Canada Research Chair in Human Nutrition and Vitamin Metabolism
Associate Professor; Food, Nutrition and Health
Investigator, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
Researcher, Women’s Health Research Institute at BC Women’s
Contact
FNH 245 – 2205 East Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4
Phone: 604-827-1776
Email: yvonne.lamers@ubc.ca
Education
University of Florida, Postdoctoral Associate, Human Nutrition
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, PhD, Human Nutrition
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Diploma, Human Nutrition
Research
My enthusiasm for human nutrition research draws from my interest in the physiology and biochemistry of nutrition-related diseases and in targeted and population-based strategies of chronic disease prevention and optimal health promotion. My research specifically focuses on B-vitamins and their kinetics and functions in human metabolism. B-vitamins are required for normal cell growth and neurological function and thus have an impact on human health from the embryo to the older adult. Low folate and/or vitamin B-12 status may yield pregnancy complications, low birth weight, cancer, and cognitive impairment.
The overarching theme of my research is nutrient adequacy. My current research projects focus on maternal-fetal nutrient dependency, periconceptional vitamin adequacy, and the role of maternal and infant nutrition on growth and development. In the UBC Nutritional Biomarker Laboratory that I established, my team has set up a wide array of externally validated analytical methods. One of our goals is to identify sensitive nutritional biomarkers for early diagnosis of micronutrient inadequacies. With the use of stable isotope tracer protocols, we are able to investigate metabolic and functional consequences of nutritional inadequacies and micronutrient interactions in various population groups. The studies will help elaborate potential underlying mechanisms responsible for linkages between B-vitamin intake and chronic diseases and in the evaluation of optimal vitamin intake to maintain biochemical functions.
I am interested in supervising graduate students with strong interests in human nutrition, biochemistry, and biomarker analysis. Ideal candidates have strong communication skills for interaction with study participants and have experience or high interest in projects with a wet lab component.
Teaching
- FNH 351: Vitamins, Minerals, and Health
- FNH 451: Nutrient Metabolism and Implications for Health
- HUNU 510: Nutrition Assessment across the Lifespan
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Schroder TH, Sinclair G, Mattman A, Jung B, Barr SI, Vallance HD, Lamers Y. Pregnant women of South Asian ethnicity in Canada have substantially lower vitamin B12 status compared with pregnant women of European ethnicity. British Journal of Nutrition 2017; 118 (6): 454-462. doi: 10.1017/S0007114517002331
Quay TAQ, Frimer L, Janssen P, Lamers Y. Barriers and facilitators to recruitment of South Asians to health research: a scoping review. BMJ Open 2017; 7(5):e014889. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014889
Jeruszka-Bielak M*, Isman C*, Schroder TH, Li W, Green TJ, Lamers Y. South Asian ethnicity is related to the highest risk of vitamin B12 deficiency in Canadian pregnant women. *shared first authorship. Nutrients 2017; 9; doi: 10.3390/nu9040317
Mujica-Coopman MF, Franco-Sena AB, Farias DR, Vaz J, Brito A, Kac G, Lamers Y. Vitamin B6 status in unsupplemented pregnant women is associated positively with serum docosahexaenoic acid and inversely with the n-6-to-n-3 fatty acid ratio. Journal of Nutrition 2017; 147(2):170-178. doi: 10.3945/jn.116.239483.
Ho CL, Quay TAW, Devlin AM, Lamers Y. Prevalence and predictors of low vitamin B6 status in healthy young women in Metro Vancouver. Nutrients 2016; 8(9). pii: E538. doi: 10.3390/nu8090538.
Schroder TH, Mattman A, Sinclair G, Vallance HD, Lamers Y. Reference interval of methylmalonic acid concentrations in dried blood spots of healthy, term newborns to facilitate neonatal screening of vitamin B12 deficiency. Journal of Clinical Biochemistry 2016, 49(13-14):973-8. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2016.03.007.
Visentin CE, Masih S, Plumptre S, Schroder TH, Sohn KJ, Ly A, Lausman AY, Berger H, Croxford R, Lamers Y, Kim YI, O’Connor DL. Low maternal serum vitamin B-12 concentrations are prevalent in a cohort of pregnant Canadian women. Journal of Nutrition 2016, 146(5):1035-42. doi: 10.3945/jn.115.226845.
Quay TAQ, Schroder TH, Jeruszka-Bielak M, Li W, Devlin AM, Barr SI, Lamers Y.
