Researcher

My Expertise

My focus is on the interaction of bacteria and the immune system in the gastrointestinal tract. I look at how bacteria colonize the intestine in newborn babies, how these colonizing bacteria develop into the ‘microbiome’ and how the microbiome promotes health, but also its contribution to disease.

Keywords

Fields of Research (FoR)

Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Microbial Ecology, Allergy

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Biography

I am a research scientist specializing in the gastrointestinal microbiome to promote gastrointestinal health and limit the burden of inflammatory disease in infants and children.

My focus is on basic and clinical research to understand and optimizing health outcomes in infants and children. My aim is to understand how bacteria colonize the gastrointestinal tract, how these bacteria turn into a community commonly called the microbiome, and how...view more

I am a research scientist specializing in the gastrointestinal microbiome to promote gastrointestinal health and limit the burden of inflammatory disease in infants and children.

My focus is on basic and clinical research to understand and optimizing health outcomes in infants and children. My aim is to understand how bacteria colonize the gastrointestinal tract, how these bacteria turn into a community commonly called the microbiome, and how the microbiome interacts with the body. I work closely with physicians and health care professionals in both the Sydney Children’s Hospital and Royal Hospital for Women and together we look for ways to improve health outcomes in infants and children who suffer from gastrointestinal and associated inflammation disease including inflammatory bowel disease, eczema, allergy, necrotizing enterocolitis and irritable bowel syndrome.

I am also the head of laboratory research at Sydney Children’s Hospital and in this role I support a wide range of research projects and clinical trials into childhood disease.


My Grants

Funding sources: NHMRC, Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation, Janssen Pty Ltd, The R E Ross Trust


My Qualifications

BSc (Hons); PhD


My Awards

Postgraduate Research Supervisor Award

Deans Rising star award

Gastroenterology Society of Australia – Travel Grant


My Research Supervision


Supervision keywords


Areas of supervision

Infant and childhood gastrointestinal disease

Microbiome development

Infantile eczema

Allergy

Inflammatory bowel disease

Irritable bowel syndrome

Prebiotics and probiotics

 


Currently supervising

2 PhD students, 2 ILP students


My Engagement

Society Memberships: Gastroenterological Society of Australia

Professional Activities: Member of the Editorial Boards of Frontiers in Pediatrics Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Nutrients

Committee Membership: SCHN Kids Research Leadership Committee, SCHN Human Research Ethics Committee, The Infection disease, Immunity and Inflammation (Triple I) Clinical Academic Group Scientific Advisory Committee, MothersBabies Scientific Advisory Committee

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Location

Westfield Research Lab
Level 2
Sydney Children’s Hospital
Randwick NSW 2031

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Contact

(02) 9382 1883
(02) 9382 1574

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