Dr Natalie Luscombe-Marsh

Dr Natalie Luscombe-Marsh

  • Biography/ Background

    Dr Luscombe-Marsh is a Biomedical Research Scientist at the University of Adelaide and is a member of the NHMRC funded Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Nutritional Physiology, Interventions and Outcomes.  Her long standing research interest relates to the mechanisms underlying weight loss induced by high-protein, energy-restricted diets, in healthy and clinical populations, including overweight and obese patients.  To date, fundamental insights gained from her research are that protein-induced weight loss is not associated with adjustments in energy expenditure, as is often assumed, but is likely to relate to the suppression of energy of intake. 

    Her has expertise in a unique range of techniques including indirect calorimetry (to measure energy expenditure and substrate oxidation), accelerometry (physical activity), DEXA (body composition), validated questionnaires (appetite and energy intake), gastrointestinal hormone assays, high-resolution manometry (gut motility) and, ultrasound (gastric emptying).  Currently, she is capitalising on this expertise and is leading a Project grant (ID627118) and a PhD project examining the gastrointestinal mechanisms underlying the appetitive-suppressant effect of protein.  Present findings indicate that protein, like fat and carbohydrate, stimulate pyloric, and suppresses antral and duodenal, motility, stimulates the release of several gut peptides, reduces energy intake. 

    She is also interested in defining the detection and signalling pathways for protein - work from her post-doctoral research suggests is that L-glutamate may an important signal regulating protein stores and that ‘sensitivity’ to glutamate may be influenced by nutritional status. 

    A third area of interest relates to nutrition in the elderly and she is developing a project with Meals On Wheels Inc. South Australia.  The aim of the first study within the project is to compare the effects of an ‘energy and protein enriched lunchtime meal’ with a ‘standard lunchtime meal’ with a view to determining whether adverse health outcomes including hospital admissions can be reduced in home-dwelling elderly – this project was recently funded by the Balnaves Foundation and Meals On Wheels Inc. South Australia.

     

  • Research Funding

    Externally funded competitive grants
    2010-2012
    Amount:  $655,500
    Funding source: NHMRC New Investigator Project Grant
    Title: Effects of dietary protein on gastrointestinal function: implications for the regulation of energy intake in obesity
    Chief investigator: Dr Natalie Luscombe-Marsh
     
    Contract research
    2006-2007 
    Amount: $ 809, 857  AUS
    Funding source: Pfizer Australia
    Title: A randomised, open-label, parallel group, fixed energy deficit methodology trial to characterize early efficacy biomarkers during treatment of obesity in adult, obese, male subjects.
    Chief investigators: Professor Gary Wittert, Professor Robert Norman, and Dr Natalie Luscombe-Marsh

    2004-2007
    Amount: $291, 000 USD over 3 years
    Funding source: Wageningen Centre of food Sciences (WCFS)
    Title: Sensory and metabolic satiety of protein.
    Chief investigators: Professor Margariet Westerterp-Planetnga, Dr Natalie Luscombe-Marsh and Dr Manuela Lejeune

    Philantrophic funding
    2012-2014
    Amount: $ 457,000
    Funding source: Meals on Wheels South Australia, Inc.
    Title: Protein and energy supplementation of 'Meals on Wheels': a strategy to improve quality of life and reduce hospital admissions in frail elderly community-dwelling Australians 
    Investigators: Dr Natalie Luscombe-Marsh, Associate Professor Renuka Visvanathan, Professor Ian Chapman, Associate Professor Michelle Miller and Dr Stijn Soenen.

    Amount: $ 200,000
    Funding source: The Balnaves Foundation
    Title: Protein and energy supplementation of 'Meals on Wheels': a strategy to improve quality of life and reduce hospital admissions in frail elderly community-dwelling Australians 
    Investigators: Dr Natalie Luscombe-Marsh, Associate Professor Renuka Visvanathan, Professor Ian Chapman, Associate Professor Michelle Miller and Dr Stijn Soenen.

  • Publications

    1. Luscombe-Marsh ND, Chapman I, Visvanathan R. The Nutritional Status of Elderly South Australians Receiving ‘Meals on Wheels’ and its Association with Health Outcomes. Submitted .                    

    1. Brennan IM, Seimon RV, Luscombe-Marsh ND, Otto B, Horowitz M, Feinle-Bisset C. Effects of acute dietary restriction on gut motor, hormone, and energy intake responses to duodenal fat in obese men. Int J Obes (accepted 26. June 2010).           

    1. Shi Z., Luscombe-Marsh N.D. , Wittert G.A. , Yuan B., Dai Y., Pan X, & Taylor A.W. (2010) Monosodium glutamate is not associated with obesity or a greater prevalence of weight gain over 5 years: findings from the Jiangsu Nutrition Study of Chinese adults. British Journal of Nutrition, Apr;104:457-463.                                

