Trace Element and Micronutrient Reference Laboratory
Scotland's specialised laboratory for trace elements and vitamins in health and disease
Current Research in the Trace Element and Micronutrient Reference Laboratory
i. Vitamin antioxidants and oxidative damage in patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer.
Relationship of systemic inflammatory response, vitamin antioxidants, intracellular vitamin antioxidants and oxidative damage in patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer. Collaborative with Department of Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Ethical approval applied for.
ii. Micronutrient status of colectomy patients with an ileo-anal pouch.
Collaborative MD project with Department of Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary. A pilot study has been completed and results are to be presented to a Scottish Society of Surgery meeting. More numbers to be recruited.
iii. Investigation of the nutritional status in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Collaborative PhD project with Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences at the Caledonian University. In design stage.
iv. Assessing nutritional status of essential trace elements during the acute phase response.
Collaborative MS project with University of Surrey, Guildford. In design stage.
v. Audit of TEMU mercury monitoring service.
An audit of the mercury monitoring service in conjunction with the Chief Dental Officer for Scotland. In design stage.
vi. Audit of protocols for monitoring water quality for renal dialysis units in Scottish hospitals.
Audit to determine the compliance with Renal Association guidelines for monitoring quality of water used for renal dialysis. In conjunction with the Department of Renal Medicine, Glasg ow Royal Infirmary. In design stage.
vii. Management of nutrition in patients on home parenteral nutrition.
Investigation on patients on long-term home parenteral nutrition to develop a knowledge on how best to monitor their nutritional status. Study in conjunction with Janet Baxter, the Scottish Co-ordinator of the Home Parenteral Nutrition Management Clinical Network, Dundee. Ongoing.
viii. Brain scanning of patients with raised blood manganese concentrations.
This is a Scottish initiative to monitor measurable MRI brain scan changes in patients with blood manganese concentrations greater than twice the upper limit of normal. Ongoing.
ix. Systemic release of metal from intramedullary nails
The exposure to the toxic metals chromium, vanadium, and molybdenum in patients with intramedullary nails is being assessed. Collaborative study with University of Aberdeen. Ongoing: first samples have now been collected.
x. Scottish new homes lead study
This is the third collaborative study with Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health. The lead content and isotopic composition will be assessed. Ongoing.
xi. Essential trace elements in patients on long-term total parenteral nutrition
Results for zinc, copper, iron and manganese in liver, kidney, heart and skeletal muscle were presented at the European Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition meeting in Cannes in September 2003. The samples are now being assayed for selenium, molybdenum, and cobalt.
xii. Biological variation of vitamins
MD project in Department of Clinical Biochemistry. Interim results for vitamin K presented to Scottish Association of Clinical Biochemistry meeting, March 2004. On-going study.
xiii. Vitamin A status in very low birth weight infants
Pilot study complete. Further funding is being sought to determine whether vitamin A supplementation is best administered intravenously or intramuscularly.
xiv. Trial of water soluble vitamin supplementation in renal dialysis patients
Collaborative study with, Wolverhampton Hospital. Ongoing study.
xv. Investigation of nutritional and antioxidant status in primary liver cancer.
MD project with Department of Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary. In final stages.
Ann Robin operating the PerkinElmer 6000 inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometer