Dr Elie Antoun PhD

Elie Antoun is a research fellow based in the academic unit of Human Development and Health at the University of Southampton.

Elie graduated from the University of Southampton with an MBiolSci (Honours) in Biomedical Sciences and in 2018 received his PhD in Human Development and Health from the University of Southampton under the supervision of Professors Karen Lillycrop and Keith Godfrey.

Elie is involved in a variety of projects with the aim of understanding the molecular and epigenetics processes that contribute to disease over the lifecourse. His work currently focuses on understanding the molecular and epigenetic basis of sarcopenia and investigating therapeutics to treat sarcopenia, as well as understanding the effect of maternal GDM exposure on the infant in later life, and what role epigenetic processes play in these processes.

He has extensive experience in cellular and molecular biology as well as bioinformatics experience.

Macarena Lépez Rivera

Macarena graduated as a Medical Technologist, internationally certified by the ASCP and MSc in clinical biochemistry from the University of Chile. She is currently a PhD student in Medical Sciences at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC), which has awarded her a PhD scholarship due to her academic merits. She has developed and academic career as a lecturer in clinical biochemistry and developed important methods in teaching innovation.

Her current research interest is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which maternal metabolic conditions can increase their offspring's risk of developing chronic diseases, particularly obesity and allergy. She is currently studying, the effects of pre-gestational obesity on the offspring's innate immune cell response and whether maternal DHA supplementation during pregnancy can reverse the inflammatory markers in freshly isolated cord monocytes, the DNA methylation hallmarks of this intervention and the in vitro effects of DHA in these cells.

Maria C. Magnus

Maria C. Magnus was born in Lillehammer, Norway, and she studied nursing at Lovisenberg University in Oslo before moving to New Orleans to acquire a Master of Public Health from Tulane University. 

After finishing her masters in 2010, she moved back to Norway to study for a PhD at the University of Oslo. She is now an early career researcher at the Centre for Fertility and Health at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Her research focuses on the long-term health consequences of infertility and use of assisted reproductive technologies for both the parents and the offspring.

Other active areas of research include risk factors for early pregnancy loss, genetic determinants of infertility and the relationship between female reproductive health and risk of cardiovascular disease.

Siobhan Tu’akoi

Siobhan Tu’akoi is a final year PhD student from the Liggins Institute, University of Auckland in New Zealand.

Her current research explores the relevance of the DOHaD concept for the Cook Islands, a small Pacific Island where non-communicable disease rates are high but early-life influences on later health have not yet been researched. In partnership with the Cook Islands Ministries of Health and Education, Siobhan’s doctoral research explores the relationship between early-life factors and later metabolic health in adolescence over three years.

She has also worked in partnership with local leaders, health professionals and the wider community to create a culturally-contextualised resource focused on early-life nutrition that aims to educate and empower Cook Island families towards healthier futures. She hopes to contribute to improving health outcomes for all Pacific Islanders and future generations to come.

Rongbin Xu 

Rongbin Xu obtained his Masters of Medicine from School of Public Health, Peking University, China. Xu received his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Economics from Peking University also.

His research focuses on adolescent health, specifically childhood myopia and obesity, the health impacts of puberty development, and socioeconomic determinants of adolescent health. 

Xu has contributed to one original article on JAMA Paediatrics as the co-first author, and three original articles on The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, Traffic injury prevention, Public health nutrition as a co-author.