Rajavel Elango
PhD
Investigator, BC Children's Hospital
Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
Kaitlin Berris and Kendall Plant and Frances Jones and Diego Marquez and Vicki Hsieh and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1002/jpen.278208 / 2025
Alyssa Paoletti and Rajavel Elango and Glenda Courtney-Martin
DOI: 10.1201/b23328-1006 / 2025
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Kerri Scherbinsky and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.12.01202 / 2025
Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease
Abrar Turki and Sylvia Stockler-Ipsiroglu and Sandra Sirrs and Jennifer Branov and Taryn Bosdet and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1002/jimd.1280601 / 2025
Journal of Perinatology
Elizabeth R. Schinkel and Elizabeth R. Nelson and Jae H. Kim and Maryanne T. Perrin and Roger Dyer and Rajavel Elango and Lars Bode and David C. Dallas and Jiraporn Lueangsakulthai and Carrie-Ellen Briere and Sarah N. Taylor
DOI: 10.1038/s41372-024-01988-211 / 2024
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Kerri Scherbinsky and Betina F Rasmussen and Bingqing Li and Dehan Kong and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.07.03410 / 2024
The Journal of Nutrition
Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.10.01812 / 2023
Nutrients
Alyssa Paoletti and Paul B. Pencharz and Ronald O. Ball and Dehan Kong and Libai Xu and Rajavel Elango and Glenda Courtney-Martin
DOI: 10.3390/nu1519411209 / 2023
Nutrients
Anish Pillai and Susan Albersheim and Nikoo Niknafs and Brian Maugo and Betina Rasmussen and Mei Lam and Gurpreet Grewal and Arianne Albert and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.3390/nu1508186604 / 2023
Advances in Nutrition
Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.04.00404 / 2023
Madeleine Ennis and Annie Rosen Heath and Jennifer Branov and Taryn Bosdet and Anna Lehman and Sandra Sirrs and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2609680/v103 / 2023
Reproductive Health
Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella and Shazmeen Omar and Kerri Scherbinsky and Marianne Vidler and Laura A. Magee and Peter von Dadelszen and Sophie E. Moore and Rajavel Elango and Peter von Dadelszen and Laura A. Magee and Lucilla Poston and Hiten D. Mistry and Marie-Laure Volvert and Cristina Escalona Lopez and Sophie Moore and Rachel Tribe and Andrew Shennan and Tatiana Salisbury and Lucy Chappell and Rachel Craik and Marleen Temmerman and Angela Koech Etyang and Sikolia Wanyonyi and Geoffrey Omuse and Patricia Okiro and Grace Mwashigadi and Esperana Sevene and Helena Boene and Corssino Tchavana and Eusebio Macete and Carla Carillho and Lazaro Quimice and Sonia Maculuve and Donna Russell and Ben Baratt and Joy Lawn and Hannah Blencowe and Veronique Filippi and Matt Silver and Prestige Tatenda Makanga and Liberty Makacha and Yolisa Dube and Newton Nyapwere and Reason Mlambo and Umberto DAlessandro and Anna Roca and Melisa Martinez-Alvarez and Hawanatu Jah and Brahima Diallo and Abdul Karim Sesa
DOI: 10.1186/s12978-022-01485-909 / 2022
Nutrition Reviews
Kelsey M Cochrane and Brock A Williams and Rajavel Elango and Susan I Barr and Crystal D Karakochuk
DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuac01508 / 2022
Current Developments in Nutrition
Kelly A Mulder and Roger A Dyer and Rajavel Elango and Sheila M Innis
DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzac09907 / 2022
The Journal of Nutrition
Mahroukh Rafii and Paul B Pencharz and Kaylem Boileau and Ronald O Ball and Christopher Tomlinson and Rajavel Elango and Glenda Courtney-Martin
DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxac04906 / 2022
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Ana Paula Pagano and Katherine Ford and Kathryn N. Porter Starr and Nicole Kiss and Helen Steed and Janice Y. Kung and Rajavel Elango and Carla M. Prado
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph1911641905 / 2022
Journal of Neonatal Nursing
Anna-Joy Ong and Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella and Sangwani Salimu and Marianne Vidler and Rajavel Elango and Mwai Banda and Queen Dube and David Goldfarb and Kondwani Kawaza and Alinane Linda Nyondo-Mipando
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnn.2021.08.00604 / 2022
The Journal of Nutrition
