Research Interests
Allergy Clinical Trials Health Policy Maternal Health Midwifery Nutrition and Dietetics Paediatrics Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine Pediatrics Public Health Public Health and Health Services Public Nutrition Intervention Quality Assurance Quality Management Research, Science and Technology PolicyDr Karen Best
School of Medicine
College of Health
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Dr Karen Best is a midwife, clinical trialist and maternal and child health researcher. She is a Principal Research Fellow and leads the Pregnancy and Newborn Health Research Program at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute. Her research spans perinatal nutrition, preterm birth prevention, maternal mental health, child development, evidence synthesis and the long-term follow-up of mothers and children. She has secured more than $14 million in competitive research funding to support national trials and translational research programs.
The Pregnancy and Newborn Health Research Program aims to improve outcomes for women, babies and children by identifying modifiable factors during pregnancy and early life, testing how they influence maternal and infant health, and translating effective interventions into routine care. A defining achievement has been the successful translation of omega-3 evidence into a world-first routine antenatal testing pathway in South Australia, combining early-pregnancy testing with targeted supplementation advice to help prevent early preterm birth.
Karen leads major national studies, including the PoppiE trial of iodine supplementation and child cognitive outcomes, omega-3 precision nutrition research, evidence synthesis, maternal mental health studies and long-term follow-up of children through clinical, survey and linked-data approaches. Her program brings together women and families, clinicians, researchers, health services and policymakers to ensure research has practical and measurable impact.
Karen welcomes enquiries from prospective Masters and PhD students, early-career researchers and collaborators interested in maternal and child health, clinical trials, perinatal nutrition, implementation research, evidence synthesis, linked data and translating evidence into practice.
My Research
My research investigates how modifiable factors during pregnancy and early life can improve the health of women, babies and children, and how effective interventions can be embedded into routine care.
As a midwife and clinical trialist, I focus on research questions that matter directly to women, families and maternity services. My program brings together large clinical trials, evidence synthesis, implementation science and long-term follow-up to move research from discovery through to clinical guidelines, health services and policy.
Perinatal nutrition and national clinical trials
I lead and coordinate multicentre studies examining nutritional interventions during pregnancy and early life, including omega-3 fatty acids, iodine and folate.
I am the Coordinating Principal Investigator of PoppiE, a national randomised trial investigating the amount of iodine supplementation needed during pregnancy to support optimal child cognitive development. PoppiE uses a decentralised model incorporating online screening, remote consent and distributed follow-up across six Australian centres. More than 8,300 women were screened and 794 enrolled.
I was also the operational lead of the Omega-3 fats to Reduce the Incidence of Prematurity, or ORIP, trial. This national randomised trial enrolled 5,544 women and generated important evidence that the effects of omega-3 supplementation differ according to a woman’s omega-3 status early in pregnancy.
Preventing preterm birth through precision nutrition
A defining focus of my research is translating evidence into maternity care to prevent early preterm birth.
Building on findings from the ORIP trial, I led the Omega-3 Test-and-Treat Program in South Australia. This world-first precision nutrition pathway combines omega-3 testing in early pregnancy with supplementation advice tailored to each woman’s result.
The Omega-3 Test-and-Treat Program
Through partnerships with women and families, clinicians, SA Pathology, maternity services and policymakers, this research has moved from a clinical trial evidence into routine antenatal care across South Australia. My omega-3 research has also contributed to Australian and international pregnancy care guidance.
Media Release - Handover of omega-3 testing to SA Pathology and routine care
My current research is examining how this pathway can be strengthened and extended, including national implementation.
Long-term maternal and child health
Interventions during pregnancy may affect health and development well beyond birth. I lead long-term follow-up studies examining childhood cognition, behaviour, education, allergy and respiratory health.
These studies use clinical assessments, parent-reported outcomes and linked health and education data. By connecting trial information with routinely collected data, we can answer important long-term questions while reducing the burden of research participation for families.
My doctoral research examined whether prenatal omega-3 supplementation influenced allergic disease in children at six years of age. This work established my continuing interest in understanding not only whether pregnancy interventions affect birth outcomes, but whether benefits or risks persist across childhood.
Evidence synthesis and clinical guidance
I lead and contribute to systematic reviews, meta-analyses, position statements and clinical guidance in pregnancy nutrition and maternal and child health.
Evidence synthesis is central to my research because it identifies which interventions are ready for implementation, where clinical recommendations need refinement and where new trials are required. I am particularly interested in understanding why intervention effects differ according to factors such as baseline nutritional status, dose, timing and participant characteristics.
