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About HDA's Research Training Program

Principal Objectives

• To add value to current research training with a specific emphasis on the value of multidisciplinary approaches and translation of research outcomes.
• To promote effective mentorship, professional development and career aspirations of research trainees.
• To achieve recognition as a 'flagship' program for Healthy Development Adelaide and enhance recruitment of outstanding trainees with interests in all discipline areas of relevance to healthy development.

Core Elements

Within Discipline Research Training:

• Fulfilment of requirements of Discipline Structured Program and other discipline based research training requirements during postgraduate candidature.

Multidisciplinary and Translational Research Training:

• Requirement to attend HDA Thematic Evenings during each year of enrolment
• Requirment to attend HDA Translational Research Training Seminars from second year of candidature
• Requirment to participate in Translational Research Practicum (~20 hours experience) - an opportunity for HDA postgraduates to explore relationships between basic research, applied research, clinical practice and/or rlevant policy development and implementation.

Professional Development Component:

• Welcome function/launch for all newly enrolled HDA Scholars, introduction to aims of HDA
• Requirment to attend HDA Career Development Events
• HDA mentor identified for each HDA Scholar.

HDA Scholars - second cohort

The following HDA scholars were awarded a Healthy Development Adelaide and Channel 7 Children's Research Foundation PhD top-up scholarship in 2009.

Lisa Akison

PhD Project: The molecular mechanisms regulating ovulation. Identifying the mechanisms underlying the fundamental process of ovulation provides strategies for understanding and preserving normal female fertility, as well as ameliorating infertility and its complications. Overall, the outcomes will produce an entirely revised view of the process of ovulation, and the molecular control of peri-conception events.

Primary supervisor is Dr Rebecca Robker (Research Centre for Reproductive Health, The Robinson Institute, University of Adelaide). Co-supervisors are Prof Richard Ivell (School of Molecular & Biomedical Sciences, University of Adelaide) and Prof Rob Norman (The Robinson Institute, University of Adelaide).

Georgie Crichton

PhD Project: Investigating the effects of low fat dairy consumption on cognitive functioning, psychological wellbeing, and cardiometabolic health. If increasing dairy consumption has a beneficial impact on body weight and cognitive health then increasing dairy intake is easily modifiable and may help to prevent obesity and obesity-related disease amongst young Australians.

Primary supervisor is Dr Karen Murphy (Nutritional Physiology Research Centre, University of South Australia). Co-supervisor is Dr Janet Bryan (School of Psychology, University of South Australia).

Long Nguyen

PhD Project: Investigating the effects and potential mechanisms of early nutritional intervention on bone growth, bone mass accumulation, bone structure, and adult bone health. Optimal bone health during childhood and adulthood is a major component of life quality. The study will provide knowledge whether and how early nutritional intervention can influence adult bone health outcomes and in developing nutritional and feeding strategies during early life for optimising childhood and adulthood bone health.

Primary supervisor is A/Prof Cory Xian (Bone Growth and Repair Research Group, University of South Australia). Co-supervisors are Dr Beverly Muhlhausler (Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group, University of South Australia) and Dr Tetyana Shandala (Bone Growth and Repair Research Group, University of South Australia).

Zhi Yi Ong

PhD Project: Determining whether being exposed to maternal junk food diet during fetal life leads to altered development of the central reward pathway. The central reward pathway develops during fetal and early postnatal life and can be exposed to sugar and fat from the maternal diet before birth. By understanding the underlying mechanisms involved in the programming of food preferences to better develop nutritional interventions which can be used during early postnatal life to counteract induced maternal high-fat feeding. This project brings together a range of disciplines including physiology, neuroendocrinology and nutrition.

Primary supervisor is Dr Beverly Muhlhausler (Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group, University of South Australia). Co-supervisor is Prof Caroline McMillen (Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group, University of South Australia).

Luca Prisciandaro

PhD Project: Identifying probiotic supernatants which are efficacious in mucositis, and secondly, to identify components of the supernatant responsible for these beneficial effects. Intestinal mucositis, which currently has no definitive treatment is one of the most common side effects of chemo- or radiotherapy and affects patients of all ages. Current findings suggest efficacy of certain probiotics in the treatment of mucositis. The development of a therapy for mucositis will alllow patients to undergo therapy uninterrupted increasing the efficacy of the treatment.

Primary supervisor is A/Prof Gordon Howarth (Discipline of Animal Science, University of Adelaide / Department of Gastroenterology, Women's & Children's Hospital). Co-supervisors are Dr Mark Geier (SARDI), Dr Adrian Cummins (Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, QEH) and A/Prof Ross Butler (Department of Gastroenterology, Women's & Children's Hospital).

