The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has established the Iodine Expert Working Group to support the review and update of the iodine Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand (NRVs).
This work forms part of an ongoing review of priority NRVs, overseen by the Steering Group comprising representatives from NHMRC, the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Aged Care, and the New Zealand Ministry of Health.
Members of the Iodine Expert Working Group were selected to ensure appropriate expertise in the specific nutrient, general nutrition and dietetics, nutrient deficiency and toxicity, statistics and modelling, systematic reviews, monitoring nutritional status and setting and implementing NRVs.
For further information see Committees advising on the review of Nutrient Reference Values.
Terms of reference
NHMRC has established the Iodine Expert Working Group to support the review and update of the iodine Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand (NRVs). This work forms part of an ongoing review of priority NRVs, overseen by a Steering Group comprising representatives from NHMRC, the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Aged Care, and the New Zealand Ministry of Health.
The Iodine Expert Working Group will:
- Advise on the scope of the review of iodine NRVs, with consideration given to:
- the currency, accuracy and relevance of the existing iodine NRVs
- relevant international NRVs developed since the existing NRVs
- members' expertise and knowledge of current evidence
- any other information deemed relevant by NHMRC.
- Advise on the application of the Methodological framework for the Review of Nutrient Reference Values1 to the review.
- Advise on the evaluation of evidence to inform revisions to the iodine NRVs, ensuring compliance with the 2016 NHMRC Standards for Guidelines and International best-practice.
- Advise on updates to the iodine NRV recommendations, including:
- developing proposed iodine NRV recommendations
- advising on the implications of revised recommendations
- advising on key stakeholders to be included in consultation activities
- addressing feedback received during consultation and expert review.
1 Australian Government Department of Health. Methodological Framework for the Review of Nutrient Reference Values. Canberra. Commonwealth of Australia; 2020, or as varied by the Steering Group to reflect emerging best-practice.
The Iodine Expert Working Group will report to the Steering Group.
Appointments to the Iodine Expert Working Group will conclude on 31 December 2025.
Members
Member information and disclosure of interests (declarations)
NHMRC asks all committee members to document their interests for consideration by a CEO delegate prior to being appointed to the committee. Members are asked to update their interests during the term of their appointment or as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the interest or that there has been a change in the nature or extent of the interest. Members are asked to consider perceived interests as well as actual interests. A summary of the interests declared by each member is provided within the declarations (below).
Chair,
Professor
Karen
Charlton
(Commenced June 2018 to present)
Professor with the School of Medicine, University of Wollongong
Relevant experience
- Nutrition
- Iodine
- Diet and lifestyle interventions across the lifespan
- Nutrient deficiency/ toxicity
- Monitoring nutritional status in population groups and group/ project management.
Declaration
- Recipient of research grants: Various Australian Research Council grants, 2019–2028; Various Medical Research Future Fund grants, 2022–2029; Dementia Collaborative Research Centre, 2020–2024; NCSEHE small grants, 2024, Pork CRC; LINKS Resolve to Save Lives, 2020–2021
- Member of Expert Working Group on revision of Nutrient Reference Values for Iodine (2012/13)
- Chair or committee member for various food and nutrition interest groups
- Editor and Associate Editor for various scientific journals
- Author on various publications relating to nutrition, particularly iodine and sustainable diets.
Professor
Sheila
Skeaff
(Commenced May 2018 to present)
Professor with the Department of Human Nutrition at University of Otago
Relevant experience
- Nutrition
- Setting NRVs
- Iodine
- Children and pregnancy and research.
Declaration
- Collaborations and funding from agencies for iodine-related research including Ministry of Primary Industries New Zealand, 2011–2013 and 2019–2022; ETH Zurich, 2016–2020; Massey University, 2016–2020; Deakin University, 2013–2019; Curtin University, 2011–2019; NHMRC, 2010–2015, Ministry for the Environment New Zealand, 2023–2024
- Chair of Oceanic Nutrition Leadership Platform, 2018–present
- Member of WHO Expert Advisory Group on Iodine Indicators, 2023–present
- Author on various publications including scientific articles, book chapters and conference abstracts on the topic of iodine
- External examiner for PhD theses for various international universities.
Dr
Emma
Beckett
(Commenced May 2018 to present)
Dynamic Foodie at FOODiQ Global
Relevant experience
- Nutrition
- End user and nutrient deficiency/ toxicity.
Declaration
- Casual academic at the University of Newcastle, 2024–present
- Program Convenor (FSHN) and Senior Lecturer at the University of Newcastle, 2019–2024
- Board member for the International Society of Nutrigenetics & Nutrigenomics, 2018–present
- Writer for BBC Science Focus, 2023 and Pantera Press, 2023–present
- Newsletter editor for the Nutrition Society of Australia, 2018–2023
- Guest speaker for Famelab.
