Professor Peter Vuillermin from the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT) has been awarded $937,221 in funding as part of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grants.
This new research project aims to predict and improve autism outcomes from conception. Prof Vuillermin and his team will assess how modifiable factors during pregnancy, such as exposure to plastic pollutants and diet, impact the risk of autism via placental function. Gene expression in placental samples of children diagnosed with autism is noticeably different.
As part of the Barwon Infant Study, a collaboration between Barwon Health, Deakin University and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, 913 children have been followed from infancy to 9 years and more than 7% have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. More than 4% of children now commence school with autism-related NDIS support.
Prof Vuillermin says their overarching hypothesis is that reduced plastic chemical exposure and a high-quality maternal diet during pregnancy can improve autism outcomes from conception forward by enhancing placental endocrine and mitochondrial function.
'Using cutting-edge approaches, our research will directly inform subsequent large-scale clinical trials and public health interventions targeting defined prenatal pathways to improve autism outcomes,' he says.
The project team will develop a consumer and community-engaged research program nested within the NHMRC-funded Barwon Infant Study (BIS), the MRFF-funded Bugs & Bumps clinical trial, and the Pregnancy Research and Translation Ecosystem (PRT-E).
The NHMRC Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grants support high-quality clinical trials and cohort studies that address significant knowledge gaps, resulting in relevant and actionable findings for the benefit of human health.
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