How does micronutrient status influence telomere length in children from rural Bangladesh?
Through the Lin Lab at UCSC, we can access biological data from the WASH Benefits study trial from Bangladesh. The WASH Benefits trial was a large cluster-randomized controlled trial that investigated how sanitation, water quality, handwashing, and nutrition interventions on child health impact development in the first years of life.
Using this data, we interpret how Telomeres, conserved nucleotide repeats on the ends of chromosomes that protect the coding regions of DNA from being degraded, are impacted by micronutrients, essential dietary molecules in the first two years of life. We examine how the length of telomeres, a known biomarker of disease, may be affected by the supplementation of major micronutrients (vitamin A, B9, B12, and Iron) through a nutrition-based intervention cohort.
Click on the links below to learn more about our project!
Ryan is a third-year Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology major at UCSC. He is passionate about applying research-driven approaches to uncover biological mechanisms and connect them to real-world solutions and policy innovation. Ryan is incredibly thankful for the guidance and camaraderie shared by peers and mentors in the UCSC Lin Lab.
Sumukh is a fourth-year Global and Community Health major and first-year Master's Student in the UCSC Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology department. Sumukh is passionate about using the framework of scientific research to characterize global health concerns for the development of policy initiatives.
Sumukh is eternally grateful for all the support and mentorship received from peers and collaborators in the UCSC Lin Lab!