Alyssa Paoletti and Abrar Fakiha and Zujaja Tul-Noor and Paul B Pencharz and Crystal L Levesque and Ronald O Ball and Dehan Kong and Rajavel Elango and Glenda Courtney-Martin
DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxab41003 / 2022
Apollo - University of Cambridge Repository
DOI: 10.17863/cam.7963401 / 2022
figshare
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.20962419figshare
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.20962413figshare
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.20962416Advances in Nutrition
Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella and Shazmeen Omar and Kerri Scherbinsky and Marianne Vidler and Laura A Magee and Peter vonDadelszen and Sophie E Moore and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1093/advances/nmab05711 / 2021
Science Advances
Toby Candler and Noah J. Kessler and Chathura J. Gunasekara and Kate A. Ward and Philip James and Eleonora Laritsky and Maria S. Baker and Roger Dyer and Rajavel Elango and David Jeffries and Robert A. Waterland and Sophie E. Moore and Marian Ludgate and Andrew M. Prentice and Matt J. Silver
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj156111 / 2021
JIMD Reports
Haneen Saleemani and Csilla Egri and Gabriella Horvath and Sylvia Stockler-Ipsiroglu and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1002/jmd2.1223409 / 2021
Nutrients
Naoki Miura and Hideki Matsumoto and Luc Cynober and Patrick J. Stover and Rajavel Elango and Motoni Kadowaki and Dennis M. Bier and Miro Smriga
DOI: 10.3390/nu1306197606 / 2021
Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition
Anish Pillai and Susan Gail Albersheim and Kaitlin Berris and Arianne Y Albert and Horacio Osiovich and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2019-31750305 / 2021
The Journal of Nutrition
Betina F Rasmussen and Madeleine A Ennis and Roger A Dyer and Kenneth Lim and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa26302 / 2021
Nutrients
Mai-Lei Kinshella and Shazmeen Omar and Kerri Scherbinsky and Marianne Vidler and Laura Magee and Peter von Dadelszen and Sophie Moore and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.3390/nu1302047201 / 2021
The Journal of Nutrition
Katia Caballero and Ronit Mandal and Anubhav Pratap-Singh and David D Kitts and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa27612 / 2020
The Journal of Nutrition
Madeleine A Ennis and Anna-Joy Ong and Kenneth Lim and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa31712 / 2020
The Journal of Nutrition
Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa15510 / 2020
The Journal of Nutrition
Luc Cynober and Dennis M Bier and Patrick Stover and Motoni Kadowaki and Sidney M Morris, Jr and Rajavel Elango and Miro Smriga
DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa23110 / 2020
The Journal of Nutrition
Leah Cooper and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Ryosei Sakai and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa18009 / 2020
Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease
Zoe Schmidt and Gayathri Murthy and Madeleine Ennis and Sylvia Stockler-Ipsiroglu and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1002/jimd.1223309 / 2020
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Madeleine A Ennis and Betina F Rasmussen and Kenneth Lim and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqz28802 / 2020
The Journal of Nutrition
Nirupama Shivakumar and Alan Anthony Jackson and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Rajavel Elango and Shibani Ghosh and Suzanne Hodgkinson and Maria Xipsiti and Warren T K Lee and Anura V Kurpad and Daniel Tom
DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxz25002 / 2020
The Journal of Nutrition
Kimberly E Martin and Paul B Pencharz and Mahroukh Rafii and Ronald O Ball and Sylwia Szwiega and Rajavel Elango and Glenda Courtney-Martin
DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxz13710 / 2019
Nutrients
Anish Pillai and Susan Albersheim and Julie Matheson and Vikki Lalari and Sylvia Wei and Sheila Innis and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.3390/nu1010143310 / 2018
Scientific Reports
Sara Moukarzel and Roger A. Dyer and Cyrielle Garcia and Alejandra M. Wiedeman and Guilaine Boyce and Joanne Weinberg and Bernd O. Keller and Rajavel Elango and Sheila M. Innis
