Dr Cuong Tran

• Biography/ Background

  Dr Cuong Tran is a Senior Research Scientist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in the Food and Nutrition Flagship and is an Affiliate Lecturer at the University of Adelaide.Prior to completing his PhD degree in 2001, Dr Tran had been working for an industry company, Numico Research Australia Pty Ltd looking at novel therapies for eradicating Helicobacter pylori infection. in 2001, Dr Tran worked in the Gastroenterology Unit at the Women's and Children's Hospital continuing investigations on Helicobacter pylori eradication in mouse model of infection. In 2003 Dr Tran did his postdoctoral training at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Centre in Denver, Colorado, USA after being awarded the Inaugural American-Australian Association Fellowship. Dr Tran learnt how to use zinc stable isotope techniques to assess zinc metabolism and homeostasis in humans.Dr Tran returned to Australia with an NHMRC Industry Fellowship working at the Children, Youth and Women's Health Service (CYWHS) with Numico Research Australia Pty Ltd. Dr Tran research investigated zinc and in combination with other nutraceuticals in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. Dr Tran then focused on establishing a "Micronutrient Therapy Laboratory" based on his research experience on micronutrients and gastrointestinal diseases. Throughout Dr Tran career he has successfully obtained funds to support his research including an Early Career Research Award and MS McLeod Fellowship. In 2011, Dr Tran was promoted to Senior Research Fellow at the Women's and Children's Hospital Network, researching on the role of zinc nutrition in paedaitrc with gastroenterological diseases.Since 2013 Dr Tran has been with CSIRO researching on gut health with specific interest on understanding of how different diet and lifestyle components may modulate gut and metabolic health interface. Dr Tran current research interests also include the assessment of intestinal permeability and development of novel biomarkers for gut barrier function.

• Qualifications

  PhD, The University of Adelaide, 2001.

  BSc(Hons), The University of Adelaide, 1995.

  BSc, The Univeristy of Adelaide, 1994.

• Research Interests

  Dr Tran's main research focuses on the role of intestinal permeability and the development of poor metabolic health, as well as developing novel assessment of gut barrier function and health. Dr Tran's research interests also extends to zinc nutrition and metabolism in both animals and humans and the use of zinc supplementation as a therapy for gastrointestinal disorders. Dd Tran is also conducting research on zinc absorption capacity in human populations at risk of zinc deficiency and those affected by gut disorders. Dr Tran's research focus also extends to Helicobacter infection in animal models, in particular investigating novel eradication therapies using bioactivies in milk and plants as well as zinc. In addition, Dr Tran is interested in investigating zinc homeostasis and gut health in under-privileged populations/communities in Australia and in developing countries.

• Publications

  1. Musa NSE, Howarth GS, Tran CD. Zinc Supplementation Alone is Effective for Partial Amelioration of Methotrexate-induced Intestinal Damage. Alter Ther Health Med 2015 (in press).

  2. Gopalsamy GL, Alpers DH, Binder HJ, Tran CD, Ramakrishna BS, Brown I, Manary M, Mortimer E, Young GP. The Relevance of the Colon to Zinc Nutrition. Nutrients 2015;7(1):572-583.

  3. Reinke D, Kritas S, Polychronopoulos P, Skaltsounis AL, Aligiannis N, Tran CD. Herbal extract, acteoside alleviates intestinal mucositis in mice. Gastroenterol Res Prac 2015; 2015:327872.

  4. Mashtoub S, Bennett DC, Tran CD, Howarth GS. Processing and storage of ratite oils affects primary oxidation status and radical scavenging ability. Ani Prod Sci 2014. ISBN/ISSN 1836-0939.

  5. Tran CD, Hawkes J, Graham RD, Kitchen JL, Symonds EL, Davidson GP, Butler RN. Zinc-fortified oral rehydration solution improved intestinal permeability and small intestinal mucosal recovery. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2015; 54(7):676-82.

