Associate Professor Debbie Palmer is Program Head of Early Life and Life-Course Health, at the The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth, Western Australia. The primary focus of her research group (Nutrition In Early Life Team) is investigating nutritional strategies for allergy prevention. The research group conducts clinical trials and translation activities, all with the goal of reducing the rising burden of allergies within our community. Debbie is also a Co-Director of the Centre for Human Lactation Research and Translation, a qualified dietitian and mid-career researcher with expertise in nutritional interventional clinical trials during pregnancy, lactation, and infancy. Debbie commenced her research career with the goal of improving the evidence-based dietary recommendations to prevent allergies. Using her clinical dietitian experience and knowledge of food science and nutrition, she has designed and conducted 12 randomised controlled clinical trials investigating nutritional strategies for allergy prevention. These trials have been published in top-quartile ranking journals, including the British Medical Journal, and the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Importantly, the evidence generated from these trials has been translated into national and international allergy prevention guidelines.

Head of Nutrition In Early Life at The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth, Western Australia.
Expertise in nutrition, allergic disease and clinical trials, in particular the design and conducting of intervention studies during pregnancy, lactation and infancy, including 12 randomised controlled trials specifically in the area of nutritional strategies for the prevention of allergic disease.

Co-Director for the UWA Centre for Human Lactation Research and Translation.

Chief Investigator on 36 grants worth $43.3 million, including 8 NHMRC project or development grants and CIA on 9 other competitive grants. 

Nuts For Babies Study: Developing infant tolerance to peanut and cashew nut via breast milk: a randomised controlled trial. NHMRC funded clinical trial.

PrEggStudy Study: Maternal diet rich in eggs and peanuts to reduce food allergies: a randomised controlled trial. NHMRC funded clinical trial.

SYMBA Study: Dietary modulation of maternal gut flora with oligosaccharides in pregnancy as a novel allergy prevention strategy.  NHMRC funded clinical trial.

Website: https://www.thekids.org.au/our-research/early-environment/early-life-and-life-course-health/nutririon-in-early-life/

Current supervision of 3 PhD students, with 5 previous PhD student completions.

My primary research focus is investigating nutritional strategies for allergic disease prevention. Our research group conducts randomised controlled clinical trials, mechanistic studies, and translatable research activities, all with the goal of reducing the rising burden of early-life allergic diseases. Current trials are focusing on the immunomodulatory nutrient of prebiotics, and on maternal and infant food allergen consumption of eggs, peanuts and cashew nuts.