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STAFF
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Laboratory Head
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Professor Maria Makrides
Ph: 08 8161 6067
Email: maria.makrides@health.sa.gov.au |
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Research Staff
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Jacqueline Aldis
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jacqueline.aldis@health.sa.gov.au
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Carmel Collins
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carmel.collins@health.sa.gov.au
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Christina Challis |
christina.challis@postgrads.unisa.edu.au |
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Josephine Collins
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jo.collins2@health.sa.gov.au
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Meghan Crabb |
meghan.crabb@health.sa.gov.au |
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Heather Garreffa
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heather.garreffa@health.sa.gov.au
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Zoe Gulpers |
zoe.gulpers@health.sa.gov.au |
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Wendy Helbers |
wendy.helbers@health.sa.gov.au |
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Helen Loudis
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helen.loudis@health.sa.gov.au
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Amanda O'Grady |
mandy.ogrady@health.sa.gov.au |
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Jenni O'Hare |
jen.ohare@health.sa.gov.au |
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Debbie Palmer |
debbie.palmer@health.sa.gov.au
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Danielle Robson |
danielle.robson@flinders.edu.au |
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Liz Strachan |
liz.strachan@health.sa.gov.au |
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Sue Warcup |
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Jo Zhou |
jo.zhou@adelaide.edu.au |
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Students
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Jacqueline Miller |
Jacqueline.miller@flinders.edu.au |
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GOALS
The overall aim of our research group is to optimise the
nutritional intake of mothers and their infants whether the
infants are born preterm or at term. The rationale for our
research is that improvements in nutritional status will optimise
the growth and development of all infants and this will have
beneficial effects on their quality of life and whole-of-life
health care costs.
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RESEARCH THEMES
Our research utilises two powerful tools - randomised controlled
trials and systematic reviews. Clinical trials involving dietary
long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) and interventions
with dietary iron in the perinatal period have been a feature
of our research over the past 5 years. Translation of research
results to changes in clinical nutrition policy and practice
is a major focus of our group. For this reason we also conduct
high quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses of nutritional
interventions in pregnancy, lactation and the first years
of life, and contribute to the development of clinical practice
guidelines.
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RESEARCH PROJECTS
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1. Nutrition for preterm infants
Despite having good survival outcomes, preterm infants born
before 33 weeks gestation have poorer cognitive outcomes compared
with their term-born counterparts. The adequate supply of
an omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, called DHA,
during the neonatal period may be important to preventing
the developmental delays suffered by preterm children. In
the largest nutrition intervention trial involving preterm
infants, we have shown that developmental delay at 18 months
corrected age can be reduced by 30-50% as a result of feeding
high dose DHA in the neonatal period. Interestingly these
outcomes were most evident in girls and babies born weighing
less than 1250g. A 7 year follow-up funded by NHMRC (5-year
project grant) will be important to determine whether these
effects continue to school age.

7 year Developmental Assesment. Project supported by NHMRC.
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2. Nutrition during pregnancy
Many epidemiological studies demonstrate associations between
high fish and seafood intake during pregnancy and improved
health for both mothers and children, namely a lower prevalence
of postnatal depression and higher developmental scores and
fewer allergies in children. It is hypothesised that n-3 LCPUFA
are the "magic" ingredients in fish that drive these
associations. We have set out to test this hypothesis through
a large scale intervention study in which women are randomly
allocated a supplement of tuna oil rich in n-3 LCPUFA or a
placebo from 20 weeks of pregnancy until birth. 2399 women
around Australia are participating in the study. This year
will see the first results that will answer the question of
whether there are cause and effect relationships between n-3
LCPUFA during pregnancy and mental health outcomes for women
and their children and between n-3 LCPUFA and allergy prevalence.
A 12 month old child having an allergy assessment. Project
supported by NHMRC

An 18 months old child having a developmental assessment.
Project supported by NHMRC
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