معرفی
Professor Mary Ward is a Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at the School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, based at the Coleraine campus. Her research focuses on B-vitamin metabolism, gene-nutrient interactions, and their implications for cardiovascular health, bone health, and pregnancy outcomes. She leads studies at the Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE) and serves as Deputy Director of the Wellcome Trust-Wolfson Northern Ireland Clinical Research Facility.
Her academic career includes a BSc from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD from Ulster University. Ward has secured over £4M in research funding, published over 50 papers in top journals, and pioneered discoveries like the role of riboflavin in modulating blood pressure in MTHFR gene variant carriers (Patent EP2139488).
Her research spans controlled dietary interventions, with a focus on B-vitamin requirements across health conditions (e.g., CVD, cognitive decline, coeliac disease). Teaching responsibilities include Course Director for the BSc Honours Dietetics program.
Recent studies include the TUDA cohort analysis of aging populations, exploring links between B-vitamins, bone health, and chronic disease. Collaborations include the Nutrition Society (Irish Section, former Chair) and industry partnerships.
