. |
Collaborator Contribution | Advances understanding of the relationship of 25(OH)D to pregnancy complications. Output includes research journal publications. |
Impact | Two papers are currently at advanced darft status. One examines associations with results from oral glucose tolerance tests in pregnancy and the second with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | CHICOS |
Organisation | CHICOS: Developing a Child Cohort Research Strategy for Europe |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Overall aim is to improve child health across Europe by developing an integrated strategy for mother-child cohort research in Europe. Methodologically we are working on ways of harmonising data and comparing results between and, where appropriate, pooling data from all European mother-child cohorts. I lead the work on child obesity and cardiometabolic health. I contribute data and/or analyses results for reserach that other partners lead in other research areas. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners contribute data or results from analyses for research that I lead on child obesity and cariometabolic health. |
Impact | Publications currently being drafted |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Cancer Research UK - Integrative Cancer Epidemiology Programme |
Organisation | University of Bristol |
Department | Department of Computer Science |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The Cancer Research UK - Integrative Cancer Epidemiology Programme (ICEP) is recently formed (2015) and provides a much needed link between epidemiology, causal analyses (using Mendelian randomisation and other approaches) and basic science/mechanistic analyses for the study of cancer risk, progression and potential intervention. Key to this is the study of potentially modifiable, environmental, risk factors which may be important for either cancer cancer risk or progression. Vitamin D is one of these factors and through the application of Mendelian randomisation (facilitated by a greater understanding of the genetics of vitamin D levels which is directly aided by research here), this factor is being analyse within causal frameworks. |
Collaborator Contribution | The key contribution from ICEP here is in the provision of access to data sets (with health outcomes and genetics) with cancer outcomes and relevant measures. This is allowing the causal analysis of vitamin D in data sets representing different cancers types and sites. |
Impact | Please see website for pertinent outputs. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | EAGLE |
Organisation | Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology |
Country | Spain |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Early Genetics and Lifecourse Epidemiology Consortium (EAGLE) is a large collaboration of cohorts interested in genetic and early life determinants of childhood phenotypes. I make key contributions using data from ALSPAC and BiB in relation to determinants of cardiometabolic phenotypes and in relation to pregnancy phenotypes. |
Collaborator Contribution | For projects that I lead partners to the collaborations follow analyses plans if they are contributing to discovery analyses and, where appropriate, help by obtaining new data (e.g. SNP data) and completing analyses for replication. |
Impact | Formed in 2010 and ALSPAC has been a key contributing discovery cohort (unique in being the only cohort with GWAS in mothers and offspring) from the start. Large number of publications (see EAGLE website) |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | EAGLE |
Organisation | Erasmus University Rotterdam |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Early Genetics and Lifecourse Epidemiology Consortium (EAGLE) is a large collaboration of cohorts interested in genetic and early life determinants of childhood phenotypes. I make key contributions using data from ALSPAC and BiB in relation to determinants of cardiometabolic phenotypes and in relation to pregnancy phenotypes. |
Collaborator Contribution | For projects that I lead partners to the collaborations follow analyses plans if they are contributing to discovery analyses and, where appropriate, help by obtaining new data (e.g. SNP data) and completing analyses for replication. |
Impact | Formed in 2010 and ALSPAC has been a key contributing discovery cohort (unique in being the only cohort with GWAS in mothers and offspring) from the start. Large number of publications (see EAGLE website) |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | EAGLE |
Organisation | Harvard University |
Department | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Early Genetics and Lifecourse Epidemiology Consortium (EAGLE) is a large collaboration of cohorts interested in genetic and early life determinants of childhood phenotypes. I make key contributions using data from ALSPAC and BiB in relation to determinants of cardiometabolic phenotypes and in relation to pregnancy phenotypes. |
Collaborator Contribution | For projects that I lead partners to the collaborations follow analyses plans if they are contributing to discovery analyses and, where appropriate, help by obtaining new data (e.g. SNP data) and completing analyses for replication. |
Impact | Formed in 2010 and ALSPAC has been a key contributing discovery cohort (unique in being the only cohort with GWAS in mothers and offspring) from the start. Large number of publications (see EAGLE website) |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | EAGLE |
