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Dr. Maria O'Sullivan

Associate Professor in Human Nutrition (Clinical Medicine)
TRINITY CENTRE, S J H

 maria.osullivan@tcd.ie

 3531896 4039


Biography

I am Associate Professor in Nutrition and a Principal Investigator at Trinity College Dublin with 25+ years experience in nutrition. I have a strong research profile in nutrition and its impact on inflammation, ageing, malnutrition, sarcopenia and digestive diseases. In addition to expertise in vitamin D and clinical trials (RCTs). My work has been recognised internationally, and I was the first Irish-based recipient of the Cuthbertson Medal (2013) awarded by the Nutrition Society at the College of Surgeons in London. I have held several National and International committee roles, for example with IrSPEN, the Nutrition Society and the Royal Irish Academy. I am past Editor-in-Chief of 'Proceedings of the Nutrition Society' (2012-16) which doubled in Impact Factor from 2.6 to 5.2. In 2024, I was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Nutrition Society. I am a proactive, motivated, enthusiastic professional with a proven ability for teaching, mentoring, research, publishing, communication, fundraising, leadership, project management.I have over 170 publications, including 70 full papers. In teaching, I am the Director (Deputy) at Trinity for the BSc Human Nutrition & Dietetics joint degree, and a postgraduate PhD and research supervisor. I have received a Dean's Award in teaching innovations (2017) and was nominated for the Excellence in Research Student Supervision Award (2022). https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1152-979X

Research Tags

  BMI/Obesity   Brain-gut, Mast cells   Clinical nutrition/malnutrition   Functional Bowel Disorders   Malnutrition   Mucosal immunology   OBESITY   Tight junction proteins   VITAMIN D   VITAMIN-D DEFICIENCY   VITAMIN-D SUPPLEMENTATION

Research Projects

 ERA4-Health NutriBrain - Omega-3 and B vitamins to Modulate Brain Ageing in European Citizens
 Investigating a data-driven approach to inform population-based resource allocation for improved equity in primary care services in Ireland.
 Supporting physical function in community dwelling older adults - a focus on health inequality and ageing in place
 Embedding physical activity to improve and maintain functional status in older adults: A feasibility study on the implementation of the Care to Move (CTM) programme
 Chronic Disease in community dwelling older adults - associations with area level deprivation

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Representations

Details Date
Elected Trustee of the Nutrition Society UK- International, (Board of Directors) - Open Election by Membership 2024-date
Ex officio Member of the Nutrition Society Science Committee and of the Council as a Trustee 2024-date
Editor in Chief of the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society (Current Impact Factor 7.3) 2012-2016
Member of the Publications Committee of the Nutrition Society, as and Editor in Chief 2012-2016
External Examiner, PhDs, MSc University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, and Technological University of Dublin 2021, 2016
Member of Conference Abstract Review Panels for several bodies, eg the American Gastroenterological Association Digestive Disease Week (DDW), US; IrSPEN Conferences, Dublin. Health & Social Care Professions Research Conferences, Dublin; Federation of European Nutrition Societies. The Nutrition Society, UK, NI, Ireland. 2009-date
Member of the Nutrition Society Special Interest Group (SIG) for 'Nutrition and older People' 2024-date
Member of the Nutrition Society Special Interest Group (SIG) for `Nutrition and Cancer' 2024-date
Member of the Editorial Board of 'Proceedings of the Nutrition Society' 2011-2012
Member of the Scientific Committee, the Nutrition Society UK- International 2012-2016
Chair of the Editorial Board for the Journal 'Proceedings of the Nutrition Society' 2012-16
Royal Irish Academy, Committee for Life and Medical Sciences, Appointed Member 2014
Invited reviewer for over 20 high-impact journals including British Medical Journal Open; Cochrane; Gastroenterology, Gut, Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Journal of Crohn's and Colitis; Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics; Digestive Diseases; European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology; Nutrients; Age & Ageing; BMC Geriatrics; PLoS-One, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; Proceedings of the Nutrition Society; European Journal of Nutrition; Molecular Nutrition and Food Research; Human Nutrition & Dietetics. 2001-2024
Chair of the Research Committee, and Management Committee member for the Irish Society for Clinical Nutrition & Metabolism (IrSPEN) 2013-17
Member, Research Committee, Health & Social Care Professions, HSE, Ireland 2012-15
Invited Expert Evaluator for EU FP7-Health (obesity-metabolism) as a remote reviewer, on-site Panel member and Panel Representative, Brussels. 2009
Irish Representative on the Management Committee for the European COST action BM1007: Mast Cells and Basophils - Targets for Innovative Therapies 2011-14 2011-14
Invited Expert Evaluator for the American Institute of Biological Sciences for grants awarded by the US Government Grants. Washington DC. 2008
Invited Expert Grant Evaluator, Broad Medical Research Program for Inflammatory Bowel disease (IBD), CA, USA. Now part of CCFA 2005-2012
Invited Expert Grant Reviewer: Programme National de Researches sur la Nutrition Humaine (PRNH), France. 2004-2005
Member of the Management Committee and Scientific committee and a PI in the Centre of Applied Sciences for Health (CASH), a government (HEA/PRTLI Cycle 4) funded research consortium www.appliedscience4health.ie 2008-2012

