Raffan Lab

About our Research

Why are some people (or animals) prone to obesity and yet others stay lean even when they live in a similarly 'obesogenic' environment? Obesity is highly heritable as are related metabolic traits and appetite. We study obesity genetics 'in the round' starting from genetic discovery studies in animal models and following up our findings with molecular biology and physiological tests of energy expenditure and eating behaviour to move from novel gene to function.

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We start with veterinary genetics – dogs, horses and farm animals are excellent models because selective breeding means they show phenotypes of interest and their genomes are conducive to gene mapping. Comparative genomics in human populations at biobank scale and in carefully curated cohorts of patients with extreme obesity are used to prioritise those genes relevant to humans for further study.

We follow genetic leads into the molecular biology and physiology labs and with epidemiology. The focus is on finding novel genes, molecular mechanisms and physiology of relevance to both human and animal metabolic disease.

An image of human cells

RNAscope used to show single cell resolution coexpression of DENND1B in blue and MRNA in purple

Lab Members

Dr Eleanor Raffan (PI)
My early professional life was spent as a full time veterinary surgeon. I spent 7 years working in both first opinion and latterly referral practice, training to be a specialist in small animal medicine. A PhD in the genomics of severe insulin resistance syndromes in humans followed and piqued my interest in the biology and specifically genetics of obesity, eating behaviour and metabolism. Combining my veterinary and research training, I started a research group in 2014 and have been working on veterinary genetics with a strong emphasis on translating those findings into human biomedicine ever since. I offer a clinical obesity referral service via the Queens Veterinary School Hospital, Cambridge.

Dr Eleanor Raffan

  • Dr Chris Jenkins: Postdoctoral Research Associate
  • Enoch Alex: PhD candidate, Jameel Education Foundation Cambridge Scholarship.
  • Dr Anna Morros MRCVS: PhD Candidate, Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Research Fellow.
  • Jade Scardham: PhD candidate, MRC iCASE Studentship.
  • Shivani Solanki: PhD candidate, Trinity Cambridge Research Scholar. 
  • Molly Lacey: Senior Research Technician

We also host PDN Part II students and students from other universities for research placements. (If you are interested in a summer studentship, please read on.)

Lab Alumni (& first destinations)

  • Dr Ben Keep: postdoctoral scientist (Destination: Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Animal Behaviour at University of Lincoln)
  • Vincent Chua: MPhil in Biological Sciences, 2024. LinkedIn
  • Dr Natalie Wallis: BBSRC DTP Targetted Studentship, PhD 2024. University of Liverpool. LinkedIn
  • Dr Alyce McClellan: BBSRC DTP Studentship, PhD 2024. Postdoctoral scientist, UCL. LinkedIn 
  • Tamas Berczik: MPhil 2023. Clinical veterinary student, RVC (2024). LinkedIn
  • Dr Eloise Cross: MPhil 2019. DPhil, Oxford. LinkedIn

Collaborators

  • Dr Daniel Fazakerly (Institute of Metabolic Science) 
  • Dr Oliver Foreman and Dr Becca Foran (Wisdom Panel)
  • Dr Caroline Gorvin (University of Birmingham)
  • Dr Jane Murray (Generation Pup) Dr Valdas Noreika (QMUL)
  • Prof John Perry and Prof Ken Ong (MRC Epidemiology Unit) 
  • Dr David Sargan (Dept. Veterinary Medicine) 
  • Dr Varun Warrier (Depts. of Psychiatry and Psychology) 

  • Prof. Giles Yeo (Institute of Metabolic Science)

     

The image shows a large dog crate, which is attached on the lid to scientific equipment, including a laptop, and demonstrates how energy expenditure is measured on a dog who is sitting on a blanket inside the crate

Measuring Energy Expenditure in pet dogs using indirect calorimetry

Interested in Joining the Group?

If you are interested in joining the group, please email Eleanor explaining what it is about our research that interests you, the kind of work you would be interested in doing and why you are a strong candidate for funding. Include a copy of your CV but please include key information in your email.

Postdocs:

Funded posts will be advertised on the University website. If you are interested in our science and would like to discuss applying for fellowships (e.g., EMBO, HFSP, Sir Henry Wellcome, Newton International, L’Oréal-UNESCO, EU Marie Curie, Morris Animal Foundation) please contact Eleanor.

Graduate Students:

I supervise clinical and non-clinical MPhil and PhD students and am always happy to hear from prospective students. A PhD project in the lab will be designed to suit each student and maximise their skill development while focussed on areas of particular interest. That might mean working entirely on statistical genomics or entirely at the bench, but most of our students embrace the opportunity to do some of both, extending their ‘research toolkit’ to include both wet and dry lab skills and setting themselves up as well-rounded scientists with not only technical skills but a broad understanding of metabolic disease biology.

Most applicants will need to apply to one of the Cambridge Doctoral Training Programmes (applications in the autumn), or for a departmental studentship, or for funding via Gates or other Cambridge Trust administered schemes. I may be able to support personal applications for PhD funding to other funders, including animal welfare charities (e.g. Morris Animal Foundation fellowships, Petsavers studentships), particularly for veterinary qualified candidates.

MPhil students can apply to the taught programs in the School of Biological Sciences. A year-long research-only Masters is also possible but needs to be arranged well in advance of the application deadline to plan the project and secure funding.

Summer Studentships:

We can usually only accommodate a single student so please email Eleanor early in the academic year (by end November). We encourage summer students to apply for financial support from schemes such as the Amgen studentships, Morris Animal Foundation (for vet students), British Society for Neuroendocrinology.

A golden labrador dog is resting his chin on the arm of a red armchair. He is looking up longingly at a person who is sitting with a plate of food

Publications

Full list of publications