RESEARCH
Molecular epidemiology is a powerful branch of epidemiology and medical science that focuses on the contribution of omics and environmental factors to the etiology, distribution and prevention of disease within and across populations. Specifically, I have a long-standing interest in ethnic differences in disease risk and prognosis. My research focuses on combining population health with molecular phenotyping and laboratory-based approaches to advance knowledge and understanding in complex diseases, with the overarching aim is to improve health in Asian populations via new and effective strategies for risk stratification, disease prediction and prevention. In my research, I focus on DNA methylation, a mechanism that has been established to play a key role in the determination of genomic function and the coordination of gene expression. Disturbances in DNA methylation have also been implicated in the development of various complex diseases such as cancer and T2D. Indeed, epigenetic mechanisms such as methylation is a signature of environment and life course exposure, and not only about underlying genetics.
Selected Publications
- Loh M*, Zhang W*, Ng HK, …, Kooner JS*, Saleheen D*, Chambers JC*. Identification of genetic effects underlying Type 2 Diabetes in South Asian and European populations. Commun Biol 5, 329 (2022).
- Hawe JS, Wilson R, Schmid K, …, Loh M*, Heinig M*, Gieger C*, Waldenberger M*, Chambers JC*. Genetic variation influencing DNA methylation provides new insights into the molecular pathways regulating genomic function. Nature Genetics, 54(1):18-29 2022 Jan.
- Chen Y, Kassam I, Lau SH, Kooner JS, Wilson R, Peters A, Winkelmann J, Chambers JC, Chow VT, Khor CC, van Dam RM, Teo YY, Loh M*, Sim X*. Impact of BMI and waist circumference on epigenome-wide DNA methylation and identification of epigenetic biomarkers in blood: an EWAS in multi-ethnic Asian individuals. Clin Epigenetics. 2021 Oct 20;13(1):195.
- Kassam I, Tan S, Gan FF, …, Loh M. Genome-wide identification of cis DNA methylation quantitative trait loci in three Southeast Asian populations. Human Molecular Genetics 2021 Feb 6:ddab038.
- Loh M, Zhou L, Ng HK and Chambers JC. Epigenetic disturbances in obesity and diabetes: epidemiological and functional insights. Molecular Metabolism 2019 Sep; 27S:S33-S41.
- Zhou L, Ng HK, Drautz-Moses DI, Schuster SC, Beck S, Kim C, Chambers JC, Loh M. Systematic evaluation of library preparation methods and sequencing platforms for high-throughput whole genome bisulfite sequencing. Scientific Reports 2019 Jul 17.
- Wahl S*, Drong A*, Lehne B*, Loh M*, …, Kooner JS, Grallert H, Chambers JC. Epigenome-wide association study of body mass index, and the adverse outcomes of adiposity Nature. 2017 Jan 5;541(7635):81-86.
- Kato N*, Loh M*, Takeuchi F*, …, van der Harst P, Kooner JS, Chambers JC. Trans-ancestry genome-wide association study identifies 12 genetic loci influencing blood pressure and implicates a role for DNA methylation. Nature Genetics. 2015 Sep 21.
- Chambers JC*, Loh M*, Lehne B*, …, McCarthy MI, Elliott P, Kooner JS. Epigenome-wide association of DNA methylation markers in peripheral blood from Indian Asians and Europeans with incident type 2 diabetes: a nested case-control study. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2015 Jul;3(7):526-34.
- Subramaniam MM*, Loh M*, Chan JY, Liem N, Lim PL, Yong WP, Lim XY, Yeoh KG, Iacopetta B, Soong R and Salto-Tellez M. The topography of DNA methylation in the non-neoplastic colonic mucosa surrounding colorectal cancers. Mol Carcinog. 2014 Feb; 53(2):98-108. doi: 10.1002/mc.21951.