Dr. Saman Khalesi
PhD in Medicine (Community Nutrition), Master of Nutritional Sciences, Bachelor of Food Science and TechnologySenior Lecturer | Discipline Lead - Nutrition | Postdoctoral Fellow, National Heart Foundation of Australia
School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences
Appleton Institute
160 Ann St - 8.12
Brisbane Campus
I am passionate about the role of food and dietary behaviour in prevention and management of diseases. I am also interested in gut health, it links to our health and well-being and the role of food and dietary supplements in improving and maintaining gut health. I joined CQU Medical Science - Nutrition team in 2016 with a strong belief in integrating research in teaching and training future nutritionist and researchers that are willing to make a difference in our health and well-being.
My research focus mostly around lifestyle behaviours, from dietary patterns to supplementation behaviour. As an avid lifestyle researcher, I understand that the dietary behaviour we exhibit depends on many factors. I am primarily interested in understanding these factors that influence individual’s food choices. I am also interested to understand how our diet modifies our gut flora and changes the microorganisms that live in our digestive system and how modifying this environment can change our physical and mental health. Specifically, I am interested in:
- Dietary patterns and dietary constituents and chronic diseases (e.g. hypertension, obesity, kidney disease)
- Lifestyle behaviours and mental health (mood change, cognitive function)
- Probiotics and prebiotics role in gut symbiosis and prevention and management of diseases
- Understanding knowledge, attitude and barriers in behaviour change
- Personalised interventions to promote health behaviour using technologies (eHealth and mHealth)
Universities Studied At
- Griffith University, Australia (PhD)
- Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia (Master)
- Medical University of Shahid Beheshti (Bachelor)
Universities Worked At
Griffith University
Awards
2019 Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Heart Foundation of Australia
Media Citations
- Forbes: Probiotics and Blood pressure
- The Conversation: Health Check: Should healthy people take probiotic supplements?
Previous teaching
- Nutrition
- Food Science
- Health Challenges
- Research Methods: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Professional Experience
- Systematic review and Meta-analysis
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
Professional Memberships
- Registered member of Nutrition Association of Australia (NSA), as Registered Nutritionist (R Nutr.).
- Registered Member of Medical Council of Iran. Registered Nutritionist and Dietitian,
- Member of High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia (HBPRCA).
- Member of International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA).
Responsibilities
- Discipline Lead in Nutrition
- Member of CQU Honours Committee
- Member of CQU Medical Science Course Committee
Editor
- Editorial board member of Critical Comments in Biomedicine
- Reviewer board member of Nutrients
Accreditation
I am currently accredited for supervision in the following:
- 3210 Nutrition and Dietetics
- 1117 Public Health and Health Services
At the level of Principal Supervisor
Current Capacity
Nutrition and Dietetics - Dietetics and Nutrigenomics
The focus of my research in this section is mostly on food choices, nutrition knowledge and effects of nutrients on sport performance
Nutrition and Dietetics - Public Nutrition Intervention
I am primarily interested in understanding the factors influencing individual’s food choices and developing tailored and personalised interventions to improve dietary behaviour and intake. The focus of my research is both mental and physical health with specific interest in psychological distress, hypertension and diabetes.
