Jeff Beckett

Biography

Prior to commencing in his current position, Jeff completed his PhD at the School of Human Life Sciences, University of Tasmania before taking up a position as a Research Fellow within the School. Here he continued research into the trace element status of the Tasmanian population that was the focus of his PhD. He has also collaborated on research projects investigating the nutritional status in older Tasmanians, the bioactivity of native plants and the postprandial effects of food on cardiovascular risk factors, were he has developed clinical research skills to complement his laboratory science background. He has authored peer-reviewed publications in international nutrition journals and regularly presents his research at National Scientific meetings of the Nutrition Society of Australia.

Research Interest

Jeff's research aligns with the University's research theme of Better Health. Although varied, his work broadly seeks to understand issues in the area of nutrition and cardiovascular health that affect the health of the Tasmanian population, but which are also applicable to other populations. His early work explored the essential trace elements, where Tasmania has a history of insufficiency in iodine, focusing on selenium and zinc which have important roles to play in chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. As Tasmania's population ages, the issue of the health of its older residents will grow in importance and Jeff's research has extended to explore selenium, vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acid nutrition in this segment of the population. He has collaborated as part of a University of Tasmania research team with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation, investigating the bioactivity of the native Tasmanian Pepper Berry, a particularly rich source of antioxidants. He continues to collaborate with School of Health Science researchers on clinical trials investigating the effects of food and specific food components on post-prandial peripheral and central blood pressure, platelet aggregation, glucose, insulin and other measures. Within this cardiovascular focus, Jeff has conducted research into the effect of sodium and non-sodium salt alternatives on post-prandial blood pressure, and more recently has begun investigating the brand specific differences in sodium content in various food products on the market.