Intestinal disorder research gets funding

15 August 2023 - Riddet Institute Affiliated Researcher Dr Noha Nasef has won a Health Research Council award.

The Career Development Award from the Health Research Council (HRC) will fund research  into the dietary management of ulcerative colitis. Career Development Awards are given to a researcher involved in leading or contributing to research or research-related activities connected to health delivery at a policy, practice or systems level. 

Previous studies have shown that diet is potentially a promising method of managing inflammatory intestinal disorders such as ulcerative colitis (UC). Within Aotearoa New Zealand, however, there is  limited use of nutrition therapy in managing UC. Dr Nasef’s research will  look at UC effective nutrition therapy, working with healthcare providers and patients to explore how this therapy could be effectively and equitably implemented in practice in Aotearoa New Zealand. Part of the research project will also be evaluating the success of implementing nutrition therapy for patients with UC in the nation’s healthcare system.

Dr Nasef specialises in the role of food in chronic diseases.  Her research interests include how our bodies process food and how food affects our health and wellbeing, as influenced by Hippocrates’ quote: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”.

Dr Nasef was thrilled with the award funding.

“I am very excited for this opportunity to develop and directly contribute to health delivery research in the food and nutrition space that can benefit individuals suffering from gut disorders.”

The Health Delivery Research Career Development Awards are bestowed biannually to provide support for health professionals and academic health researchers to undertake a funded placement in a health delivery research team, health sector setting, or health delivery policy setting.

The research must be connected to health delivery at a policy, practice, or systems level. The funding is for one year, and the award is designed as an alternative pathway into health delivery research aimed at attracting more people with relevant skills into this discipline.

Dr Nasef’s award was one of four Massey-led research projects awarded health delivery grants from the Health Research Council.