Find a Supervisor
The following staff are available to supervise honours, masters, and PhD research in the Human Nutrition Research Group.
A/Prof Jessica Biesiekierski
Jessica's research investigates how diet impacts gastrointestinal function in disorders of gut-brain interactions, particularly irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia. She examines the processes underlying gastrointestinal symptoms and nutrient-specific effects on gut-brain signalling, aiming to improve nutritional interventions and optimise treatment outcomes for gut disorders.
Project topics:
- Dietary triggers and dietary management strategies of gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Mechanisms underlying gastrointestinal signals and digestive physiology.
- Disorders of gut-brain interaction including irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia.
Dr Chiara Murgia
Chiara is a molecular nutritionist interested in investigating how what we eat affects our physiology in health and disease. She is interested in personalised nutrition and its applications.
Project topics:
- Assessing the bioavailability and antiinflammatory potential of bioactive food components with in vitro cell culture experimental models.
- Evaluating the potential of a smartphone application in dietary assessment: evaluating the use of image recognition for food identification and portion size estimation.
Dr Robyn Larsen
Robyn’s research interests are in the field of personalised nutrition. Her research examines how relationships between diet and overall health vary with changes in sleep, physical activity and circadian rhythms.
Project topics:
- Evaluating the potential of a smartphone application in dietary assessment: using image recognition for food identification, classification and portion size estimation.
- Assessing the effects of movement behaviours on postprandial glycaemia in individuals with metabolic conditions (ie T2D, T1D, PCOS).
- Examining the association of objectively measured sleep quality and glycaemic risk during pregnancy.
- Use of wearables and sensor technologies to measure physiological parameters (ie. glucose) in real-time.