Jonathan Hodgson

Professor Jonathan Hodgson is the Director of the Nutrition & Health Innovation Research Institute at Edith Cowan University's School of Medical and Health Sciences. He holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from La Trobe University and a PhD from Monash University. His research is based at the Royal Perth Hospital Medical Research Foundation, focusing on randomized trials, observational epidemiology, and laboratory studies to understand how plant-based diets and specific compounds (e.g., nitrates, flavonoids) benefit vascular health and prevent cardiovascular disease.

His research interests center on dietary impacts on vascular biology, with emphasis on cardiovascular disease prevention, plant-derived nutrients (nitrates from leafy greens, flavonoids from fruits/tea), and sulfur compounds in cruciferous vegetables. Recent work explores links between diet and dementia, diabetes, frailty, and inflammatory markers in aging populations.

Publications (2023–2025) demonstrate strong trends in clinical nutrition and preventive health. Key themes include: (1) cruciferous vegetables improving glycemic control and vascular function, (2) dietary nitrates reducing dementia mortality and subclinical atherosclerosis, and (3) vitamin K and flavonoid roles in chronic disease prevention. Studies employ diverse methodologies, from food composition databases to randomized trials like the VESSEL study.

Awards:

• Nutrition Society of Australia Medal for Excellence in Nutrition Research (2013)

He leads interdisciplinary teams at the Nutrition & Health Innovation Research Institute, coordinating trials such as the Modification of Diet, Exercise and Lifestyle (MODEL) study. Collaborative projects involve vascular screening interventions, microbiome analysis, and dietary pattern assessments across global cohorts.