Memberships

Membership of Professional Institutions, Associations, Societies

Details Date From Date To
Elected Trustee (Board of Directors) of the Nutrition Society (An International Society, Head office London) 2024 2027
Ex officio Member of the Nutrition Society Science Committee and of the Council as a Trustee 2024 2027
Editor in Chief of 'Proceedings of the Nutrition Society' and Chair of the Editorial Board. 2012 2016
Member of the Publications Committee of the Nutrition Society, as an Editor in Chief 2012 2016
Member of the Science Committee of the Nutrition Society (UK- International) 2012 2016
Member of the Editorial Board of 'Proceedings of the Nutrition Society' 2011 2012
Member of th Nutrition Society Special Interest Group (SIG) for `Nutrition and Cancer' 2024 date
Member of the Nutrition Society Special Interest Group (SIG) for 'Nutrition and older people' 2024 date
Royal Irish Academy, Committee for Life and Medical Sciences, Appointed Member 2014 2017
Chair of the Research Committee, Irish Society for Clinical Nutrition & Metabolism (IrSPEN) 2012 2017
Managment Committee member, Irish Society for Clinical Nutrition & Metabolism (IrSPEN) 2012 2017
Research Committee Member, Health Service Executive (HSE) for Health & Social Care Professions 2012 2015
Research Committee Member, Irish Nutrition & Dietetic Institute 2009 2011
Nutrition Society Member (2007-date) 2007 date
Member, European Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) 2012 2015
Member, Functional Brain Gut Research Group, US based 2000 2008
Member, American Gastroenterological Association 1999 2009
Associate Member of the Irish Society of Gastroenterology 2001 2010
Member, WiSER and Association for Women in Science AWS 2008 2012
Curtis, Molly, Swan, Lauren, Fox, Rebecca, Warters, Austin, O Sullivan, Maria, Associations between Body Mass Index and Probable Sarcopenia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Nutrients, 15, (6), 2023, p1505 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
G Landers, D Mockler, A Ciblis, A Warters, M O'Sullivan, Nutritional Interventions for Sarcopenia in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Older Populations-a Scoping Review of the Evidence., Open Science Framework, (https://osf.io/gtke6), 2023, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Swan, L and Martin, N and Warters, A and O'Sullivan, M, 21 ASSESSING SARCOPENIA, FRAILTY AND MALNUTRITION IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING DEPENDANT OLDER ADULTS--A HOME-BASED STUDY WITH AN UNDERREPRESENTED GROUP IN RESEARCH, 51, (Supplement\_3), 2022, ppafac218--016 , Conference Paper, PUBLISHED
O'Sullivan, M and Moran, C and Griffin, T and Doheny, H and Doyle, S and McCartney, D and O'Shea, PM, Sex, sunshine and sample-origin-predictors of emerging spring and summertime vitamin D deficiency trends amongst Irish adults during the Covid-19 lockdown, IRISH JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE, 191, (SUPPL 4), 2022, pp127--127 , Conference Paper, PUBLISHED
Lauren Swan, N Frances Horgan, Chie Wei Fan, Austin Warters, Maria O Sullivan., Residential area socioeconomic deprivation is associated with physical dependency and polypharmacy in community-dwelling older adults: an analysis of health administrative data in Ireland, Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare DOI: 10.2147/JMDH.S380456, 15, 2022, 1, p9 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Swan, Lauren, Horgan, N Frances, Cummins, Vanda, Burton, Elissa, Galvin, Rose, Skelton, Dawn A, Townley, Bex, Doyle, Frank, Jabakhanji, Samira, Sorensen, Jan, Rooney, Debbie, Murphy, Lisa, Warters, Austin, O'Sullivan, Maria, Embedding Physical Activity Within Community Home Support Services for Older Adults in Ireland - A Qualitative Study of Barriers and Enablers, Clinical Interventions in Aging, Volume 17, 2022, p223-234 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Lauren Swan, Austin Warters, Maria O Sullivan, Socioeconomic Disadvantage is Associated with Probable Sarcopenia in Community-dwelling Older Adults: Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S380456, The Journal of Frailty & Aging, 2022, p10.14283/jfa.2022.32 , Notes: [J Frailty Aging 2022; http://dx.doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2022.32], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL
Swan, Lauren, Martin, Niamh, Horgan, N Frances, Warters, Austin, O Sullivan, Maria, Assessing Sarcopenia, Frailty, and Malnutrition in Community-Dwelling Dependant Older Adults - An Exploratory Home-Based Study of an Underserved Group in Research, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, (23), 2022, p16133 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Burton, Elissa, Horgan, N Frances, Cummins, Vanda, Warters, Austin, Swan, Lauren, O'Sullivan, Maria, Skelton, Dawn A, Townley, Bex, Doyle, Frank, Jabakhanji, Samira, Sorensen, Jan, Rooney, Debbie, Murphy, Lisa, Galvin, Rose, A Qualitative Study of Older Adults" Experiences of Embedding Physical Activity Within Their Home Care Services in Ireland, Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, Volume 15, 2022, p1163-1173 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Horgan, Frances, Cummins, Vanda, Skelton, Dawn A., Doyle, Frank, O Sullivan, Maria, Galvin, Rose, Burton, Elissa, Sorensen, Jan, Jabakhanji, Samira Barbara, Townley, Bex, Rooney, Debbie, Jackson, Gill, Murphy, Lisa, Swan, Lauren, O Neill, Mary, Warters, Austin, Enhancing Existing Formal Home Care to Improve and Maintain Functional Status in Older Adults: Results of a Feasibility Study on the Implementation of Care to Move (CTM) in an Irish Healthcare Setting, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, (18), 2022, p11148 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
  

