Dr Sofia Bellalta

My research focuses on Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD), with particular emphasis on adipose tissue development, metabolic regulation, and endocrine function during early life. I am especially interested in the biological mechanisms through which early-life exposures influence childhood obesity risk and metabolic health trajectories. My work has explored how developmental programming shapes adipose tissue function and contributes to endocrine and metabolic outcomes across the life course.

More recently, my research interests have expanded to investigate inter-organ communication during lactation, reflecting a growing focus on lactation physiology and maternal–infant metabolic interactions. I am interested in understanding how physiological states such as lactation, together with early-life environmental exposures, influence metabolic regulation and long-term health.