Elaine graduated from University College Cork with a BSc in Nutritional Sciences in 2012 and a PhD in Human Nutrition in 2016. Her PhD investigated associations between iron and growth and developmental outcomes in infants and young children in the Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study. Elaine began her postdoctoral training at the Cork Centre for Vitamin D and Nutrition Research on the European Commission funded ODIN integrated project on food-based strategies for vitamin D deficiency prevention, exploring the role of vitamin D in neurological development in childhood. Following this, Elaine diversified into the preterm nutrition space, working as co-investigator on the Science Foundation Ireland-funded PiNPoINT (Personalised Nutrition for the Preterm Infant) Study in the INFANT Research Centre.
Elaine’s research to date has been mainly in the field of maternal and paediatric nutrition, with a particular interest in the role of micronutrients, especially iron, in brain function and development in term and preterm infants. Her other main interest has been in the area of nutritional biomarker research, focusing on nutritional status diagnostic criteria and screening in vulnerable population groups. In 2020, she was awarded a prestigious Applying Research into Policy and Practice Fellowship from the Health Research Board in Ireland to develop a screening strategy for iron deficiency in pregnant women and infants.
Elaine has presented her work at multiple national and international scientific meetings and published peer-reviewed scientific journal articles in the areas of nutrition and human health. Elaine has received several awards for her research, including a British Nutrition Foundation Drummond Early Career Scientist Award in 2019 and the Nutrition Society Julie Wallace Award in 2021 for her research on iron deficiency in the first 1,000 days of life. She is a member of the Nutrition Society and American Society for Nutrition and holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from UCC.
Biography
Dr Elaine McCarthy is a Lecturer in Nutrition at the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, where she teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes on core nutrition topics including energy and nutrient metabolism, lifecycle nutrition, nutritional assessment and performance nutrition. She is a Lead Investigator at the INFANT Research Centre (https://www.infantcentre.ie/) and a Principal Investigator at the Cork Centre for Vitamin D and Nutrition Research.Elaine graduated from University College Cork with a BSc in Nutritional Sciences in 2012 and a PhD in Human Nutrition in 2016. Her PhD investigated associations between iron and growth and developmental outcomes in infants and young children in the Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study. Elaine began her postdoctoral training at the Cork Centre for Vitamin D and Nutrition Research on the European Commission funded ODIN integrated project on food-based strategies for vitamin D deficiency prevention, exploring the role of vitamin D in neurological development in childhood. Following this, Elaine diversified into the preterm nutrition space, working as co-investigator on the Science Foundation Ireland-funded PiNPoINT (Personalised Nutrition for the Preterm Infant) Study in the INFANT Research Centre.
Elaine’s research to date has been mainly in the field of maternal and paediatric nutrition, with a particular interest in the role of micronutrients, especially iron, in brain function and development in term and preterm infants. Her other main interest has been in the area of nutritional biomarker research, focusing on nutritional status diagnostic criteria and screening in vulnerable population groups. In 2020, she was awarded a prestigious Applying Research into Policy and Practice Fellowship from the Health Research Board in Ireland to develop a screening strategy for iron deficiency in pregnant women and infants.
Elaine has presented her work at multiple national and international scientific meetings and published peer-reviewed scientific journal articles in the areas of nutrition and human health. Elaine has received several awards for her research, including a British Nutrition Foundation Drummond Early Career Scientist Award in 2019 and the Nutrition Society Julie Wallace Award in 2021 for her research on iron deficiency in the first 1,000 days of life. She is a member of the Nutrition Society and American Society for Nutrition and holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from UCC.
Research Interests
- Iron - iron requirements during the lifecycle; role of iron in human health; development of novel strategies and dietary solutions to tackle iron deficiency.
- Maternal and paediatric nutrition – nutritional requirements for pregnant women, infants and young children; role of micronutrients in brain function, health and development of term and preterm infants.
- Nutritional biomarker research - focusing on nutritional status diagnostic criteria and screening in vulnerable population groups.
