Principal investigator
Co-investigators
Research
We are concerned with defining causes of cancer within New Zealand and establishing
ways of protecting the population against this. Particular interests concern properties
of food plants and plant components, and their mechanisms of action in cancer protection.
Specific materials range from dietary fibre polysaccharides to phenolic components
(including antioxidants). The current expertise includes in vitro fractionation
and characterisation of active components through to whole animal studies demonstrating
protective effects. Mechanistic studies include genotoxic events through to effects
on bioactivation.
Selected references
Ferguson L.R. (2000). The role of plant polythenols in genomic stability. Mutation
Research guson L.R., Knize M., Felton J.S., Jackson R. (1999) Prostate cancer
risk and meat cooking methods. J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 191:2038-2044.
Kestell P., Zhao L., Zhu S-T., Harris P.J., Ferguson L.R. (1999). Studies on the
mechanisms of cancer protection by wheat bran: effects on the absorption, metabolism
and excretion of the food carcinogen 2-amino-3-methylimidazo(4,5-f)quinoline (IQ).
Carcinogenesis 20:2253-60.
