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Research

The ORIGINS Project: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Nutrition Profile of Pregnant Women in a Longitudinal Birth Cohort

Pregnancy is an opportunistic time for dietary intake to influence future disease susceptibility in offspring later in life. The ORIGINS Project was established to identify the factors that contribute to 'a healthy start to life' through a focus supporting childhood health and preventing disease (including non-communicable diseases).

Research

Probiotic supplementation in neonates and long-term gut colonisation: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials

Probiotic supplementation in the neonatal period results in improved gut colonisation with probiotic bacteria in the short term. There is limited information on the long-term sustainability of this colonisation. 

Research

Genetic variants of TLR4, including the novel variant, rs5030719, and related genes are associated with susceptibility to clinical malaria in African children

Malaria is a deadly disease caused by Plasmodium spp. Several blood phenotypes have been associated with malarial resistance, which suggests a genetic component to immune protection.

Research

Personal network inference unveils heterogeneous immune response patterns to viral infection in children with acute wheezing

Human rhinovirus (RV)-induced exacerbations of asthma and wheeze are a major cause of emergency room presentations and hospital admissions among children. Previous studies have shown that immune response patterns during these exacerbations are heterogeneous and are characterized by the presence or absence of robust interferon responses.

Research

A role for early oral exposure to house dust mite allergens through breast milk in IgE-mediated food allergy susceptibility

This study highlights an unpredicted potential risk factor for the development of food allergy, that is, D pteronyssinus allergens in breast milk

Research

Longitudinal egg-specific regulatory T- and B-cell development: Insights from primary prevention clinical trials examining the timing of egg introduction

Egg allergy affects almost 1 in 10 Australian infants. Early egg introduction has been associated with a reduced risk in developing egg allergy; however, the immune mechanisms underlying this protection remain unclear.

Research

The Milk Metabolome of Non-secretor and Lewis Negative Mothers

The functional role of milk for the developing neonate is an area of great interest, and a significant amount of research has been done. However, a lot of work remains to fully understand the complexities of milk, and the variations imposed through genetics. It has previously been shown that both secretor (Se) and Lewis blood type (Le) status impacts the human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) content of human milk. While some studies have compared the non-HMO milk metabolome of Se+ and Se- women, none have reported on the non-HMO milk metabolome of Se- and Le- mothers.

Research

Healing Anthropocene Syndrome: Planetary Health Requires Remediation of the Toxic Post-Truth Environment

The term “Anthropocene Syndrome” describes the wicked interrelated challenges of our time. We expand the discourse on positive social contagion and argue that empowerment through education can help lead to an information transformation with the aim of flourishing along every link in the person, place and planet continuum.

Research

Wise Ancestors, Good Ancestors: Why Mindfulness Matters in the Promotion of Planetary Health

The concept of planetary health blurs the artificial lines between health at scales of person, place, and planet. It emphasizes the interconnected grand challenges of our time, and underscores the need for integration of biological, psychological, social, and cultural aspects of health in the modern environment. Here, in our Viewpoint article, we revisit vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk’s contention that wisdom is central to the concept of planetary health.