Dr Menant is a Senior Research Scientist, Lead of Cognition and Mobiity Studies within the Falls, Balance and Injury Research Centre at NeuRA. She has a background in exercise science and completed a PhD in applied physiology / biomechanics at UNSW (School of Population Health) in 2008.
She is the Communication Manager of the Australia New-Zealand Fall Prevention Society where she sits on the Executive Board. She is also a member of the Scientific Committee of the International Society for Posture & Gait.
Research Interests:
Her research in ageing and clinical groups with balance impairments combines mechanistic work, longitudinal studies and randomised controlled trials to investigate the control of balance and gait, identify risk factors for falls and mobility decline and develop interventions to improve health outcomes.
Broad Research Areas:
Ageing, Physiology, Neuroscience, Gerontology - Geriatrics, Biomechanics
Qualifications:
BSc Hons, PhD
Specific Research Keywords:
Fall prevention, Sensory Mechanisms, Balance, Biomechanics, Human Movement and Sensation, Mobility, Ageing, Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy.
2023
World Cancer Research Fund International (MENANT, Goldstein, Park, Lord, Mizrahi, Sturnieks, Sherrington) (2024-2025) (~$113, 832 (59, 942 British Pounds). “Integrated balance training to improve symptoms, balance and quality of life in cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a feasibility study”
NHMRC Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies grant (MENANT, Sturnieks, Park, Goldstein, Lord, Davis, Mizrahi, Koczwara, Grimison, Yates) (2023-2026) ($808,943). “Cognitive-motor step training to reduce chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) symptoms in cancer survivors”.
UNSW Ageing Futures Institute seed grant (Jugé, Brown, MENANT, Cysique, Bilston, Rae) ($29,921). “Understanding obstructive sleep apnoea-related cerebellar degeneration for dementia and fall risk prevention”.
Research Grants Council Hong Kong (Chan W, Yeung, MENANT, Sturnieks, Chan S, Mok, Lord) (2024- 2026) (~ $315, 759 (1,564,925 HKD)). “Investigating the effects of step training and the mediating effects of prefrontal cortex functioning in older adults with mild dementia: a randomized wait-list controlled trial”.
2022
UNSW Ageing Futures Institute seed grant (MENANT, McDonald, Delbaere, Lord) ($28,163). “Exploring neural mechanisms for why older people with fear of falling are at increased risk of falls”
2021
Multiple Sclerosis Research Association Project Grant (Hoang, Lord and MENANT) ($240,000) (2021-2023), “Tailored exercise targeting identified weak muscle groups and impaired gait to maximise mobility in people with Multiple Sclerosis”
2020
UNSW Research Infrastructure Scheme (Butler …, MENANT et al) ($151,845)
2018
UNSW Cancer Clinical Academic Group Seed Grant (Goldstein, Park, McCrary, MENANT, Harris and Simar) ($200,000) (2019-20), “Exercise rehabilitation for cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: Impact and mechanisms”
SPHERE Age and Ageing Clinical Academic Group Project Seed Grant (Lord …MENANT) ($44,433), “Implementation of a novel exergaming system for improving balance and mobility in aged care rehabilitation”
2017
UNSW Major Research Equipment and Instructure Initiative grant (Lord, […] MENANT […]) - ($ 404,120), “Perturbation treadmill and Laboratory Manager”.
Parkinson's NSW Research Grant (Lord, Sturnieks, Okubo, MENANT) ($ 48,143) “Reactive and volitional step training to reduce risk of falling in people with Parkinson’s disease: A randomized controlled trial”
2015
UNSW Major Research Equipment and Instructure Initiative grant (Lord, […] MENANT […]) - ($ 218,097), “Movement Analysis System”.
2014
NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council) Project Grant – CIB (Sturnieks, MENANT, Valenzuela and Delbaere) – ($ 1,558 415) (2015 - 2019) “A randomised controlled trial of cognitive-only and cognitive-motor training to prevent falls in older people: understanding physical, neuropsychological and neural mechanisms”
2013
APEX Foundation Research grant – CIC (Porter, Hocking, MENANT) – ($ 17,857) “Exploring attention and motor control in Williams Syndrome””
France-Australia Science Innovation Collaboration Program – Early Career Fellowship ($ 4,800) “– collaboration with Dr C Assaiante, Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, University Aix-Marseille on neuroimaging studies in children and adolescents.
2012
NHMRC Project Grant - CIB (Lord, MENANT, Migliaccio, Titov, Close and Delbaere) – ($ 589,772) (2012 - 2015) “A randomised controlled trial of dizziness interventions based on a multidisciplinary assessment in older people: towards the development of a multiple profile assessment of dizziness – the MPA-D”
APEX Foundation Research grant – CIC (Hocking, Porter, MENANT et al) – ($ 20,140) “Exploring the cognitive-motor profile in individuals with intellectual disability”
France-Australia Science Innovation Collaboration Program – Early Career Fellowship ($ 5,777) – collaboration with Dr C Assaiante, Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, University Aix-Marseille on neuroimaging studies in children and adolescents.
2010
UNSW Medicine, Early Career Researcher grant - ($ 20,000), “Sensory and neuromuscular mechanisms underlying the relationship between body composition and physical function in older people”
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8686-0500