The Children’s Nutrition Research Centre collaborates with many organisations to stay at the forefront of paediatric nutrition research. These collaborations occur across CNRC research themes, and with clinicians and research teams at a local, national and international level. Here are some examples of recent collaborations.

Collaborations across CNRC Research themes: Dr Alexia Murphy (Body Composition in Clinical Conditions) and Professor PWS Davies (Growth and Nutrition) are collaborating on a new study of nutritional status and growth in children with eating disorders. 

Dr Rebecca Hill (GFAI) and Dr Alexia Murphy are collaborating in establishing DEXA methodology for assessment of bone health in disease.

Local collaboration with Royal Children’s Hospital clinicians: CNRC research depends on collaborations with other areas of specialty on the Royal Children’s Hospital Brisbane campus. Successful studies have been undertaken with clinicians from the Royal Children’s Hospital  departments of respiratory medicine, gastroenterology, endocrinology and paediatrics.  

National collaborations: The CNRC has also enjoyed a long association with clinicians from other hospitals and research centres from around Australia. In 2008, the NHMRC awarded a 3 year, $500,000 grant for a collaboration led by the University of Curtin, with the CNRC and University of Queensland’s School of Human Movement Studies.  The novel project aimed to assess the impact of electronic game usage on physical activity and energy expenditure in children. 

International collaborations: A four-way collaboration between the CNRC; the University of Queensland’s School of Human Movement Studies; The Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre; and the University of Virginia, USA; has led to a successful 5 year, $650,000 NHMRC grant to investigate longitudinal growth, nutrition and physical activity in young children with Cerebral Palsy. The CNRC has also enjoyed a long-standing collaboration with researchers at the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka.  This collaboration has sought to understand the relationship between genetics and environment in body composition and body fatness in children both in Sri Lanka and Australia. The work has led to 14 publications in international literature over the last 5 years.

The Children’s Nutrition Research Centre is constantly observing the work of other research bodies and is keen to look at collaborative research projects.

Contact
Professor Peter S.W. Davies
Phone: +61 7 3636 1981
Email: ps.davies@uq.edu.au