Clinical trial innovation
I develop practical approaches to make pregnancy and child health trials more accessible, inclusive and efficient.
My work includes decentralised trial methods, digital recruitment, remote consent, online follow-up, linked data and strategies to improve participant retention. These approaches can reduce travel and participation burden, broaden access to research and support the delivery of complex national studies.
Collaboration and research opportunities
My research is highly collaborative and brings together women and families, midwives, clinicians, researchers, health services, pathology providers, policymakers and professional organisations across Australia and internationally.
I welcome enquiries from prospective Masters and PhD students, particularly midwives, clinicians and researchers interested in:
- maternal and child health
- pregnancy and perinatal nutrition
- preterm birth prevention
- maternal mental health
- clinical trials and evidence synthesis
- implementation and health services research
- linked health and education data
- long-term child development
- translating research into policy and routine care
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 - ongoing | Director | SAHMRI |
| 2016 - 2022 | Afiliate Senior Lecturer | University of Adelaide |
| 2016 - ongoing | Post-doctoral Research Fellow | South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute |
| 2015 - ongoing | Research Fellow | South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide |
| 2009 - 2012 | Clinical Trial Project Manager | Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne |
| 2005 - 2009 | Clinical Trial Manager | Women's & Children's Health Research Institute, North Adelaide |
| 1990 - 1991 | Registerd Midwife | The Queen Victoria Hospital |
| 1984 - 1987 | Registered Nurse | The Queen Elizabeth Hospital |
| Date | Type | Title | Institution Name | Country | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Recognition | NHMRC Research Translation - Case Study | NHMRC | Australia | - |
| 2025 | Award | Women’s Excellence in Research Award | Healthy Development Adelaide | Australia | $1000 |
| 2025 | Award | Translation and Impact Award | SAHMRI | Australia | - |
| 2025 | Recognition | NHMRC ‘10 of the Best Research Projects’, Fifteenth Edition | NHMRC | Australia | - |
| 2024 | Recognition | NHMRC Research Impact Case Study | NHMRC | Australia | - |
| 2024 | Scholarship | Emerging Leaders Fellowship Mentoring Program | Women’s Health Research Translation Network | Australia | - |
| 2020 | Achievement | Runner-up ACTA Trial of the Year | Australian Clinical Trials Alliance | Australia | - |
| 2019 | Fellowship | MS McLeod Post-Doctoral Fellowship | Women's and Children's Hospital Foundation | Australia | - |
| 2018 | Award | ISSFAL Early Career Award | International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL) | United States | - |
| 2016 | Achievement | Winner South Australian 'Fresh Science' Competition | Science In Public, Victoria. | Australia | - |
| 2016 | Award | Travel Grant | Healthy Development Adelaide | Australia | $1000 |
| 2016 | Scholarship | Research and Ethics Training Scholarship | Praxis Australia | - | $1000.00 |
| 2015 | Recognition | Deans Commendation Doctoral thesis Excellence | University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2013 | Scholarship | MS McLeod Peadiatric/Child Health Nursing Scholarship | MS McLeod Foundation | Australia | - |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 - 2015 | University of Adelaide | Australia | PhD Medicine |
| 2005 - 2007 | University of Canberra | Australia | Advance Certificate Clinical Trial Management |
| 1991 - 1992 | The Queen Victoria Hospital | Australia | Graduate Midwife Program |
| 1990 - 1991 | The Queen Victoria Hospital | Australia | Registered Midwifery Certificate |
| Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide | Australia | Registered Nursing Certificate |
| Date | Title | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 - 2015 | PhD Medicine | University of Adelaide, Adelaide | Australia |
| 2005 - 2007 | Graduate Certificate Clinical Trial Management | University of Canberra | Australia |
| Date | Title | Institution name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | Registered Midwifery Certificate | Queen Victoria Hospital | Australia |
| — | Registered Nursing Certificate | The Queen Elizabeth Hospital | - |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Netting, M. J., Best, K. P., & Green, T. J. (2022). The Role of Vitamin D in Anemia. In Nutrition and Health United Kingdom (Vol. Part F3941, pp. 195-204). Springer International Publishing. DOI Scopus2 |
