Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity

Exciting news for kidney patients!

A 12-week 'prehabilitation' program designed by Dr. Brett Tarca will help maintain physical function for those starting peritoneal dialysis.

This initiative, supported by Kidney, Transplant and Diabetes Research Australia (KTDRA) and diabetes research represents a new hope for better patient outcomes

Strengthening the core for dialysis patients - Kidney, Transplant & Diabetes Research Australia (KTDRA) An innovative project which aims to improve the physical health of people starting peritoneal dialysis treatment will begin trials in September.

Is it OK for kids to lift weights? At what age and how heavy?

ARENA's Dr Hunter Bennett, Prof Grant Tomkinson & Dr Max Nelson discuss in The Conversation Australia + NZ

Read the article here: https://theconversation.com/is-it-ok-for-kids-to-lift-weights-at-what-age-and-how-heavy-heres-what-parents-need-to-know-235963

Researchers at the University of South Australia are looking for state or national league Australian Rules Football Players who have been injured in the past two years to take part in a research study investigating their injury experience.

See below information regarding the study and go to https://unisasurveys.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a4xMW8QZDducfBk to register your interest.

This study has been approved by The UniSA Human Research Ethics Committee (205415)

The University of South Australia, in partnership with Preventive Health SA are conducting a study aimed at developing a health coaching program that is guided by artificial intelligence.

If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please click on the link below to access our participant information sheet and eligibility questionnaire. Alternatively, contact Ms Tara Cain via the phone number or email address below.

This project has been approved by the University of South Australia's Human Research Ethics Committee (Ethics Protocol 206129)

Click the link to find out more: https://unisasurveys.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cUqgCXwwtmEEV7g

Catch ARENA's Dr Lewis Ingram discuss the Olympics on Radio Adelaide's The Big Little Breakfast Show with Paul Davies.

They'll be chatting every morning over the next fortnight, talking all things Olympics, tune in and listen 6:30am-9:00am ACST

https://radioadelaide.org.au/program/the-big-little-breakfast-show/2024-07-30

Program guide for Radio Adelaide Program guide for Radio Adelaide

The SA Healthy Lifestyle State Research Forum is back for its third year! 🎉

Submit your abstracts by Tuesday October 1st for a chance to present your research (5x5 or poster).

By presenting at the 2024 South Australian Healthy Lifestyle State Research Forum, you will be able to connect with like-minded researchers, learn about the latest developments in the field, and contribute to a body of knowledge that has the potential to significantly improve the health and well-being of South Australians.

Submit here: https://unisasurveys.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0U0avLtmJb8Afsy

Congratulations to all the UniSA Allied Health and Human Performance Award Winners for 2024.

Special mention to the ARENA members who received an award:

- Higher Degree Researcher - Catherine Simpson

- Innovation in Chemical Safety or Radiation Safety Award - Elio Arruzza, Professor Eva Bezak

- Enterprising Engagement & Partnering Award - Dr Patrick Faulkner (not present)
- Mid-Career Teaching Award - Dr John Arnold

- One Team Award – Research Excellence - The Immersion Therapy Team: Dr Mark Catley, Dr Jocelyn Kernot, Associate Professor Kade Davison, Professor Gaynor Parfitt

- Innovation Award - Emma Hiscock, Dr Helen Banwell, Associate Professor Gisela Van Kessel

Thank you to our award presenters, Professor Alison Coates, Associate Professor Katherine Baldock & Associate Professor Kade Davison, Danielle Gericke and Professor Jon Buckley.

Congratulations, Ashleigh Smith for being recognised as South Australia's top 40 under 40! This is truly amazing 🥳

Ashleigh is Deputy Director at Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity(ARENA) and also Senior Researcher at University of South Australia.

“Honoured tonight to be named one of SA’s 40 under 40. Proud of what we have built Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA). Excited to see the next generation of future leaders we are building- the future is bright for our Early career researchers.”

InDaily Citymag

Celebrating 20 years in 2024!

HDA Scholars – Where are they now?

Dr Rosa Virgara, 2018 7th cohort

Rosa is a Lecturer in Physiotherapy within Allied Health and Human Performance and member within the Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) research group at the University of South Australia.

Rosa’s PhD project focused on Physical activity, screen-time and wellbeing in Outside School Hours Care Services, and was mentored by supervisors Prof Carol Maher and Dr Anna Phillips,; University of South Australia; Dr Lucy Lewis, Flinders University and Ms Mandy Richardson, Out of School Hours Care Association of SA (OSHCsa). The PhD project was successful in developing national physical activity and screen time guidelines for outside school hours care. The high quality of the work has led to a national trial of the physical activity and screen time guidelines across Outside School Hours Care services across South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia in both urban and rural settings.