    1. Luscombe-Marsh, N. D., Smeets, A. & Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S. (2009). The addition of monosodium-glutamate and inosine-monophosphate-5 to high protein meals: effects on satiety, and energy and macronutrient intakes. British Journal of Nutrition, Sep;102(6):929-37.                                                                                   

    1. Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S., Lejeune, M., Smeets, A. & Luscombe-Marsh, N. D. (2009) Sex differences in energy homeostatis following a diet relatively high in protein exchanged with carbohydrate, assessed in a respiration chamber in humans. Physiol Behav. Jun 22;97(3-4):414-9.                                                                                       

    1. Luscombe-Marsh, N. D., Smeets, A. & Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S. (2008) Taste sensitivity for monosodium glutamate and an increased liking of dietary protein. British Journal of Nutrition, 99, 904-908.                                                              

    1. Smeets, A. J., Soenen, S., Luscombe-Marsh, N. D., Ueland, O. & Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S. (2008) Energy expenditure, satiety, and plasma ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide 1, and peptide tyrosine-tyrosine concentrations following a single high-protein lunch. Journal of Nutrition, 138, 698-702.                                                   

    1. Veldhorst, M., Smeets, A., Soenen, S., Hochstenbach-Waelen, A., Hursel, R., Diepvens, K., Lejeune, M., Luscombe-Marsh, N. & Westerterp-Plantenga, M. (2008) Protein-induced satiety: Effects and mechanisms of different proteins. (Review) Physiol Behav, 94, 300-7.                                                                                                     

    1. Keogh, J. B., Luscombe-Marsh, N. D., Noakes, M., Wittert, G. A. & Clifton, P. M. (2007) Long-term weight maintenance and cardiovascular risk factors are not different following weight loss on carbohydrate-restricted diets high in either monounsaturated fat or protein in obese hyperinsulinaemic men and women. British Journal of Nutrition, 97, 405-410.                                                                                                                  

    1. Lejeune, M., Westerterp, K. R., Adam, T. C. M., Luscombe-Marsh, N. D. & Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S. (2006) Ghrelin and glucagon-like peptide 1 concentrations, 24-h satiety, and energy and substrate metabolism during a high-protein diet and measured in a respiration chamber. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 83, 89-94
    1. Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S., Luscombe-Marsh, N., Lejeune, M., Diepvens, K., Nieuwenhuizen, A., Engelen, M., Deutz, N. E. P., Azzout-Marniche, D., Tome, D. & Westerterp, K. R. (2006) Dietary protein, metabolism, and body-weight regulation: dose-response effects. (Review) International Journal of Obesity, 30, S16-S23.

    1. Luscombe, N. D., Tsopelas, C., Bellon, M., Clifton, P. M., Kirkwood, I. & Wittert, G. A. (2006) Use of [14C]-sodium bicarbonate/urea to measure total energy expenditure in overweight men and women before and after low calorie diet induced weight loss. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 15, 307-16.                                                                

    1. Luscombe-Marsh, N. D., Noakes, M., Wittert, G. A., Keogh, J. B., Foster, P. & Clifton, P. M. (2005) Carbohydrate-restricted diets high in either monounsaturated fat or protein are equally effective at promoting fat loss and improving blood lipids. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 81, 762-772.                                      

    1. Moran, L. J., Luscombe-Marsh, N. D., Noakes, M., Wittert, G. A., Keogh, J. B. & Clifton, P. M. (2005) The satiating effect of dietary protein is unrelated to postprandial ghrelin secretion. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 90, 5205-5211.
    1. Roffey, D. M., Luscombe, N. D., Byrne, N. M., Hills, A. P., Bellon, M., Tsopelas, C., Kirkwood, I. D. & Wittert, G. A. (2005) Use of [C-14]-sodium bicarbonate urea to measure physical activity induced increases in total energy expenditure in free-living healthy males. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 14, 83-90.           

     

    1. Brinkworth, G. D., Noakes, M., Keogh, J. B., Luscombe, N. D., Wittert, G. A., Clifton, P.M. (2004) Erratum: Long-term effects of a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet on weight control and cardiovascular risk markers in obese hyperinsulinemic subjects International Journal of Obesity, 28(9), 1187.

    1. Brinkworth, G. D., Noakes, M., Keogh, J. B., Luscombe, N. D., Wittert, G. A. & Clifton, P. M. (2004) Long-term effects of a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet on weight control and cardiovascular risk markers in obese hyperinsulinemic subjects. International Journal of Obesity, 28, 661-670.                                                            

    1. Moran, L. J., Noakes, M., Clifton, P. M., Wittert, G. A., Tomlinson, L., Galletly, C., Luscombe, N. D. & Norman, R. J. (2004) Ghrelin and measures of satiety are altered in polycystic ovary syndrome but not differentially affected by diet composition.  Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 89, 3337-3344.

    1. Luscombe N.D., Wittert G., Noakes M., Farnsworth E, Clifton P.M. Effect of a high protein, energy restricted diet on weight loss and energy expenditure after weight stabilisation in hyperinsulinemic subjects. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003; 27:582-590.

    1. Farnsworth E., Luscombe N.D., Wittert G., Noakes M., Argyriou E, Clifton P.M. Effect of a high protein, energy restricted diet on body composition, glycemic control and lipid levels in hyperinsulinemic subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003; 78:31-39. 

    1. Luscombe N.D., Wittert G., Noakes M., Parker B, Clifton P.M. Effects of energy-restricted diets containing increased protein on weight loss, resting energy expenditure, and the thermic effect of feeding in Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2002 April; 25(4):652-657. 

    1. Parker B, Luscombe N.D., Noakes M., Clifton P.M. The effects of a high protein, high monounsaturated fat weight loss diet on glycemic control and lipid levels in Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. March 2002; 25(3): 425-430. 

    1. Luscombe N.D., Noakes M., Clifton P.M. Diets high and low in glycemic index versus high monounsaturated fat diets: effects on glucose and lipid metabolism in NIDDM. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1999; 5:473-478.

The information in this directory is provided to support the academic, administrative and business activities of the University of Adelaide. To facilitate these activities, entries in the University Phone Directory are not limited to University employees. The use of information provided here for any other purpose, including the sending of unsolicited commercial material via email or any other electronic format, is strictly prohibited. The University reserves the right to recover all costs incurred in the event of breach of this policy.

Entry last updated: Tuesday, 19 Jul 2011