| 2018 | Muhlhausler, B., Collins, C. T., Gould, J., Best, K. P., & Leghi, G. (2018). Polyunsaturated fatty acids: metabolism and nutritional requirements in pregnancy and infancy. In G. Burdge (Ed.), Polyunsaturated Fatty acid Metabolism (pp. 111-135). United Kingdom: Elsevier. DOI Scopus7 WoS6 |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Probst, Y., Sulistyoningrum, D. C., Netting, M. J., Gould, J., Makrides, M., Best, K. P., & Green, T. J. (2023). Choline intakes, dietary choline sources, and serum choline concentrations in early and late pregnancy. In PROCEEDINGS OF THE NUTRITION SOCIETY Vol. 82 (pp. 1 page). CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS. DOI |
| 2023 | Sulistyoningrum, D. C., Sullivan, T. R., Skubisz, M., Palmer, D. J., Wood, S., Snel, M. F., . . . Best, K. P. (2023). Detection of serum unmetabolised folic acid at 36 weeks' gestation in pregnant women taking multi-vitamin and mineral supplements with or without 800 µg folic acid. In ANNALS OF NUTRITION AND METABOLISM Vol. 79 (pp. 495). KARGER. |
| 2023 | Green, T. J., Best, K. P., & Netting, M. J. (2023). The Emerging Role of Vitamin D Deficiency in Anemia. In ANNALS OF NUTRITION AND METABOLISM Vol. 79 (pp. 133). KARGER. |
| 2022 | Best, K., Yelland, L., Gibson, R., & Makrides, M. (2022). Omega-3 to Reduce the Incidence of Preterm Birth - from bench to bedside. In WOMEN AND BIRTH Vol. 35 (pp. S42). ELSEVIER. DOI |
| 2021 | Best, K. (2021). Prenatal Omega-3 Supplementation for the Prevention of Preterm Birth-A Double Edged Sword?. In JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN OIL CHEMISTS SOCIETY Vol. 98 (pp. 226). WILEY. |
| 2018 | Best, K. (2018). Exposure to everyday chemicals: phthalate concentrations in pregnant women in Australia. In J Paediatr Child Health. 2018;54(S1):1-2.. Auckland. |
| 2017 | Best, K. (2017). Prenatal Omega-3 Supplementation and Allergy in Childhood.. In Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 8(S1), S1-S449. doi:10.1017/S2040174417000848.. Rotterdam, The Netherlands. |
| 2016 | Best, K. (2016). Prenatal Omega-3 Supplementation and Allergy in Childhood.. In European journal of pediatrics. 2016; 175(11):1393-880. Geneva, Switzerland. |
| 2015 | Best, K. (2015). Six Year Follow Up of Children at High Hereditary Risk of Allergy, Born To Mothers Supplemented With Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) in the DOMInO Trial. In Journal of Peadiatrics and Child Health (2015) 51 S1 1-17. NSW, Australia. |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Best, K. P., Northcott, C., Simmonds, L. A., Middleton, P., Yelland, L. N., Moffa, V., . . . Makrides, M. (2025). Feasibility, Implementation and Early Adoption of an Omega-3 Test-and-Treat Program to Reduce Preterm Birth. DOI |
| 2022 | Keir, A., Rumbold, A., Collins, C. T., McPhee, A. J., Varghese, J., Morris, S., . . . Best, K. P. (2022). Breastfeeding outcomes in late preterm infants: a multi-centre prospective cohort study. DOI |
| 2020 | Best, K., Green, T., Sulistyoningrum, D., Sullivan, T., Aufreiter, S., Prescott, S., . . . Palmer, D. (2020). Maternal late-pregnancy serum unmetabolized folic acid concentrations are not associated with infant allergic disease - A prospective cohort study. DOI |
| 2020 | Best, K. P., Gibson, R. A., Yelland, L. N., Leemaqz, S., Gomersall, J., Liu, G., & Makrides, M. (2020). Effect of omega-3 LCPUFA supplementation on maternal fatty acid and oxylipin concentrations during pregnancy. DOI |
| Date | Project | Role | Funding Body | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Implementation of an omega-3 precision nutrition strategy to prevent preterm birth | Principal Investigator | MRFF | $1,366,713 |
| 2024 | A Platform for Adaptive Trials in Perinatal Units | Associate Investigator | MRFF | $3,998,773 |
| 2023 | Optimal dose of omega-3 fatty acids in pregnancy for women with moderate status | Principal Investigator | Nestle Institute of Health Sciences | $300,000 |
| 2022 | State-wide evaluation of maternal omega-3 precision nutrition to prevent prematurity | Chief Investigator | The Hospital Research Foundation | $500,000 |
| 2020 | Is taking folic acid beyond early pregnancy too much of a good thing | Principal Investigator | SAHMRI Seed Funding | $29,982 |
| 2020 | Omega-3 status in pregnancy, supplementation and prematurity | Chief Investigator | Nestle Institute of Health Sciences | $182,700 |
| 2020 | Eggs to Improve Choline Intakes in Pregnancy | Chief Investigator | Australian Eggs | $93,700 |
| 2020 | Prenatal Iodine Supplementation and Early Childhood Neurodevelopment - PoppiE |
Principal Investigator | MRFF | $3,430,000 |
| 2020 | Folic Acid in pregnancy | Principal Investigator | SAHMRI | $30,000 |
| 2020 | Detection of unmetabolised folic acid in pregnant women at 36 weeks gestation taking multinutrient supplements with or without folic acid | Principal Investigator | Women's and Children's Hospital Foundation | $100,000 |
| 2019 | The effect of maternal unmetabolized folic acid on allergic disease in the infant | Principal Investigator | Thrasher Research Fund (US) | $30,000 |
| 2017 | A randomized controlled trial to investigate nutritive effects of a cow’s milk-based infant formula on growth rates of late preterm infants | Chief Investigator | Mead Johnson Nutritionals International Commercial |
$2,200,000 |
| 2017 | Omega-3 in breastmilk | Chief Investigator | BASF Newtrition Grant International Commercial |
$64,000 |
| 2017 | Phthalates and preterm birth | Chief Investigator/Clinical Project Manager | Women's & Children's Hospital Foundation Domestic, not for profit |
$54,000 |
| 2013 | Omega-3 fats to reduce the incidence of preterm birth. | Chief Investigator/Clinical Project Manager | NHMRC | $4,021,840 |
| 2016 | The Breast Milk Omega-3 Trial | Chief Investigator | BASF Newtrition | $64,000 |
| 2015 | Does fish oil supplementation reduce allergies in school age children? | PhD Candidate/Student Investigator | NHMRC | $429,231 |
| 2005 | DHA to optimise maternal and infant outcomes. | Clinical Project Manager | NHMRC | $1,649,000 |
| 2003 | Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Preterm Infants Fed High-Dose Docosahexaenoic Acid | Clinical Trial Coordinator | NHMRC | $615,000 |
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Co-Supervisor | Fit the Flange: Testing the feasibility and acceptability of a personalised flange fitting service to support breastmilk feeding for pre-term infants. | Master of Research | Master | Part Time | Ms Kate Louise Frawley |
| 2024 | Co-Supervisor | The effects of omega-3 and aspirin supplementation on preterm birth rates | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Michael Ian Mugford |
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | Co-Supervisor | From Evidence to Action: Implementing a Novel Omega-3 Test-and-Treat Program in Antenatal Care to Prevent Preterm Birth | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Celine Northcott |
| 2019 - 2023 | Co-Supervisor | The effect of continued folic acid supplementation beyond the first trimester on unmetabolised folic acid in late gestation | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Dian Caturini Sulistyoningrum |
| Date | Role | Committee | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 - ongoing | Member | Translation of Research into Practice Special Interest Group | Australian Clinical Trials Alliance | Australia |
| 2024 - ongoing | Co-Chair | Data Safety and Monitoring Committee | Curtin University | Australia |
| 2023 - 2024 | Member | A-CTEC Conference Organising Committee | Australian Clinical Trials Education Committee | Australia |
| 2022 - 2025 | Member | A-CTEC Conference Organising Committee | Australian Clinical Trials Education Committee | Australia |
| 2022 - 2024 | Member | A-CTEC Steering Committee | Australian Clinical Trial Education Committee | Australia |
| 2022 - 2024 | Member | Australian Teletrials Program SA Steering Committee | Australian Teletrials Program | Australia |
| 2022 - 2024 | Member | Health Studies Australia National Data Asset (HeSANDA) Steering Committee | Health Studies Australia National Data Asset | Australia |
| 2019 - 2022 | Board Member | SAHMRI Women and Kids Community Board | SAHMRI Women and Kids | Australia |
| 2019 - 2024 | Member | Data Safety Monitoring Board | Women's and Infant's Research Foundation | Australia |
| 2017 - 2020 | Member | DOHaD Council | Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Society | Australia |
| 2017 - ongoing | Member | IMPACT Committee | Interdisciplinary Maternal Perinatal Australasian Collaborative Trials Network | Australia |
| 2016 - ongoing | Member | Low-risk Human Research Ethics Committee | University of Adelaide | Australia |
| Date | Title | Type | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 - 2024 | Independent Discipline Expert | Advice | Flinders University | Australia |
| 2024 - 2024 | Independent Assessor, Major Review | Thesis Review | Flinders University | Australia |
| 2022 - 2022 | Conference Abstract Reviewer | Conference Review | Australian College of Midwives | Australia |
| 2020 - ongoing | Academy Member | Conference Review | Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand | Australia |
Available For Media Comment.