- Performance nutrition – nutrition knowledge and food choice in athletes; food-based approach to improving nutritional status of recreationally active individuals.
Research Grants
| Project | Funding Body | Start Date | End Date | Award | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Defficiency Assesent to Protect the Newborn Brain. | Health Research Board | 01-JAN-21 | 31-DEC-25 | €241,040.00 | |
| Meat Technology Centre | Enterprise Ireland | 01-DEC-23 | 28-FEB-26 | €322,445.00 | |
| Meat Technology Centre Hosting | Enterprise Irl | 01-DEC-21 | 30-NOV-26 | €285,933.00 |
Publications
Peer Reviewed Journals
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | 'Poor Quality Diets Characterized by Low-Nutrient Density Foods Observed in One-Quarter of 2-Year-Olds in a High Resource Setting' Hennessy Á;McCarthy EK;Ní Chaoimh C;Murray DM;Kiely ME; (2023) 'Poor Quality Diets Characterized by Low-Nutrient Density Foods Observed in One-Quarter of 2-Year-Olds in a High Resource Setting'. Journal of Nutrition, 153 (9) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2022) | 'Iron deficiency during the first 1,000 days of life: are we doing enough to protect the developing brain?' McCarthy, Elaine K.; Murray, Deirdre M.; Kiely, Mairead E. (2022) 'Iron deficiency during the first 1,000 days of life: are we doing enough to protect the developing brain?'. The Proceedings of The Nutrition Society, [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] | |
| (2021) | 'Behavioral consequences at 5 y of neonatal iron deficiency in a low-risk maternal-infant cohort' McCarthy, Elaine K.; Murray, Deirdre M.; Hourihane, Jonathan O’B.; Kenny, Louise C.; Irvine, Alan D.; Kiely, Mairead E. (2021) 'Behavioral consequences at 5 y of neonatal iron deficiency in a low-risk maternal-infant cohort'. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] | |
| (2021) | 'Eating behaviour, physical activity, TV exposure and sleeping habits in five year olds: a latent class analysis' Mattsson M;Murray DM;Kiely M;McCarthy FP;McCarthy EK;Biesma R;Boland F; (2021) 'Eating behaviour, physical activity, TV exposure and sleeping habits in five year olds: a latent class analysis'. BMC Pediatrics, 21 (1) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2021) | 'Iron, iodine and vitamin D deficiencies during pregnancy - epidemiology, risk factors and developmental impacts' Kiely, Mairead E.;McCarthy, Elaine K.;Hennessy, Áine (2021) 'Iron, iodine and vitamin D deficiencies during pregnancy - epidemiology, risk factors and developmental impacts'. The Proceedings of The Nutrition Society, [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] | |
| (2019) | 'The neonatal period: A missed opportunity for the prevention of iron deficiency and its associated neurological consequences?' McCarthy, Elaine K.; Kiely, Mairead E. (2019) 'The neonatal period: A missed opportunity for the prevention of iron deficiency and its associated neurological consequences?'. Nutrition Bulletin, [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] | |
| (2019) | 'Iron supplementation in preterm and low-birth-weight infants: a systematic review of intervention studies' McCarthy EK;Dempsey EM;Kiely ME; (2019) 'Iron supplementation in preterm and low-birth-weight infants: a systematic review of intervention studies'. Nutrition Reviews, 77 (12) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2018) | 'Antenatal Vitamin D Status Is Not Associated with Standard Neurodevelopmental Assessments at Age 5 Years in a Well-Characterized Prospective Maternal-Infant Cohort' McCarthy, Elaine K.; Malvisi, Lucio; Kiely, Mairead E.; Murray, Deirdre M.; Hourihane, Jonathan O'B.; Irvine, Alan D; Kenny, Louise C. (2018) 'Antenatal Vitamin D Status Is Not Associated with Standard Neurodevelopmental Assessments at Age 5 Years in a Well-Characterized Prospective Maternal-Infant Cohort'. Journal of Nutrition, 148 (10):1580-1586 [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] | |
