Edith Cowan University (ECU) medical and health researcher Dr Marc Sim has been selected as one of the outstanding early career researchers to receive a Western Australia 2023 Young Tall Poppy Science Award.
Senior Research Fellow at ECU’s Nutrition & Health Innovation Research Institute (NHIRI), Dr Sim has been recognised for his scientific achievements, engagement with the community and leadership.
The prestigious annual Young Tall Poppy Science Awards were created in 1998 by the Australian Institute of Policy & Science (AIPS) to recognise and celebrate Australian intellectual and scientific excellence and to encourage younger Australians to follow in the footsteps of our outstanding achievers.
Dr Sim was awarded for his research that aims to communicate and educate the public on the importance of nutrition for falls prevention.
His research program examines the role of diet, physical activity and its impact on disease progression, more specifically muscle function and bone structure, which are major risk factors for falls and fractures in older populations.
He explains that 1 in 3 older Australians living in the community experience a fall each year, with resulting fractures often compromising independence and quality of life.
“While no pharmaceutical interventions can preserve muscle function and thus prevent falls, emerging evidence indicate an important role for nutrition that requires urgent investigation,” said Dr Sim.
“I have demonstrated the importance of diet by identifying specific foods such as green leafy and cruciferous vegetables that enhance musculoskeletal health and lower falls risk.
“I am now exploring how nitrate and vitamin K1 from these vegetables optimise muscle function and bone structure.”
Power of nutrition at any age
Dr Sim explains his research involves community education talks and workshops delivered across Perth, including retirement villages and junior sporting organisations. The aim of this is to promote food literacy and communicate the importance of diet for muscle and bone health. In collaboration with Stay on your Feet (WA), he has also developed a cooking workshop aimed at providing community members with the skills and knowledge to prepare meals to support musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health.
Giving back
The Awards engage the winning ‘Tall Poppies’ in activities to promote interest in science among school students and teachers, as well as an understanding and appreciation of science in the broader community.
It has made significant achievements towards building a more publicly engaged scientific leadership in Australia.
Dr Sim is supported by Fellowships from the Future Health Research and Innovation Fund (WA) and the Royal Perth Hospital Research Foundation.
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