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Awards and Honours

Award Date
Elected Trustee of the Nutrition Society UK- International, (Board of Directors) - Open Election by Membership 2024-
Honorary Editor in Chief, of Proceedings of the Nutrition Society - Current Impact Factor 7.6 2012-2016
Sir David Cuthbertson Medal. Awarded at the Royal College of Surgeons London by the Nutrition Society UK. I was the First Irish based recipient, in the 23 years since award initiation 2013
Honorary Editor Board Member for 'Proceedings of the Nutrition Society' - Current Impact Factor 7.6 2011-12
Nominated for the Excellence in Research Student Supervision, Award, Trinity 2022
Best Video Abstract Award 2022, Dove Medical Press, (Topic: Ageing - Frailty, Physical Activity) 2022
Featured in Women in Science Exhibition, Royal College of Medicine, as one of nine female winners of the Cuthbertson medal, Nutrition Society (UK). 2018
Best Paper Award - Open Access Awards, Health Service Executive, Dec 2018 ( Topic: Ageing: Frailty) 2018
Deans Award for Innovations in Teaching, TCD, for developments in inter-professional learning 2017
Best Paper Award - Published in the European UEG Journal 2016 for our team, Presented in Vienna, Oct 2016. (Topic: Vitamin D - Gut Permeability) 2016
Invited Faculty: American Gastroenterological Association, Focused Research Roundtable Session. Inflammation and Functional Bowel Disease May 2010, New Orleans, USA. 2010
Nominated for the United European Gastroenterology Federation `Rising Star' in Gastroenterology 2004
7th Annual Young Investigator Award, Functional Brain-Gut Research Group, presented at American Gastroenterological Association Meeting, San Francisco, USA. (I was the first Irish based recipient ) 2002
Awarded a place and funding for the highly competitive American Gastroenterological Association Academic Skills Workshop, Florida (First Irish Based Recipient) 2005
Mentored award winning graduate students e.g. Many distinguished Research Awards, Prizes and Medals 2004-date
Cancer Prevention Summer Fellow at the National Cancer Institute, Maryland, USA, Competitive Award, supported by the HRB 2003
The Haughton Institute Postdoctoral Career Support Award, Faculty of Health Sciences, Trinity 2002
Trinity Trust Travel Awards to Present at US Conferences, Digestive Disease Week, San Francisco and Washington DC 1996-97
Postgraduate Research Scholarship Award, Scientific Hospital Supplies Ltd. (Competitive application) 1994
Invited and Guest speaker, e.g. University of Cambridge, University of Gothenburg, European and National Conferences 2008
Graduate Medal for the Most Outstanding Performance in Clinical Nutrition Practice 1993