Staff Profiles

Dr Anne Mullen

Contact Details

Lecturer Above The Bar
College of Science & Engineering
University of Galway
Galway
E: anne.mullen@universityofgalway.ie

Biography

Anne is a nutrition scientist with a PhD in molecular nutrition from Trinity College Dublin and postdoctoral experience at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on a complementary feeding project of HIV exposed infants in Zambia. Anne was a Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences in King's College London and researched HIV lipodystrophy syndrome in London and an intervention for acute malnutrition among HIV positive children and adults in Uganda. As Director of Nutrition at the Dairy Council for Great Britain, Anne provided evidence-based information to citizens, health professionals, researchers, food industry and politicians on milk, dairy, nutrition and health. Anne was the launch Chief Editor of the Nature Research Portfolio journal, Nature Food. As Chief Editor, Anne organised and/or moderated sessions and side-events at the UN Food Systems Summit Science Days, the FAO Science and Innovation Forum, Nutrition for Growth Summit and the International Congress of Nutrition in 2021 and 2022.

Anne is a Lecturer in Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in the Ryan Institute and Sustainable World Section of the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences. Her interests are in sustainable food systems that support nutrition security for all, empowerment of citizens in food systems transformation, and science communication for citizens and political decision makers.

ORCID: 0000-0003-2973-1109

Research Interests

I study nutrition security and sustainable food systems.

Global food systems produce one third of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to biodiversity loss and environmental pollution. Though global food systems have enabled more affordable diets, they have had less favourable outcomes for nutrition, inclusivity and equity. The urgency for food systems transformation is irrefutable and must extend beyond technological fixes to socio-technological innovation, and beyond food production to processing, distribution, consumption, waste and circularity. The food systems approach is preferred as it offers greater inclusivity and democracy among stakeholders, enhances citizen sovereignty, and addresses power concentrations that characterise contemporary systems, which are said to be failing human and planetary health.

Fork to farm: Citizens have powerful agency in food systems to effect societal change and influence policy. A major challenge we identify is the underutilization of household and citizen agency in national toolkits to reduce emissions and environmental impacts of the food sector. Our research investigates elements of the household and citizen food environments that can be targeted with technological, financial or social innovation to enable more health, sustainable diets - and we have a particular interest in the international movement of food, dietary practices and people.

International nutrition: I am an affiliate investigator on Leg4Dev (www.leg4dev.org; Malawi, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Zambia) and EcoFoodSystems (www.ecofoodsystems.org; Ethiopia, Colombia and Vietnam), advising on nutrition - particularly with respect to maternal and child nutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and diet-related non-communicable chronic diseases. I have worked on nutrient fortification and supplementation in clinical and population studies among infants, young children and adults in Zambia, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Science communication: I worked in science communication in the private sector for 8 years. As director of nutrition in a trade association and as chief editor of a scientific journal, I developed communication strategies and tools for the public, policymakers, food industry, health professionals and the science community.

