I am interested in advanced glycation endproduct (AGE) as biomarkers of oxidative stress. Protein glycation/lipoxidation are irreversible modifications of protein resulting in the formation of adducts called advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and advanced lipoxidation endproducts (ALEs) respectively. Glycation occurs in vivo during aging, and has been implicated in diabetes and renal dysfunction. High concentrations of AGEs in the body are associated with chronic clinical complications e.g., cataract formation, macrovascular disease, diabetic retinopathy, renal insufficiency and Alzheimer¡¦s disease. AGE/ALEs may exert their effects on cellular function via interaction with specific receptors including the receptor for AGE (RAGE). Ligation of AGE by RAGE induces generation of reactive oxygen species and leads to the activation and translocation of NF-kB. NF-kB activation in turn onsets a cascade of transcriptional genes eg., TNF-alpha, IL-1, IL-6, VCAM-1 and VEGF. Interestingly, AGE/ALEs are also formed in thermally processed food. The contribution of exogenously-formed dietary AGE/ALE to an individual¡¦s physiological AGE/ALE load is currently a subject of intensive research since the amounts of AGE/ALE ingested in the normal diet by healthy subjects are reported to be much higher than those in plasma and tissues. My research examines AGE-induced signaling cascade mediated by natural products. The role of these products as antioxidants and their potential anti-inflammatory activities will enable better understanding on the mechanism in preventing or delaying the onset of chronic diseases. One of my interests is to study the role and functions of Australian Native Foods in these signaling cascades.
I am also interested in antimicrobial properties of natural products. The research also examines microbial analysis using molecular techniques in food and environmental samples
