Newcastle University

Background

PhD in Nutrition at Oxford Brookes University, U.K.
Degree in Nutrition at Giessen University, Germany (Dipl.oec.troph.)
Training in Chemistry and Agriculture

Roles and Responsibilities

Teaching undergraduate Honours and MSc students
Supervision of PhD students
Leading a research team investigating nutrient/gene interactions

Qualifications

1995-2000:
Ph.D. at Oxford Brookes University, U.K. Title of research project: “Use of red palm oil in vitamin A deficiency: studies on its analysis, stability and field application”.

1988-1994:
Diploma (Dipl.oec.troph.) in "Human Nutrition and Home Economics", Justus-Liebig Universität, Giessen, Germany.

1985-1987:
Practical training as a technician for agriculture (LTA) at the Justus-Liebig Universität, Institute for Plant Breeding and -Production, Giessen, Germany.

1983-1985:
Practical training as a technician for chemistry (CTA) at the Berufsfachschule für technische Assistenten, Bochum, Germany.

Memberships

Member of the Nutrition Society (since 1995)
Member of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung (since 1987)
Member of the International Carotenoid Society (since 1998)
Member of the European Nutrition Leadership Programme Alumni Association (ENLP-AA) (since 1998)

Research Interests

Gene/nutrient interaction

Vitamin A/beta-carotene metabolism

Polyunsaturated fatty acids

Tea polyphenols

Expertise

Our laboratories are well equiped with the latest technologies enabling us to genotype known polymorphisms and to detect new polymorphisms in genomic DNA samples. We have expertise to investigate nutrient/gene interactions using different molecular biology techniques.  In collaboration with the Northern Institute of Cancer Research (NICR) we developed a new LCMS method to investigate micro-nutrient absorption and metabolism using 13C stable isotopes.

Current Work

Our group currently investigates transporters and enzymes involved in carotenoid and polyphenol metabolism to discover the underlying mechanisms of observed high inter-individual variations in response to these two nutrient classes. We have discovered a range of functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in key genes involved in carotenoid metabolism and are currently investigating their importance in fat metabolism, diabetes and obesity.  

Funding

Our funding comes from a range of funding bodies, including the Food Standard Agency, BBSRC, EU FP6 and Industrial sponsorship from DSM.

Keywords

Gene/nutrient interactions
Carotenoids/ Vitamin A
Tea polyphenols 

Projects

• BBSRC case studentship - Unilever Netherlands
  Project Leader(s): Dr Georg Lietz
• Biochemical and physiological responsiveness to low dose fish-oil intakes: Impact of genotype, gender, age and geography
  Project Leader(s): Prof John Mathers , Dr Georg Lietz, Dr. A. Minnihane (University of Reading)
  
• Can beta-carotene overcome the single nucleotide polymorphism effect
  Project Leader(s): Dr Georg Lietz
• SNPs as determinants of inter-individual variation in ß-carotene/vitamin A metabolism.
  Project Leader(s): Dr Georg Lietz

Undergraduate Teaching

Lectures, Tutorials, Seminars and Practicals for undergraduate Food and Human Nutrition students.

