BHSc Nutr Med, MNutr - Nutritionist

Diana is a registered nutritionist with close to 10 years’ experience in the industry working as a clinical nutritionist. She completed her undergraduate in Nutritional Medicine, followed by a Master’s Degree in Human Nutrition through Deakin University and is a member of the Australian Natural Therapists Association (ANTA) and Nutrition Society Australia (NSA).

Diana’s area of clinical expertise lies in digestive disorders, cardio metabolic conditions, fertility, pregnancy and infant nutrition. Diana is also a mum to 2 year old identical twin girls, and has spent recent years completing additional training in fertility and pregnancy nutrition through Monash University and Well College Global.

BSc (Hons), PhD - R&I Project Manager

Christopher Halkias is a biomedical scientist with extensive experience across many of the research institutions of Melbourne. He was awarded a PhD in Biomedical Science from RMIT University in 2018. His research interests include pharmacology, pathology, immunology and the use of natural products for therapeutic benefit.

Christopher has published multiple peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts, led scientific research within significant commercial projects and is an award-winning academic teacher. Through his efforts in research and teaching, he has an extensive understanding of science, and aims to communicate this knowledge to the Nurture Central family.

BSc (Nutr), Hons, MNutrDiet, AdvAPD - Dietitian

Melanie McGrice is Australia’s leading dietitian in fertility, pregnancy and women’s and infant health. She is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian, one of the few dietitians in Australia to achieve that status. Her success has made her an in-demand practitioner, author, conference speaker, researcher and go-to resource for the media.

Melanie earned her Master’s Degree in Dietetics with a simple goal in mind: to help people use nutrition to make a positive difference in their lives. That goal became a reality with the establishment of Nutrition Plus. Nutrition Plus is an Australia-wide team of experienced dietitians with a passion for Early Life Nutrition. It’s no surprise that she was awarded the coveted ‘Australian Dietitian of the Year’ in 2018.

Cath Curtin, lovingly known as ‘Midwife Cath’ is fully-qualified nurse, midwife and maternal and child health nurse in Australia and trusted expert in women’s health, pre-pregnancy, antenatal care and education, pregnancy, labour and birth, postnatal care, breastfeeding, and parenting. She has delivered thousands of babies throughout her 45-year career. Cath has authored two books “The First Two Weeks” and “After, The First Six Week” and has a popular podcast series Birth, Baby & Beyond.

BSc, MRepSc, PhD - Biomedical Scientist

George has worked as a medical researcher for 17 years in the university sector, at both Monash University health institutes, and The University of Melbourne. He spent 12 of those years in reproductive health and fertility research, in roles such as Clinical Research Associate, Clinical Embryologist, Post-graduate Demonstrator, Lecturer, and later as a Senior Research Fellow and Lab Manager. His doctoral thesis investigated the effects of mitochondrial damage in the oocyte. He also worked on improving the nutrient and growth requirements for in vitro fertilization and embryo development.

George has authored and coauthored more than 50 publications, including 1 book, 5 book chapters, 30 peer-reviewed journal reports and reviews, 6 patents, international scientific conference proceedings and health practitioner journal articles.

BSc Hons, Ph.D –Neuroscientist

Sarah Spencer is a Professor of Neuroscience of RMIT University. She has around 16 years’ experience investigating the impact of the perinatal environment on brain and behaviour. She has a particular interest in the brain’s immune system and how it governs neurological function.

She completed her undergraduate in Physiology at Otago University in New Zealand and then a PhD in 2004 in Neuroscience at the University of Queensland. She followed this with a three-year postdoc at Calgary University in Canada, studying how exposure to immune challenges in critical programming windows of early life lead to long-term changes in immune regulation and the brain. She then moved back to Australia to Monash University and then RMIT University in Melbourne where she leads her team in the investigation of perinatal programming of long-term brain function.

Sarah has authored and co-authored around 100 scientific publications, including two translating primary scientific studies into articles for children. She is an Associate Editor of one of the top neuroscience journals, Brain Behavior and Immunity, and an Academic Advisory Board member for the Sanfilippo Children’s Foundation, promoting scientific research into this devastating childhood disease.