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ORIGINS

The ORIGINS Team is studying early environments and parental physical health and genetics to uncover when and why non-communicable diseases (NCDs) develop.

ORIGINS, The Kids & JHC logo lock-up

ORIGINS is the largest study of its kind in Australia, following 10,000 children, from their time in the womb, over a decade to improve child and adult health.

The unique long-term study is one of the most comprehensive studies of pregnant women and their families in Australia, recruiting families who are receiving pregnancy care or planning to deliver their baby at Joondalup Health Campus, as well as families from the Joondalup and Wanneroo communities.

ORIGINS is following the progress of pregnant women, their partners and babies for the first five years of the baby’s life, and beyond, with an increasing understanding that an individual’s lifetime health and disease may be programmed at a very early stage – while a child is still in the womb.

Our researchers are not only investigating the prevention of disease but also looking to discover how every child and family can reach their full potential.

The total ORIGINS population will consist of more than 20,000 individuals within family units - including mothers, partners, children and siblings.

Read more about ORIGINS 

Team leader

Co-Director, ORIGINS

Desiree Silva
Desiree Silva

MBBS, FRACP, MPH, PhD

Co-Head, ORIGINS

Team members (29)

Lisa Gibson
Lisa Gibson

BA (Hons), MPsych, PhD

Research Fellow, The ORIGINS Project

Zenobia Talati
Zenobia Talati

BSc(Hons), MPsych/PhD

Research Fellow

Nina D'Vaz

Nina D'Vaz

Biobank Manager, The ORIGINS Project

Andrea MacRae

Andrea MacRae

Research Officer

Avril Bezant

Avril Bezant

Research Assistant

Bailee Renouf

Bailee Renouf

Lab Technician

Claudia Gelly

Claudia Gelly

Data Assistant

Courtney Kidd

Courtney Kidd

Research & Biobank Assistant

Danella Ashwin

Danella Ashwin

Project Assistant

Emma Cooper

Emma Cooper

Research Assistant

Felicia Pereira

Felicia Pereira

Research Assistant

Georgia Chaplyn

Georgia Chaplyn

Research Assistant

James Lim

James Lim

Research Assistant

Jensen Pope

Jensen Pope

Data Entry Assistant

Jo Cole

Jo Cole

Research Assistant, Birth Team

Jodie Leslie

Jodie Leslie

Research Assistant

Josie White

Josie White

Research Coordinator

Lisa Porter

Lisa Porter

Research Assistant

Luke Cummins

Luke Cummins

Data Officer

Megan Kay Jones

Megan Kay Jones

Engagement Team Coordinator

Michaela Kraske

Michaela Kraske

Data Officer

Minda Amin

Minda Amin

Lab Technician

Natasha Simmons

Natasha Simmons

Communications Specialist

Nikki Chong

Nikki Chong

Honorary Research Fellow

Polly-Anna Taberer

Polly-Anna Taberer

Administration Officer

Poonam Pannu

Poonam Pannu

Project Officer

Rachel Hastings

Rachel Hastings

Honorary Research Fellow

Ruth Last

Ruth Last

Research Assistant

Dr Sarah Whalan

Dr Sarah Whalan

Data Coordinator

Cohort Profile: The ORIGINS pregnancy and birth cohort

Macronutrients in Human Milk and Early Childhood Growth—Is Protein the Main Driver?

Infant growth trajectories reflect current health status and may predict future obesity and metabolic diseases. Human milk is tailored to support optimal infant growth. However, nutrient intake rather than milk composition more accurately predicts growth outcomes. Although the role of protein leverage in infant growth is unclear, protein intake is important for early infancy growth.

Data resource profile: the ORIGINS project databank: a collaborative data resource for investigating the developmental origins of health and disease

The ORIGINS Project (“ORIGINS”) is a longitudinal, population-level birth cohort with data and biosample collections that aim to facilitate research to reduce non-communicable diseases and encourage ‘a healthy start to life’. ORIGINS has gathered millions of datapoints and over 400,000 biosamples over 15 timepoints, antenatally through to five years of age, from mothers, non-birthing partners and the child, across four health and wellness domains.

Influence of maternal and infant technology use and other family factors on infant development

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