Organisation | The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Early Genetics and Lifecourse Epidemiology Consortium (EAGLE) is a large collaboration of cohorts interested in genetic and early life determinants of childhood phenotypes. I make key contributions using data from ALSPAC and BiB in relation to determinants of cardiometabolic phenotypes and in relation to pregnancy phenotypes. |
Collaborator Contribution | For projects that I lead partners to the collaborations follow analyses plans if they are contributing to discovery analyses and, where appropriate, help by obtaining new data (e.g. SNP data) and completing analyses for replication. |
Impact | Formed in 2010 and ALSPAC has been a key contributing discovery cohort (unique in being the only cohort with GWAS in mothers and offspring) from the start. Large number of publications (see EAGLE website) |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | EAGLE |
Organisation | University of Cambridge |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Early Genetics and Lifecourse Epidemiology Consortium (EAGLE) is a large collaboration of cohorts interested in genetic and early life determinants of childhood phenotypes. I make key contributions using data from ALSPAC and BiB in relation to determinants of cardiometabolic phenotypes and in relation to pregnancy phenotypes. |
Collaborator Contribution | For projects that I lead partners to the collaborations follow analyses plans if they are contributing to discovery analyses and, where appropriate, help by obtaining new data (e.g. SNP data) and completing analyses for replication. |
Impact | Formed in 2010 and ALSPAC has been a key contributing discovery cohort (unique in being the only cohort with GWAS in mothers and offspring) from the start. Large number of publications (see EAGLE website) |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | EAGLE |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Early Genetics and Lifecourse Epidemiology Consortium (EAGLE) is a large collaboration of cohorts interested in genetic and early life determinants of childhood phenotypes. I make key contributions using data from ALSPAC and BiB in relation to determinants of cardiometabolic phenotypes and in relation to pregnancy phenotypes. |
Collaborator Contribution | For projects that I lead partners to the collaborations follow analyses plans if they are contributing to discovery analyses and, where appropriate, help by obtaining new data (e.g. SNP data) and completing analyses for replication. |
Impact | Formed in 2010 and ALSPAC has been a key contributing discovery cohort (unique in being the only cohort with GWAS in mothers and offspring) from the start. Large number of publications (see EAGLE website) |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | EAGLE |
Organisation | University of Western Australia |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Early Genetics and Lifecourse Epidemiology Consortium (EAGLE) is a large collaboration of cohorts interested in genetic and early life determinants of childhood phenotypes. I make key contributions using data from ALSPAC and BiB in relation to determinants of cardiometabolic phenotypes and in relation to pregnancy phenotypes. |
Collaborator Contribution | For projects that I lead partners to the collaborations follow analyses plans if they are contributing to discovery analyses and, where appropriate, help by obtaining new data (e.g. SNP data) and completing analyses for replication. |
Impact | Formed in 2010 and ALSPAC has been a key contributing discovery cohort (unique in being the only cohort with GWAS in mothers and offspring) from the start. Large number of publications (see EAGLE website) |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | MR-PREG |
Organisation | Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Our contributions are: 1. Draft analysis plans 2. Complete analyses 3. Draft papers 4. Support other partners to lead projects |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners contribute to: 1. Analysis plans. So far these have been initially written by my group but partners make important contributions to revising the first draft (before we begin analyses) and to any decisions about any revisions after analyses have started 2. Data provision and/or analyses. Participants provide individual participant data for analyses in Bristol and/or undertake analyses in their groups and provide summary results 3. Critical comments on drafted papers |
Impact | Analyses have been completed but no publications yet. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | MR-PREG |
Organisation | Harvard University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Our contributions are: 1. Draft analysis plans 2. Complete analyses 3. Draft papers 4. Support other partners to lead projects |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners contribute to: 1. Analysis plans. So far these have been initially written by my group but partners make important contributions to revising the first draft (before we begin analyses) and to any decisions about any revisions after analyses have started 2. Data provision and/or analyses. Participants provide individual participant data for analyses in Bristol and/or undertake analyses in their groups and provide summary results 3. Critical comments on drafted papers |
Impact | Analyses have been completed but no publications yet. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | MR-PREG |
Organisation | Imperial College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Our contributions are: 1. Draft analysis plans 2. Complete analyses 3. Draft papers 4. Support other partners to lead projects |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners contribute to: 1. Analysis plans. So far these have been initially written by my group but partners make important contributions to revising the first draft (before we begin analyses) and to any decisions about any revisions after analyses have started 2. Data provision and/or analyses. Participants provide individual participant data for analyses in Bristol and/or undertake analyses in their groups and provide summary results 3. Critical comments on drafted papers |
