Dr Rebecca Thomson
Grant-Funded Researcher (B)
Adelaide Medical School
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
I have a background in nutrition and exercise physiology and an interest in the health benefits of physical activity and nutrition. My research has investigated how incorporating nutrition with exercise can lead to added benefits for health and exercise performance. I have also been investigating exercise recovery, including assessing fatigue and recovery status using heart rate and potential treatments to enhance recovery from muscle damaging exercise.
I have extensive experience in managing large scale clinical trials investigating the effects of lifestyle modification on improving health and observational studies investigating the causes of type 1 diabetes. I have worked with a range of populations, from athletes to sedentary participants and children to older adults.
In June 2015 I joined the Environmental Determinants of Islet Autoimmunity (ENDIA) study, Australia’s largest study investigating the causes of type 1 diabetes, as a project manager and nutrition researcher. I have played an integral role in expanding the cohort, which completed recruitment of 1500 mother-infant dyads in late 2019. Within the ENDIA consortium, I lead the LEGEND theme (Lifestyle, Epidemiology, Growth, Experiences, Nutrition and Development). My program of research investigates the potential determinants of T1D during preconception, pregnancy and early life. This includes investigating the impact of maternal and paternal preconception lifestyle behaviours, maternal weight and gestational weight gain, maternal diet, physical activity levels, mental health and lifestyle during pregnancy, paternal weight and infant growth, diet and lifestyle. With my nutrition experience, I am in charge of monitoring the quality and completion of nutrition, growth and lifestyle measures across Australia and have prepared and analysed nutrition data that supports colleagues’ investigation of the gut microbiome and virome in ENDIA pregnancy and infants.
For more information about the ENDIA study please visit our website at http://www.endia.org.au.
I have a strong publication record relative to opportunity, with 63 high quality publications (21 first author), 2,292 citations and an H index of 24 (Scopus). Two of the papers from my PhD were included in the recent ‘Evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome’ and my work has also led to the registration of 3 patents.
- My Research
- Career
- Publications
- Grants and Funding
- Teaching
- Supervision
- Professional Activities
- Contact
Childhood type 1 diabetes - Environmental Determinants of Islet Autoimmunity (ENDIA)
The Environmental Determinants of Islet Autoimmunity (ENDIA) study is the first study in the world to explore how environmental exposures from pregnancy through early life may contribute to, or protect against, the development of childhood type 1 diabetes. We have recruited 1500 babies (from the pregnancy aged up to 6 months) who have an immediate relative with type 1 diabetes (i.e. baby’s mum, dad, brother or sister). Professor Jennifer Couper and Dr Rebecca Thomson from the University of Adelaide are leading the ENDIA consortium and Nutrition, Growth and Lifestyle theme within the ENDIA consortium, respectively. My program of research investigates the potential determinants of type 1 diabetes during preconception, pregnancy and early life. This includes investigating the impact of maternal and paternal preconception lifestyle behaviours, maternal weight and gestational weight gain, maternal diet, physical activity levels, mental health and lifestyle during pregnancy, paternal weight and infant growth, diet and lifestyle. Approximately 60% of our mothers have type 1 diabetes, which allows us to also compare preconception and pregnancy lifestyle behaviours between women with and without type 1 diabetes.
Project 1
Title: Comparison of preconception lifestyle behaviours between women with and without type 1 diabetes
Description: This project will compare lifestyle behaviours in the three months prior to conception in women with and without type 1 diabetes and investigate their impact on pregnancy and birth outcomes.
Projects available for: Honours
Location: Women’s and Children’s Hospital and Robinson Research Institute
Research project start: Semester 1 and 2
Special requirements: Working with Children Check
For more information about the ENDIA study please visit our website at http://www.endia.org.au
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2021 - ongoing Adjunct Senior Research Fellow University of South Australia 2017 - ongoing Research Fellow University of Adelaide 2015 - 2017 Senior Clinical Research Coordinator University of Adelaide, Adelaide 2015 - 2020 Adjunct Research Fellow University of South Australia 2009 - 2014 Research Fellow University of South Australia, Adelaide -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2009 University of South Australia Australia PhD 2005 University of South Australia Australia Bachelor of Applied Science (First Class Honours) 2004 University of South Australia, Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement) -
Certifications
Date Title Institution name Country 2010 Certified Clinical Research Coordinator Association of Clinical Research Professionals - 2009 Registered Nutritionist Nutrition Society of Australia - -
Research Interests
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Journals
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Books
Year Citation - Tremellen, K., & Pearce, K. (Eds.) (n.d.). Nutrition, Fertility, and Human Reproductive Function. CRC Press.
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Book Chapters
Year Citation 2015 Thomson, R. L., Teede, H. J., Stepto, N. K., Banting, L. K., & Moran, L. J. (2015). The role of diet and lifestyle modification in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome. In Nutrition, Fertility, and Human Reproductive Function (pp. 27-50).
Scopus12015 The Role of Diet and Lifestyle Modication in the Treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (2015). In Nutrition, Fertility, and Human Reproductive Function (pp. 44-67). CRC Press.
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Conference Papers
Year Citation 2017 Thomson, R., Penno, M. A., Battersby, R., & Couper, J. (2017). Are pregnant women meeting the Australian dietary guidelines? A comparison of women with and without Type 1 diabetes. In Journal of Nutrition and Intermediary Metabolism Vol. 8 (pp. 76-77). Melbourne: Elsevier.
DOI2008 Thomson, R., Buckley, J., Noakes, M., Clifton, P., Norman, R., & Brinkworth, G. (2008). Effects of a Hypocaloric Diet with and without Exercise Training on Body Composition, Metabolic Risk Profile and Reproductive Function in Overweight and Obese Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. In OBESITY Vol. 16 (pp. S230). Phoenix, AZ: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. -
Conference Items
Year Citation 2018 Harbison, J. E., Roth-Schulze, A. J., Barry, S. C., Tran, C. D., Ngui, K., Penno, M. A., . . . Couper, J. (2018). Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis and Increased Intestinal Permeability in Australian Children with Islet Autoimmunity and Type 1 Diabetes. Poster session presented at the meeting of DIABETES. Orlando, FL: AMER DIABETES ASSOC.
DOI WoS12017 Adams, L., Thomson, R., Couper, J., Anderson, J., Maftei, O., Giles, L., & Pena, A. S. (2017). Australian children with type 1 diabetes consume high sodium and high saturated fat diets: longitudinal comparison with national and international guidelines. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 10th International Meeting of Pediatric Endocrinology, as published in Hormone Research in Paediatrics. Washington, DC: Karger.
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Preprint
Year Citation 2021 McGorm, K. J., Brown, J. D., Thomson, R. L., Oakey, H., Moore, B., Hendry, A. B., . . . Penno, M. A. S. (2021). A long-term evaluation of Facebook for recruitment and retention in the ENDIA type 1 diabetes pregnancy-birth cohort study (Preprint).
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I have been successful in attracting over $14.5 million in funding over the last 12 years as a CI from a range of sources (Australian Research Council, JDRF, Helmsley Charitable Trust, Diabetes SA, industry, competitive internal grant schemes, technology commercialisation grant schemes and travel grants).
I am active in developing the next generation of medical researchers in South Australia through mentoring and supervising students. I have successfully supervised to completion two PhD students (2016 and 2017), one Masters by Research (Human Movement) student (2021), one Masters of Public Health student (2018), six Honours students (Health Science and Physiotherapy; 2010, 2011, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2017), and four summer vacation scholarship students (Health Sciences and Medicine) through the University of South Australia, University of Adelaide and Deakin University.
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Other Supervision Activities
Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name 2020 - 2022 Co-Supervisor The effects of menstrual cycle phase on physical performance and fatigue in team sport athletes University of South Australia Masters by Research (Human Movement) Master Full Time Mikaeli Carmichael 2018 - 2018 Co-Supervisor An exploratory analysis of glycaemia during pregnancy and breastfeeding outcomes in women with type 1 diabetes Deakin University Masters of Public Health Major Project Master Full Time Candice Hall 2017 - 2017 Co-Supervisor Validation of a field-based assessment of heart rate acceleration for tracking fatigue-induced changes in exercise performance University of South Australia Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) Honours Full Time Henry Blake
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Committee Memberships
Date Role Committee Institution Country 2024 - ongoing Co-Chair Robinson Research Institute Early and Mid-Career Research Council The University of Adelaide Australia 2023 - ongoing Member Robinson Research Institute Early and Mid-Career Research Council The University of Adelaide Australia 2022 - ongoing Member Health in Preconception, Pregnancy, and Postpartum Early- and Mid-Career Researcher Collective HiPPP EMR-C Australia 2019 - 2020 Member Nutrition Society of Australia Adelaide Group Nutrition Society of Australia Australia 2014 - ongoing Chair Nutrition Society of Australia Adelaide Group - Australia 2013 - 2013 Treasurer Nutrition Society of Australia Adelaide Group - Australia 2011 - 2012 Member Nutrition Society of Australia Adelaide Group - Australia
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