Dr
Mu
Li
(Commenced February 2020 to present)
Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney
Relevant experience
- Clinical science research
- Public health research
- Nutrition
- Iodine
- Monitoring nutritional status in population groups
- Public health program evaluation
- Policy translation.
Declaration
- Member of Advisory Group, APRU Global Health Program, 2018–present
- Technical Expert for Maternal Child Health and Nutrition with the Association of Pacific Rim Universities Global Health Program
- Technical Expert on iodine nutrition status and thyroid function in pregnant Indigenous women for the Central Australia (CAINS) Study
- Convener of the Sydney Global Maternal and Child Health Network
- Board member of the Australian Centre for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ACCIDD)
- Board member for the Iodine Global Network (IGN)
- Author for various publications, books, and conference abstracts on iodine.
Dr
Rosalind
Dalefield
(Commenced August 2022 to present)
Senior Toxicologist with Food Standards Australia New Zealand
Relevant experience
- Toxicology, including human health risk assessment for food safety.
Declaration
- Expert for the World Health Organization (WHO) Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
- Receives annual royalties for a book authored on the topic of veterinary toxicology
- Full International Member of the Society of Toxicology.
Professor
Duncan
Topliss
(Commenced August 2022)
Director of Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes at Alfred Hospital
Relevant experience
- Senior endocrinologist
- Clinical practice guideline development and implementation expertise.
Declaration
- Professor in the Department of Medicine, Monash University
- Member of TGA Advisory Committee on Medicines
- Investigator for drug trials in thyroid cancer and diabetes for Eisai, Exelixis, and Lilly (SELECT, COSMIC-311, LIBRETTO-531), Bayer (FIGARO)
- Participation in industry-sponsored symposia on diabetes and thyroid cancer management.
- GP symposium and type 2 diabetes management sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, 2019.
- Symposium at Endocrine Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting on advanced thyroid cancer management sponsored by Eisai, 2019.
- Webinar on thyroid cancer case studies sponsored by Eisai, 2022.
Dr
Elizabeth
Neale
(Commenced August 2022 to present)
Senior Fellow at School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, University of Wollongong
Relevant experience
- Nutrition
- Research expertise including systematic reviews and meta-analyses in nutrition for the purposes of developing NRVs.
Declaration
- Recipient of research grants: NHMRC, 2025–2027; Australian Eggs, 2018; Hass Avocado Board, 2019; California Walnut Commission, 2019; Australian Health and Nutrition Association, 2019; Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited and Nuts for Life, 2014–present; International Nut and Dried Fruit Council
- Membership with various nutrition associations and societies
- Systematic Review Editor and Member of Editorial Board, Nutrition and Dietetics
- Various publications on effects of core foods on health outcomes.
Dr
Shao (Jo)
Zhou
(2018 to 2024)
Discipline Lead and Senior Lecturer in Food and Nutrition, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide
Relevant experience
- Nutrition
- Iodine
- Pregnancy and early childhood and end user needs.
Declaration
- Consultant with FSANZ to conduct a systematic review on cell-based protein, 2023
- Chief investigator for various NHMRC and MRFF funded studies on iodine
- Recipient of research grant from Chanel 7 Children’s Research Foundation Grant
- Submission to WHO on research needs/priorities in iodine
- Publication and speaking invitations regarding iodine.
Ms
Judy
Seal
(2018 to 2023)
Public Health Nutrition, Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services
Relevant experience
- Nutrition
- Iodine
- End user needs
- Nutrient deficiency/ toxicity
- Monitoring nutritional status in population groups and implementation of NRVs into relevant public health policy.
Declaration
- Member of the former NRV Iodine Expert Working Group, Member of the Tasmanian Ministerial Thyroid Advisory Committee, Member of the Public Health Association of Australia and Executive member of the Food and Nutrition Special Interest Group, Member of the Dietitians Association of Australia, Member of the Nutrition Society of Australia, Employee of the Department of Health, Tasmania
- Publication and conference presentations regarding iodine.
Dr
Nick
Fletcher
(2018 to 2022)
Principal Toxicologist and Risk Assessor, WSP New Zealand
Relevant experience
- Nutrient deficiency/ toxicity.
Professor
Helena
Teede
(2020 to 2022)
Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, Monash University
Relevant experience
- Senior clinical endocrinologist
- Epidemiology and healthcare improvement
- Guideline and evidence translation expertise.