High rate of suboptimal vitamin B12 status in South Asian and European women of childbearing age in Metro Vancouver. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism 2015, DOI:10.1139/apnm-2015-0200
Schroder TH, Quay TAW, Lamers Y. Methylmalonic acid quantified in dried blood spots provides a precise, valid, and stable measure of functional vitamin B-12 status in healthy women. Journal of Nutrition 2014, 144(10):1658-63
da Silva VR, Rios-Avila L, Lamers Y, Ralat MA, Midttun Ø, Quinlivan EP, Garrett TJ, Coats B, Shankar MN, Percival SS, Chi YY, Muller KE, Ueland PM, Stacpoole PW, Gregory JF. Metabolite profile analysis reveals functional effects of vitamin B-6 restriction on one-carbon metabolism and tryptophan catabolic pathways in healthy men and women. Journal of Nutrition 2013,143(11):1719-27
Gregory JF, Park Y, Lamers Y, Bandyopadhyay N, Chi YY, Lee K, Kim S, da Silva V, Hove N, Ranka S, Kahveci T, Muller K, Stevens R, Newgard C, Stacpoole P, Jones D. Metabolomic Analysis Reveals Extended Metabolic Consequences of Marginal Vitamin B-6 Deficiency in Healthy Human Subjects. Public Library of Science (PLoS) One 2013, 8(6):e63544
Yaremco E, Inglis A, Innis S, Hippman C, Carrion P, Lamers Y, Honer WG, Austin J. Red blood cell folate concentrations in pregnant women with mood disorders: A case series. Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology 2013, 97(6):416-20
Zhao M, Lamers Y, Ralat MA, Coats BS, Chi YY, Muller KE, Bain JR, Shankar MN, Newgard CB, Stacpoole PW, Gregory JF. Marginal vitamin B-6 deficiency decreases plasma n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations in healthy men and women. Journal of Nutrition 2012, 142(10): 1791-1797
Lamers Y. Folate recommendations for pregnancy, lactation, and infancy. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 2011, 59(1): 32-37
Lamers Y. Indicators and methods for folate, vitamin B-12, and vitamin B-6 status assessment in humans. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 2011, 14(5): 445-54
Chi YY, Gribbin M, Lamers Y, Gregory JF, Muller KE. Global hypothesis testing for high dimensional repeated measures outcomes.Statistics in Medicine 2011. DOI: 10.1002/sim.4435
Lamers Y,Coats B, Ralat M, Quinlivan EP, Stacpoole PW, Gregory JF. Moderate vitamin B-6 restriction does not alter postprandial methionine cycle rates of remethylation, transmethylation and total transsulfuration but increases the fractional synthesis rate of cystathionine in healthy young men and women. Journal of Nutrition 2011, 141(5): 835-42
Lamers Y, O’Rourke B, Gilbert LR, Keeling C, Matthews DE, Stacpoole PW, Gregory JF. Vitamin B-6 restriction tends to reduce red blood cell glutathione synthesis rate without affecting red blood cell or plasma glutathione concentrations in healthy men and women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009, 90(2): 336-43
Lamers Y, Williamson J, Theriaque DW, Shuster JJ, Gilbert LR, Keeling C, Stacpoole PW, Gregory JF. Production of 1-carbon units from glycine is extensive in healthy men and women. Journal of Nutrition 2009, 139(4): 666-71
Nijhout HF, Gregory JF, Fitzpatrick C, Cho E, Lamers Y, Ulrich CM, Reed MC. A mathematical model gives insights into the effects of vitamin B-6 deficiency on one-carbon and glutathione metabolism. Journal of Nutrition 2009, 139(4): 784-91
Lamers Y, Williamson J, Ralat M, Quinlivan EP, Gilbert LR, Keeling C, Stevens RD, Newgard CB, Ueland PM, Meyer K, Fredriksen A, Stacpoole PW, Gregory JF. Moderate dietary vitamin B-6 restriction raises plasma glycine and cystathionine concentrations while minimally affecting the rates of glycine turnover and glycine cleavage in healthy men and women. Journal of Nutrition 2009, 139(3): 452-60
Brämswig S, Prinz-Langenohl R, Lamers Y, Tobolski O, Wintergerst E, Berthold HK, Pietrzik K. Supplementation with a multivitamin containing 800µg of folic acid shortens the time to reach the preventive red blood cell folate concentration in healthy women. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research 2009, 79(2): 61-70
Lamers Y, Williamson J, Gilbert LR, Stacpoole PW, Gregory JF. Glycine turnover and decarboxylation rate quantified in healthy men and women using primed, constant infusions of [1,2-13C2]glycine and [2H3]leucine. Journal of Nutrition 2007, 137(12): 2647-52
Pietrzik K*, Lamers Y*, Brämswig S, Prinz-Langenohl R (* joint authorship). Calculation of red blood cell folate steady state conditions and elimination kinetics after daily supplementation with various folate forms and doses in women of childbearing age. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007, 86(5): 1414-19
Lamers Y, Pietrzik K. Reply to the Letter to the Editor by Quinlivan EP. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2008, 87(5): 1538-39
Lamers Y, Prinz-Langenohl R, Brämswig S, Pietrzik K. Increase in red cell folate concentration was higher after supplementation with [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate than with folic acid in women of childbearing age. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2006, 84(1): 156-61
Lamers Y, Prinz-Langenohl R, Moser R, Pietrzik K. Supplementation with [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate or folic acid equally reduces plasma total homocysteine concentrations in healthy women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2004, 79(3): 473-78
Book Chapters
Gregory JF, da Silva V, Lamers Y. Kinetics of folate and one-carbon metabolism. In: Folate in Health and Disease (2010). Editor: Bailey LB; 2nd edition. Taylor and Francis Group, Florida