Meet The Researcher

I spent my childhood as an elite artistic gymnast, training 25+ hours a week for over 15 years. I won 7 consecutive State championships and am a two-time National Champion! I thank gymnastics for the incredible work ethic it has taught me which has certainly translated into my studies.

During my undergraduate degree in a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics, there was an opportunity to work on a MS project that looked at the associations between dietary intake and magnetic resonance imaging outcomes. This was actually the first time that I had the opportunity to really understand what MS is and what this means to people living with the disease. During this period of research, I noticed that diet was often overlooked, and lifestyle management rarely received the attention it deserved. With my background in dietetics, I felt a great opportunity to change this.

Research groups all over the world are incredibly dedicated to finding a cure and improving consumer outcomes for those with MS and this is so inspiring. With an obvious interest in lifestyle management, I have loved seeing the development of the MS Brain Health: Time Matters in MS guidance document, which places a necessary focus on the importance of a healthy lifestyle in combination with pharmacologic treatments. The development of these standards and quality improvement frameworks has really shifted the focus towards self-management becoming the mainstream in MS care.

As no dietary guidelines exist for people with MS, this project aims to rationalise dietary choices and behaviours from the perspectives of both specialist MS clinicians and consumers (what is their lived experience?). This research focuses on brain health and how diet fits into a brain-healthy lifestyle. This research aims to establish preliminary recommendations that support the role of diet in a brain-healthy lifestyle for people with MS.

People with MS are interested in how modifying their lifestyle can positively impact disease outcomes. People want to feel like they are in control at a time of great uncertainty! My research will improve our understanding of the role of diet in the holistic management of MS, with the potential to inform future dietary practices of people with MS and enhance the clinical care standards provided by clinicians involved in the day-to-day disease management.

When it comes to nutrition and food, everyone has their own opinion of what works and what doesn’t. I think that is an inevitable challenge that comes with the nature of our work. I am challenged every day to help unpack the fact from fiction and to help as many people as I can to live healthier and ultimately, take control of their disease. Thankfully, I am surrounded by an incredible group of MS researchers that share a similar interest and passion as me. They continue to motivate me to be the best researcher I can possibly be.