| (2018) | 'Iron status, body size, and growth in the first 2 years of life' McCarthy, Elaine K.; ní Chaoimh, Carol; Kenny, Louise C.; Hourihane, Jonathan O'B.; Irvine, Alan D.; Murray, Deirdre M.; Kiely, Mairead E. (2018) 'Iron status, body size, and growth in the first 2 years of life'. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 14 (1) [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] | |
| (2018) | 'Low vitamin D deficiency in Irish toddlers despite northerly latitude and a high prevalence of inadequate intakes' ni Chaoimh, C;McCarthy, EK;Hourihane, JO;Kenny, LC;Irvine, AD;Murray, DM;Kiely, ME (2018) 'Low vitamin D deficiency in Irish toddlers despite northerly latitude and a high prevalence of inadequate intakes'. European Journal of Nutrition, 57 :783-794 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2017) | 'Microcytosis is associated with low cognitive outcomes in healthy 2-year-olds in a high-resource setting' McCarthy, Elaine K.; Kiely, Mairead E.; Hannon, Geraldine; Ahearne, Caroline; Kenny, Louise C.; Hourihane, Jonathan O’B; Irvine, Alan D.; Murray, Deirdre M. (2017) 'Microcytosis is associated with low cognitive outcomes in healthy 2-year-olds in a high-resource setting'. British Journal of Nutrition, 118 (5):360-367 [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] | |
| (2017) | 'Variation in iodine food composition data has a major impact on estimates of iodine intake in young children' Hennessy Á;Ní Chaoimh C;McCarthy EK;Kingston C;Irvine AD;Hourihane JO;Kenny LC;Murray DM;Kiely M; (2017) 'Variation in iodine food composition data has a major impact on estimates of iodine intake in young children'. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2017) | 'Iron intakes and status of 2-year-old children in the Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study' McCarthy, Elaine K.; ní Chaoimh, Carol; Hourihane, Jonathan O'B.; Kenny, Louise C.; Irvine, Alan D. Murray, Deirdre M.; Kiely, Mairead (2017) 'Iron intakes and status of 2-year-old children in the Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study'. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 13 (3) [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] | |
| (2016) | 'Impact of maternal, antenatal and birth-associated factors on iron stores at birth: data from a prospective maternal–infant birth cohort' McCarthy, Elaine K.; Kenny, Louise C.; Hourihane, Jonathan O'B.; Irvine, Alan D.; Murray, Deirdre M.; Kiely, Mairead E. (2016) 'Impact of maternal, antenatal and birth-associated factors on iron stores at birth: data from a prospective maternal–infant birth cohort'. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 71 :782-787 [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] | |
| (2015) | 'Vitamin D and muscle strength throughout the life course: a review of epidemiological and intervention studies' McCarthy, EK;Kiely, M (2015) 'Vitamin D and muscle strength throughout the life course: a review of epidemiological and intervention studies'. Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 28 :636-645 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2015) | 'Eating behaviour and weight status at 2 years of age: data from the Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study' McCarthy, Elaine K.; Ní Chaoimh, Carol E.; Murray, Deirdre M.; Hourihane, Jonathan O'B.; Kenny, Louise C.; Kiely, Mairead E. (2015) 'Eating behaviour and weight status at 2 years of age: data from the Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study'. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 69 :1356-1359 [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] |
Conference Publications
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2017) | 2nd Congress of joint European Neonatal Societies McCarthy EK and Kiely ME (2017) Effect of enteral iron supplementation on health outcomes in preterm and low birth weight infants: a systematic review 2nd Congress of joint European Neonatal Societies [Details] | |
