Staff Profile

Career Summary

Biography

Qualifications

• PhD, University of Newcastle
• Bachelor of Science, University of Newcastle
• Bachelor of Science (Honours), University of Sydney

Research

Research keywords

• Antioxidants
• Asthma
• Fatty acids
• Inflammation
• Nutrition
• Obesity
• Oxidative stress
• Respiratory Disease

Research expertise

Dr Wood leads the Nutrition programme within the Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Diseases, University of Newcastle. This involves managing collaborations between Respiratory Medicine, Nutraceuticals Research group, Discipline of Immunology and Microbiology, Mothers and Babies Research Group and Population Health and co-supervising 10 PhD students, 1 Honours student and 1 research assistant in the area of nutrition and asthma.

Dr Wood is a Registered Nutritionist and Nutritional Biochemist, whose research focuses on the investigation of nutritional approaches to managing respiratory disease, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Her research has demonstrated, for the first time, that dietary factors can modulate inflammation in the respiratory tract and therefore may be helpful in prevention and/or treatment of respiratory disease. There is a strong community interest in dietary approaches to managing these diseases. However, due to a lack of good quality scientific data, there is currently no specific dietary advice available. Dr Wood’s research addresses this need, and has already made significant progress, by demonstrating that short-term dietary manipulation modifies respiratory outcomes. To date, she has published data that demonstrates that reducing antioxidant defences, increasing fatty acid intake and the presence of obesity worsen neutrophilic inflammation and clinical asthma outcomes. Dr Wood’s aim is to provide the scientific basis for developing definitive dietary advice and informing disease management guidelines for respiratory disease.

Research Themes:

1. Antioxidants and airways disease: Dr Wood has been leading a programme of work examining the role of lycopene in the management of asthma, which has been supported by an NHMRC project grant. Clinically this work has demonstrated that short-term consumption of a low antioxidant diet leads to reduced asthma control and worse lung function. Scientifically this work has directed further research efforts, as it has demonstrated that these clinical effects are associated with increased neutrophilic airway inflammation, which can be reversed using lycopene-rich supplements.

2. Fatty acids, airway inflammation and obstructive lung disease: Dr Wood is also investigating the relationship between dietary fat and airway inflammation. This relationship is being explored using both human and mouse models and has generated novel data, linking dietary fat to airway inflammation.

3. Obesity and Inflammation: Dr Wood’s team is undertaking a series of projects looking at the contribution of obesity to airways disease, via the mechanisms of both systemic and airway inflammation. She has secured dedicated equipment to support these projects, including a DEXA machine for body composition analysis, and is trained a Bone Densitometrist.

Languages

• English

Fields of Research

Memberships

Committee/Associations (relevant to research).

• Member - Nutrition Society of Australia, Chair (Newcastle group)
• Member - Nutrition Society of Australia, National Council Member
• Member - Australian Society for Medical Research
• Member - Thoracic Society of Australia
• Member - Australian Bone and Mineral Society

Appointments

Awards

Distinction.

Research Award.

University medal

Collaboration

PANIC research network

(Physical Activity & Nutrition in Inflammation-related Chronic disease) (2008–ongoing):

In 2008, Dr Wood convened the establishment of the PANIC research network, including researchers with a common interest in nutrition, physical activity, metabolic, psychological and physiological aspects of inflammation in chronic disease. The PANIC aims and capabilities are described on the PANIC web page: http://www.hmri.net.au. New collaborations that have been formed through the network include:

• Prof Robin Callister, A/Prof Phil Morgan, Prof Clare Collins, UoN (2008- ongoing): A collaboration investigating body composition in different populations. Output: Secured funds ($80K) for a DXA scanner to assess body composition.
• Prof Robin Callister, A/Prof Phil Morgan, Jeff Pretto, UoN (2009 – ongoing): A weight loss intervention in asthmatic adults, comparing diet and exercise approaches. Output: 2010 NHRMC project grant application.
• Prof Clare Collins, Prof Peter Gibson, UoN (2009 – ongoing): A dietary intervention for obese asthmatic children. Output: PhD student, HMRI grant ($50K), 2010 Asthma Foundation Grant application.
• Prof Manohar Garg, Prof Peter Gibson, UoN (2008- ongoing): This collaboration is exploring the relationship between obesity, inflammation and asthma in adults. Output: HMRI grant ($75K), PhD student, 3 conference abstracts.

Other key local collaborations:

• Prof Peter Gibson, Prof Manohar Garg, University of Newcastle (2002-ongoing): This project has demonstrated that lycopene reduces neutrophilic airway inflammation in asthma. This is being explored further in a large supplementation trial. Output: NHMRC grant (2005-7), 5 papers, 1 patent.
• A/Prof Peter Wark, University of Newcastle (2004 – ongoing): Cell culture models are being used to explore mechanisms by which lycopene affects airway neutrophilia. Output: One PhD completion, one PhD ongoing, 3 papers, 5 conference abstracts.
• Prof Paul Foster and A/Prof Phil Hansbro, Discipline of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Newcastle (2005–ongoing): Mouse models are being used to explore mechanisms by which nutrients, including lycopene and fatty acids, modify airway inflammation. Output: One PhD completion, 4 conference abstracts, 2 papers.
• Dr Jay Horvat and A/Prof Phil Hansbro, Discipline of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Newcastle (2009–ongoing): Mouse models are being used to explore the effect of antioxidant supplementation on the development of asthma in neonates. Output: 2010 HMRI grant.·
• Dr Katherine Baines, Respiratory Medicine, University of Newcastle (2008–ongoing): Microarray analysis is being used to study gene expression changes following dietary interventions using antioxidants, fatty acids and weight loss. Output: 2 papers published, 1 paper submitted, 2 papers in preparation, 4 conference abstracts.

