DrClare Reynolds

I am an Assistant Professor (Ad Astra Fellow) in the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin and a Senior Conway Fellow. I graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry and Genetics from UCD in 2005 followed by a PhD in Nutritional Immunology under the supervision of Prof. Helen Roche, examining the impact of anti-inflammatory lipids on dendritic cell function (2005-2009). I then completed a post-doc at the Nutrigenomics Research Group (UCD) investigating the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of obesity and metabolic disease. This research focused on the impact of IL-1R1 and the NLRP3 inflammasome on saturated fatty acid-induced metabolic inflammation and adipose tissue immune cell infiltration.
I moved to the Liggins Institute, University of Auckland in 2012 where I was established several projects investigating the impact of maternal dietary stressors on immunological outcomes in models of programmed metabolic disease. Here, I received over $1.5million in research awards. These awards include four major/prestigious awards (AMRF David and Cassie Anderson Fellowship, HRC Emerging Researcher First Grant, HRC Sir Charles Hercus Research Fellowship and HRC Maori Health Research Scholarship). This allowed me to investigate the molecular mechanisms which govern early life dietary triggers which predispose individuals to non- communicable disease.
My current research focus includes metabolic inflammation and the role of parental diet prior to conception and during pregnancy on the long term health outcomes of offspring during adulthood. Using my extensive expertise in adipose tissue biology and immuno-metabolism, the aim of my current research is to bridge the gaps in knowledge between developmental programming, epigenetics and metabolic inflammation. My current projects include examining the impact of dietary sugars and artificial sweetener consumption on glucose tolerance during pregnancy and the subsequent effects on the long term metabolic and reproductive health of the offspring.