Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Coughlan research group: www.med.monash.edu/cecs/diabetes/research/coughlan-group.html
Biography
Associate Professor Melinda Coughlan has a BSc (Biology) with Honours in Nutrition from Deakin University, and a PhD in Obstetrics & Gynaecology from the University of Melbourne. Her PhD focused on mediators of inflammation and oxidative stress in the development of gestational diabetes (Mercy Hospital for Women). After completing her PhD, Melinda joined the Baker Heart Research Institute as a postdoctoral researcher in Prof Mark Cooper’s Diabetes Complications Division. In 2012, she became the Head of the Glycation, Nutrition and Metabolism Laboratory at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute. In Nov 2016, she was recruited to Monash University’s Central Clinical School as one of the key recruits to help establish the Department of Diabetes. Associate Professor Coughlan holds a Career Development Fellowship from the JDRF and has research grants from the NHMRC.
Biography
Achievements and Awards
- JDRF Career Development Award
- Nutrition Society of Australia Mid Career Research Award
- Roche-Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology Senior Scientist Career Development Award
- Australian Diabetes Society Skip Martin Early Career Fellowship
- National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC) New Investigator Project Grant
- Registered Nutritionist (Nutrition Society of Australia)
Research interests
Dietary factors in the initiation of diabetes and its complications:
- Maillard reaction products/advanced glycation end-products (AGEs).
- Dietary constituents and incretins (GLP-1).
- Ultraprocessed foods and gut microbial ecology.
Mitochondrial health in diabetes:
- Mapping the mitochondrial bioenergetic signature of individuals with diabetic kidney disease.
- Investigating pathways of mitochondrial quality control.
- Validation of mitochondria-targeted therapies in pre-clinical models.
Identification of novel targets of therapy for chronic kidney disease:
- Multiomic profiling of human renal biospecimens from subjects with diabetes and kidney disease.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Obstetrics & Gynaecology, PhD, University of Melbourne
Research area keywords
- Diabetes
- Diet and nutrition
- mitochondria
- advanced glycation end products
- processed food
- dietary modification
- Kidney
- Diabetic Nephropathy
- Metabolism
Network
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Investigating complement C5a receptor 2 as a therapeutic target for diabetic kidney disease
Tan, M., Coughlan, M., Ekinci, E., Woodruff, T. M. & Schittenhelm, R.
1/01/22 → 31/12/24
Project: Research
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Using dietary therapy to slow the progression of diabetic kidney disease
Snelson, M., Coughlan, M., Ekinci, E., Baqar, S., Muir, J. & Kellow, N.
3/05/21 → 31/12/21
Project: Research
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To test the pre-clinical efficacy of a food ingredient on mitochondrial function and kidney injury in experimental diabetes
7/09/20 → 19/11/21
Project: Research
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NHMRC Equipment Grant - Quanterix SIMOA HD-X Analyser
Shultz, S., Kwan, P., Medcalf, R., O'Brien, T., Mitra, B., Coughlan, M., Jones, N., Van Der Walt, A., Butzkueven, H., Semple, B. & Hutton, E.
Monash University – Internal Faculty Contribution, Monash University – Internal Department Contribution
1/01/19 → 31/12/19
Project: Research
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Reduced Growth, Altered Gut Microbiome and Metabolite Profile, and Increased Chronic Kidney Disease Risk in Young Pigs Consuming a Diet Containing Highly Resistant Protein
Murray, M., Coughlan, M. T., Gibbon, A., Kumar, V., Marques, F. Z., Selby-Pham, S., Snelson, M., Tsyganov, K., Williamson, G., Woodruff, T. M., Wu, T. & Bennett, L. E., 24 Mar 2022, In: Frontiers in Nutrition. 9, 14 p., 816749.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
The Complement Pathway: New Insights into Immunometabolic Signaling in Diabetic Kidney Disease
Tan, S. M., Snelson, M., Ostergaard, J. A. & Coughlan, M. T., 7 Feb 2022, (Accepted/In press) In: Antioxidants and Redox Signaling. 22 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
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The Role of AGE‐RAGE Signalling as a Modulator of Gut Permeability in Diabetes
Snelson, M., Lucut, E. & Coughlan, M. T., Feb 2022, In: International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 23, 3, 13 p., 1766.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
All disease begins in the gut: Do dietary advanced glycation end products influence gut barrier integrity leading to chronic noncommunicable disease?
Coughlan, M. T., 15 May 2021, IMARS Highlights, 16, 3, p. 16-22 7 p.Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Short Review › Other
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Assessing the health effects of a high resistant protein diet in young pigs – a study protocol
Murray, M., Coughlan, M. T., Marques, F. Z. C., Selby-Pham, S., Snelson, M., Tsyganov, K., Williamson, G., Wu, A. & Bennett, L. E., 2021. 1 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
Prizes
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Australian Diabetes Society (ADS) Skip Martin Early Career Fellowship
Coughlan, Melinda (Recipient), 2010
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
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JDRF-Australian Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Research Network Career Development Award
Coughlan, Melinda (Recipient), 2016
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
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Nutrition Society of Australia Mid Career Research Award
Coughlan, Melinda (Recipient), 27 Nov 2018
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Nutrition Society of Australia Mid Career Travel Award
Coughlan, Melinda (Recipient), 2017
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Roche-Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology (ANZSN) Senior Scientist Career Development Award
Coughlan, Melinda (Recipient), 2012
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
Activities
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Honours supervision: Exploring the molecular consequences of processed food intake on intestinal permeability
Matthew Snelson (Supervisor) & Melinda Coughlan (Supervisor)
2021 → …Activity: Other Teaching Engagements and non-HDR Supervisions › Non-HDR Supervisions
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scienceXart 2021: Food for Thought working group
Melinda Coughlan (Contributor)
2021Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Collaboration on community projects
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Honours supervision: Resistant Starch as a Modulator of the Gut-Kidney Axis to Improve Diabetic Kidney Disease
Matthew Snelson (Supervisor) & Melinda Coughlan (Supervisor)
1 Mar 2020 → 17 Nov 2020Activity: Other Teaching Engagements and non-HDR Supervisions › Non-HDR Supervisions
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Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology Research Advisory Committee
Melinda Coughlan (Fellow)
Jul 2019 → Jul 2022Activity: External Academic Engagement › Committees and working groups
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Australian Academy of Science (External organisation)
Melinda Coughlan (Member)
1 Dec 2017 → 31 Dec 2023Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Membership of an advisory panel/policy group/ board
Press / Media
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Radio Interview- Joy FM Drive Program- Processed foods
8/04/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Profile/Interview
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7NEWS Interview- Melbourne researchers find worrying side effect of eating chocolate
4/04/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Profile/Interview
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Herald Sun article- Chocs and Chips Linked to Kidney Disease
4/04/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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The Times of India - Gobbling potato chips and chocolates may affect your kidneys says study
3/04/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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The Australian article- Chocolate and potato chips could increase risk of kidney disease, Monash University study finds
3/04/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature