Human Nutrition PhD student wins Canadian award
Congratulations to PhD student Kelsey Cochrane for being recognized by the Canadian Nutrition Society. She won the competitive 2024 PhD Dissertation Award!
Dr. Cochrane worked towards her PhD in LFS from 2018-2023 with supervisor Dr. Crystal Karakochuk. Her research in human nutrition allowed her to gain experience in clinical trials, and explore topics related to maternal nutrition, human milk, and disease prevention using supplementation.
As a PhD student she was particularly interested in comparing the health effects of folic acid supplementation in low-risk pregnant women. Adequate amounts of this nutrient in early pregnancy can safeguard against neural tube defects, and ensure proper brain and spine development in babies. As folic acid is now added to common foods such as milk and bread, she wanted to see the how this impacts Canadian women who take folic acid supplements during their pregnancies. She co-led the first published report to show the effects of 5-MTHF supplementation (natural form of folate) during pregnancy on blood folate status, finding that folate levels remained above the levels associated with maximal risk reduction of neural tube defects in all participants.
Prior to pursuing her PhD at UBC, Dr. Cochrane worked as Registered Dietitian in Saskatoon. She is now an Assistant Professor at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, and plans to continue research in the area of folic acid supplementation.