Her PhD research targets the prenatal diet to improve maternal and infant gut health. Samantha’s research area is in gut microbiota and maternal and early life nutrition. She is collaborating with the Barwon Infant Study, on research to determine associations between the perinatal diet and composition of maternal gut microbiota during the third trimester of pregnancy.
Samantha is principal investigator on the ‘Healthy Parents, Health Kids’ perinatal dietary study.
This is an RCT trialling the efficacy of a perinatal dietary intervention on altering the gut microbiota of mothers and children. Her research will provide important information on whether the early life gut microbiota can be targeted through maternal dietary change. Her findings may be relevant for those hoping to alter allergy or mental disorder risk via the gut microbiome in early life.
Research areas and skills: Gut Microbiota; Pregnancy and Early Life Nutrition; Fermented Foods, Mental Health, Biostatistics
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