Professor Karen Moritz
Professor

Karen Moritz

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 65305

Background

Prof Karen Moritz is internationally renowned for her work in understanding how early life perturbations contribute to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular, renal and metabolic disease in adulthood. Over the last 5-7 years, her research has focused on determining how prenatal alcohol can result in “developmental programming” of disease. Her research has identified critical windows of susceptibility to alcohol, including the period around conception and prior to implantation. In addition, her work has identified the placenta as playing a key role in the sex-specific offspring outcomes following maternal perturbations. Her research spans both preclinical and clinical domains, highlighted by her appointment as the Director of the Child Health Research Centre in 2016.

Current projects are:

  • Periconceptional alcohol exposure: Programming long-term health in offspring (with Dr Lisa Akison and Dr James Cuffe)

  • Emerging therapies for diabetes and complications: Effects on metabolic, cardiovascular and renal function (with Dr Linda Gallo)

  • Effect of prenatal insults on the developing placenta (with Dr Marloes Nitert Dekker, Prof Vicki Clifton [Mater], Dr David Simmons and Dr James Cuffe)

  • Effect of prenatal insults on the developing kidney and implications for adult disease (with Dr Peter Trnka [QLD Children's Hospital])

  • Impact of maternal cannabis and alcohol around conception on development and long-term health of offspring (with Dr David Simmons and Dr Lisa Akison)

Prof Moritz maintains a strong commitment to teaching of students, including lectures and research student supervision in undergraduate programs, supervision of Honours students and supervision of higher degree research students.

Availability

Professor Karen Moritz is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Clinical sciences Zoology

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Melbourne

Search Professor Karen Moritz’s works on UQ eSpace

365 works between 1990 and 2025
All (365) Journal Article (254) Book Chapter (5) Conference Publication (99) Book (1) Other Outputs (6)

81 - 100 of 365 works

2019

Journal Article

Chronic low alcohol intake during pregnancy programs sex-specific cardiovascular deficits in rats

Walton, Sarah L., Tjongue, Melissa, Tare, Marianne, Kwok, Edmund, Probyn, Megan, Parkington, Helena C., Bertram, John F., Moritz, Karen M. and Denton, Kate M. (2019). Chronic low alcohol intake during pregnancy programs sex-specific cardiovascular deficits in rats. Biology of Sex Differences, 10 (1) 21, 21. doi: 10.1186/s13293-019-0235-9

Chronic low alcohol intake during pregnancy programs sex-specific cardiovascular deficits in rats

2019

Journal Article

Periconceptional maternal alcohol consumption leads to behavioural changes in adult and aged offspring and alters the expression of hippocampal genes associated with learning and memory and regulators of the epigenome

Lucia, D., Burgess, D., Cullen, C. L., Dorey, E. S., Rawashdeh, O. and Moritz, K. M. (2019). Periconceptional maternal alcohol consumption leads to behavioural changes in adult and aged offspring and alters the expression of hippocampal genes associated with learning and memory and regulators of the epigenome. Behavioural Brain Research, 362, 249-257. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.01.009

Periconceptional maternal alcohol consumption leads to behavioural changes in adult and aged offspring and alters the expression of hippocampal genes associated with learning and memory and regulators of the epigenome

2019

Journal Article

Impact of prenatal and postnatal maternal environment on nephron endowment, renal function and blood pressure in the Lewis polycystic kidney rat

Ding, A., Walton, S. L., Moritz, K. M. and Phillips, J. K. (2019). Impact of prenatal and postnatal maternal environment on nephron endowment, renal function and blood pressure in the Lewis polycystic kidney rat. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 10 (2) PII S2040174418000673, 154-163. doi: 10.1017/S2040174418000673

Impact of prenatal and postnatal maternal environment on nephron endowment, renal function and blood pressure in the Lewis polycystic kidney rat

2019

Journal Article

Exercise initiated during pregnancy in rats born growth restricted alters placental mTOR and nutrient transporter expression

Mangwiro, Yeukai T. M., Cuffe, James S. M., Mahizir, Dayana, Anevska, Kristina, Gravina, Sogand, Romano, Tania, Moritz, Karen M., Briffa, Jessica F. and Wlodek, Mary E. (2019). Exercise initiated during pregnancy in rats born growth restricted alters placental mTOR and nutrient transporter expression. The Journal of Physiology, 597 (7), 1905-1918. doi: 10.1113/jp277227

Exercise initiated during pregnancy in rats born growth restricted alters placental mTOR and nutrient transporter expression

2019

Journal Article

Maternal circulating miRNAs that predict infant FASD outcomes influence placental maturation

