Professor Mark Hanson
BHF Chair of Cardiovascular Science
University of Southampton
Professor Hanson is Director of the
Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) Division and
the Institute for Developmental Sciences at the University of
Southampton School of Medicine.
His research focuses on how the conditions of our development in
our mother’s womb influence our risk of diseases in later life,
including heart and circulatory disease, type 2 diabetes and
obesity.
Maternal influence
As babies we are nourished by our mother’s body stores of
protein and fat as well as what she eats in
pregnancy. Our mother’s body composition and diet has a
long-term effect on our health.
There is an increased risk of heart disease for people who had a
poor environment in the womb, which can be influenced by
factors such as a mother’s diet, exercise and stress levels.
The underlying causes are little-understood, and are made worse by
having a poor diet and level of fitness later in life.
Underlying this link between pre-birth and later life
health are processes that alter the activity of certain genes
in a child. Professor Hanson’s team are involved in laboratory and
clinical research to uncover the processes and their effects in
this branch of research, which is known as epigenetics.
Southampton Women's Survey
We also support part of the Southampton Women’s Survey, led
by Professor Hanson’s team, which began recruiting 12,500 women
aged 20 to 34 in 1998.
The survey is focusing on the women from this sample who have
become pregnant, and following up their children at regular
intervals. A large amount of data is being collected about the
womens’ health and lifestyle before and during pregnancy, and their
children's growth, health and lifestyle.
The study will provide valuable information about how our heart
health is affected by different stages in our life and how, as
parents, we can invest in our children's health from the
outset.
The Southampton team is also leading an
'Initiative for Health', aimed at promoting a healthy future for
young people in the city.
Professor Hanson is actively engaged in
promoting public awareness of heart disease research, through
publishing popular science books and forging links between the
visual arts and science.