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Teaching Fellow

BSc(Hons)(Cant), PhD(Otago)Professor Anitra Carr

Email anitra.carr@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 364 3677

Biography

Anitra obtained her PhD from the University of Otago, Christchurch (UOC), followed by an American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship at Oregon State University, USA, culminating in promotion to Assistant Professor. After returning to the University of Otago, Christchurch, Anitra was awarded a four-year Health Research Council Fellowship (2016) to undertake research into the role of vitamin C in severe infection. She subsequently established the Nutrition in Medicine Research Group and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2018 and Research Professor in 2024.

Research interests

Renowned for her expertise around the roles of vitamin C in human health and disease, Anitra’s translational research has spanned the impact and mechanisms of action of oral and intravenous vitamin C within diverse health conditions such as infection/sepsis, obesity/diabetes, cancer, and subjective mood. Working closely with healthcare professionals, Anitra has conducted a variety of studies, including observational, pharmacokinetic, and randomised controlled trials. She has produced high impact publications that have informed international guidelines around recommended dietary intakes for vitamin C.

Teaching experience

Anitra has experience in postgraduate course development, convening and lecturing, having established the online Nursing Science Pre-Course and NURS443 paper within the Master of Nursing Science (MNSc) programme (2015-2018). Passionate about knowledge dissemination, Anitra has established an online Continuing Medical Education course for healthcare professionals. She has recently taken up a new postgraduate education role at UOC, establishing online courses for the continuing education of healthcare professionals.

Awards and distinctions

  • 2024: Ranked #1 vitamin C scholar worldwide (ScholarGPS, >50,450 scholars); ‘Vitamin C and Immune Function’ paper ranked #1 most cited vitamin C paper worldwide (past 5 years)
  • 2021: Gold Medal for Sustained Research Excellence (University of Otago, Christchurch)
  • 2018: PBRF Quality Category ‘A’ (Performance Based Research Fund, New Zealand)
  • 2015: Early Career Award for Distinction in Research (University of Otago, Dunedin)

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

Wilson, R. B., Liang, Y., Kaushal, D., & Carr, A. (2024). Molecular pharmacology of vitamin C and relevance to health and obesity: A narrative review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(14). doi: 10.3390/ijms25147523 Journal - Research Article

Carr, A. C., Myint, P. K., Vijewardane, S. C., Johnstone, A. M., Crook, J., & Lykkesfeldt, J. (2024). An increasing proportion of the population is not covered by the current RDA for vitamin C: Interrogation of EPIC-Norfolk and NHANES 2017/2018 cohorts. Critical Reviews in Food Science & Nutrition. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2024.2356760 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

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