Tseng, Alexander M., Mahnke, Amanda H., Wells, Alan B., Salem, Nihal A., Allan, Andrea M., Roberts, Victoria H. J., Newman, Natali, Walter, Nicole A. R., Kroenke, Christopher D., Grant, Kathleen A., Akison, Lisa K., Moritz, Karen M., Chambers, Christina D., Miranda, Rajesh C. and Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (2019). Maternal circulating miRNAs that predict infant FASD outcomes influence placental maturation. Life Science Alliance, 2 (2) e201800252, e201800252. doi: 10.26508/lsa.201800252

Maternal circulating miRNAs that predict infant FASD outcomes influence placental maturation

2019

Journal Article

Sustained decrease in blood pressure and reduced anatomical and functional reinnervation of renal nerves in hypertensive sheep 30 months after catheter-based renal denervation

Singh, Reetu R., McArdle, Zoe M., Iudica, Michael, Easton, Lawrence K., Booth, Lindsea C., May, Clive N., Parkington, Helena C., Lombardo, Paul, Head, Geoff A., Lambert, Gavin, Moritz, Karen M., Schlaich, Markus P. and Denton, Kate M. (2019). Sustained decrease in blood pressure and reduced anatomical and functional reinnervation of renal nerves in hypertensive sheep 30 months after catheter-based renal denervation. Hypertension, 73 (3), 718-727. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.118.12250

Sustained decrease in blood pressure and reduced anatomical and functional reinnervation of renal nerves in hypertensive sheep 30 months after catheter-based renal denervation

2019

Journal Article

Reducing pup litter size alters early postnatal calcium homeostasis and programs adverse adult cardiovascular and bone health in male rats

Briffa, Jessica F., O’Dowd, Rachael, Romano, Tania, Muhlhausler, Beverly S., Moritz, Karen M. and Wlodek, Mary E. (2019). Reducing pup litter size alters early postnatal calcium homeostasis and programs adverse adult cardiovascular and bone health in male rats. Nutrients, 11 (1) 118, 118. doi: 10.3390/nu11010118

Reducing pup litter size alters early postnatal calcium homeostasis and programs adverse adult cardiovascular and bone health in male rats

2019

Journal Article

Adverse reproductive outcomes associated with fetal alcohol exposure: A systematic review

Akison, Lisa, Moritz, Karen and Reid, Natasha (2019). Adverse reproductive outcomes associated with fetal alcohol exposure: A systematic review. Reproduction, 157 (4), 329-343. doi: 10.1530/REP-18-0607

Adverse reproductive outcomes associated with fetal alcohol exposure: A systematic review

2019

Conference Publication

Relations of Poor Fetal Growth with Kidney Volumes and Child Blood Pressure

Wlodek, Mary E., Michael, Navin, Sadananthan, Suresh, Tint, Mya, Lun, Yuan, Tan, Kok, Godfrey, Keith, Gluckman, Peter, Chong, Yap Seng, Marielle, Fortier, Lee, Yung Seng, Moritz, Karen, Chan, Shiao-Yng and Velan, Sendhil (2019). Relations of Poor Fetal Growth with Kidney Volumes and Child Blood Pressure. 66th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society-for-Reproductive-Investigation (SRI), Paris, France, 12-16 March 2019. Thousand Oaks, CA, United States: Sage Publications.

Relations of Poor Fetal Growth with Kidney Volumes and Child Blood Pressure

2019

Journal Article

Periconceptional ethanol exposure alters the stress axis in adult female but not male rat offspring

Burgess, Danielle J., Dorey, Emily S., Gardebjer, Emelie M., Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle, Moritz, Karen M. and Cuffe, James S. M. (2019). Periconceptional ethanol exposure alters the stress axis in adult female but not male rat offspring. Stress, 22 (3), 1-11. doi: 10.1080/10253890.2018.1563068

Periconceptional ethanol exposure alters the stress axis in adult female but not male rat offspring

2019

Journal Article

DNA methyltransferase 1 controls nephron progenitor cell renewal and differentiation

Wanner, Nicola, Vornweg, Julia, Combes, Alexander, Wilson, Sean, Plappert, Julia, Rafflenbeul, Gesa, Puelles, Victor G., Rahman, Raza-Ur, Liwinski, Timur, Lindner, Saskia, Grahammer, Florian, Kretz, Oliver, Wlodek, Mary E., Romano, Tania, Moritz, Karen M., Boerries, Melanie, Busch, Hauke, Bonn, Stefan, Little, Melissa H., Bechtel-Walz, Wibke and Huber, Tobias B. (2019). DNA methyltransferase 1 controls nephron progenitor cell renewal and differentiation. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology: JASN, 30 (1), 63-78. doi: 10.1681/ASN.2018070736

DNA methyltransferase 1 controls nephron progenitor cell renewal and differentiation

2018

Journal Article

Maternal exercise and growth restriction in rats alters placental angiogenic factors and blood space area in a sex-specific manner

Mangwiro, Yeukai T. M., Briffa, Jessica F., Gravina, Sogand, Mahizir, Dayana, Anevska, Kristina, Romano, Tania, Moritz, Karen M., Wlodek, Mary E. and Cuffe, James S. M. (2018). Maternal exercise and growth restriction in rats alters placental angiogenic factors and blood space area in a sex-specific manner. Placenta, 74, 47-54. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2018.12.005

Maternal exercise and growth restriction in rats alters placental angiogenic factors and blood space area in a sex-specific manner

2018

Journal Article

Responding to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Australia

Shelton, Doug, Reid, Natasha, Till, Haydn, Butel, Francoise and Moritz, Karen (2018). Responding to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Australia. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 54 (10), 1121-1126. doi: 10.1111/jpc.14152

Responding to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Australia

2018

Other Outputs

Maternal Circulating MiRNAs That Predict Infant FASD Outcomes Influence Placental Maturation

Tseng, Alexander M., Mahnke, Amanda H., Wells, Alan B., Salem, Nihal A., Allan, Andrea M., Roberts, Victoria H.J., Newman, Natali, Walter, Nicole A.R., Kroenke, Christopher D., Grant, Kathleen A., Akison, Lisa K., Moritz, Karen M., Chambers, Christina D., Miranda, Rajesh C. and CIFASD (2018). Maternal Circulating MiRNAs That Predict Infant FASD Outcomes Influence Placental Maturation. doi: 10.1101/409854

Maternal Circulating MiRNAs That Predict Infant FASD Outcomes Influence Placental Maturation

2018

Conference Publication

THE IMPACT OF MATERNAL ENVIRONMENT ON POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE

Ding, A., Walton, S., Moritz, K. and Phillips, J. (2018). THE IMPACT OF MATERNAL ENVIRONMENT ON POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE. HOBOKEN: WILEY.

THE IMPACT OF MATERNAL ENVIRONMENT ON POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE

2018

Journal Article

Maternal exercise in rats upregulates the placental IGF-system with diet and sex-specific responses: minimal effects in mothers born growth restricted

Mangwiro, Yeukai T.M., Cuffe, James S.M., Briffa, Jessica F., Mahizir, Dayana, Anevska, Kristina, Jefferies, Andrew J., Hosseini, Sogand, Romano, Tania, Moritz, Karen M. and Wlodek, Mary E. (2018). Maternal exercise in rats upregulates the placental IGF-system with diet and sex-specific responses: minimal effects in mothers born growth restricted. The Journal of Physiology, 596 (23), 5947-5964. doi: 10.1113/jp275758

Maternal exercise in rats upregulates the placental IGF-system with diet and sex-specific responses: minimal effects in mothers born growth restricted

2018

Journal Article

Effect of choline supplementation on neurological, cognitive and behavioral outcomes in offspring arising from alcohol exposure during development: a quantitative systematic review of clinical and preclinical studies

Akison, Lisa K., Kuo, Jenny, Reid, Natasha, Boyd, Roslyn N. and Moritz, Karen M. (2018). Effect of choline supplementation on neurological, cognitive and behavioral outcomes in offspring arising from alcohol exposure during development: a quantitative systematic review of clinical and preclinical studies. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 42 (9), 1591-1611. doi: 10.1111/acer.13817

Effect of choline supplementation on neurological, cognitive and behavioral outcomes in offspring arising from alcohol exposure during development: a quantitative systematic review of clinical and preclinical studies

2018

Journal Article

Transgenerational programming of nephron deficits and hypertension

Briffa, Jessica F., Wlodek, Mary E. and Moritz, Karen M. (2018). Transgenerational programming of nephron deficits and hypertension. Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology, 103, 94-103. doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2018.05.025

Transgenerational programming of nephron deficits and hypertension

2018

Journal Article

Angiotensin receptor blockade in juvenile male rat offspring: implications for long-term cardio-renal health

Walton, Sarah L, Mazzuca, Marc Q, Tare, Marianne, Parkington, Helena C, Wlodek, Mary E, Moritz, Karen M and Gallo, Linda A (2018). Angiotensin receptor blockade in juvenile male rat offspring: implications for long-term cardio-renal health. Pharmacological Research, 134, 320-331. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.06.001

Angiotensin receptor blockade in juvenile male rat offspring: implications for long-term cardio-renal health

