Dr Lobke Vaanholt
Research Fellow
work
+44 (0)1224 274468
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l.vaanholt@abdn.ac.uk
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Zoology Building
Tillydrone Avenue
University of Aberdeen
Aberdeen AB24 2TZ
Postdoctoral fellow
MSc (University of Groningen, The Netherlands; 2002); PhD (University of Groningen, The Netherlands; 2007)
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Personal Details
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Research Interests
Whole animal energetics & physiology in the context of Obesity and Ageing
PhD
I did my PhD on the relationship between energetics and ageing. I manipulated energy expenditure by exposing mice (Mus muscullus) to cold or by using mice with high spontaneous activity and looked at effects on body composition, oxidative stress and life span. In addition, I studied behavioural and physiological consequences of increased foraging effort, and responses in energy balance to high-fat feeding in mice selectively-bred for high wheel-running activity.
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Current Research
Obesity is becoming an increasingly prevalent health problem worldwide. Intervention strategies (e.g. dieting) have been shown to result in weight loss in most individuals. The extent of this weight loss varies substantially between individuals, however. Reasons for unsuccessful weight loss may include pre-existing differences between individuals in metabolic parameters, or differences in the recruitment of compensation mechanisms. Compensation is an adaptive response that has evolved to enable individuals to survive periods of food scarcity and involves reductions in energy expenditure and increases in digestive efficiency. Strong compensation responses reduce the amount of weight loss in response to dieting. Understanding the mechanisms underlying individual variability in dieting-induced weight loss is important for developing intervention strategies that are more suitable for individual treatment.
I received a Rubicon grant from the Dutch Science Organisation (NWO) in july 2008 to study causes of individual variability in diet-induced weight loss. I plan to investigate factors that cause individual variability in response to caloric restriction (CR) in mice. Mice will be screened for numerous metabolic parameters to determine factors that can predict weight loss on caloric restriction. In addition, the extent of compensation and differences in neuroendocrine regulation will be studied in mice that show high weight loss in response to CR compared to mice that show minimal weight loss on CR.
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Research Grants
Rubicon grant from NWO july 2008
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Teaching Responsibilities
I work as a teaching fellow for 25% of my time. I am involved in teaching in several courses at the School of Biological Sciences. I am the course-coordinator for the Environmental Physiology and Bioethics courses and teach several lectures in Vertebrate Zoology and Reproductive Biology courses.
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Selected Publications
- Lobke M. Vaanholt, Serge Daan, Kristin A. Schubert, G. Henk Visser (2009) Metabolism and ageing: effects of cold exposure on metabolic rate, body composition and longevity in mice. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 82(4): 314-24
- Kristin A. Schubert, Gonda de Vries, Lobke M. Vaanholt, Harro A.J. Meijer, Serge Daan, Simon Verhulst (2009) Maternal energy allocation to offspring increases with environmental quality in house mice. American Naturalist, 173(6): 831-40
- Lobke M. Vaanholt, Izabella Jonas, Mark Doornbos, Kristin A. Schubert, Theodore Garland Jr., G. Henk Visser, Gertjan van Dijk (2008) Metabolic and behavioral responses to high-fat feeding in mice selectively bred for high wheel-running activity. International Journal of Obesity, 32(10):1566-75
- Kristin A. Schubert, Lobke M. Vaanholt, Fanny Stavasius, Gregory E. Demas, Serge Daan, and G. Henk Visser (2008) Female mice respond differently to costly foraging vs. food restriction. Journal of Experimental Biology, 211: 2214-23
- Lobke M. Vaanholt, Gerald E. Lobley, Theodore Garland Jr., John R. Speakman, and G. Henk Visser (2007) Protein synthesis and antioxidant capacity in ageing mice: effects of life-long voluntarily exercise. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 81(2): 148-157
- Lobke M. Vaanholt, Berber De Jong, Serge Daan, Theodore Garland Jr., G. Henk Visser (2007) Behavioural and physiological responses to increased foraging effort in male mice. Journal of Experimental Biology, 210: 2013-2024
- Lobke M. Vaanholt, Peter Meerlo, Theodore Garland, Jr., G .Henk Visser, and Gertjan van Dijk (2007) Plasma adiponectin is increased in mice selected for high wheel-running activity, but not by wheel running per sé. Hormone and Metabolic Research, 39: 377-383
- Lobke M. Vaanholt, Theodore Garland Jr., Serge Daan, G. Henk Visser (2007) Wheel-running activity and energy metabolism in relation to ambient temperature in mice selected for high wheel-running activity. Journal of Comparative Physiology – B 177(1); 109-18
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