Peer Reviewed Journals

	Year	Publication
	(2017)	'Conjugated Linoleic Acid Isomers Exert Differential Effects on an Adipocyte Model of HIV-associated Lipodystrophy' Cathriona R. Loonam, Sandra D. O¿Dell, Paul A. Sharp, Anne Mullen (2017) 'Conjugated Linoleic Acid Isomers Exert Differential Effects on an Adipocyte Model of HIV-associated Lipodystrophy'. Current HIV Research, 15 (1):46-55 [Details]
	(2016)	'Micronutrient adequacy and dietary diversity exert positive and distinct effects on linear growth in urban Zambian infants' Simonette R Mallard, Lisa A Houghton, Suzanne Filteau, Molly Chisenga, Joshua Siame, Lackson Kasonka, Anne Mullen, Rosalind S Gibson (2016) 'Micronutrient adequacy and dietary diversity exert positive and distinct effects on linear growth in urban Zambian infants'. Journal Of Nutrition, 146 (10):2093-2101 [DOI] [Details]
	(2016)	'The role of exercise, milk, dairy foods and constituent proteins on the prevention and management of sarcopenia' Lydia AM Cooper, Sarah L Brown, Erica Hocking, Anne C Mullen (2016) 'The role of exercise, milk, dairy foods and constituent proteins on the prevention and management of sarcopenia'. International Journal Of Dairy Technology, 69 (1):13-21 [DOI] [Details]
	(2016)	'Microarray Analysis Reveals Altered Lipid and Glucose Metabolism Genes in Differentiated, Ritonavir-Treated 3T3-L1 Adipocytes' Cathriona R. Loonam, Sandra D. O¿Dell, Paul A. Sharp, Anne Mullen (2016) 'Microarray Analysis Reveals Altered Lipid and Glucose Metabolism Genes in Differentiated, Ritonavir-Treated 3T3-L1 Adipocytes'. Current HIV Research, 14 (1):37-46 [Details]
	(2015)	'Obesity and the gastrointestinal microbiota: a review of associations and mechanisms' Catherine Graham, Anne Mullen, Kevin Whelan (2015) 'Obesity and the gastrointestinal microbiota: a review of associations and mechanisms'. Obesity Reviews, 73 (6):376-385 [DOI] [Details]
	(2014)	'Dietary Diversity at 6 Months of Age Is Associated with Subsequent Growth and Mediates the Effect of Maternal Education on Infant Growth in Urban Zambia' Simonette R Mallard, Lisa A Houghton, Suzanne Filteau, Anne Mullen, Johanna Nieuwelink, Molly Chisenga, Joshua Siame, Rosalind S Gibson (2014) 'Dietary Diversity at 6 Months of Age Is Associated with Subsequent Growth and Mediates the Effect of Maternal Education on Infant Growth in Urban Zambia'. Journal Of Nutrition, 144 (11):1818-1825 [DOI] [Details]
	(2012)	'Nutrition and the HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome' Cathriona R Loonam, Anne Mullen (2012) 'Nutrition and the HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome'. Nutrition Research Reviews, 25 (2):267-287 [DOI] [Details]
	(2012)	'The effects of micronutrient-fortified complementary/replacement food on intestinal permeability and systemic markers of inflammation among maternally HIV-exposed and unexposed Zambian infants' Anne Mullen, Laura Gosset, Natasha Larke, Daniela Manno, Molly Chisenga, Lackson Kasonka, Suzanne Filteau (2012) 'The effects of micronutrient-fortified complementary/replacement food on intestinal permeability and systemic markers of inflammation among maternally HIV-exposed and unexposed Zambian infants'. British Journal Of Nutrition, 107 (6):893-902 [Details]
	(2011)	'A micronutrient-fortified food enhances iron and selenium status of Zambian infants but has limited efficacy on zinc' Rosalind S Gibson, Emmanuel Kafwembe, Sydney Mwanza, Laura Gosset, Karl B Bailey, Anne Mullen, Kathy Baisley, Suzanne Filteau (2011) 'A micronutrient-fortified food enhances iron and selenium status of Zambian infants but has limited efficacy on zinc'. Journal Of Nutrition, 141 (5):935-943 [Details]
	(2010)	'Anti-inflammatory effects of EPA and DHA are dependent upon time and dose-response elements associated with LPS stimulation in THP-1-derived macrophages' Anne Mullen, Christine E Loscher, Helen M Roche (2010) 'Anti-inflammatory effects of EPA and DHA are dependent upon time and dose-response elements associated with LPS stimulation in THP-1-derived macrophages'. Journal Of Nutritional Biochemistry, 21 (5):444-450 [DOI] [Details]
	(2010)	'Micronutrient fortification to improve growth and health of maternally HIV-unexposed and exposed Zambian infants: a randomised controlled trial' Chilenje Infant Growth, Nutrition and Infection Study (CIGNIS) team (2010) 'Micronutrient fortification to improve growth and health of maternally HIV-unexposed and exposed Zambian infants: a randomised controlled trial'. Plos One, 5 (6) [DOI] [Details]
	(2007)	'Docosahexaenoic acid induces an anti-inflammatory profile in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human THP-1 macrophages more effectively than eicosapentaenoic acid' Sinéad M Weldon, Anne C Mullen, Christine E Loscher, Lisa A Hurley, Helen M Roche (2007) 'Docosahexaenoic acid induces an anti-inflammatory profile in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human THP-1 macrophages more effectively than eicosapentaenoic acid'. Journal Of Nutritional Biochemistry, 18 (4):250-258 [DOI] [Details]
	(2007)	'Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation reduces peripheral blood mononuclear cell interleukin-2 production in healthy middle-aged males' A Mullen, F Moloney, AP Nugent, L Doyle, KD Cashman, HM Roche (2007) 'Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation reduces peripheral blood mononuclear cell interleukin-2 production in healthy middle-aged males'. Journal Of Nutritional Biochemistry, 18 (10):658-666 [DOI] [Details]
	(2006)	'Eicosapentaenoic acid and 3, 10 dithia stearic acid inhibit the desaturation of trans-vaccenic acid into cis-9, trans-11-conjugated linoleic acid through different pathways in Caco-2 and T84 cells' Renaville Bénédicte, Anne Mullen, Fiona Moloney, Yvan Larondelle, Yves-Jacques Schneider, Helen M Roche (2006) 'Eicosapentaenoic acid and 3, 10 dithia stearic acid inhibit the desaturation of trans-vaccenic acid into cis-9, trans-11-conjugated linoleic acid through different pathways in Caco-2 and T84 cells'. British Journal Of Nutrition, 95 (4):688-695 [DOI] [Details]
	(2005)	'Effect of dietary supplementation with conjugated linoleic acid on markers of calcium and bone metabolism in healthy adult men' L Doyle, C Jewell, A Mullen, AP Nugent, HM Roche, KD Cashman (2005) 'Effect of dietary supplementation with conjugated linoleic acid on markers of calcium and bone metabolism in healthy adult men'. European Journal Of Clinical Nutrition, 59 (3):432-440 [DOI] [Details]
	(2004)	'Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation, insulin sensitivity, and lipoprotein metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus' Fiona Moloney, Toh-Peng Yeow, Anne Mullen, John J Nolan, Helen M Roche (2004) 'Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation, insulin sensitivity, and lipoprotein metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus'. American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition, 80 (4):887-895 [DOI] [Details]