2018

Journal Article

Uteroplacental insufficiency temporally exacerbates salt-induced hypertension associated with a reduced natriuretic response in male rat offspring

Gallo, Linda A., Walton, Sarah L., Mazzuca, Marc Q., Tare, Marianne, Parkington, Helena C., Wlodek, Mary E. and Moritz, Karen M. (2018). Uteroplacental insufficiency temporally exacerbates salt-induced hypertension associated with a reduced natriuretic response in male rat offspring. The Journal of Physiology, 596 (23), 5859-5872. doi: 10.1113/JP275655

Uteroplacental insufficiency temporally exacerbates salt-induced hypertension associated with a reduced natriuretic response in male rat offspring

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    Understanding how binge drinking affects kidney development (NHMRC 2023 Ideas Grant administed by Monash)
    Monash University
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    Expansion of FASD Diagnostic Services in Southern Queensland with Support for regional and remote settings
    Drug and Alcohol Program
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    A tiered approach to the diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in remote Indigenous primary care settings (NHMRC Partnership Project administered by Griffith University)
    Griffith University
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    Gene Expression to Predict Long-Term Outcome in Infants After Heart Surgery
    MRFF Accelerated Research - Congenital Heart Disease administered by AusIndustry
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    Host Gene Expression Signatures to Diagnose Sepsis in Children
    MRFF Genomics Health Futures Mission, Project Grant administered by AusIndustry
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2020 - 2024
    The Drug and Alcohol Program: Review and Dissemination of the Australian Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Diagnostic Tool GO2647
    Commonwealth Department of Health
    Open grant
  • 2019
    Vevo 3100 Imaging System for ultrahigh resolution and frame rate echocardiographic assessment of small animals.
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    The Best I can Be: Screening and assessing for FASD in the foster care system
    Key Assets the Children's Services Provider (Australia) Limited
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    Sakzewski Core Translational Research Group
    The Children's Hospital Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Chronic health outcomes following early life exposure to alcohol
    Queensland Health
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2020
    Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Diagnostic Services and Models of Care (Led by Griffith University)
    Griffith University
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Sakzewski Core Translational Research Group
    The Children's Hospital Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2015
    A state-of-the-art spinning disc confocal microscope for high speed imaging of live cells and super resolution microscopy
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2020
    NHMRC Research Fellowship: Developmental programming: mechanisms and interventions
    NHMRC Research Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2014
    Mitochondrial analysis suite
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2013
    Establishment of an Integrated Facility for Single Cell Analysis
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    Mechanisms and consequences of renal denervation in chronic kidney disease (NHMRC Project Grant administered by Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute)
    Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    Periconceptional alcohol exposure: effects on the embryo and fetus and disease risk in adulthood
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Consequences of elevated maternal glucocorticoids for early childhood renal development and function (NHMRC Project administered by Monash University)
    Monash University
    Open grant
  • 2012
    Establishment of Integrated Small Animal Metabolic and Physiology Assessment Facility
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2012
    Examining vascular structure and function using pressurised myography
    NHMRC Equipment Grant
    Open grant
  • 2012
    Placental clock gene expression in the Spiny Mouse
    UWA-UQ Bilateral Research Collaboration Award
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Stress-induced disease risk for pregnant mothers born small (NHMRC project lead by University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    Modelling the regulation of nephron number by the renal stem cell niche
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2011
    Real time regional tissue analysis suite
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    ResTeach 2011 0.2 FTE School of Biomedical Sciences
    UQ ResTeach
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    The role of hypoxia in the developmental programming of the kidney
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2010
    Establishment of a digital Scanscope system for virtual microscopy
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2010
    In Situ Hybridization Suite for Biomedical Science Researchers
    NHMRC Equipment Grant
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2014
    NHMRC Research Fellowship
    NHMRC Research Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2010
    How do prenatal perturbations influence kidney development and result in adult onset diseases
    UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards - DVC(R) Funding
    Open grant
  • 2009
    "Real Time PCR Facility for Biomedical Researchers"
    UQ School/Centre Co-Funding
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2010
    Does moderate prenatal alcohol exposure cause metabolic disease
    Diabetes Australia Research Trust
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2010
    Poor kidney development resulting in kidney disease and high blood pressure
    National Heart Foundation of Australia
    Open grant
  • 2009
    Quantitative Histological Core Facility
    UQ School/Centre Co-Funding
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Karen Moritz is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Master Philosophy

    Biomarkers of acute kidney injury in infants

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Delphi Study of Pregnancy Alcohol Risk Perceptions: Application for Health Educational Resources

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Natasha Reid

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Advancing facial dysmorphology diagnostic practices for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Lisa Akison, Dr Natasha Reid

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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