| (2017) | Nutrition Society (Irish Section) Hennessy, A;Chaoimh, CN;McCarthy, EK;Ryan, E;Shanahan, C;Kiely, M (2017) Dietary patterns of 24-month old children and associated nutrient intakes and body weight status Nutrition Society (Irish Section) , pp.75-75 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2016) | Nutrition Society (Irish Section) ni Chaoimh, C;McCarthy, EK;Murray, DM;Kenny, LC;Irvine, AD;Hourihane, JO;Kiely, M (2016) Low prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Irish preschoolers despite northerly latitude and high prevalence of inadequate intakes Nutrition Society (Irish Section) , pp.213-213 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2016) | Nutrition Society (Irish Section) McCarthy, EK;Kenny, LC;Hourihane, JO;Irvine, AD;Murray, DM;Kiely, M (2016) Maternal, antenatal and birth-associated determinants of neonatal iron stores Nutrition Society (Irish Section) , pp.82-82 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2016) | Nutrition Society (Irish Section) Hennessy, A;Chaoimh, CN;McCarthy, EK;Kingston, C;Kiely, M (2016) The impact of variation in iodine food composition data on the estimates of iodine intake in Irish 2 year olds Nutrition Society (Irish Section) , pp.245-245 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2015) | Nutrition Society (Irish Section) McCarthy, EK,Murray, DM,Kenny, LC,Hourihane, JO,Kiely, M (2015) Early life determinants of muscle strength at five years of age Nutrition Society (Irish Section) , pp.220-220 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2014) | Nutrition Society (Irish Section) McCarthy, EK;Chaoimh, CN;Murray, DM;Kenny, LC;Hourihane, JO;Kiely, M (2014) Iron intakes and dietary sources in two year olds from the Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study Nutrition Society (Irish Section) , pp.61-61 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2014) | Nutrition Society (Irish Section) McCarthy, EK;Murray, DM;Kenny, LC;Hourihane, JO;Kiely, M (2014) Child eating behaviours are associated with weight status at two years of age Nutrition Society (Irish Section) , pp.52-52 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2014) | Vitamin D and Human Health Conference McCarthy EK, O’Donovan SM, Murray DM, Kenny LC, Hourihane JO’B, Kiely M. (2014) Concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in umbilical cord blood and achievement of gross motor outcomes in infants Vitamin D and Human Health Conference , pp.2759-2919 [Details] | |
| (2013) | Nutrition Society (Irish Section) Chaoimh, CN;McCarthy, EK;Murray, DM;Kenny, LC;Hourihane, JO;Irvine, AD;Lyons, J;Kiely, M (2013) Vitamin D intakes and dietary sources in children aged 2 yrs in the Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study Nutrition Society (Irish Section) , pp.113-113 [DOI] [Details] |
Professional Activities
Education
| Year | Institution | Qualification | Subject | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Institute of Performance Nutrition | Diploma in Sports Nutrition | Sports Nutrition | |
| 2021 | Institute of Leadership and Management | Professional Skills for Research Leaders | Leadership | |
| 2021 | University College Cork | Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education | Teaching and Learning | |
| 2016 | University College Cork | PhD | Human Nutrition | |
| 2012 | University College Cork | BSc (Hons) | Nutritional Sciences |
Employment
| Employer | Position | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| University College Cork | Lecturer in Nutrition | 01-JUL-20 / | |
| INFANT Research Centre | Postdoctoral Researcher | 01-JAN-17 / 30-JUN-20 | |
| Cork Centre for Vitamin D and Nutrition Research, University College Cork | Postdoctoral Researcher | 01-MAR-16 / 31-DEC-16 |
Honours and Awards
| Year | Title | Awarding Body | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Nutrition Society Julie Wallace Award | Nutrition Society | |
| 2019 | British Nutrition Foundation Drummond Early Career Scientist Award | British Nutrition Foundation | |
| 2019 | International Union of Nutrition Sciences Travel Bursary | International Union of Nutrition Sciences | |
| 2016 | Nutrition Society Travel Bursary | Nutrition Society | |
