Nathaniel Clark

Academic profile

Dr Nathaniel Clark

Lecturer in Physiology
School of Health Professions (Faculty of Health)

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The Global Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Nathaniel's work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

Goal 03: SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-beingGoal 04: SDG 4 - Quality EducationGoal 14: SDG 14 - Life Below WaterGoal 17: SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals

About Nathaniel

I am a Lecturer in Physiology within the School of Health Professions and the School of Biomedical Sciences. My research interests are at the biology-chemistry interface of toxicology to understand how pollutants (notably micro/nanoplastics and nanomaterials, and related compounds) affect environmental and human health.  My research interests and experience covers three main areas:

  1. The accumulation and effect of pollution on aquatic animals. My research has focused on dietary toxicology, specifically chemical exposure (engineered nanomaterials/micro/nanoplastics) on the fish gut epithelium. My work has implemented the 3R’s (replacement, reduction, and refinement) in chemical risk/hazard assessment, and developed gold-standard methods to measure particles in fish tissues through single particle ICP-MS. My research in nanoplastics has used world-leading radioisotope (14C) and meal-doping techniques to trace uptake into fish. 
  2. The role of plastic pollution in human gut health and associated disease. My research in this area is focusing on the role of plastic pollution and the response of various human gut cell lines, including its ability to contribute to or exacerbate inflammatory bowel disease. This work us using in vitro approaches and involves method development for trying to quantify the plastic load at a cellular level. 
  3. Assessing the trace element suitability of "alternative" diets (e.g., vegan) compared to "conventional" diets (e.g., meat). My work in this area is taking a "customers perspective" to making dietary changes that align with animal ethics and for sustainability, such as the reduction of meat consumption in favor of a pescatarian or vegan diet. Combing total element analysis (ICP-MS) with simulated in vitro digestion protocols, the concentration and behavior of like-for-like substitutions can be understood.

Supervised Research Degrees

  1. PhD, recruiting (2024-2028). Determining the dietary accumulation and toxicity of nanoplastics and co-contaminants (zinc oxide nanomaterials) in fish. Director of studies (with Miguel Gomez-Gonzalez, Lee Hutt and Richard Thompson).
  2. PhD, Samantha Harvey (2024-2027). Establishing the effect of microplastic and nanoplastic exposure on inflammatory bowel disease. Director of studies (with Lee Hutt and Raul Bescos).
  3. PhD, Tom Walter (2023-2026): Helpful or harmful? Investigating the impact of blended fruit smoothies on metabolic risk factors for human health. Second supervisor (with Kathy Redfern and Gail Rees).
  4. PhD, Namrata Pandey (2022-2025). Defining the biological importance of micro- and nano-plastics on liver and gastrointestinal health. Second supervosor (with Ashwin Dhanda and Lee Durndell).
  5. Research Masters, Craig McHardy (2022-2024). Development of alternatives for in vivo fish bioaccumulation testing with nanomaterials. Second supervisor.

Teaching

I am the module lead for the undergraduate Nutritional Biochemistry and Physiology and Genetics modules that is cotaught to Nutrition, Exercise and Health students and Dietetics students.

I supervise BSc (Biomedical Sciences, Dietetics), MDiet (Dietetics) and MSc (Human Nutrition) project students within their dissertation modules. 

Contact Nathaniel

InterCity Place, Plymouth Railway Station, North Road East,, Plymouth, PL4 6AB
+44 1752 587544