Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career
Section: Overview
Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career

Key details

Areas of expertise

  • Human Nutrition
  • Food and nutrition
  • Nutrition and dietary therapy in chronic diseases prevention and treatment
  • Investigation of the endocannabinoid system and other G-protein coupled receptors on obesity and diabetes
  • Effect of nutrition on performance

Available to supervise research students

Not available for media queries

About Andrew Mcainch

Professor McAinch uses his training as a dietitian and molecular physiologist in his research. He undertakes cellular, animal and human interventions to understand how our bodies respond and adapt to obesity and alterations in dietary fatty acids and endocannabinoid signalling. His findings are used to identify treatment modalities (through both pharmacologically and lifestyle interventions) to prevent and manage obesity and associated co-morbidities.

He has expertise associated with dietary monitoring and interventions and has worked as a Clinical Research Dietitian in multi-national pharmaceutical phase II and III clinical trials. He is also interested in how nutrition can be utilised to enhance performance and recovery in athletes

Professor McAinch became an independent researcher in 2008 by taking up his current position as a Teaching and Research Academic within Victoria University, where he currently holds the position of Head of Program in Medical Sciences.

He has published over 70 manuscripts with over 80% of these in top quartile ranked journals according to SCImago and a h-index of 20.

His research has been supported by over 25 internationally/nationally competitive and commercially funded research grants worth over $2.5 million dollars. He has a history of working with industry on the scientific evidence for their endeavours.

Professor McAinch has supervised to completion 12 PhD students and 11 honours students within Australia and a committee member of 2 Masters by Research students with his collaborator at the University of Texas at El Paso, USA. He currently supervises 5 PhD students. 

Qualifications

  • B.App.Sci.(PE)
  • B.Sci.(Hons)
  • Master Nutrition & Dietetics
  • PhD

Key publications

Andrew has over 127 publications, with a selection listed here.


A more comprehensive list of Andrew's publications is available in the VU Research Repository.

Year Citation
2016 Naughton, S. S., Mathai, M. L., Hryciw, D. H., & McAinch, A. J. (160901). Linoleic acid and the pathogenesis of obesity. Prostaglandins and Other Lipid Mediators, 125 (90-99).

doi: 10.1016/j.prostaglandins.2016.06.003
2016 Hryciw, D. H., & Mcainch, A. J. (160901). Cannabinoid receptors in the kidney. Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension, 25(5), (459-464).

doi: 10.1097/MNH.0000000000000249
2015 McAinch, A. J., Cornall, L. M., Watts, R., Hryciw, D. H., O Brien, P. E., & Cameron-Smith, D. (151026). Increased pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase expression in cultured myotubes from obese and diabetic individuals. European Journal of Nutrition, 54(7), (1033-1043).

doi: 10.1007/s00394-014-0780-2
2015 Naughton, S. S., Mathai, M. L., Hryciw, D. H., & McAinch, A. J. (150814). Australia's nutrition transition 1961-2009: A focus on fats. British Journal of Nutrition, 114(3), (337-346).

doi: 10.1017/S0007114515001907
2014 O'Keefe, L., Simcocks, A. C., Hryciw, D. H., Mathai, M. L., & Mcainch, A. J. (140101). The cannabinoid receptor 1 and its role in influencing peripheral metabolism. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 16(4), (294-304).

doi: 10.1111/dom.12144
2014 Cornall, L. M., Mathai, M. L., Hryciw, D. H., & McAinch, A. J. (140101). GPR120 agonism as a countermeasure against metabolic diseases. Drug Discovery Today, 19(5), (670-679).

doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2013.11.021
2014 Simcocks, A. C., O'Keefe, L., Jenkin, K. A., Mathai, M. L., Hryciw, D. H., & McAinch, A. J. (140101). A potential role for GPR55 in the regulation of energy homeostasis. Drug Discovery Today, 19(8), (1145-1151).

doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2013.12.005
2013 Cornall, L. M., Mathai, M. L., Hryciw, D. H., & McAinch, A. J. (131201). The therapeutic potential of GPR43: A novel role in modulating metabolic health. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 70(24), (4759-4770).

doi: 10.1007/s00018-013-1419-9
2013 Naughton, S. S., Mathai, M. L., Hryciw, D. H., & McAinch, A. J. (130628). Fatty acid modulation of the endocannabinoid system and the effect on food intake and metabolism. International Journal of Endocrinology, 2013

doi: 10.1155/2013/361895
2013 Hill, K. M., Stathis, C. G., Grinfeld, E., Hayes, A., & McAinch, A. J. (130212). Co-ingestion of carbohydrate and whey protein isolates enhance PGC-1 mRNA expression: A randomised, single blind, cross over study. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10

doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-10-8

Research funding for the past 5 years

Please note:

  • Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
  • Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
  • The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.

The Australia-China Collaborative Training InitiatiVe in Exercise (ACTIVE) Research Program
From: National Foundation for Australia-China Relations 2023-2024 Grants Program
Other investigators: Prof Itamar Levinger, Dr Xu Yan, Prof John Price, Prof Alexandra Parker, Aspr Fabio Serpiello
For period: 2024-2026
 $300,000

Slow Whey: New options for functional foods targeted at preventing muscle loss– Phase 3
From: Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group, Victoria University
Other investigators: Prof Todor Vasiljevic, Prof Alan Hayes
For period: 2023-2023
 Not disclosed

Manufacturing of slow release whey protein ingredients
From: Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group
Other investigators: Dr Muditha Dissanayake, Prof Todor Vasiljevic
For period: 2021-2022
 Not disclosed

Tissue Fibrosis and Exercise in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Linking Mechanisms to Therapy
From: NHMRC
For period: 2019-2024
 $990,937

Controlled Digestion and Absorption of Whey Proteins for Improved Muscular Health
From: Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group
Other investigators: Prof Todor Vasiljevic
For period: 2018-2019
 Not disclosed

Supervision of research students at VU

Available to supervise research students

Not available for media queries

Currently supervised research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
6 PhD Principal supervisor
1 PhD Associate supervisor
1 PhD Integrated Principal supervisor

Currently supervised research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (6) Principal supervisor
PhD (1) Associate supervisor
PhD Integrated (1) Principal supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
3 PhD Associate supervisor
12 PhD Principal supervisor
1 Master of Applied Research Principal supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (3) Associate supervisor
PhD (12) Principal supervisor
Master of Applied Research (1) Principal supervisor

Key academic roles

Dates Role Department / Organisation
Jan 2005 - Present
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow/ Clinical Research Dietitian
Discipline of Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Jan 2005 -
Present
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow/ Clinical Research Dietitian
Discipline of Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital

Professional memberships

  • Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Dietitians Association of Australia
  • Accredited Sports Dietitian, Sports Dietitians Australia
  • Treasurer 2011-2016, Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society
  • Member of Council 2011-2018, Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society