dr.ir. EM (Evert) van Schothorst

My current research as associate professor integrates two different aspects: 1) nutritional programming linked to obesity and (pre)diabetes, and 2) technological advancements using non-invasive techniques to quantify whole body energy metabolism beyond standard energy expenditure = metabolic rate. I supervise PhD candidates, MSc and BSc thesis students, and I am involved in course education at the university at both BSc and MSc level.

Ad 1: Nutrition in early-life has long-life health implications and I focus on the life period directly following weaning, when the largest change in carbohydrate intake is taking place: from milk sugar lactose to starches and other carbohydrates. Extended intake of galactose, a component of lactose, has been shown to exert beneficial health effects in later life in our animal model, the mouse, exposed to an obesogenic diet. We link whole body energy metabolism to molecular regulation  and analyses at tissue (mainly intestines, white adipose tissue, liver and muscle), cellular and mitochondrial level.

Ad 2: standard respirometry a.k.a. indirect calorimetry uses measurements of inhaled and exhaled air for oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production to estimate metabolic rate and substrate usage. This has been extended with i) a hypoxia-unit to give a metabolic challenge while being measured, and ii) real-time continuous metabolic flux analyses using isotopic sensors (13CO2), as well as iii) gut microbiota activity using specific fermentation gas sensors (hydrogen, methane, and others to come). We are striving to implement new sensors where possible and thus are able to measure a plethora of parameters from the air analyses of mice housed in standard cages.