I have held a second-degree black belt in mixed martial arts.

I have been inspired by several people living with MS; their perspectives and experiences, and the need to fill the gaps in emerging research into the role of diet and nutrition in MS onset and progression.

The most exciting development in MS research is undoubtedly the availability of disease modifying therapies that can greatly improve the outcomes and quality-of-lives in people living with MS. Advances in technology-assisted solutions such as robotics are also very exciting, though currently in the early stages. Closer to my research area, I am very excited about the recent focus on the impact of lifestyle comorbidities on MS outcomes, because many of these have established dietetic interventions.

I am currently exploring the role of diet in MS, starting with identifying eating patterns promoted for MS, particularly online, and comparing these to dietary guidelines. Some diets adopted by people living with MS can be restrictive with inadequate evidence, and this is sometimes difficult for a person to ascertain. By comparing these diets to the Australian Dietary Guidelines, I hope to assist people considering dietary changes navigate the sea of recommendations, which can at times be contradictory. Finally, I am hoping to explore associations between eating patterns and outcomes in a cohort of Australians living with MS.

I hope my research will support dietary decision-making in people living with MS, allowing them to identify nutritionally risky eating patterns and seek assistance from healthcare professionals to ensure nutritional adequacy. Similarly, I hope my research will promote nutrition-related knowledge in healthcare professionals, increasing confidence in engaging in diet-related conversations with MS consumers. Finally, I expect exploring associations between eating patterns and MS outcomes will indeed expose relationships between the food people eat (and avoid) and their MS experience. This will contribute to the expanding evidence base of the role of diet in MS.

The thing I enjoy the most about working in the lab is working alongside colleagues. Even though my research may differ from theirs, I am frequently inspired to think of things differently, and this keeps my ideas fresh. I also enjoy learning new skills, for example, coding. Working predominantly alone can also be challenging – the feeling of getting stuck on something too long, or heading in the wrong direction. Thankfully there are plenty of people (and supervisors) around to check in with and bounce ideas off.