Background

Maureen is a public health professional with research experience in maternal health, nutrition and lifestyle behaviour change, and cancer epidemiology.

Her PhD research was undertaken at Monash University and focused on developing evidence-based and novel strategies to improve the health and wellbeing of postpartum women. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Health specializing in Epidemiology and Public Health and a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree. She has experience using both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and engaging stakeholders for program development. She has published high-quality peer-reviewed articles.

At Burnet Institute, Maureen is a Research Officer in the Global Women’s and Newborn’s Health Group. Her research focuses on accelerating innovations to improve maternal health outcomes in resource-constrained settings. Her projects aim to foster greater investments in the research and development of medicines for the prevention and management of obstetric and gynaecological conditions.

Prior to her current role, Maureen worked as a Research Coordinator at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute where she managed the data and study outputs of a large multi-site trial. She also previously worked on a USAID-funded project to promote reproductive health and family planning uptake in hard-to-reach areas of a resource-constrained country.

Appointments

• 2021–ongoing: Deputy Chair, Consumer group for Cardiometabolic Health Implementation Research in Postpartum individuals (CHIRP)

Positions

• 2022–ongoing: Research Officer, Global Women’s and Newborn’s Health Group, Burnet Institute
• 2021–2022: Research Coordinator, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
• 2021–2022: Teaching Associate Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
• 2015: Research intern, The Netherlands Cancer Institute
• 2009–2011: Medical Detailer, Society for Family Health, Maiduguri, Nigeria

Qualifications

• 2023: PhD Public Health, Monash University, Australia
• 2015: MSc Nutrition and Health (specialization: Epidemiology and Public Health), Wageningen University, The Netherlands
• 2006: BPharm, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria

Awards

• 2022: The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre seeding grant programs (Capacity building, $3000)
• 2021: Bursary award, World Congress of Epidemiology
• 2020: Best PhD student presentation award, Health in Preconception, Pregnancy and Postpartum Early and Mid-Career Researcher Collective (HiPPP EMR-C) conference
• 2020: Best rapid-fire presentation award, Health in Preconception, Pregnancy and Postpartum Early and Mid-Career Researcher Collective (HiPPP EMR-C) conference
• 2019: Monash Graduate Scholarship
• 2019: Monash International Tuition Scholarship
• 2014: Anne van den Ban Fund, Wageningen University

Projects (2)

Current (2)

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  Accelerating Innovation for Mothers (AIM) 2.0

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  Target Product Profile (TPP) for Obstetric Ultrasound Devices

Publications (10)

2023 (2)

• Ethnic Differences in Preferences for Lifestyle Intervention among Women after Childbirth: A Multi-Methods Study in Australia.
  Chen M, Makama M, Skouteris H, Moran LJ, Harrison CL, Choi T, Lim S.
  Nutrients. 2023 Jan; 15(2):472
• Levels of Physical Activity and Sitting Time in Women with Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.
  Makama M, Brown WJ, Lim S, Skouteris H, Harrison CL, Joham AE, Mishra GD, Teede H, and Moran LJ.
  Public Health. 2023 Jan; 214:1-9

2022 (2)

• Postpartum Women's Preferences for Lifestyle Intervention after Childbirth: A Multi-Methods Study Using the TIDieR Checklist.
  Maureen Makama, Mingling Chen, Lisa J Moran, Helen Skouteris, Cheryce L Harrison, Tammie Choi, Siew Lim
  Nutrients. 2022 Oct; 14(20)
• Assessing patterns of change in lifestyle behaviours by parity: a longitudinal cohort study.
  Makama M, Earnest A, Lim S, Skouteris H, Hill B, Teede H, Boyle JA, Brown WJ, Hodge AM, Moran LJ
  Int J Epidemiol. 2022 Jul; Epub ahead of print

2021 (3)

• The Relationship of Diet and Physical Activity with Weight Gain and Weight Gain Prevention in Women of Reproductive Age.
  Mamaru Ayenew Awoke, Helen Skouteris, Maureen Makama, Cheryce L Harrison, Thomas Philip Wycherley, Lisa J Moran
  J Clin Med. 2021 Jun; 10(11)
• Reducing Postpartum Weight Retention: A Review of the Implementation Challenges of Postpartum Lifestyle Interventions.
  Maureen Makama, Helen Skouteris, Lisa J Moran, Siew Lim
  J Clin Med. 2021 Apr; 10(9)
• Barriers and facilitators to a healthy lifestyle in postpartum women: A systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies in postpartum women and healthcare providers.
  Maureen Makama, Mamaru Ayenew Awoke, Helen Skouteris, Lisa J Moran, Siew Lim
  Obes Rev. 2021 Apr; 22(4):e13167

2020 (1)

• Preventing Type 2 Diabetes in Women with Previous Gestational Diabetes: Reviewing the Implementation Gaps for Health Behavior Change Programs.
  Siew Lim, Mingling Chen, Maureen Makama, Sharleen O'Reilly
  Semin Reprod Med. 2020 Nov; 38(6):377-383

2017 (2)

• Inflammatory potential of the diet and colorectal tumor risk in persons with Lynch syndrome.
  Jesca Gm Brouwer, Maureen Makama, Geertruida J van Woudenbergh, Hans Fa Vasen, Fokko M Nagengast, Jan H Kleibeuker, Ellen Kampman, Franzel Jb van Duijnhoven
  Am J Clin Nutr. 2017 Nov; 106(5):1287-1294
• An association study of established breast cancer reproductive and lifestyle risk factors with tumour subtype defined by the prognostic 70-gene expression signature (MammaPrint((R))).
  M Makama, C A Drukker, E J Th Rutgers, L Slaets, F Cardoso, M A Rookus, K Tryfonidis, L J Van't Veer, M K Schmidt
  Eur J Cancer. 2017 Apr; 75:5-13