Researcher

Keywords

Fields of Research (FoR)

Nutritional epidemiology, Public health nutrition, Nutrition and dietetics, Behavioural epidemiology, Infant and child health

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Biography

I am an ARC DECRA Fellow and a Senior Lecturer in Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Innovation at the School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney. I am an Accredited Practising Dietitian and a Nutritional Epidemiologist with research focuses on applying innovative statistical and machine learning approaches to understand the role of dietary and behavioural factors in the early origins of health and disease including...view more

I am an ARC DECRA Fellow and a Senior Lecturer in Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Innovation at the School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney. I am an Accredited Practising Dietitian and a Nutritional Epidemiologist with research focuses on applying innovative statistical and machine learning approaches to understand the role of dietary and behavioural factors in the early origins of health and disease including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and emotional behavioural problems.

I have in-depth knowledge in dietary assessment and biostatistics and have extensive experience in analysing a wide range of data from National Health Surveys, longitudinal cohorts, and randomised controlled trials. I have published >80 scientific papers and have been awarded > $5 million research funding including an National Health Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Early Career Fellowship (2017-2023) and an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) fellowship (2024-present). I am the Chair of Australian New Zealand Obesity Society (ANZOS) Early- and Mid-Career Researcher subcommittee and the Council member and Chapter/SIG coordinator of the Australasia Epidemiological Association (AEA). I am an Associate Editor for the Dietitians Australia Nutrition & Dietetics journal.

My research achievement in public health nutrition, childhood obesity, and epidemiology is acknowledged by several national and international prestigious awards. My research has been frequently profiled by The Obesity Society, United Nations Children's Fund UK, and public media. My research findings have provided internationally acknowledged insights to inform dietary guidelines and health policy statements for obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.


My Grants

CIA: ARC DECRA: Understanding the development of lifestyle behaviours in early childhood (2024-2026): DE240100635

CIA: NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (2017-2023): Informing childhood obesity prevention: Describing dietary correlates of rapid growth, overweight and obesity across the first five years of life (2017-2023:) GNT1124283

Chief Investigator on NHMRC MRFF: A nutrition and movement behaviour intervention for toddlers: efficacy, cost effectiveness & scale-up pathways (2024-2028): GNT2031053

Chief Investigator on NHMRC MRFF: Infant2Child: Optimising nutrition in early life to reduce childhood dental caries (2021-2026): GNT2007268

Associate Investigator on NHMRC partnership grant: Evaluating real-world implementation of an evidence-based program addressing lifestyle behaviours from the start of life (2019-2023): GNT1161223

NHMRC evidence review tenders for iodine and sodium 2021


My Qualifications

2012-2015 PhD in Nutrition and Dietetics, Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Molecular and Bioscience, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney

2008-2011 BSc (Nutrition) Honours Class I, Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Molecular and Bioscience, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney


My Awards

Best Abstract Award and an educational grant at the 7th International Conference on Nutrition & Growth 2020

Australian New Zealand Obesity Society (ANZOS) Young Investigator Award 2021 

Australasian Epidemiological Association Early Career Professional Development Award 2021 

Vice-Chancellor Early Career Research Excellence Award, Deakin University 2022 

Nutrition Society Australia/Australian Nutrition Trust Fund Early-Career Development and Travel Award 2023

Best Publication Award, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University 2023


My Research Supervision


Areas of supervision

Public health Nutrition; maternal child nutrition; nutritional epidemiology, childhood obesity, dietary and movement behaviours


Currently supervising

Four PhD students (three as primary supervisor)

The role of maternal diet quality on maternal and child outcomes.

Macronutrient intakes and adiposity in early childhood.

Lifestyle patterns and cardiometabolic health outcomes in childhood.


My Engagement

Open online course

FutureLearn (with over 40,000 learners) – Infant Nutrition: from Breastfeeding to Baby's First Solids (contributing facilitator/educator)

Print/online media articles

Conversation: Misleading food labels contribute to babies and toddlers eating too much sugar. 3 things parents can do. 2022

Herald Sun: Toddler diet link to rapid infant growth and future obesity, 2017

Herald Sun: Breast still best for Bubs, 2020

Herald Sun: Excess protein a risk for Bubs, 2021

The Advertiser: Bubs don’t need protein overload, 2021

News Daily: Feeding babies too much protein destines them for obesity by the age of five, 2021

The Age: Call for nutrition review as more children skip fruit and vegetables, 2024

ABC life matters How to make sure your kids are getting the right nutrients for an active life 2024

Eat, sleep, move, repeat with Dr Jazzmin Zheng, Crunch Bites podcast: Apple podcasts and Spotify 2024

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Location

Level 2, Wallace Wurth Building

Contact

+61-2-9065 9337