Impact | Analyses have been completed but no publications yet. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | MR-PREG |
Organisation | Norwegian Institute of Public Health |
Country | Norway |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Our contributions are: 1. Draft analysis plans 2. Complete analyses 3. Draft papers 4. Support other partners to lead projects |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners contribute to: 1. Analysis plans. So far these have been initially written by my group but partners make important contributions to revising the first draft (before we begin analyses) and to any decisions about any revisions after analyses have started 2. Data provision and/or analyses. Participants provide individual participant data for analyses in Bristol and/or undertake analyses in their groups and provide summary results 3. Critical comments on drafted papers |
Impact | Analyses have been completed but no publications yet. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | MR-PREG |
Organisation | University of Copenhagen |
Country | Denmark |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Our contributions are: 1. Draft analysis plans 2. Complete analyses 3. Draft papers 4. Support other partners to lead projects |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners contribute to: 1. Analysis plans. So far these have been initially written by my group but partners make important contributions to revising the first draft (before we begin analyses) and to any decisions about any revisions after analyses have started 2. Data provision and/or analyses. Participants provide individual participant data for analyses in Bristol and/or undertake analyses in their groups and provide summary results 3. Critical comments on drafted papers |
Impact | Analyses have been completed but no publications yet. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | MR-PREG |
Organisation | University of Oulu |
Country | Finland |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Our contributions are: 1. Draft analysis plans 2. Complete analyses 3. Draft papers 4. Support other partners to lead projects |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners contribute to: 1. Analysis plans. So far these have been initially written by my group but partners make important contributions to revising the first draft (before we begin analyses) and to any decisions about any revisions after analyses have started 2. Data provision and/or analyses. Participants provide individual participant data for analyses in Bristol and/or undertake analyses in their groups and provide summary results 3. Critical comments on drafted papers |
Impact | Analyses have been completed but no publications yet. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | The SUNLIGHT consortium - Brent Richards |
Organisation | McGill University |
Country | Canada |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The SUNLIGHT consortium is concerned with the genetic analysis of vitamin D levels. I am currently contributing to this through the analysis of vitamin D levels within the ALSPAC study and also through the coordination of access to the biomarker panel of the UK Biobank (expected at the end of 2016). This work was initiated in 2014, but is ongoing. |
Collaborator Contribution | SUNLIGHT is coordinated by my collaborator and ultimately responsible for scientific output. The work is balanced across centres, however, and two Bristol ACF analysts are undertaking this work in Bristol. |
Impact | Data analyses being undertaken. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | UCLEB |
Organisation | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | One of the key partners Collaboration is concerned with the use of genetics in risk prediction and aetiology (Mendelian randomization) of cardiometabolic disease. Includes the use of metabolomics |
Collaborator Contribution | As above |
Impact | Large number of publications - See CV |
Start Year | 2007 |
Description | UCLEB |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | One of the key partners Collaboration is concerned with the use of genetics in risk prediction and aetiology (Mendelian randomization) of cardiometabolic disease. Includes the use of metabolomics |
Collaborator Contribution | As above |
Impact | Large number of publications - See CV |
Start Year | 2007 |
Description | Vitamin D and IGFBP-3 Mendelian Randomization |
Organisation | Albert Einstein College of Medicine |
Department | Department of Epidemiology & Population Health |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Two sample Mendelian Randomization analyses using summary level data (and circulating vitamin D measurements when available) will be led by myself and Dr Nicholas Timpson, but working cooperatively with others involved in the collaboration. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners in this collaboration had contributed summary level data from their GWAS to this project. |
Impact | -A paper is currently in draft form. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Vitamin D and IGFBP-3 Mendelian Randomization |
