Dr Emma Vlasiuk, Our people, University of Otago, Christchurch

Research Fellow

BBiomedSc(Hons) PhD (Otago)

Email emma.vlasiuk@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 364 1648

Research interests

Dr Emma Vlasiuk is involved in clinical studies investigating the bioavailability and potential health effects of vitamin C.

Health Research Open Day Lecture

Watch Dr Vlasiuk's short presentation from the UOC Health Research Open Day in September 2016 on her PhD research which targeted cancer cells with compounds from nature.

Affiliations

Otago Profile

Emma Spencer's search for the perfect place for postgraduate biomedical study led her straight to Otago's door. See more...

Publications

Carr, A. C., Vlasiuk, E., Zawari, M., & Lunt, H. (2024). Understanding the additional impact of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus on vitamin C requirements in people living with obesity. Nutrition Research. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2024.08.001 Journal - Research Article

Vlasiuk, E., Zawari, M., Whitehead, R., Williman, J., & Carr, A. C. (2024). A high vitamin C micronutrient supplement is unable to attenuate inflammation in people with metabolic syndrome but may improve metabolic health indices: A randomised controlled trial. Antioxidants, 13(4), 404. doi: 10.3390/antiox13040404 Journal - Research Article

Vlasiuk, E., Zawari, M., Storer, M., Maze, M. J., Williman, J., Chambers, S. T., & Carr, A. C. (2024). SunGold kiwifruit consumption restores adequate to optimal vitamin C status in people with a history of severe respiratory infections. Antioxidants, 13, 272. doi: 10.3390/antiox13030272 Journal - Research Article

Carr, A. C., Vlasiuk, E., Zawari, M., Scott-Thomas, A., Storer, M., Maze, M., & Chambers, S. T. (2023). Low vitamin C concentrations in patients with community-acquired pneumonia resolved with pragmatic administration of intravenous and oral vitamin C. Antioxidants, 12, 1610. doi: 10.3390/antiox12081610 Journal - Research Article

Carr, A. C., Bradley, H. A., Vlasiuk, E., Pierard, H., Beddow, J., & Rucklidge, J. J. (2023). Inflammation and vitamin C in women with prenatal depression and anxiety: Effect of multinutrient supplementation. Antioxidants, 12, 941. doi: 10.3390/antiox12040941 Journal - Research Article

2024

Journal - Research Article

2023

Journal - Research Article

Lunt, H., Carr, A. C., Heenan, H. F., Vlasiuk, E., Zawari, M., Prickett, T., & Frampton, C. (2023). People with diabetes and hypovitaminosis C fail to conserve urinary vitamin C. Journal of Clinical & Translational Endocrinology, 31, 100316. doi: 10.1016/j.jcte.2023.100316

2022

Journal - Research Article

Rosengrave, P. C., Wohlrab, C., Spencer, E., Williman, J., Shaw, G., & Carr, A. C. (2022). Effect of intravenous vitamin C on arterial blood gas analyser and Accu-Chek point-of-care glucose monitoring in critically ill patients. Critical Care & Resuscitation, 24(2), 175-182. doi: 10.51893/2022.2.Oa7

Vlasiuk, E., Rosengrave, P., Roberts, E., Boden, J. M., Shaw, G., & Carr, A. C. (2022). Critically ill septic patients have elevated oxidative stress biomarkers: Lack of attenuation by parenteral vitamin C. Nutrition Research, 108, 53-59. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2022.10.010

Carr, A. C., Vlasiuk, E., Zawari, M., Meijer, N., Lauren, C., MacPherson, S., Williman, J., & Chambers, S. T. (2022). Supplementation with oral vitamin C prior to and during myeloablative chemotherapy and autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A pilot study. Antioxidants, 11(10), 1949. doi: 10.3390/antiox11101949

Carr, A. C., Spencer, E., Heenan, H., Lunt, H., Vollebregt, M., & Prickett, T. C. R. (2022). Vitamin C status in people with types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus and varying degrees of renal dysfunction: Relationship to body weight. Antioxidants, 11(2), 245. doi: 10.3390/antiox11020245