• Lietz G, Oxley A, Boesch-Saadatmandi C, Kobayashi D. Importance of b,b-carotene 15-15'-monooxygenase 1 (BCMO1) and b,b-carotene 9,10-dioxygenase 2 (BCDO2) in nutrition and health. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research 2012, 56(2), 241.
• Prathalingam N, Ferguson L, Young L, Lietz G, Oldershaw R, Healy L, Craig A, Lister H, Binaykia R, Sheth R, Murdoch A, Herbert M. Production and validation of a good manufacturing practice grade human fibroblast line for supporting human embryonic stem cell derivation and culture. Stem Cell Research and Therapy 2012, 3(2), 12.
• Lietz G, Oxley A, Leung W, Hesketh J. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Upstream from the beta-Carotene 15,15 '-Monoxygenase Gene Influence Provitamin A Conversion Efficiency in Female Volunteers. Journal of Nutrition 2012, 142(1), 161S-165S.
• Amengual J, Gouranton E, van Helden YGJ, Hessel S, Ribot J, Kramer E, Kiec-Wilk B, Razny U, Lietz G, Wyss A, Dembinska-Kiec A, Palou A, Keijer J, Landrier JF, Bonet ML, von Lintig J. Beta-Carotene Reduces Body Adiposity of Mice via BCMO1. PLoS One 2011, 6(6), e20644.
• van Helden YGJ, Godschalk RWL, von Lintig J, Lietz G, Landrier JF, Bonet ML, van Schooten FJ, Keijer J. Gene expression response of mouse lung, liver and white adipose tissue to beta-carotene supplementation, knockout of Bcmo1 and sex. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research 2011, 55(10), 1466-1474.
• Madden J, Williams CM, Calder PC, Lietz G, Miles EA, Cordell H, Mathers JC, Minihane AM. The Impact of Common Gene Variants on the Response of Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk to Increased Fish Oil Fatty Acids Intakes. In: Cousins, R.J., Bier, D.M., Bowman, B.A, ed. Annual Review of Nutrition. Palo Alto, California, USA: Annual Reviews, 2011, pp.203-234.
• Grune T, Lietz G, Palou A, Ross AC, Stahl W, Tang GW, Thurnham D, Yin SA, Biesalski HK. beta-Carotene Is an Important Vitamin A Source for Human. Journal of Nutrition 2010, 140(12), 2268S-2285S.
• van Helden YGJ, Heil SG, van Schooten FJ, Kramer E, Hessel S, Amengual J, Ribot J, Teerds K, Wyss A, Lietz G, Bonet ML, von Lintig J, Godschalk RWL, Keijer J. Knockout of the Bcmo1 gene results in an inflammatory response in female lung, which is suppressed by dietary beta-carotene. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 2010, 67(12), 2039-2056.
• Lietz G, Lange J, Rimbach G. Molecular and dietary regulation of beta,beta-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase 1 (BCMO1). Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 2010, 502(1), 8-16.
• van Ommen B, El-Sohemy A, Hesketh J, Kaput J, Fenech M, Evelo CT, McArdle HJ, Bouwman J, Lietz G, Mathers JC, Fairweather-Tait S, van Kranen H, Elliott R, Wopereis S, Ferguson LR, Meplan C, Perozzi G, Allen L, Rivero D, Micronutrient Genomics Project Wor. The Micronutrient Genomics Project: a community-driven knowledge base for micronutrient research. Genes & Nutrition 2010, 5(4), 285-296.
• Hesketh JE, Lietz G. A network approach to micronutrient genetics: interactions with lipid metabolism. Current Opinion in Lipidology 2009, 20(2), 112-120.
• Tourniaire F, Gouranton E, von Lintig J, Keijer J, Bonet ML, Amengual J, Lietz G, Landrier JF. β-carotene conversion products and their effects on adipose tissue. Genes and Nutrition 2009, 4(3), 179–187.
• Leung WC, Hessel S, Meplan C, Flint J, Oberhauser V, Tourniaire F, Hesketh JE, von Lintig J, Lietz G. Two common single nucleotide polymorphisms in the gene encoding beta-carotene 15,15 '-monoxygenase alter beta-carotene metabolism in female volunteers. FASEB Journal 2009, 23(4), 1041-1053.
• Caslake MJ, Miles EA, Kofler BM, Lietz G, Curtis P, Armah CK, Kimber AC, Grew JP, Farrell L, Stannard J, Napper FL, Sala-Vila A, West AL, Mathers JC, Packard C, Williams CM, Calder PC, Minihane AM. Effect of sex and genotype on cardiovascular biomarker response to fish oils: The FINGEN Study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2008, 88(3), 618-629.
• Williams CM, Ordovas JM, Lairon D, Hesketh J, Lietz G, Gibney M, Ommen B. The challenges for molecular nutrition research 1: Linking genotype to healthy nutrition. Genes and Nutrition 2008, 3(2), 41-49.
• Bergmann MM, Bodzioch M, Bonet ML, Defoort C, Lietz G, Mathers JC. Bioethics in human nutrigenomics research: European Nutrigenomics Organisation workshop report. British Journal of Nutrition 2006, 95(5), 1024-1027.
• Lietz G, Mulokozi G, Henry JCK, Tomkins AM. Xanthophyll and hydrocarbon carotenoid patterns differ in plasma and breast milk of women supplemented with red palm oil during pregnancy and lactation. Journal of Nutrition 2006, 136(7), 1821-1827.