About the project
Very preterm infants routinely receive vitamins as part of their nutritional management. However, important questions remain regarding the delivery and optimal composition of vitamins during neonatal care. Understanding these factors is essential to ensure nutritional therapies achieve their intended effects and support optimal growth, development and health outcomes.
This project is part of a Health Research Council of New Zealand programme grant and will build on ongoing work investigating neonatal vitamin intake. Using a combination of laboratory, translational and clinical research approaches, the student will investigate factors influencing vitamin delivery and availability and contribute to the development and evaluation of innovative nutritional solutions designed for preterm infants.
The project will provide training in laboratory and clinical research methods, with opportunities to work closely with clinicians, nutrition researchers, analytical scientists and industry partners. The student will gain experience in advanced analytical techniques, including mass spectrometry, and contribute to research with potential to directly influence neonatal nutritional practice and product development.
Objectives of the research programme within which this PhD will be embedded include:
- To investigate factors influencing the delivery, stability and availability of vitamin formulations used in neonatal nutritional therapies;
- To quantify vitamin concentrations in nutritional products and biological samples using advanced analytical techniques;
- To contribute to the development and evaluation of novel nutritional formulations and supplementation strategies for preterm infants;
- To test these formulations and strategies in preterm infants, and
- To generate evidence that informs future neonatal nutrition research, clinical practice and product development.
Desired skills and experience
Candidates must meet the entry criteria for a doctoral degree at the University of Auckland.
Candidates should have an interest in neonatal health, nutrition, analytical chemistry, pharmacy, biochemistry, physiology, clinical research or translational health research. Experience in, or enthusiasm for developing skills in, laboratory-based research, mass spectrometry and other analytical techniques would be advantageous. Previous laboratory experience and/or clinical experience would be beneficial, particularly in neonatal dietetics, nursing, paediatrics, pharmacy, neonatology, nutrition or related health disciplines.
Funding
This research project has a fully funded scholarship as part of an HRC Programme Grant.
Contact and supervisors
For more information or to apply for this project, contact:
Primary Supervisors: Dr Tanith Alexander, Professor Frank Bloomfield
Co-Supervisors: Dr Barbara Cormack, Dr Lisa Kremer, Dr Anja Bronnert
For more information or to apply for this project, contact Luana De Giorgio: luana.degiorgio@auckland.ac.nz
Funding Notes
This research project has a fully funded scholarship as part of an HRC Programme Grant.