Rosengrave, P., Spencer, E., Williman, J., Mehrtens, J., Morgan, S., Doyle, T., Van Der Heyden, K., … Shaw, G., & Carr, A. C. (2022). Intravenous vitamin C administration to patients with septic shock: A pilot randomised controlled trial. Critical Care, 26(1), 26. doi: 10.1186/s13054-022-03900-w

Spencer, E., Rosengrave, P., Williman, J., Shaw, G., & Carr, A. C. (2022). Circulating protein carbonyls are specifically elevated in critically ill patients with pneumonia relative to other sources of sepsis. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 179, 208-212. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2021.11.029

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Heenan, H., Lunt, H., Carr, A., Spencer, E., Vollebregt, M., & Prickett, T. C. R. (2022). Urinary vitamin C excretion is inappropriately elevated in people with hypovitaminosis C and diabetes. Proceedings of the 45th New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD) Annual Scientific Meeting. (pp. 50). Retrieved from https://www.ivvy.com.au/event/NZSSD22/welcome.html

2021

Journal - Research Article

Carr, A. C., Bozonet, S., Pullar, J., Spencer, E., Rosengrave, P., & Shaw, G. (2021). Neutrophils isolated from septic patients exhibit elevated uptake of vitamin C and normal intracellular concentrations despite a low vitamin C milieu. Antioxidants, 10(10), 1607. doi: 10.3390/antiox10101607

Pearson, A. G., Pullar, J. M., Cook, J., Spencer, E. S., Vissers, M. C. M., Carr, A. C., & Hampton, M. B. (2021). Peroxiredoxin 2 oxidation reveals hydrogen peroxide generation within erythrocytes during high-dose vitamin C administration. Redox Biology, 43, 101980. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2021.101980

Other Research Output

Carr, A., Rosengrave, P., & Spencer, E. (2021, May). Nutrition in medicine: To C or not to C (what clinical trials are telling us). UOC Research Seminar Series, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. [Research Presentation].

2020

Journal - Research Article

Spencer, E. S., Pitcher, T., Veron, G., Hannam, T., MacAskill, M., Anderson, T., Dalrymple-Alford, J., & Carr, A. C. (2020). Positive association of ascorbate and inverse association of urate with cognitive function in people with Parkinson’s disease. Antioxidants, 9(10), 1-13. doi: 10.3390/antiox9100906

Conner, T. S., Fletcher, B. D., Haszard, J. J., Pullar, J. M., Spencer, E., Mainvil, L. A., & Vissers, M. C. M. (2020). KiwiC for vitality: Results of a placebo-controlled trial testing the effects of kiwifruit or vitamin C tablets on vitality in adults with low vitamin C levels. Nutrients, 12, 2898. doi: 10.3390/nu12092898

White, R., Nonis, M., Pearson, J. F., Burgess, E., Morrin, H. R., Pullar, J. M., Spencer, E., Vissers, M. C. M., Robinson, B. A., & Dachs, G. U. (2020). Low vitamin C status in patients with cancer is associated with patient and tumor characteristics. Nutrients, 12(8), 2338. doi: 10.3390/nu12082338

Carr, A. C., Spencer, E., Mackle, D., Hunt, A., Judd, H., Mehrtens, J., … Beaumont, M., Kaur, S., … Young, P. J. (2020). The effect of conservative oxygen therapy on systemic biomarkers of oxidative stress in critically ill patients. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 160, 13-18. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.06.018

Carr, A. C., Spencer, E., Das, A., Meijer, N., Lauren, C., MacPherson, S., & Chambers, S. T. (2020). Patients undergoing myeloablative chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation exhibit depleted vitamin C status in association with febrile neutropenia. Nutrients, 12(6), 1879. doi: 10.3390/nu12061879

Carr, A. C., Spencer, E., Hoskin, T. S., Rosengrave, P., Kettle, A. J., & Shaw, G. (2020). Circulating myeloperoxidase is elevated in septic shock and is associated with systemic organ failure and mortality in critically ill patients. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 152, 462-468. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2019.11.004