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33603-810 / 2018
The Journal of Nutrition
Mahroukh Rafii and Rajavel Elango and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Glenda Courtney-Martin
DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxy03905 / 2018
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care
Luc A. Cynober and Yvon A. Carpentier and Jrgen M. Bauer and John E. Morley and Alessandro Laviano and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1097/mco.000000000000043601 / 2018
British Journal of Nutrition
Kelly A. Mulder and Rajavel Elango and Sheila M. Innis
DOI: 10.1017/s000711451700353101 / 2018
The Journal of Nutrition
Magdalene Payne and Trina Stephens and Kenneth Lim and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxx03401 / 2018
The Journal of Nutrition
Rajavel Elango and Mohammad A Humayun and Justine M Turner and Mahroukh Rafii and Veronika Langos and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz
DOI: 10.3945/jn.116.24430110 / 2017
Nutrients
Sara Moukarzel and Lynda Soberanes and Roger A. Dyer and Susan Albersheim and Rajavel Elango and Sheila M. Innis
DOI: 10.3390/nu904036904 / 2017
The Journal of Nutrition
Abrar Turki and Keiko Ueda and Barbara Cheng and Alette Giezen and Ramona Salvarinova and Sylvia Stockler-Ipsiroglu and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.3945/jn.116.24021802 / 2017
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care
Rajavel Elango and Alessandro Laviano
DOI: 10.1097/mco.000000000000034301 / 2017
Elango R and Laviano A
PubMed: 2780168601 / 2017
Soltys KA and Setoyama K and Tafaleng EN and Soto Gutirrez A and Fong J and Fukumitsu K and Nishikawa T and Nagaya M and Sada R and Haberman K and Gramignoli R and Dorko K and Tahan V and Dreyzin A and Baskin K and Crowley JJ and Quader MA and Deutsch M and Ashokkumar C and Shneider BL
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2016.12.017 PubMed: 2802797112 / 2016
The Journal of Nutrition
Rajavel Elango and Betina Rasmussen and Kenneth Madden
DOI: 10.3945/jn.116.23493012 / 2016
Journal of Nutrition
L. Cynober and D. M. Bier and M. Kadowaki and S. M. Morris and R. Elango and M. Smriga
DOI: 10.3945/jn.115.22847811 / 2016
Journal of Nutrition
S. Moukarzel and R. A. Dyer and B. O. Keller and R. Elango and S. M. Innis
DOI: 10.3945/jn.116.23680210 / 2016
Pediatric Research
Paula Woo and Gayathri Murthy and Cindy Wong and Brenden Hursh and Jean-Pierre Chanoine and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1038/pr.2016.18209 / 2016
Nutrients
Glenda Courtney-Martin and Ronald Ball and Paul Pencharz and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.3390/nu808049208 / 2016
Advances in Nutrition: An International Review Journal
Rajavel Elango and Ronald O Ball
DOI: 10.3945/an.115.01181707 / 2016
Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism
Paul B. Pencharz and Rajavel Elango and Robert R. Wolfe
DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2015-054905 / 2016
Amino Acids
Betina Rasmussen and Erin Gilbert and Abrar Turki and Kenneth Madden and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1007/s00726-016-2241-004 / 2016
Hormone Research in Paediatrics
Brenden E. Hursh and Mir Sohail Fazeli and Sarah Wang and Elizabeth A. Marchant and Paula Woo and Rajavel Elango and Pascal M. Lavoie and Jean-Pierre Chanoine and Jean-Paul Collet
DOI: 10.1159/00044568504 / 2016
Rafii M and Chapman K and Elango R and Campbell WW and Ball RO and Pencharz PB and Courtney-Martin G
PubMed: 2696217303 / 2016
Journal of Nutrition
M. Rafii and K. Chapman and R. Elango and W. W. Campbell and R. O. Ball and P. B. Pencharz and G. Courtney-Martin
DOI: 10.3945/jn.115.22563103 / 2016
Pediatric Neurology
Sravan Jaggumantri and Mary Dunbar and Vanessa Edgar and Cristina Mignone and Theresa Newlove and Rajavel Elango and Jean Paul Collet and Michael Sargent and Sylvia Stockler-Ipsiroglu and Clara D.M. van Karnebeek
DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2015.05.00610 / 2015
Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism
Emily Arentson-Lantz and Stephanie Clairmont and Douglas Paddon-Jones and Angelo Tremblay and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2014-053008 / 2015
Molecular Genetics and Metabolism