Committees

Committee	Function	From / To
Student Recruitment and Public Engagement	Representative for the Ryan Institute	/
Research and Innovation Committee, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences	Member	/
Research Ethics Committe, University of Galway	Member	/

Employment

Employer	Position	From / To
Springer Nature	Chief Editor, Nature Food	14-JAN-19 / 06-JAN-23
University of Galway	Lecturer in Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security	16-JAN-23 /
King's College London	Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences	14-APR-08 / 15-AUG-14
Dairy UK	Director of Nutrition, The Dairy Council for Great Britain	18-AUG-14 / 08-JUN-18
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine	Research Fellow, Epidemiology and Population Health	05-SEP-05 / 11-APR-08

Education

Year	Institution	Qualification	Subject
2006	Trinity College Dublin	PhD	Molecular Nutrition, Clinical Medicine
2010	King's College London	PG Cert	Academic Practice
2002	Trinity College Dublin	BSc	Human Nutrition and Dietetics

Modules Taught

Term/Year	Module Title	Module Code
23/24	Climate Change, Agricultural & Global Food Security	PAB5101
23/24	Climate Change, Agriculture, Nutrition & Global Health	PAB5102
23/24	Gender, Agriculture & Climate Change	PAB5104
23/24	How to write a Peer-Reviewed Sustainability Primary Research Article	PAB5129
23/24	Current Topics in Plant & AgriBiosciences	PAB4106
23/24	Food Systems, Diets, Nutrition & Technology	PAB5122