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Infertility researcher is 2007 Young Investigator

Young Investigator of the Year 2007 Cadence Minge.
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Thursday, 1 November 2007

A ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide researcher who discovered scientific evidence that high-fat diets can cause infertility in obese women has become South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s 2007 Young Investigator of the Year.

Cadence Minge has won $12,500 in prizes at the finals of the , held at the Adelaide Convention Centre last night.

The award promotes excellence in science and communication among young researchers. Ms Minge, a PhD student in at the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide, was named the Young Investigator of the Year by a panel of media judges.

As the winner, Ms Minge received the Hon. Carolyn Pickles award of $10,000, plus a cheque for $2500. Awards to were presented by South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s Science Minister, the Hon. .

Ms Minge's research is the first time the effects of obesity on female eggs have been discovered, using mice eggs as a substitute for human eggs.

"Consuming a diet high in fat causes damage to eggs stored in female ovaries. As a result, when fertilised, these eggs are not able to undergo normal, healthy development into embryos," Ms Minge said.

Ms Minge has also discovered a way to completely reverse the effects of obesity on mouse eggs, enabling afflicted eggs to develop into healthy embryos.

She found that a particular protein in the cells surrounding, supporting and nourishing the egg is critical for egg health. When the protein is selectively targeted with an anti-diabetes drug, rosiglitazone, the adverse effects of obesity on egg quality are completely reversed.

However, Ms Minge warns that rosiglitazone could not be considered a "quick fix" for infertile women.

"At this stage, the research findings have only been made in mice. Also, the drug itself can have possible harmful side-effects, and more research is needed to find other, safer ways of activating the protein," she said.

Ms Minge says her findings emphasise the importance of a healthy lifestyle for women interested in conceiving children naturally.

"Despite the wide-ranging, recognised health risks associated with excessive body weight, ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s waistline continues to expand. Currently, ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ is on par with heavyweight nations such as the US and the UK, with approximately 60% of ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n adults now overweight or obese," Ms Minge said.

"I hope that these findings encourage people to carefully consider the impact of lifestyle choices on longer-term quality of life."

The Young Investigator Award, now in its eighth year, is a highly successful event rewarding excellence in South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s young researchers in both science and their ability to communicate and 'sell' that science to a general audience and the media.

The award is an initiative of the and the , ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide. This year, the and are also major partners in the Award for the first time.

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