Dr Amber Milan

Study programme

PhD in Health Sciences, Human Nutrition

Supervisors
Professor David Cameron-Smith

PhD graduate Amber Milan was part of the close knit team of honours, masters and PhD students in the Liggins Institute’s Human Nutrition Research Programme.

Why she chose the Liggins Institute

Amber says she chose to study at the Liggins Institute because of its diversity of disciplines collaborating to achieve a holistic view of the impact of nutrition on health. “It allowed me to do research in nutrition in a way that kept my options open to pursue multiple perspectives of clinical nutrition in the future.

“The variety of research here provides a lot of opportunities for “interest” learning as well as novel collaborations and approaches to challenges. Most people have different sets of skills, expertise and interests which create an intellectually stimulating and rewarding environment.”

Research project

Amber investigated the biochemical processes that are triggered as we digest food. She was particularly interested in how these processes change as people age.

“The aim of my research project was to identify the mechanisms behind inflammatory responses after a meal, and specifically whether ageing contributes this heightened state of immune function,” she says. “We expect that as the body ages, the digestive tract also ages, and that there may be some loss of the function which would normally keep bacterial components from entering the body and triggering a response.

“Additionally, the types of fat in the foods we eat may contribute to the severity of this reaction. I wanted to understand this process in order to provide insight into how older adults digest fats and what impact this may have on their health.”
Currently there is no information on older adults’ immune responses to a high fat meal. Amber’s research may help identify people whose responses put them at increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease.

Her project included both clinical and laboratory work. She recruited participants to the study, organised their “meals” and took blood samples. In the laboratory she carried out a range of analyses on the samples to assess the breakdown and transport of meal components and bacterial fragments from the gut to the bloodstream, as well as changes in immune responses.

Leadership challenge

Amber was selected to represent New Zealand at the 2012 International Workshop for Capacity and Leadership Development in Nutritional Sciences, organized by the Korean Nutrition Society (KNS) and the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) in Seoul, Korea.

The three day workshop targeted emerging leaders in nutrition throughout Asia, including participants who were studying or establishing careers in teaching, medicine, research or public programming. Many came from countries experiencing economic, social and nutritional transitions which were accompanied by changed patterns of health and disease risk.

“We heard about many different approaches and inspiring success stories related to improving nutrition and health in Asia,” says Amber.

“The most valuable message I took away was the importance of action and participation by those starting out in the field of nutrition. It is up to us to identify the opportunities for change and development in nutrition at all levels to ensure new perspectives, approaches and applications are explored.

“Above all, our changing environments and emerging global nutritional concerns challenge us to remember to focus our attention and efforts on the big picture, public health. We have the opportunity to work to influence the nutrition environment around us through policy and programming to create tangible change in the health of our communities.”

Support

Amber completed her PhD with the assistance of a University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship and research funding from the Liggins Institute Trust. She is now a Research Fellow at the Institute.