ABOUT DR MARGIE SMITH
Dr Margie Smith has contributed to Chapter 8: Genetics and Epigenetics, Advanced Clinical Naturopathic Medicine.
Dr. Margie Smith is a Molecular Geneticist with over 30 years’ experience in Neuro-genetics and Cancer genetics. She has worked in major teaching hospitals in New Zealand and Australia. Specifically Margie developed diagnostic tests for families affected by early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and diagnostic screening for heritable breast and breast/ovarian cancer.
Working with an American based company Transgenomics Margie established high throughout genetic analysis using WAVE Technology. This enabled breast cancer screening to be used in diagnostic laboratories in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
Margie has published in the areas of both cancer and neurogenetics and she has recently contributed to the publication Dementia.
In 2009, Margie became the co-founder of a Nutritional Genomics company called smartDNA. This company has established affordable, Predictive and Preventative Nutrition based genetic testing for practitioners and their clients. This Nutritional profiling is personalised and covers a number of health areas including cardiovascular profiling.
In 2014, smartDNA has developed a smart GUT Test looking at the human Microbiome. SmartDNA has developed the first curated human microbiome database in Australia for researchers and commercial entities to access.
Harlequin Publishing approached Dr. Margie Smith to write a book on Personalised Medicine and Nutritional Genomics for the general public. Gene Genius was published in September 2015.
Over two years ago smartDNA established smartLAB in the translational facility at Monash MHTP in Clayton. The laboratory offers a range of services from DNA extractions, Genomic Analysis, Clinical Trials, Bioinformatics, Product validation, Research and Development.
In 2019 smartDNA published its patent microbiome approach to diagnosing IBS subtypes and Autism. This will enable the identification of specific bacteria associated with each IBS subtype and those on the Autism spectrum. Importantly it enables continuous monitoring of the individual.
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ABOUT DR RHONA CREEGAN
Dr Rhona Creegan has contributed to Chapter 8: Genetics and Epigenetics, Advanced Clinical Naturopathic Medicine.
Dr Rhona Creegan is a Nutritional Biochemist/Consultant with extensive experience in clinical biochemistry, molecular genetics and nutrition. She has worked as a Senior Medical Scientist in major teaching hospitals in the United Kingdom and Australia in both clinical biochemistry and diagnostic molecular genetics laboratories. Rhona has completed formal studies in Nutrition Medicine and as a PhD researcher she investigated abnormal lipid metabolism in Alzheimer’s disease. She has a nutrition medicine consulting business (Omega Nutrition Health), working adjunct to conventional medicine to optimise health with targeted functional testing, nutrition and lifestyle plans. This integrated approach aims to determine the root cause of common, chronic health issues affecting digestion, mood disorders, hormone balance, fatigue, weight management and metabolic disorders. Rhona has an interest in mitochondria signalling pathways and the impact on the immune system and how this contributes to chronic disease. She is an educator, researcher and consultant to industry and a published author in the areas of nutritional biochemistry, genetics and nutrition. As the Education Chair for the Australasian Academy of Anti-Ageing Medicine she writes and delivers educational programs for GPs, Pharmacists and allied health practitioners in the field of Integrative and Functional Medicine.
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