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Spencer, E., Hoskin, T., Rosengrave, P., Kettle, A., Shaw, G., & Carr, A. (2020). Circulating myeloperoxidase is elevated in septic shock and is associated with systemic organ failure and mortality in critically ill patients. New Zealand Medical Journal, 133(1524), (pp. 145-146). Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Working Paper; Discussion Paper; Technical Report

Carr, A. C., Spencer, E., Dixon, L., & Chambers, S. (2020). Patients with community acquired pneumonia exhibit depleted vitamin C status and elevated oxidative stress. PrePrints. doi: 10.20944/preprints202004.0243.v1

2017

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Spencer, E. S., O'Connor, K. M., & Hampton, M. B. (2017). Isothiocyanates trigger early disruption of mitochondrial function in cells overexpressing Bcl-2. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 108(Suppl. 1), (pp. S51). doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2017.04.185

Awarded Doctoral Degree

Spencer, E. S. (2017). Exploring the anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties of isothiocyanates (PhD). University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/7254

2015

Journal - Research Article

Spencer, E. S., Dale, E. J., Gommans, A. L., Rutledge, M. T., Vo, C. T., Nakatani, Y., Gamble, A. B., Smith, R. A. J., Wilbanks, S. M., Hampton, M. B., & Tyndall, J. D. A. (2015). Multiple binding modes of isothiocyanates that inhibit macrophage migration inhibitory factor. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 93, 501-510. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2015.02.012

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Spencer, E., Dickerhof, N., Tyndall, J., Bernhagen, J., Kettle, A., & Hampton, M. (2015). Assessing inhibition of macrophage migration inhibitory factor by isothiocyanates. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 86(Suppl. 1), (pp. S42-S43). doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2015.07.145

2014

Journal - Research Article

Shaw, I. C., Spencer, E., Lambert, T., Holzenkaempfer, M., Gaw, S., & Stringer, M. (2014). Measurement of kidney cadmium in embalmed New Zealand cadavers. New Zealand Medical Journal, 127(1392). Retrieved from http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Tyndall, J. D. A., Spencer, E. S., Dale, E. J., Gommans, A. L., Rutledge, M. T., Vo, C. T., Nakatani, Y., Gamble, A. B., Smith, R. A. J., Wilbanks, S. M., & Hampton, M. B. (2014). Multiple binding modes of isothiocyanate inhibitors of macrophage migration inhibitory factor define structure activity relationships. Proceedings of the CRYSTAL29: 29th Biennial Conference of the Society of Crystallographers in Australia and New Zealand (SCANZ). (pp. 88). Retrieved from http://www.crystal29.com/

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Tyndall, J. D. A., Spencer, E. S., Dale, E. J., Gommans, A. L., Rutledge, M. T., Vo, C. T., Nakatani, Y., Gamble, A. B., Smith, R. A. J., Wilbanks, S. M., & Hampton, M. B. (2014, August). Multiple binding modes of isothiocyanate inhibitors of macrophage migration inhibitory factor define design strategies. Poster session presented at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Queenstown, New Zealand.

2013

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Spencer, E. S., Dale, E., Smith, R. A. J., Gamble, A. B., Tyndall, J. D. A., Rutledge, M. T., Wilbanks, S. M., Dickerhof, N., Kettle, A. J., & Hampton, M. B. (2013, August). Assessing inhibition of macrophage migration inhibitory factor by novel isothiocyanates. Poster session presented at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Queenstown, New Zealand.

2012

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Spencer, E., Tyndall, J., Smith, R. A. J., & Hampton, M. (2012). Biological properties of isothiocyanates. Proceedings of the Oxygen Theme Meeting. (pp. 21). Dunedin, New Zealand: University of Otago. Retrieved from https://www.otago.ac.nz/research/otago051864.pdf

2011

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Tyndall, J. D. A., Dale, E. J., Spencer, E. S., Falvey, J. D., Smith, R. A. J., & Hampton, M. B. (2011, November-December). Isothiocyanate inhibitors of the proinflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry (NZIC) Conference, Hamilton, New Zealand.