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Biography

A/Professor Bev Muhlhausler is the Research Director of the Nutrition and Health Program in the Health and Biosecurity Unit in CSIRO. Bev joined CSIRO in November 2018 after 12 years as an NHMRC Early Career and then Career Development Award Fellow at the University of South Australia and University of Adelaide. Over this time, her work on the impact of maternal overnutrition on the programming of obesity and metabolic disease has made a significant contribution to current understanding of how exposure to maternal obesity and/or an excess nutrient supply before birth acts to alter the development of key systems involved in the regulation of energy balance. She has published 120 peer-reviewed papers which have been cited over 3,500 times, 14 invited book chapter, editorial and commentaries and presented 24 invited talks at national/international scientific conferences. Bev is current President of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) Society of Australia and New Zealand, Chair of the Scientific Programming Committee for the 2019 DOHaD World Congress and Treasurer of the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL).

Academic Qualifications

  • 2001

    Bachelor of Science (Hons)
    The University of Adelaide

  • 2006

    PhD
    The University of Adelaide

Achievements and Awards

  • 2013-2013

    Poster Presentation Award
    8th International Congress of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease

  • 2012-2013

    Waite Research Institute Research Leaders Program
    The University of Adelaide

  • 2012-2018

    NHMRC GRP Panel - Pediatrics and Reproductive Health
    NHMRC

  • 2007-2007

    NHMRC Early Career Researcher Award
    The Australian Academy of Science

  • 2002-2002

    Undergraduate Medal
    The University of Adelaide

  • 2007-2008

    South Australian Young Tall Poppy Science Award
    SA Tall Poppy Group

  • 2008-2008

    Invited Participant – 2020 Summit (Health Future Stream)
    Australian Government

Current Roles

  • Research Director
    Nutrition and Health

Grants

  • 2018-2022

    NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence - Targeted Nutrition to Improve Maternal and Child Health Outcomes (Makrides M, Gibson RA, Middleton PA, Crowther CA, McPhee A, Green T, Collins CT, Muhlhausler BS, Glover K, Yelland L)

  • 2019-2020

    Channel 7 Children’s Health Research Foundation: Lactation as a window of opportunity for reversing metabolic programming (Muhlhausler BS, Wlodek M)

  • 2017-2019

    Ramacoitti Health Investment Grants: OPTIMEGA: Preventing preterm birth and improving longterm and intergenerational health through personalising dietary fat intake for pregnant women (Middleton PA, Muhlhausler BS, Gibson RA)

  • 2017-2018

    Channel 7 Children’s Health Research Foundation: A novel dietary intervention to prevent IUGR (Gatford KL, Muhlhausler BS, Chen C, Roberts CT)

  • 2015-2017

    BASF Newtrition® Grant: Defining the role of the omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the maturation of the gut microbiome (Muhlhausler B, G Rogers G, Gibson R)

  • 2015-2015

    The University of Adelaide DVCR Interdisciplinary Research Fund (IRF):Consumer perceptions, sensory appeal and nutritional value of edible insects: realising the potential of an emerging agricultural industry (Wilkinson K, Muhlhausler BS, Ankeny R, Bray H)

  • 2015-2019

    NHMRC Career Development Award (Level 2): Breaking the Intergenerational Cycle of Obesity through Nutritional Interventions (Muhlhausler BS)

  • 2015-2016

    Diabetes Australia Research Trust: Early Epigenetic Predictors of Insulin Resistance (Muhlhausler BS, Molloy P, VanDijk S, Buckley M, Makrides M)

  • 2013-2014

    Waite Research Institute: How Do Nutrients Regulate the Microbiome-Genome Interactions in the Maturing GI tract of Preterm Infants (Muhlhausler BS, McPhee A, Collins CT, Gibson RA, Makrides M, Penttila , Bianco-Miotto T, Bent S)

  • 2013-2014

    Channel 7 Children’s Health Research Foundation:Low GI diets for improving metabolic outcomes (Muhlhausler B, Brand-Miller J, Gentili S)

  • 2013-2016

    Premier’s Research and Industry Fund:Improving the efficacy of sustainable plant oils to increased omega-3 levels in chicken products (Gibson RA, Hughes B, Hynd P, Muhlhausler B)

  • 2012-2016

    NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence Foods for Future Australians:Foods for Future Australians (Makrides M, Gibson RA, Ryan P, Zhou SJ, Dodd J, McPhee AJ, Umberger W, Muhlhausler B, Collins CT, Penttila I)

  • 2011-2014

    SIEF (Science & Industry Endowment Fund):Early Nutrition, the Epigenome and the Prevention of Disease (Molloy P, Tellam P, Ryan L, Clark S, Samaras K, Cooney GJ, Makrides M, Muhlhausler B, McMillen C, Morrison J, Noakes M.)

  • 2011-2011

    NHMRC Equipment Grant:The BOD-POD: A state-of-the-art system for measuring body composition (Couper J, Makrides M, Gibson RA, Dodd J, Muhlhausler BS, Collins CT, McPhee A)

  • 2011-2014

    NHMRC Career Development Award: Better nutrition for mothers and infants for healthier Australians (Muhlhausler BS)

  • 2010-2012

    NHMRC Project Grant: Nutrition Before Conception and Later Obesity (McMillen C, Morrison J, Muhlhausler B, Ozanne S)

  • 2009-2013

    NHMRC Project Grant: The Childhood Obesity and Insulin Resistance Prevention Study (Makrides, Muhlhausler, Gibson, McDermott,Tapsell)

  • 2007-2009

    NHMRC Project Grant: The Early Origins of Obesity (McMillen IC & Muhlhausler BS)

  • 2009-2011

    Channel 7 Children’s Health Research Foundation: Blocking the Early Origins of Obesity: A Role for Omega-3 fatty acids? (Muhlhausler B, Gibson RA)

  • 2009-2010

    The Clive & Vera Ramaciotti Establishment Grant:Early Origins of A Taste for Fat: A New Perspective on the Early Life Origins of Obesity

  • 2007-2011

    NHMRC Peter Doherty Post Doctoral Fellowship: The Early Origins of Obesity: A Population Based and Mechanistic Approach

  • 2007-2008

    Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation Grant: Intrauterine Growth Restriction and the Early Origins of the Metabolic Syndrome

Other highlights

  • 2017-2020

    President - ANZ Society for the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease

  • 2018-2019

    Chair - Scientific Organising Committee, 11th World Congress of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease

  • 2014--

    Tresasurer, International Society of the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL)

Professional Experiences

  • 2015-2018

    National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Career Development Award Fellow (Level 2)
    School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide

  • 2012-2017

    Deputy Director and Head, Obesity and Metabolic Health Division, FOODplus Research Centre
    School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide

  • 2011-2015

    National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Career Development Award Fellow
    School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide

  • 2012-2018

    Head, Nutrition Research Group
    School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide

  • 2007-2010

    NHMRC Peter Doherty Postdoctoral Fellow
    Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia; FOODplus Research Centre, The University of Adelaide

  • 2006-2007

    Postdoctoral Fellow
    Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group, University of South Australia