Key national collaborations:

• Prof Guy Marks, Dr Christine Jenkins, A/Prof Jenny Alison and Dr Claudia Dobler, Woolcock Institute, Sydney, Prof Peter Gibson, UoN (2008 – ongoing): This is on a project titled ‘Microarray analysis following Anti-Inflammatory Interventions in COPD’.
• A/Prof Vicki Clifton, University of Adelaide and Dr Vanessa Murphy, Respiratory Medicine, HMRI (2005 – ongoing): This project is examining dietary intake in pregnant women, with and without asthma. Output: PhD student, 4 conference abstracts.

Administrative

Administrative expertise

Service in Relation to School:

• 2010–ongoing: Research Committee, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy
• 2006-2009: Research Advisory Group, School of Medicine and Public Health
• 2006-2009: Strategies Targeting Academic Researchers (STARs) Committee, School of Medicine and Public Health

Service in Relation to Faculty:

• 2006-ongoing: Research Higher Degree Committee
• 2010: Cluster Advisory Group
• 2009: Professional Doctorates Working Party

Service in Relation to Discipline/Profession:

• 2012-ongoing: Honorary Secretary, Nutrition Society of Australia
• 2008-ongoing: Nutrition Society of Australia (NSA) National Council member
• 2008-ongoing NSA National Conference Programme Committee member
• 2008- 2012: Chair, NSA (Newcastle branch):
• 2007-2009: Chair, Organising Committee for the 2009 NSA National Conference
• 2007: Secretary, Nutrition Society of Australia (Newcastle branch)

Peer Review of Grants:

• NHMRC: project grant reviewer (2007 - ongoing)
• Australia Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust: project grant review (2009)
• HMRI: project grant review panel (2009, 2010)
• Calvery Mater Newcastle: project grant reviewer (2009)
• Health Research Council of New Zealand: project grant reviewer (2010)
• Health Research Board of Ireland: project grant review 'Health Research Awards' (2010).
• Prince Charles Hospital Foundation: project grant review (2010)
• Asthma UK Foundation: project grant round (2010)

Peer review of Manuscripts:

• Dr Wood is a regular reviewer (2/month) for international journals in nutrition and respiratory medicine, including European Respiratory Journal, Clinical and Experimental Allergy, Thorax, Respirology, Free Radical Research, European Journal of Paediatrics and Respiratory Medicine, Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, Age, Nutrition.

Industry partnership:

• From 2005-2007, Dr Wood managed the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Asthma, Newcastle node.

Policy development:

• Dr Wood contributed the nutrition component to the National Service Improvement Framework for Asthma (NSIF), commissioned by the Commonwealth government in 2006.

Media:

• Dr Wood regularly contributes TV, radio, print media relating to her work. Her work has been featured in various forums including: ABC Catalyst, The Australian, The Age and SMH.

Teaching

Teaching keywords

• Human Metabolism
• Nutrition
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Research Higher Degree Coordinator

Teaching expertise

Undergraduate Teaching:

Dr Wood’s undergraduate teaching focuses on biochemical and nutritional aspects of human health and disease, which she teaches at 2nd (HUBS2207: Human Metabolism and Nutritional Biochemistry) and 3rd (HUBS3280: Advanced Nutritional Biochemistry) year levels. She also teaches clinical research skills (HUBS3410: Advanced design in research methods and HUBS3204: Professional Skills in Biomedical Science). Thus her undergraduate teaching has strong synergy with her research programme, which focuses on clinical nutrition. Dr Wood’s teaching covers a broad range of fields including biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, microbiology and immunology, to describe the complex aspects of digestion, absorption, transport, metabolism and excretion of nutrients present in foods in human health and diseased states. Her background in these disciplines and experience as a clinical researcher, allows her to give relevance to the scientific aspects of nutrition and metabolism, by considering them in a clinical context.

Postgraduate teaching:

Focuses on research student supervision:

• RHD student completions: 5 PhDs, 2 Honours
• Current supervision: 10 PhD students (3 as primary, 7 as cosupervisor)

External Teaching Forums:

• Dr Wood is regularly invited to provide educational sessions to the community and professional groups including: Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), Asthma Foundation of NSW, Asthma and Respiratory Educators Association

Teaching Development:

• Dr Wood is currently enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching, at University of Newcastle.

Teaching-related Committee Participation:

• Representative on Research Higher Degree Committee, Faculty of Health (2006-ongoing)
• Representative on Professional Doctorates Working Party, Faculty of Health (2008-2009)
• Representative on Research Advisory Group, School of Medicine and Public Health (2006 – 2009)
• Representative on Research Committee, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy (2010- ongoing