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Dr. William Diehl-Jones

Dr. William Diehl-Jones

Associate Professor

Contact information

Email: wdiehljones@athabascau.ca

Phone:

My doctoral training preceded my nursing career, and is somewhat unusual for a nurse. My PhD was in cell biology, and my postdoctoral training was in molecular genetics. In 1995, my research and professional focus changed dramatically, owing to my experiences as the parent of a preterm infant. This led to my second career as a neonatal intensive care nurse and researcher. I have used my clinical experiences to inform my research directions, at the same time as utilizing my ‘bench’ research skills. As will be evidenced by my publications over the last decade, I am very interested in the relationship between nutrition and the health of preterm and newborn infants. My research question is, essentially: ‘what are the effects of diet on intestinal physiology and gene expression in the preterm?’ Most recently, I have published on the use of breast milk fortifiers for preterm infants, and more recently I have become interested in the roles of probiotics in infant nutrition. I teach pharmacology and pathophysiology in the Nurse Practitioner program at Athabasca University, and I collaborate with Project Firstline (A CDC initiative) on anti-infectives and antibiotic stewardship. My Latest book chapter (submitted) is on Neonatal Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics.

Discover my research


Research interests

  • Diseases of Immaturity
  • Neonatal Health
  • Infant Nutrition
  • Oxidative Stress

Educational credentials

  • BSc (Specialist)
  • MSc
  • PhD
  • BScN
  • RN
  • Post Doctoral Fellow, McGill University

Professional affiliations

  • College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta
  • College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba