Genotoxic Consequences of Exposure to Mixtures of Food-Derived Chemical Carcinogens

This study aims to examine the biological response to mixtures of three genotoxic chemicals found in cooked food, namely:
<UL> <LI> Acrylamide - A chemical formed when foods, such as potatoes and cereals, are cooked at temperatures exceeding 100ºC
<LI>Benzo[a]pyrene - A polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon generated by incomplete combustion of organic substances such as fats
<LI>PhIP - A genotoxic heterocyclic amine that is formed during the cooking of meat </UL>
The overlapping toxicology of these chemicals makes them excellent candidates for a study of this nature.
<P>
The project will examine the toxicity of the chemicals, individually and in combination, over a large dose range that encompasses human-relevant exposure, using in vitro cell-based systems to establish the nature of any biological response. The study will provide a huge number of experimental variables, so a statistical experimental design will be used to rationalise the number of experiments required. One benefit of this approach is the potential to extend the analysis to include further chemicals of interest, as the mathematical basis of the analysis can be adapted to include any number of additional chemicals.</P>