Current employment and workplace

PREDICT, Aalborg University

How did my interest in my research field arise?

My interest in nutrition began at a relatively young age. As a child, I experienced some food allergies and intolerances, which probably sparked my curiosity about how dietary changes can influence medical conditions and symptoms. However, it was not until many years later that I discovered my particular interest in intestinal health, as my MSc project in human nutrition explored the effects of wholegrain consumption on children’s gastrointestinal symptoms, gut microbiota, and transit time.

My fascination with this complex topic has stayed with me ever since, which eventually led to my PhD project investigating the association between maternal diet during pregnancy and risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children. Thus, my research journey has in many ways been a gradual progression from a broader interest in nutrition to a much deeper fascination with its impact on the digestive system and immune development in early life.

What am I most passionate about in my work?

I love many aspects of being a researcher. Among other things, I enjoy constantly learning more about the diet-health relationship and having the opportunity to explore unanswered questions about this topic. I particularly find it exciting when my research leads to unexpected findings that can raise new questions and provide a starting point for further studies. Nonetheless, what I probably enjoy the most is mentoring students and junior researchers. Seeing someone grow and find their own path is incredibly rewarding and gives an additional sense of purpose to my work beyond the research results themselves. 

What do I hope my research can be used for in the future?

We still know relatively little about why some people develop IBD, despite the growing number of children and adults being diagnosed with the disease worldwide. My research adds new evidence to the field by investigating whether maternal dietary habits during pregnancy are associated with the offspring’s risk of developing IBD in childhood.

Although I see my work as just one small piece of a much larger puzzle, I hope that its findings can contribute to a better understanding of the modifiable factors that may influence IBD susceptibility in early life, and, ultimately, bring us one step closer to effectively preventing the disease.

What piece of advice would I offer current PhD fellows who want a career outside academia?

Believe in yourself and remember that setbacks are part of the process. A PhD is a learning process, and you are not expected to do everything perfectly from the beginning.

There will very likely be rejected papers, failed experiments, or moments where you doubt yourself. In these situations, don’t be afraid to seek support from your fellow PhD students, as you are definitely not alone in these struggles. At the same time, remember that becoming an independent researcher is one of the main goals of a PhD, so developing your own scientific judgement is just as important as the scientific skills you acquire along the way.

A bit about the person behind the researcher?

I would describe myself as a curious, idealistic, and driven person. I tend to get very invested in the things that I care about, and I am quite ambitious about my work, which I see more as a passion than an actual job.

Outside of work, I am very social and value spending time with friends and family. I also spend part of my free time producing electronic music. I like the combination of creativity and technical detail that comes with this, and having something completely different from my academic work to focus on is a great way for me to recharge after a long day. 

Olivia Mariella Anneberg PhD Thesis
Olivia Mariella Annebergs LinkedIn-profil