  6. Osborne S, Chen W, Addepalli R, Colgrave M, Singh T, Tran C, Day L. In vitro transport and satiety of a beta-lactoglobulin dipeptide and beta-casomorphin-7 and its metabolites. Food Funct 2014;5(11):2706-18.

  7. Kerr CA, Grice DM, Tran CD, Bauer DC, Li D, Hendry P, Hannan GN. Early life events influence whole-of-life metabolic health via gut microflora and gut permeability. Crit Rev Microbiol. 2014 Mar 19. [Epub ahead of print].

  8. Fan C, Garcia M, Scherer M, Tran C, Xian CJ. Potential roles of metallothioneins I and II in protecting bone growth following acute methotrexate chemotherapy. J Chemother 2014;26(1):37-48.

  9. Miller J, Ritchie B, Tran C, Lada CO, Whetter K, Cobiac L. Seasonal variation in the nutritional status of children aged 6 to 60 months in a resettlement village in West Timor. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2013;22(3):449-56.

  10. Mashtoub S, Tran CD, Howarth GS. Emu oil expedites small intestinal repair following 5-fluorouracil-induced mucositis in rats. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2013;238(11):1305-17.

  11. Abimosleh SM, Tran CD, Howarth GS. Emu oil reduces small intestinal inflammation in the absence of clinical improvement in a rat model of indomethacin-induced enteropathy. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:429706.

  12. Abimosleh SM, Tran CD, Howarth GS. Emu Oil: A novel therapeutic for disorders of the gastrointestinal tract? J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2012;27(5):857-61.

  13. Tran CD, Katsikeros R, Manton N, Krebs NF, Hambidge KM, Butler RN, Davidson GP. Zinc homeostasis and gut function in children with Celiac Disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;94:1026–32.

  14. Tran CD, Cool J, Xian CJ. Effect of dietary zinc on the expression of small intestinal brush border enzymes in metallothionein-null and wild-type mice. W J Gastroenterol. 2011;17(3):354-60.

  15. Tran CD, Kritas S, Campbell MA, Huynh HQ, Lee SS, Butler RN. Novel combination therapy for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection in a mouse model. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2010;45(12):1424-30.

  16. Ritchie BK, Brewster DR, Tran CD, Davidson GP, McNeil Y, Butler RN. Efficacy of Lactobacillus GG in aboriginal children with acute diarrhoeal disease: a randomised clinical trial. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2010;50(6):619-24.

  17. Ritchie BK, Brewster DR, Davidson GP, Tran CD, McNeil Y, Hawkes JS, Butler RN. The 13C-Sucrose Breath Test: a novel non-invasive biomarker of environmental gut health. Pediatr. 2009;124(2):620-626.

  18. Tran CD, Sundar S, Howarth GS. Dietary zinc supplementation and methotrexate-induced small intestinal mucositis in metallothionein-knockout and wild-type mice. Cancer Biol Ther. 2009; 8(17):1662-7.

  19. Huynh HQ, Campbell MA, Couper RT, Tran CD, Lawrence A, Butler RN. Lactoferrin and desferrioxamine are ineffective in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection and may enhance H. pylori growth and gastric inflammation in mice. Lett Appl Microbiol. 2009;48(5):517-22.

  20. Fong L, Tan K, Tran CD, Cool J, Scherer M, Foster BK, Xian CJ. Zinc deficiency causes bone growth retardation in metallothionein-I& II knockout mice. Bone. 2009;44(6):1151-62.

  21. Derrick Roberts ALK, Howarth GS, Liaw WC, Moretta S, Kritas S, Lymn KA, Yazbeck R, Tran C, Fletcher JM, Byers S. Gastrointestinal Pathology in a Mouse Model of Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IIIA.  J Cell Physiol. 2009;219(2):259-64.

