Dr Michelle Anne Fitzmaurice

Keywords

microbiome

diabetes

developmental biology

Fields of Research (FoR)

Microbial genetics, Infant and child health

SEO tags

Endocrine organs and diseases (incl. diabetes)

Biography

"Translational researcher specialising in metabolic signalling, glycation biology, and host–microbiome interactions, with a focus on early disease detection and clinical relevance".

Dr Michelle Fitzmaurice leads translational research investigating how metabolic and hormonal signals are modified across biological systems, and how early molecular distortions shape disease risk and clinical trajectories. Her work integrates endocrinology, microbiome science, and biomarker development to understand how signal fidelity is altered across host–microbe metabolic axes before overt disease emerges.

Her research spans glycated peptide biology, host–microbe metabolic interactions, and translational diagnostics, with a focus on pregnancy, metabolic disease, neurodegeneration, and healthy ageing. She works closely with clinical cohorts and routinely collected biospecimens to develop mechanistically informed biomarkers that are clinically implementable.

Dr Fitzmaurice is based within the UNSW Microbiome Research Centre and holds cross-appointments supporting translational research, ethics, and governance across hospital and university settings. She collaborates extensively with clinicians, laboratory scientists, and industry partners, and is actively developing diagnostic pipelines informed by mechanistic biology.

Research areas

Metabolic and hormonal signalling in health and disease
Glycated peptides and post-translational modification biology
Host–microbiome metabolic interactions
Early biomarkers and disease trajectory modelling
Translational diagnostics using clinical biospecimens

My Grants

Dr Fitzmaurice has been awarded competitive research funding to support translational investigations into metabolic signalling, biomarker development, and host–microbiome interactions.

Competitive philanthropic research grant (2024; $50,000)

Funding supported the characterisation of glycated peptide biomarkers and the development of translational diagnostic approaches using clinical biospecimens, leveraging established research infrastructure.
Dementia Research Community Grant (2024; $79,994)

Funding supported a translational microbiome and biomarker study nested within the Healthy Optimal Australian Microbiome (HOAM) program, examining early molecular changes associated with dementia and healthy ageing using well-characterised clinical cohorts.
Competitive research grant (2024; $500,000)

Funding supported translational research investigating metabolic signalling and early disease trajectories within a broader multi-system research program.

My Qualifications

PhD, Clinical Biochemistry

Ulster University, United Kingdom
BSc (Hons), Human Nutrition

Ulster University, United Kingdom

My Awards

Microbiome Research Centre Director’s Award for Research Excellence (2023)
PhD Scholarship, Department of Education and Learning, Northern Ireland

My Research Activities

Dr Fitzmaurice’s research activities focus on understanding how metabolic and hormonal signals are modified across biological systems, and how early molecular distortions influence disease trajectories. Her work is centred on mechanistic investigation, biomarker development, and translational application using clinical biospecimens.

Her current research activities include:

Characterising glycated hormones and peptides to determine how post-translational modifications alter biological signal fidelity and downstream metabolic responses
Investigating host–microbiome metabolic interactions and their role in modulating endocrine and inflammatory signalling
Identifying early biomarkers of metabolic dysfunction using routinely collected clinical samples and well-characterised patient cohorts
Integrating biochemical and multi-omic data to model early disease trajectories and identify windows for intervention
Developing and validating translational diagnostic pipelines informed by mechanistic biology and clinical relevance

These activities are undertaken in close collaboration with clinicians, laboratory scientists, and industry partners, with the aim of advancing early detection strategies and improving clinical decision-making.

My Research Supervision

Areas of supervision

Dr Fitzmaurice supervises Higher Degree Research (HDR) candidates, including Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Master of Philosophy, and Masters by Research students, as well as Honours and Independent Learning Project (ILP) students.

Her supervision focuses on mechanistic and translational research examining how metabolic and hormonal signals are modified across biological systems, and how early molecular distortions influence disease trajectories. Projects are embedded within clinically relevant research programs and emphasise biological signalling, early dysfunction, and diagnostic relevance rather than late-stage disease endpoints.

HDR, Honours, and ILP students may contribute to projects involving:

Metabolic and hormonal signalling and loss of signal fidelity in health and disease
Glycation biology and post-translational modification of peptides
Host–microbiome metabolic interactions and endocrine and inflammatory crosstalk
Biomarker discovery using clinical biospecimens and well-characterised cohorts
Translational diagnostics informed by mechanistic biology

Students are supported to develop strong mechanistic hypotheses, gain experience working with clinical samples and translational data, and engage in collaborative research environments spanning laboratory science, clinical research, and diagnostic development.

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Location

Medicine & Health

UNSW Microbiome Research Centre
St George & Sutherland Clinical Campuses, UNSW Medicine
Level 2, Pitney Building, St George Hospital Kogarah
UNSW SYDNEY 2052