Dr Chandni Maria Jacob MBBS, MSc PH
Senior Research Assistant, Postgraduate research student

I am doing my PhD in Human Development and Health. I have a particular interest in developing ways to implement the DOHaD (developmental origins of health and disease) and life-course concepts through policy and practice to prevent non-communicable diseases.
My PhD aims to develop a framework which would enable identification of high-risk groups for non-communicable diseases early in the life-course and aid the delivery of preventive interventions through policies and public health programmes.
Dr Chandni Maria Jacob qualified in Medicine from the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences in India. She completed an MSc in Public Health from the University of Southampton (2015). In 2016 she joined the Institute of Developmental Sciences as a senior research assistant to work on projects related to evidence synthesis and preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in multiple settings. Her interests are in the fields of preconception health, prevention of malnutrition (both over and undernutrition) and the risk of NCDs across the life-course.
Her PhD focuses on the implementation of a life-course approach in policy with a focus on improving women’s health before pregnancy and preventing childhood obesity and NCDs in the next generation. Her research also includes identifying factors that influence the trajectories of health throughout the life course, from the preconception period, pregnancy, childhood through adolescence, adulthood and ageing. Chandni has also worked as part of projects conducting systematic and policy reviews to develop recommendations for improving diet, physical activity and preventing obesity during different stages of the life-course. This included policy reviews and white papers for organizations such as the World Health Organization.
Qualifications:
M.B.B.S, Medicine and Surgery, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, 2013 (Gold medal Paediatrics)
MSc Public Health, University of Southampton, 2015 (Distinction)