Dr Ewa Szymlek-Gay is a Lecturer in Nutritional Science and a member of the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research (C-PAN) in the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences.
Supervises and co-supervises honours, masters and PhD students.
Dr Szymlek-Gay’s research focuses on iron and zinc metabolism; the aetiology and functional consequences of iron and zinc deficiency in vulnerable population groups including infants, preschool children, pre-menopausal women, and vegetarians; and the development of food-based strategies to enhance the content and bioavailability of iron and zinc in diets consumed by at-risk population groups, and the impact of these dietary interventions on subsequent growth, health, and cognitive development.
Awards and prizes
2011: First Prize of the Trace Elements in Man and Animals Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Oral Presentation Award at the 14th International Symposium on Trace Elements in Man and Animals, Enshi, Hubei, China.
2011: Travel Competition Award from the J C Kempes Minnes Akademiska Fond och J C Kempes Minnes Akademiska Forskningsfond, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
2010: First Prize of the European Society for Paediatric Research Young Investigator Award at the 3rd Congress of the European Academy of Paediatric Societies, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2010: Travel Competition Award from the J C Kempes Minnes Akademiska Fond och J C Kempes Minnes Akademiska Forskningsfond, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
2009-2012: Overseas New Zealand Science and Technology Postdoctoral Fellowship, New Zealand Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.
2007: Postgraduate Publishing Scholarship, University of Otago, New Zealand.
2007: ISTERH Student Travel Competition Award for top abstract at the joint 8th Conference of the International Society for Trace Element Research in Humans, 9th Conference of the Nordic Trace Element Society, and the 6th Conference of the Hellenic Trace Element Society, Crete, Greece.
2007: Travel Competition Award, New Zealand Federation of Graduate Women.
2007: Vincent George Travel Competition Award, Otago Institute, Royal Society of New Zealand.
2006: Best First Time Conference Speaker Award at the Nutrition Society of Australia 30th Annual Scientific Meeting in conjunction with Nutrition Society of New Zealand Annual Meeting, Sydney, Australia.
2003-2006: Postgraduate Prestigious Scholarship, University of Otago, New Zealand.
2003: Muriel Bell Memorial Prize in Human Nutrition, University of Otago, New Zealand.
2003: Renshaw Prize, Otago Medical Research Foundation, New Zealand.
2002: Prestige Scholarship in Science, University of Otago, New Zealand.
2002: Marion Robinson Prize in Human Nutrition, University of Otago, New Zealand.
2002-2003: Bee Nilson Award in Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Otago, New Zealand.
2002-2003: Allan Wilkinson Summer Research Scholarship, Otago Medical Research Foundation, New Zealand.
2002: Ethics Scholarship, Health Research Council of New Zealand.
Memberships
Nutrition Society of Australia (NSA)
Service to the University, discipline or community
Dr Szymlek-Gay is a member of the Advisory Board for Postgraduate Human Nutrition and a member of the undergraduate and postgraduate Food and Nutrition Course Teams. She regularly reviews manuscripts for journals including Acta Paediatrica, British Journal of Nutrition, Journal of Advanced Research, Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition, and Public Health Nutrition.
Conferences
Szymlek-Gay EA, Ferguson EL, Heath A-LM, Gray AR. 2012. ‘Do New Zealand toddlers need iron-fortified toddler foods to ensure their dietary iron requirements are met?’ Oral presentation at the Nutrition Society of Australia 36th Annual Scientific Meeting, Wollongong, Australia.
Szymlek-Gay EA, Skeaff SA, Zhao Y, Gray AR, Ferguson EL, Heath A-LM. 2011. ‘Iodine-fortified milk improves iodine status in toddlers.’ Oral presentation at the 14th International Symposium on Trace Elements in Man and Animals, Enshi, Hubei, China.
Szymlek-Gay EA, Ferguson EL, Heath A-LM, Gray AR. 2011. ‘Do toddlers need iron-fortified toddler foods to ensure their dietary iron requirements are met?’ 2011. Poster presentation at the 11th Federation of European Nutrition Societies (FENS) European Nutrition Conference, Madrid, Spain.
Stoltz Sjöström E, Szymlek-Gay EA, Öhlund I, Ahlsson F, Norman M, Engström E, Hellström A, Fellman V, Olhager E, Domellöf M. 2011. ‘Micronutrient intakes affect early growth in extremely preterm infants: preliminary results from a Swedish cohort.’ Oral presentation at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Research, Newcastle, UK.
Szymlek-Gay EA, Hernell O, Abrams SA, Lönnerdal, Graverholt G, Domellöf M. 2010. α-Lactalbumin and casein-glycomacropeptide have no effect on iron absorption from low-iron formula in healthy term infants. Oral presentation at the 3rd Congress of the European Academy of Paediatric Societies, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Houghton LA, Deng X, Bailey KB, Heath A-LM, Ferguson EL, Szymlek-Gay EA, Skeaff CM. 2009. ‘Assessment of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] status and its predictors in healthy toddlers aged 12-20 months.’ Oral presentation at the Experimental Biology 2009 Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Szymlek-Gay EA, Heath A-LM, Ferguson EL, Gray AR, Gibson RS. 2007. ‘Food-based strategies improve iron status in 12-20 month old New Zealand children: a randomised controlled trial.’ Oral presentation at the joint 8th Conference of the International Society for Trace Element Research in Humans, 9th Conference of the Nordic Trace Element Society, and the 6th Conference of the Hellenic Trace Element Society, Crete, Greece.
Szymlek-Gay EA, Heath A-LM, Ferguson EL, Gray AR, Gibson RS. 2007. ‘Does increased consumption of red meat or the use of iron-fortified milk improve iron status in New Zealand toddlers?’ Invited speaker at the New Zealand Dietetic Association Annual Conference, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Szymlek-Gay EA, Heath A-LM, Ferguson EL, Gray AR, Gibson RS. 2006. ‘Iron stores diminish over time in 12-20 month old New Zealand children.’ Oral presentation at the Nutrition Society of Australia 30th Annual Scientific Meeting in conjunction with Nutrition Society of New Zealand Annual Meeting, Sydney, Australia.
Szymlek-Gay EA, Ferguson EL, Heath A-LM, Skeaff SA. 2004. ‘Practical food-based dietary guidelines developed for 12-24 month old New Zealand toddlers.’ Poster presentation at the Nutrition Society of Australia 28th Annual Scientific Meeting in conjunction with the Nutrition Society of New Zealand Annual Meeting and the International Congress of Clinical Nutrition, Brisbane, Australia.