While completing her PhD, Rosa travelled to present at international conferences in Auckland, NZ and Melbourne, Australia. At the Asia-Pacific society for Physical Activity Rosa was awarded the Best Oral Presentation in the category of Early Career Professional.

Upon completing her PhD, Rosa had the opportunity to continue to participate in the research of implementing the physical activity and screen time guidelines into Outside School Hours Care services as a research associate. Rosa has been invited to communicate her research to mainstream media on several occasions and been an invited presenter at the Australian Physiotherapy Association – South Australian Branch State Symposia in 2022.

We thank the Channel 7 Children's Research Foundation for their financial support for the Scholars program and the PhD Excellence Awards.

Curious about digital balance games for children/youth?

The University of South Australia want to hear from you!
Visit https://www.unisa.edu.au/research/research-volunteers/exploring-the-biodex-bioswaytm-digital-balance-games-for-children-and-adolescents/ to find out if you and your child are eligible.

The Small Steps study at University of South Australia is recruiting.

If you live in the Marion, Onkaparinga or Yankalilla council area and are aged 65 years or older this study might be for you!

For more information go to https://redcap.link/smallsteps

Congratulations to the HDA Travel and Development Grant Recipients, round 2 2024!

The following members will each receive funding towards their conference travel and development, July-December 2024.

Dr Erandi Hewawasam, Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry, SAHMRI / Faculty of Health and Medical Science, The University of Adelaide. > International Joint Congress of the International Society of Obstetric Medicine and the Society of Obstetric Medicine of Australia and New Zealand, Sydney, Australia.

Dr Grace McBride, Adelaide School of Public Health, University of Adelaide. > Global Evidence Summit, Czech Republic.

Meredith Smith, School of Allied Health Science and Practice, University of Adelaide. > Australasian Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine conference, Cairns, Australia.

Alexandra Procter, School of Public Health, University of Adelaide. > Society for Social Medicine and Population Health 68th Annual Scientific Meeting, Scotland.

Narelle Robertson, Education Futures, University of South Australia. > British Educational Research Association Conference, United Kingdom.

Rachel Lever, Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia. > Child Sexual Abuse and Harmful Sexual Behaviours National Conference, Melbourne, Australia.

Emily Eglitis, Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), University of South Australia. > Physical Activity and Public Health Practitioner Course, USA.

Amandi Hiyare, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University. > International Population Data Linkage Conference, USA and World Congress of Epidemiology, South Africa.

Evangeline Lovell, Robinson Research Institute and School of Biomedicine, University of Adelaide. > Australian Reproduction Update, Melbourne, Australia.

Are you 60-80 years of age, and living in rural South Australia?

Researchers from the University of South Australia are seeking volunteers for the Re-ACTIVate study, which investigates the link between lifestyle and brain health in rural populations.

Please visit the following link for more information: https://unisa.edu.au/research/research-volunteers/re-activate-study/

This project has been approved by the University of South Australia’s Human Research Ethics Committee (Ethics Protocol 205862).

The Small Steps study at the University of South Australia is recruiting.

If you live in the Marion, Onkaparinga or Yankalilla council area and are aged 65 years or older this study might be for you!

For more information go to https://redcap.link/smallsteps

Researchers at UniSA and Flinders Medical Centre are looking for healthy adults aged 18-50 years to participate in a research study.

Eligible participants will be reimbursed $30-$50 for their time.

The study involves questionnaires and non-invasive, safe, and painless tests of body function. All participants will be asked to complete an online questionnaire and an appointment at the University of South Australia (approximately 2.5-3 hrs in duration). Some participants will be asked to also complete a neurological examination (30 mins) and/or MRI scan (15 mins) at Flinders Medical Centre on a different day.

For more information and how to express interest, scan the QR or click the link: https://www.unisa.edu.au/research/research-volunteers/the-long-lasting-effects-of-methamphetamine-on-health/

This project has been granted ethics approval by the University of South Australia Human Research Ethics Committee (protocol: 205878) and the Southern Adelaide Clinical Human Research Ethics Committee (protocol: 038244).

Researchers at the University of South Australia are looking for athletes competing at state level or in a state league or higher to complete a survey about holistic athlete well-being.

See below information, and go to https://redcap.link/AthleteFlourishing.UniSA to complete the survey.

This study has been approved by the University of South Australia Human Research Ethics Committee, reference: 206083

Thank you to Dr Dot Dumuid Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity, University of South Australia our HDA Women’s Excellence in Research Awardee for 2024 who presented last night on Goldilocks Days: Finding the “just right” balance of sleep, exercise and sitting.

Professor Carol Maher, HDA Co-Convenor pictured here with Dot and her award certificate.

The recording can be viewed here:
https://health.adelaide.edu.au/healthy-development-adelaide/events/list/2024/05/goldilocks-days-finding-the-just-right-balance-of-sleep-exercise-and-sitting