Robert Bandsma

Background

About Robert Bandsma

I am a licensed and clinically practicing pediatric nutritionist and gastroenterologist and international malnutrition expert employed at a world-leading academic institution. My main academic program is aimed at identifying children at risk for malnutrition, understanding the malnutrition-related vulnerability and improving survival and long-term outcome of malnourished children globally. My program combines pre-clinical mechanistic scientific studies with high-quality clinical research studies and clinical trials. In Malawi, I established and co-lead a clinical research unit with local partners at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences. Combining fundamental nutritional science with clinical research is rare in global health and positions me to translate basic science insights into interventions that could benefit populations globally. I have successfully completed a large number of observational cohort studies and clinical trials in low-resource geographies. My academic success is illustrated by strong scientific productivity. Apart from being a leading expert in childhood malnutrition, I have expertise in the fields of micronutrient deficiencies, the microbiome, metabolism, feeding practices, nutrient digestion and absorption and general physiology and gastroenterology as illustrated by my training and publications. I have leadership positions in a large international malnutrition network I am deeply involved in nutrition-related advocacy and policy work, illustrated by being a member of the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force and being a regular consultant for the World Health Organization (WHO) and member of the Guideline Development Group for Wasting for WHO.