My role focuses on the oversight of human studies, ensuring regulatory compliance, ethical governance, and operational excellence across all stages of study design and implementation.

With a background in managing clinical trials in health, nutrition, and exercise physiology, I bring extensive experience in protocol development, regulatory adherence and data integrity. I have worked closely with both academic and industry partners to design and deliver high-quality research studies that translate into meaningful health outcomes. I am also a Registered Associate Nutritionist, which reflects my commitment to evidence-based practice in the field of human health and nutrition.

My expertise also includes laboratory techniques for human tissue analysis, such as blood collection, muscle tissue processing, lysing and purification, Bradford and Choline Colorimetric Assays, Gel Electrophoresis, Western Blotting, ELISA, and sterile IV infusion preparation.

I provide training and mentorship to staff involved in human studies, particularly around study design, ethical approval process, sample collection and study governance. I support researchers in obtaining Health Research Authority approval and guide the use of the NRP Biorepository for tissue access.

A key part of my role involves building strong collaborative relationships with stakeholders across the Norwich Research Park, including the University of East Anglia, and with primary and secondary care partners, to enhance the quality and impact of human microbiome research.

Education and Training:
BSc in Biological Sciences – University of Westminster, London, UK
MSc in Clinical Nutrition – University of Roehampton, London, UK
PhD in Health Sciences – University of Roehampton, London, UK

Key publications

Barclay R., Motei D.E., Ancu O., Tyler C., Tillin N., Behrends V., Burd N., Hurren N., Mackenzie R., (2025) Inositol hexakinase phosphate 1 (IP6K1) is implicated in the insulin response to protein ingestion in older adults, Springer Nature J. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6013876/v1

Y. Sun., H Cano-Garcia., E Kallos., F O’Brien., A Akintonde., D. Motei., O. Ancu., RW Mackenzie., P Kosmas. (2023) Random Forest Analysis of Combined Millimeter-Wave and Near-Infrared Sensing for Noninvasive Glucose Detection,” in IEEE Sensors Journal, vol. 23, no. 17, pp. 20294-20309, 1 Sept.1, 2023. doi: 10.1109/JSEN.2023.3293248

Ancu O., Naufahu J, Barclay R, Watt P, Mackenzie RW, (2021) Disposition Index (DI) is not improved with exercise in hyperinsulinemic pre-diabetic individuals, Clinical Diabetes and Research J. doi: 10.36959/647/495

Draicchio F., van Vliet S., Ancu O., Paluska S., Wilund K., Mickute M., Sathyapalan., Renshaw D., Watt P., Sylow L., Burd N., Mackenzie R., (2020) Integrin-associated ILK and PINCH1 protein content are reduced in skeletal muscle of maintenance haemodialysis patients, J Physiol. doi: 10.1113/JP280441

Ancu O., Mickute M., Guess N., Hurren N., Burd NA, Mackenzie RW. (2020) Does high dietary protein intake contribute to the increased risk of developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes? Submitted to Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. J. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2020-0396