We collaborate with local and international industry, community and other university groups to address critical public health issues and deliver innovative programs that transform lives.

Our people

Our team of award winning, world-class researchers bring together their diverse strengths to tackle today’s most pressing health challenges.

Meet our people

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Behaviour, Environment and Cognition Research Program

The Behaviour, Environment and Cognition Research Program explores the interaction between urban environments and physical and cognitive health.

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Bone Health and Fractures Research Program

The Bone Health and Fractures Research Program has a strong focus on improving fracture prediction and identifying novel prevention and treatment strategies for osteoporosis.

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Exercise and Nutrition Research Program

The Exercise and Nutrition Research Program investigates the roles of exercise and diet in the prevention of chronic lifestyle-related diseases.

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News and events

Time-restricted feeding improves health without altering the body's core clock

17 November 2020

When it comes to metabolic health, it's not just what you eat, it's when you eat it. New ACU research has added to the growing body of evidence showing how time-restricted feeding can improve health e...

Don't swallow outdated marathon nutrition advice

9 November 2020

Carb loading in the week before a marathon is an old school approach and not the ideal way to prepare for an endurance event according to exercise physiologist Andy King.

Could time-restricted eating be the key to curbing the diabetes epidemic?

29 October 2020

There’s good news for more than one million Australians who have type 2 diabetes with new ACU research starting to tease apart how changing the time you eat might benefit your health.

Potatoes do not need to be off-limits if you have type 2 diabetes, ACU research

21 October 2020

Whether baked, mashed, fried, boiled, or steamed, potatoes are one of the most popular foods in Aussie diets, but the humble spud is a carbohydrate-based food that people with type 2 diabetes are typi...

Special high-carb drinks offer little performance advantage or gut relief

19 August 2020

Both elite and amateur athletes would get better performance bang for their buck using traditional carbohydrate drinks/sports foods rather than costly hydrogel drinks, according to ACU researchers who...

International research collaborations to improve public health in built environments

26 June 2020

Ester Cerin, program leader of the Behaviour, Environment and Cognition Research Program at the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research (MMIHR) at ACU, has been awarded more than $680,000 as part...

Featured projects

MMIHR project - exercise therapy

Exercise therapy

Men with prostate cancer experience increased rates of mental health issues. This project examines whether exercise aids the management of mental health issues in men with cancer.

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Built environment and physical activity

We’re supporting the International Physical Activity and the Environment Network (IPEN) Adolescent study, which explores how the built environment affects physical activity and obesity in teenagers.

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Greenery and mental health

Mental health issues are common in residential aged care facilities. This project investigates whether exposing new residents to greenery may protect them against declining wellbeing.

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MMIHR research - epigenetic control

Epigenetic control and the circadian clock

We are collaborating with the University of Copenhagen, Karolinska Institute and the University of Carolina to further understand the benefits of exercise for people with type 2 diabetes.

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Get in touch

Level 5, 215 Spring Street,
Melbourne, VIC, 3000

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Call (03) 9230 8110
Email mackillopinstitute@acu.edu.au