Professor Jolieke van der Pols

Biography

Professor Jolieke van der Pols graduated from Wageningen University in The Netherlands with a MSc in Human Nutrition in 1993. During her studies and subsequent work she carried out research in West-Africa (République du Bénin), at the National Public Health Institute of The Netherlands, in Egypt (WHO East Mediterranean Regional Office), London (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine), and Cambridge (MRC Dunn Nutrition Unit/Human Nutrition Research). In the year 2000, she obtained her PhD from The University of Cambridge, after which she moved to Brisbane to work at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research and later The University of Queensland. Jolieke has worked at the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences QUT since early 2017. Her research has been funded by the World Cancer Research Fund, Cancer Council Queensland, NHMRC, European Commission, among other sources.

In recent years, Jolieke has been involved in a number of international working groups with the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and UNEP on the assessment of health and environmental impacts of foods and diets using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. One of the reports is available at this link.

Current roles:

• Program Lead Food Innovation, Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy
• Deputy Program Lead Novel Ingredients, Food and Beverage Accelerator Commonwealth Government Trailblazer Program
• Academic Lead Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
• Regulation Industry Working Group Member, Cellular Agriculture Australia
• Associate Editor, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
• Chair, Sustainable Diets and Food Systems Special Interest Group, Nutrition Society of Australia

Particular topics of current research interest and activities include:

• Sustainable diets and sustainable food systems
• Life cycle assessment
• Micronutrients (in particular vitamin D, folate, iron)
• Nutrition and cancer
• Clinical trials
• Food innovation (precision fermentation)

Teaching: Jolieke obtained a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education from The University of Queensland, and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Authority (UK). She is passionate about authentic student engagement, and use of new technologies in active learning and teaching. She has received a number of Teaching Excellence awards in recent years.

PhD/MPhil supervision: PhD or MPhil projects are available for domestic and international students on the the topic of sustainable diets and sustainable food systems--please email Jolieke with a full CV to discuss current opportunities.