Natasha Schranz

PhD Project: Running a resistance training intervention for overweight and obese adolescent males. The range of outcome measures include physical, social, psychological and nutritional benefits. The links that have been made between childhood and adolescent cardiovascular disease and obesity with adulthood cardiovascular disease and mortality are clear indications to the need for research into the factors associated with metabolic risk in children and adoelscents.

Primary supervisors are Dr Grant Tomkinson and A/Prof Tim Olds (School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia). Co-supervisor is Dr Natalie Sinn (Nutritional Physiology Research Centre, University of South Australia).

Dorota Zarnowiecki

PhD Project: Exploring resilience in relation to dietary behaviours among children from neighbourhoods of low socioeconomic postion. The project aims to develop a reliable tool for assessing nutrition knowledge in 5-6 year old children using pictures to maintain children's interest and motivation and are appropriate for their level of cognitive development.

Primary supervisor is Dr Jim Dollman (School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia). Co-supervisor is Dr Natalie Sinn (Nutritional Physiology Research Centre, University of South Australia).

HDA Scholars - first cohort

The following inaugural HDA scholars were awarded a Healthy Development Adelaide PhD top-up scholarship in 2006.

Leigh Guerin

Leigh's previous research focussed on whether male reproductive tract microflora can influence seminal plasma cytokines and seminal parameters such as sperm concentration and motility. His hobbies include Australian rules football, mountain bike riding and snorkelling.

Supervisors are A/Prof Sarah Robertson (Discipline of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Adelaide) and Dr John Hayball (School of Pharmacy and Medical Science, University of South Australia).

PhD Project: Role of maternal T regulatory cells in healthy pregnancy. This is an area of research of pivotal importance to maternal immune tolerance of the conceptus in pregnancy. It is now recognised that disturbances in the maternal immune response can underpin various pathologies of pregnancy including implantation failure, miscarriage and pre-eclampsia. T regulatory cells are believed to be central mediators of maternal tolerance in pregnancy, however the means by which these cells are induced in the peri-implantation period and their antigen reactivity are unknown. Through unravelling the factors regulating the ontogeny and function of these cells in the implantation site we seek to identify new therapeutic targets for infertility and optimal fetal growth.

Siew Seen Lim

Siew Seen has a Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science) from the University of Adelaide and a Master in Nutrition and Dietetics from Flinders University. Siew Seen enjoys reading, cooking, playing musical instruments and walking.

Supervisors are A/Prof Manny Noakes / Dr Peter Clifton (CSIRO Human Nutrition) and Prof Robert Norman (Research Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Adelaide).

PhD Project: Determinants of responsiveness to dietary intervention in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) women to improve reproductive outcomes. Previous studies on dietary interventions on PCOS women have seen variable results in terms of reproductive outcomes. This project aims to determine the predictors of responders versus non responders to lifestyle intervention in PCOS women.

Anne Raimondo

Anne has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Adelaide. Anne is an incurable lover of books and rock 'n' roll, particularly albums from the 60s and 70s.

Supervisors are A/Prof Murray Whitelaw (Discipline of Biochemistry, University of Adelaide) and Dr Simon Koblar (Discipline of Genetics, University of Adelaide).

PhD Project: Studying the Single-Minded protein 1 (SIM1), a transcription factor which is thought to possess roles in early neural development and regulation of the feeding response in adults. By seeking to identify those genes whose expression is directly regulated by the in vivo activity of SIM1, I hope to gain a better understanding of the behaviour of this protein at the molecular level. Gene disruption studies in mice have shown that animals null for the SIM1 gene die at birth due to a lack of neuroendocrine secreting cells in the hypothalamus. Furthermore, heterozygote animals maintaining one allele of the SIM1 gene develop early onset obesity, which phenocopies a childhood obesity syndrome seen in humans who suffer a translocation of the SIM1 locus.

Lynlea Simmonds

Lynlea has a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) and a research interest in psychostimulants. Her hobbies include running/fitness and reading.

Supervisors are Prof Jason White / Dr Rod Irvine (Discipline of Pharmacology, University of Adelaide) and Dr Lisa Kettler (School of Psychology, University of Adelaide).

PhD Project: Pharmacological, cognitive and emotional outcomes of ecstasy use in young people. The focus of my PhD is the investigation of the short-term (post-acute) pharmacological and psychological effects of ecstasy (MDMA). Specifically, the study will investigate the cognitive performance and mood states of people who currently use ecstasy in the days following use of the drug and the pharmacological effects of MDMA over this same period. There is a paucity of research investigating the post-acute effects of ecstasy, and it is hoped that the current research will be able to provide valuable information regarding the short-term effects of the drug.