| 2015 | Michael C Berndt Medal for Research Innovation | College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork | |
| 2014 | Safefood Travel Bursary | Safefood | |
| 2008 | College of Science, Engineering and Food Science Scholarship | University College Cork |
Professional Associations
| Association | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nutrition Society | Member | 01-SEP-12 / |
Conference Contributions
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2019) | UK-Ireland Neonatal Nutrition Network (N-3) Study Day, McCarthy EK, Dempsey EM and Kiely ME (2019) Iron supplementation in preterm and low birth weight infants: a systematic review of intervention studies. [Poster Presentation], UK-Ireland Neonatal Nutrition Network (N-3) Study Day, London, England . [Details] | |
| (2019) | 6th International Conference on Nutrition and Growth, McCarthy EK, Murray DM, Kenny LC, Hourihane JO’B, Irvine AD and Kiely ME (2019) Neurological consequences of neonatal iron deficiency in high-risk children. [Oral Presentation], 6th International Conference on Nutrition and Growth, Valencia, Spain . [Details] | |
| (2019) | 13th European Nutrition Conference FENS, McCarthy EK, Murray DM, Kenny LC, Hourihane JO’B, Irvine AD and Kiely ME (2019) Long-lasting behavioural consequences of neonatal iron deficiency in high-risk children. [Poster Presentation], 13th European Nutrition Conference FENS, Dublin, Ireland . [Details] | |
| (2017) | ODIN Vitamin D & Health in Europe: current and future perspectives, McCarthy EK, Murray DM, Kenny LC, Hourihane JO’B, Irvine AD and Kiely ME (2017) Maternal and neonatal vitamin D status and neurodevelopmental outcomes at age five years. [Oral Presentation], ODIN Vitamin D & Health in Europe: current and future perspectives, Cork, Ireland . [Details] | |
| (2016) | 3rd International Conference on Nutrition and Growth, McCarthy EK, Hourihane JO’B, Kenny LC, Irvine AD, Murray DM and Kiely M (2016) Early life determinants of serum ferritin concentrations at birth. [Oral Presentation], 3rd International Conference on Nutrition and Growth, Vienna, Austria . [Details] | |
| (2016) | 3rd International Conference on Nutrition and Growth, McCarthy EK, ní Chaoimh C, Hourihane JO’B, Kenny LC, Irvine AD, Murray DM and Kiely M (2016) Iron intakes and status of two year old Irish children. [Oral Presentation], 3rd International Conference on Nutrition and Growth, Vienna, Austria . [Details] | |
| (2016) | 6th Congress of the European Academy of Paediatric Societies, McCarthy EK, Hannon G, Ahearne C, Kenny LC, Hourihane JO’B, Irvine AD, Kiely M and Murray DM (2016) Low mean corpuscular volume and sub-optimal ferritin concentrations, without anaemia, are associated with decreased cognitive function at two years in a high-resource setting. [Oral Presentation], 6th Congress of the European Academy of Paediatric Societies, Geneva, Switzerland . [Details] | |
| (2014) | 2nd International Conference on Nutrition and Growth, McCarthy EK, ní Chaoimh C, Murray DM, Kenny LC, Hourihane JO’B and Kiely M (2014) Iron fortified foods contribute to adequacy of iron intakes in toddlers without compromising dietary intakes or body weight status. [Poster Presentation], 2nd International Conference on Nutrition and Growth, Barcelona, Spain . [Details] |
Journal Activities
| Journal | Role | To / From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition | Referee | - | |
| The Journal Of Nutrition | Referee | - | |
| European Journal Of Nutrition | Referee | - | |
| European Journal Of Clinical Nutrition | Referee | - | |
| Acta Paediatrica | Referee | - | |
| The Journal Of Pediatrics | Referee | - | |
| Maternal & Child Nutrition | Referee | - |
Teaching Activities
Current Postgraduate Students
| Student | Degree Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Leen Smith Ben | Doctoral Degree |
Contact details
-
Lecturer in Nutrition - elaine.mccarthy@ucc.ie
- School of Food and Nutritional Sciences
Food Science Building
University College Cork - +353-21-4902382