• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Microbiome Research Centre (MRC), St George Clinical Campus, UNSW Medicine & Health
• Research Ethics & Governance Officer, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD)

Dr Michelle Fitzmaurice is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Microbiome Research Centre (MRC), UNSW, and a Research Ethics & Governance Officer at South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD). She combines expertise in biomedical research, clinical trial operations, and ethics/governance frameworks, bringing a unique perspective that advances both scientific discovery and research integrity.

She holds a degree in Human Nutrition (Honours) and a PhD in Biochemistry (Ulster University, 2013), where her doctoral research focused on diabetes, biomarker discovery, and protein glycation.

After a sabbatical in industry, Dr Fitzmaurice returned to academia and now leads the  Healthy Optimal Australian Microbiome (HOAM) study, a national flagship initiative that defines the healthy microbiome and explores its role in major health conditions. She also contributes to the MothersBabies project, which investigates how the maternal microbiome shapes infant health and developmental programming.

Her collaborative research with Royal North Shore Hospital and Western Sydney University examines:

• Microbiome influences on breastfeeding pathologies

• Barriers to early breastfeeding uptake

• The impact of Australian quarantine policies on infant feeding outcomes

Broad Research Interests

• Human Microbiome and microbial therapeutics

• Diabetes and metabolic health

• Infant and maternal nutrition & developmental programming

• Biomarker discovery and protein glycation

• Research ethics, governance, and responsible innovation

Professional Memberships & Service

• Nutrition Society of Australia – Registered Nutritionist (2012–present)

• Australian Breastfeeding Association

  • Counsellor (2017–2024)

  • Trainer & Assessor (2021–2024)

Research Vision

Dr Fitzmaurice’s career is defined by bridging discovery and accountability. Her work not only advances knowledge in microbiome science, nutrition, and biomarkers but also strengthens the ethical and governance frameworks that underpin responsible research. By uniting these perspectives, she aims to accelerate the translation of microbiome-based discoveries into safe, effective, and socially responsible diagnostics and therapeutics, with a particular focus on metabolic diseases and maternal–infant health.