Abrar Turki and Gayathri Murthy and Keiko Ueda and Barbara Cheng and Alette Giezen and Sylvia Stockler-Ipsiroglu and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2015.04.00506 / 2015
Journal of Nutrition
R. R. Pillai and R. Elango and R. O. Ball and A. V. Kurpad and P. B. Pencharz
DOI: 10.3945/jn.114.20843903 / 2015
Tang M and McCabe GP and Elango R and Pencharz PB and Ball RO and Campbell WW
DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.114.090324 PubMed: 2524008810 / 2014
Branched Chain Amino Acids in Clinical Nutrition
Rajavel Elango and Ronald O. Ball and Paul B. Pencharz
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-1914-7_110 / 2014
Journal of Nutrition
M. Rafii and K. Chapman and J. Owens and R. Elango and W. W. Campbell and R. O. Ball and P. B. Pencharz and G. Courtney-Martin
DOI: 10.3945/jn.114.19751710 / 2014
Journal of Nutrition
T. V. Stephens and M. Payne and R. O. Ball and P. B. Pencharz and R. Elango
DOI: 10.3945/jn.114.19862209 / 2014
Nutrition Research
Trina V. Stephens and Hillary Woo and Sheila M. Innis and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2014.07.00107 / 2014
Tang M and McCabe GP and Elango R and Pencharz PB and Ball RO and Campbell WW
DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.112.042325 PubMed: 2442954004 / 2014
Canadian Journal of Diabetes
Paula P.W. Woo and Gayathri Murthy and Cindy Wong and Jean-Pierre Chanoine and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2013.08.20510 / 2013
Journal of Nutrition
I. R. D. Prolla and M. Rafii and G. Courtney-Martin and R. Elango and L. P. da Silva and R. O. Ball and P. B. Pencharz
DOI: 10.3945/jn.112.16672801 / 2013
Journal of Nutrition
K. P. Chapman and R. Elango and R. O. Ball and P. B. Pencharz
DOI: 10.3945/jn.112.16832801 / 2013
Elango R and Chapman K and Rafii M and Ball RO and Pencharz PB
DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.111.024471 PubMed: 2295217810 / 2012
Journal of Nutrition
P. B. Pencharz and R. Elango and R. O. Ball
DOI: 10.3945/jn.112.16025910 / 2012
British Journal of Nutrition
Rajavel Elango and Crystal Levesque and Ronald O. Ball and Paul B. Pencharz
DOI: 10.1017/s000711451200249808 / 2012
British Journal of Nutrition
Rajavel Elango and Ronald O. Ball and Paul B. Pencharz
DOI: 10.1017/s000711451200250408 / 2012
Elango R and Humayun MA and Ball RO and Pencharz PB
DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.111.012815 PubMed: 2204916512 / 2011
Nutrition Research
Desmond B.S. Pink and Stephanie K. Gatrell and Rajavel Elango and Joan Turchinsky and Aaron S. Kiess and Kenneth P. Blemings and Walter T. Dixon and Ronald O. Ball
DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2011.06.00107 / 2011
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care
Rajavel Elango and Mohammad A Humayun and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz
DOI: 10.1097/mco.0b013e328332f9b701 / 2010
Journal of Nutrition
R. R. Pillai and R. Elango and S. Muthayya and R. O. Ball and A. V. Kurpad and P. B. Pencharz
DOI: 10.3945/jn.109.11335711 / 2009
Journal of Chromatography B
Mahroukh Rafii and Rajavel Elango and James D. House and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Pauline Darling and Lawrence Fisher and Paul B. Pencharz
DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2009.05.00210 / 2009
Journal of Nutrition
R. Elango and M. A. Humayun and R. O. Ball and P. B. Pencharz
DOI: 10.3945/jn.108.10114704 / 2009
Amino Acids
Rajavel Elango and Ronald O. Ball and Paul B. Pencharz
DOI: 10.1007/s00726-009-0234-y01 / 2009
Pencharz PB and Elango R and Ball RO
PubMed: 1880611410 / 2008
Elango R and Ball RO and Pencharz PB
PubMed: 1820388502 / 2008
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care
Rajavel Elango and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz
DOI: 10.1097/mco.0b013e3282f2a5a401 / 2008
Pediatric Nutrition in Practice
Paul Pencharz and Rajavel Elango
DOI: 10.1159/000155244Humayun MA and Elango R and Ball RO and Pencharz PB
PubMed: 1792137610 / 2007
Humayun MA and Elango R and Moehn S and Ball RO and Pencharz PB
PubMed: 1763425808 / 2007
Elango R and Humayun MA and Ball RO and Pencharz PB
PubMed: 1768420608 / 2007
Analytical Biochemistry
Mahroukh Rafii and Rajavel Elango and Glenda Courtney-Martin and James D. House and Lawrence Fisher and Paul B. Pencharz
DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2007.07.026Humayun MA and Turner JM and Elango R and Rafii M and Langos V and Ball RO and Pencharz PB
PubMed: 1709316011 / 2006
Turner JM and Humayun MA and Elango R and Rafii M and Langos V and Ball RO and Pencharz PB
PubMed: 1652290903 / 2006
Elango R and Goonewardene LA and Pencharz PB and Ball RO
PubMed: 1470429601 / 2004
Elango R and Pencharz PB and Ball RO
PubMed: 1236840510 / 2002
Children who are born with deficiency of an enzyme, have a block in metabolic pathways and causes toxic increases of some metabolites. Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by deficiency of the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH). PAH deficiency leads to increased levels of phenylalanine (an amino acid) in plasma. Similarly, Methylmalonic Acidemia (MMA) and Propionic Acidemia (PA) involves children born with a defect in conversion of Methylmalonyl-CoA to Succinyl-CoA, which are formed from the metabolism of amino acids - methionine, threonine, isoleucine and valine. Treatment involves dietary restriction of these amino acids, with provision of added protein from specially formulated medical foods. We are exploring what amounts of protein and other amino acids are adequate for these vulnerable children to support growth, using minimally-invasive stable isotope based methods.
While the amount of protein we eat needs to be optimal, dietary recommendations for protein are based on food sources. But food sources vary in their indispensable and dispensable amino acid content, with some foods quite rich and balanced, while some have a few key indispensable amino acids as too low. In addition, during digestion there is some loss of these amino acids, and will result in less amino acids available for growth and development in children. Thus, we are conducting experiments to explore how amino acids from various food sources are ‘metabolically available’ for protein synthesis in young children using state-of-the-art stable isotope based methods.
It is important that pregnant women eat an adequate amount and quality of protein to ensure healthy growth and development of the fetus. It is well known that pregnant women need more high quality protein in their diet, but how much additional protein is required remains unclear. There is reason to believe that current Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendations for protein intake in pregnancy are too low. Additionally, metabolic adaptations that occur in a woman’s body throughout pregnancy result in different nutritional requirements during the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters. To better define protein and amino acid requirements and identify good sources of protein throughout pregnancy, we are studying healthy pregnant women 19-35y, in their 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy using a stable isotope (L-1-13C-Phenylalanine) based technique.
Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Expert Working Group Member, 2017
Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Expert Working Group Member, 2014
Award from International Council on Amino Acid Science, 2014
Every day, our researchers work towards breakthroughs to transform the lives of kids in BC and around the world. Learn about our latest innovations and advancements in child health.

Congratulations to BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) and Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI) investigators and their teams who were awarded funding through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Spring 2025 Project Grant competition.

Researchers at BC Children’s Hospital and the University of British Columbia found that blood DHA levels are associated with cognitive performance in five-year-olds. More research is required to explain the surprisingly meagre association between DHA intake and blood DHA levels.
Congratulations to the BC Children's, BC Women's and University of British Columbia doctoral students who were awarded a prestigious 2020 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
At BC Children’s, we are making discoveries that save lives and transform health care for children in our province and around the world. Our research portfolio includes basic, clinical, population, and public health research.
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