  22. Ritchie B, Brewster D, Tran CD, McNeil Y, Zacharakis B, Davidson GP, Butler RN. The monoclonal stool antigen test for detection of Helicobacter pylori infection in young Australian Aboriginal children: diagnostic accuracy. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2009;28(4):287-9.

  23. Symonds EL, Tran CD, Butler RN, Omari T. Gastric emptying is altered with the presence of gastritis. Dig Dis Sci 2008;53(3):636-641.

  24. Gøbel R, Symonds EL, Butler RN, Tran CD. Association between Helicobacter pylori infection in mothers and birth weight. Dig Dis Sci 2007;52(11):3049-3053.

  25. Tran CD, Ball JM, Sundar S, Coyle P, Howarth GS. The role of zinc and metallothionein in the dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis mouse model. Dig Dis Sci 2007;52(9):2113-21.

  26. Tran CD, Gøbel R, Symonds EL. Metallothionein expression in Helicobacter infected pregnant mice, their foetuses and pups. Dig Dis Sci 2007;52(6):1527-32.

  27. Gøbel R, Symonds EL, Kritas S, Butler RN, Tran CD. Helicobacter felis infection causes an acute iron deficiency in non-pregnant and pregnant mice. Helicobacter 2006;11(6):529-32.

  28. Tran CD, Butler RN, Miller MJS. The role of Amazonian herbal medicine Sangre de Grado in Helicobacter pylori infection and its association with metallothionein expression. Helicobacter 2006;11(2):134-5.

  29. Hambidge KM, Miller LV, Tran CD, Krebs NF. Measurements of zinc absorption: application and interpretation in research designed to improve human zinc nutriture. Inter J Vit Nut Res 2005; 75(6):385-93.

  30. Tran CD, Campbell MAF, Kolev Y, Chamberlain S, Huynh HQ, Butler RN. Short-term zinc supplementation attenuates Helicobacter felis-induced gastritis in the mouse.  J Infect 2005; 50(5):417-24.

  31. Huynh HQ, Couper RT, Tran CD, Moore L, Kelso R, Butler RN. N-acetyl-cysteine, a novel treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection. Dig Dis Sci. 2004;49(11-12):1853-61.

  32. Tran CD, Miller LV, Krebs NF, Lei S, Hambidge KM. Zinc absorption as a function of the dose of zinc sulfate in aqueous solution. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;80(6):1570-1573.

  33. Teo M, Chung S, Chitti L, Tran C, Kritas S, Butler R, Cummins A. Small bowel bacterial overgrowth is a common cause of chronic diarrhea. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2004; 19(8):904-909.

  34. Tran CD, Huynh H, van den Berg M, van der Pas M, Campbell MA, Philcox JC, Coyle P, Rofe AM, Butler RN.  Helicobacter-induced gastritis in mice not expressing metallothionein-I and II. Helicobacter. 2003;8(5):533-41.

  35. Keen CL, Jue T, Tran CD, Vogel J, Downing RG, Iyengar V, Rucker RB. Analytical methods: improvements, advancements and new horizons. J Nutr. 2003;133(5 Suppl 1):1574S-8S.

  36. Tran CD, Howarth GS, Coyle P, Philcox JC, Rofe AM, Butler RN.  Dietary supplementation with zinc and a growth factor extract derived from bovine cheese whey improves methotrexate-damaged rat intestine. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;77(5):1296-303.

  37. Tran CD, Butler RN, Howarth GS, Philcox JC, Rofe AM, Coyle P.  Regional distribution and localization of zinc and metallothionein in the intestine of rats fed diets differing in zinc content. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1999;34(7):689-95.

  38. Tran CD, Butler RN, Philcox JC, Rofe AM, Howarth GS, Coyle P.  Regional distribution of metallothionein and zinc in the mouse gut: comparison with metallothionien-null mice. Biol Trace Elem Res. 1998;63(3):239-51.

Entry last updated: Monday, 5 Sep 2016