Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group

An international leader in research in pregnancy and fetal development, the University of South Australia’s Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group (EOAHRG) is engaged in important projects determining how events before birth have an impact on health later in life.

The group uses a range of models and analytical techniques to investigate how the physiological environment from before conception and during pregnancy can contribute to a range of conditions in adulthood such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Functional studies of blood pressure regulation and glucose tolerance are linked to the molecular signalling pathways that regulated these events. We are one of few groups internationally that uses MRI to measure blood flow and oxygen saturation in fetal vessels.

Established in 2005, the EOAHRG brings together a research team with an international track record in developmental physiology, epigenetics and endocrinology. The group's research is focused in three broad areas: the early origins of obesity and metabolic health, the periconceptional environment and the embryo, and development of a healthy heart and cardiorespiratory system. We have a strong track record of collaboration with other international leaders in these areas, including researchers from Cambridge, Sick Kids Hospital, Kings College London and Otago University. This work has been underpinned by funding from the Heart Foundation of Australia, National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Research Council, Cerebral Palsy Australia and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

 

Hear from Professor of Physiology Janna Morrison, whose research focuses on the increased risk of cardiovascular disease on babies who are born too small or too early. She is mentoring Honours and PhD students to better understand these molecular links to improve the health of babies later in life.

Fetal Research at UniSA

Research Students

The Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group has completed 10 HDRs since 2010 with all of them working in teaching and research positions. Four have won competitive Early Career Fellowships (NHMRC) and 3 have undertaken postdocs at Cambridge. Currently, we have several research students working on projects as part of their studies within the University of South Australia. For more information about our students please visit the ‘Research Students’ page.

If you are interested in undertaking post graduate studies with the Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group, please contact Professor Janna Morrison.

Collaborators

The Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group works with a national and international network of collaborators. For more information please see the attached.