As part of this year’s Nutrition Society of Australia (NSA) conference, Nicole Simm will be presenting two significant studies that advance our understanding of how diet interacts with the gut microbiome. The conference will be held from 3rd-5th December 2025 at the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre- find out more and view the program here. Her presentations, “Derivation of an Australian amino acid database from international nutrient data” and “A scoping review of methods used to investigate relationships between dietary intake and the gastrointestinal microbiome,” reflect years of research and a passion for improving diet-microbiome research.
The first study focuses on compiling and standardising global amino acid data to create an Australian-specific database; an ambitious and technically complex task led by a team of CRE-TGH researchers based at the Hunter Medical Research Institute. Her second presentation explores how different studies have examined diet–microbiome links, highlighting major inconsistencies in dietary assessment and reporting that limit comparability. She explains “ I’m particularly passionate about improving this area, and I’ve suggested some recommendations for future researchers that I’d love to see implemented across the field.”
Having presented at NSA for the past two years, Nicole is no stranger to the conference community. “I always enjoy the opportunity to connect with researchers working across nutrition and microbiome science in Australia”, Nicole says. “This year, I’m especially looking forward to sharing the final findings of my PhD thesis and discussing where to go next in this space.” She is also preparing to present at the Australasian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association Inc (ANGMA) conference in Adelaide this November, where she’ll contribute to a dedicated diet–microbiome session.
As she approaches the final stages of her PhD, Nicole reflects on the journey so far.” I’m currently preparing my PhD thesis for submission in early 2026″ she says. “I’m in my final stages of analysis, writing and finalising manuscripts for publication, and it’s wonderful to see all my hard work finally coming together.”
Looking ahead, she’s eager to see her research applied beyond academia. “Post-PhD, I’d love to find a way to use what I’ve learned and ensure our findings can be translated into meaningful, real-world dietary advice,” she explains. “I’m also excited to explore postdoctoral opportunities globally that continue bridging diet and microbiome science in the space of mental well-being.”
Through her commitment to refining research methods and fostering collaboration, Nicole is helping the CRE-TGH build a stronger foundation for the next era of diet-microbiome research. We look forward to cheering her through the final steps of her PhD, and eagerly await her future contributions to global research in this area.