Organisation | University of Greifswald |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Two sample Mendelian Randomization analyses using summary level data (and circulating vitamin D measurements when available) will be led by myself and Dr Nicholas Timpson, but working cooperatively with others involved in the collaboration. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners in this collaboration had contributed summary level data from their GWAS to this project. |
Impact | -A paper is currently in draft form. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Vitamin D and insulin resistance and diabetes in adults |
Organisation | University of Glasgow |
Department | BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am co-applicant (and University of Bristol lead) on a successfully funded grant (Diabetes UK) to examine the causal associations of vitamin D with insulin resistance and diabetes in adults. We will compare associations of vitamin D with fasting glucose and markers of insulin resistance in adults (determined as part of that Diabetes UK grant) with equivalent associations in children that are being examined as part of this MRC funded grant. |
Collaborator Contribution | We will compare associations of vitamin D with fasting glucose and insulin and other cardiovascular risk factors in children assessed as part of this MRC grant with the same with equivalent associations in adults assessed as part of the Diabetes UK grant. NB: the financial contribution is for work on the adult cohorts and will not directly contribute or overlap with the MRC funded work. |
Impact | Successful Diabetes UK grant awarded. The collaboration is multidisciplinary, bringing together expertise in clinical biochemistry (N Sattar & P Welsh, University of Glasgow), epidemiology and public health (DA Lawlor, University of Bristol, and G Wannamethee, P Whincup and S Ebrahim, University of London) and biostatistics (R Morris, University of London and DA Lawlor, University of Bristol). |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Vitamin D and pregnancy outcomes |
Organisation | University of Bradford |
Department | Bradford Research Institute |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am a co-applicant on a successful grant (Diabetes UK) which funds completion of vitamin D assays with pregnancy glucose tolerance test outcomes (fasting and postload glucose, fasting insulin and gestational diabetes) in the Born in Bradford cohort. The focus of that grant was on gestational diabetes, which is poorly measured in ALSPAC, but nonetheless we will use the assays completed on stored samples in the ALSPAC mothers (funded by this MRC grant) to further explore this question using glycosuria and a medical record review diagnosis of gestational diabetes. We have excellent repeat measurements of blood pressure and proteinuria during pregnancy and hence hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in ALSPAC mothers and reasonable measurements in the Born in Bradford study and so both studies will be used to explore the relationship of vitamin D to these outcomes. |
Collaborator Contribution | We will share, and where appropriate pool, results from the ALSPAC cohort (funded by this MRC grant) and the Born in Bradford cohort (funded by the Diabetes UK grant) |
Impact | Grant from Diabetes UK to examine the relationship of Vitamin D with gestational diabetes and fasting and postload glucose in the Born in Bradford Cohort. The collaboration is multidisciplinary, bringing together expertise in epidemiology (DA Lawlor, University of Bristol), clinical endocrinology (D Whitelaw, University of Bradford), obstetrics (S Nelson, University of Glasgow), clinical biochemistry (N Sattar, University of Glasgow), vitamin D/bone health expertise (W Fraser, University of Liverpool) and health services research (J Wright, University of Bradford). |
Start Year | 2009 |
Title | IMPISH |
Description | IMPISH allows uses to impute parental genotypes given genotype data on sibling or half sibling pairs across the genome. Users may then perform genome-wide association testing for maternal, paternal and/or offspring genetic effects. |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | N/A |
URL | http://evansgroup.di.uq.edu.au/software.html |
Title | Maternal GCTA |
Description | Allows the user to partition the phenotypic variance into components due to the maternal and offspring genomes given genotyped mother-offspring pairs. |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | N/A |
URL | http://evansgroup.di.uq.edu.au/software.html |
Title | Power calculators |
Description | Allows the user to calculate the power to detect maternal, paternal and offspring genetic effects for a range of different study designs including for when parental genotypes are imputed |
Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Impact | N/A |
URL | http://evansgroup.di.uq.edu.au/power-calculators.html |
Description | Radio 4 Inside Science |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Participated in Inside Science radio 4 programme - discussing the value of population cohort studies for understanding causes of disease and how to prevent these |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | You-tube video describing the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children - Generation 2 cohort and its contribution to research |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | I produced a you-tube video with ALSPAC study participants and staff who collect data in ALSPAC, to inform a wide range of people about the value of the multi-generational ALSPAC study and the research it has contributed to. We also promoted the importance of population health studies such as ALSPAC in general. The video can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQtnmCNgmXI |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQtnmCNgmXI |