Background
Marc is a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Medical and Health Sciences within the Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute (NHIRI). He established and leads the Falls Free Future Program within NHIRI and is the Deputy Lead for the Disorders of Mineralisation Research Group at ECU. Marc currently holds Fellowships from the Royal Perth Hospital Research Foundation and Department of Health (WA). Marc’s research program examines the role of nutrition, physical activity and its impact on disease progression, more specifically musculoskeletal function and structure. His research is targeted at reducing falls and associated injuries (e.g. fracture) in older populations.
Marc received his PhD (Deans List) from The University of Western Australia in March 2015. Marc’s doctoral research investigated the effect of exercise on inflammation and iron metabolism. He is an accredited Exercise and Sport Scientist (Level 2) and registered Nutritionist. Previously, Marc worked in industry as a Sports Physiologist at the Western Australian Institute of Sport. Marc’s musculoskeletal research program is based at the Royal Perth Hospital Research Foundation and is supported by his expertise in the design, coordination and conduct of RCTs, as well as advanced biostatistics specific to large cohort studies. Marc serves on the Council for the Australia and New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia and Frailty Research (ANZSSFR), Research Committee for the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society (ANZBMS), and the Publications Committee for Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA). Marc is part of the ANZSSFR Taskforce which operationalised a definition for sarcopenia currently used nationally.
Awards and Recognition
- 2023 European Calcified Tissue Society Allied Health Award
- 2023 European Calcified Tissue Society Best Clinical Poster Forum Award: Dietary Vitamin K1 intake is associated with lower long-term injurious fall and fracture risk: The Perth Longitudinal Study of Ageing Women
- 2022 Royal Perth Hospital Research Foundation, Best Publication for an Early Career Researcher "Abdominal aortic calcification on lateral spine images captured during bone density testing and late-life dementia risk in older women"
- 2022 Western Australia Cardiovascular Researchers Alliance, Best Publication Prize by an Early Career Researcher: "Abdominal aortic calcification on lateral spine images captured during bone density testing and late-life dementia risk in older women"
- 2022 World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Disease. International Osteoporosis Foundation Nutrition Award: "Dietary Vitamin K1 intake is associated with lower long-term fracture-related hospitalisation risk: the Perth Longitudinal Study of Ageing Women.
- 2021 Bridging Overseas Networking and Exchange (B.O.N.E) program exchange with the Bone Research Society (UK). Selected representative for the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society.
- 2021 Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society, Kyowa Kirin Best Clinical Presentation: "Creatinine to cystatin C ratio: a novel biomarker of sarcopenia measures and falls risk in community-dwelling older women?".
- Edith Cowan University Early and Mid-Career Researcher Network (EMCRN) Symposium 2020, Best Presentation for Research in Health. Higher dietary nitrate intake is associated with better muscle function in men and women independent of physical activity levels.
- Australia and New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia and Frailty Research Bright Star Publication Award for the paper titled: 'Higher dietary nitrate intake is associated with better muscle function in older women', 2019.
- Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society Travel Award, 2019.
- Australian Postgraduate Award, 2010-2014.
- Bruce and Betty Green Science Prize, The University of Western Australia, 2010.
- Postgraduate Research Travel Award, The University of Western Australia, 2011 & 2013.
- Edith Cowan University Platinum Prize, Australian Society for Medical Research Symposium. For the oral presentation entitled: ‘Effect of exercise modality and intensity on post-exercise interleukin-6 and hepcidin levels’, 2012.
- The University of Western Australia Deans List Award for the Doctoral Thesis: ‘Effect of exercise on inflammation, hepcidin regulation and iron metabolism’, 2014.
- Valedictorian, The University of Western Australia, March 2015.
Research Areas and Interests
- Fall and fracture prevention in older populations
- Benefits of physical activity and nutrition on the vasculature as well as musculoskeletal function/structure
- Nutritional supplements to improve human performance
- Iron regulation in active populations