
Ph.D. (Epidemiology): National University of Singapore (Oct 2015)
Dr. Dai-Keller is a Lecturer at the School of Population Health. Her research and teaching focus on chronic disease prevention, food policy, research integrity, and health disparities.
As a nutritional epidemiologist primarily studying ageing, Zhaoli (Joy) has led multiple projects using population-based cohorts, nationally representative survey data, and electronic health records in Singapore, the US, and Australia to study dietary factors and other modifiable risk factors for the development and management of chronic diseases, including hip fractures, osteoarthritis and pain, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and mental health. In addition, her systematic reviews and meta-research assess dietary recommendations in evidence-based public health guidelines and clinical guidelines, with an extent to examine the influence of conflicts of interest in research conduct and dissemination.
Her research addresses the importance of optimal diet and nutrition in improving the quality of ageing life, methodological rigour of evidence-based health guidelines and policies, and equity in healthcare access, particularly for people in racial and ethnic minority groups. She has published over 40 peer-reviewed publications, including those published in top-tier medical journals, including the BMJ, Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, and PLOS Medicine (Published name: Zhaoli Dai).
As a committed public health researcher and educator, her goal is to train students in public health, medicine, or other health disciplines to develop systems thinking and essential analytic skills to address various public health problems.
Identifying culturally appropriate and feasible strategies to improve hospital food service in older inpatients from racial and ethnic minority groups
(Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute Kickstart program for ECRs, funded with 20,000 AUD, Dec 2022; Flinders University)
Role: Chief investigator A
COMPare Conflicts: A Real-time Audit of Conflict of Interest Disclosures in Major Medical Journals
(USyd - Yonsei - Partnership Collaboration Awards, funded with 20,000 AUD; 2020-2022; University of Sydney)
Role: Co-Investigator
Evidence use in genetically modified products (SJTU, funded with 5,000 AUD, Sept 2019; University of Sydney)
Role: Chief investigator A
In the media:
The Sydney Morning Harold (2022): Australian clinical trial authors’ declarations of industry ties: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/FNoqCvl1rKi7kpwMxUQjoVo?domain=smh.com.au
Nature News (2022): Undisclosed industry payments rampant in drug-trial papers (nature.com)
The Australian Science Media Exchange (2021): Formula milk trials may not be reliable - Scimex
The Guardian (2021): https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/sep/22/research-suggests-a-diet-rich-in-dairy-fat-may-lower-the-risk-of-heart-disease
CNN (2021): https://edition.cnn.com/2021/09/22/health/dairy-cardiovascular-disease-intl-scli-wellness-scn/index.html
Australian Ageing Agenda (2021): https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au
NYTimes (2017): https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/24/well/eat/high-fiber-diet-tied-to-less-knee-arthritis.html
Newsweek (2017): http://www.newsweek.com/arthritis-diet-fiber-knee-pain-prevent-614434
Reuters (2017): https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-arthritis-fiber-idUSKBN18M1VQ
Today (2014): https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/plant-based-diet-lowers-risk-hip-fracture-study
Editorial services:
Associate editor: Public Health Nutrition (2023-)
Associate editor: Nutrition Journal (2022-)
Editorial board: BMC Geriatrics (2021-)
Academic societies:
Nutrition Society Australia: Deputy Chair, Equity Diversity & Inclusion Working Group (National) (2022-)
Australian Association of Gerontology: Executive committee member (NSW) (2021-)
My Research Supervision
Project: Identifying culturally appropriate and feasible strategies to improve hospital food service in older inpatients from racial and ethnic minority groups (primary supervisor)
Project: A systematic review of diet, nutrition, and medication use among centenarians around the world (primary supervisor)
Project: Prevalence and Risk Factors of Drug-Related Hospital Readmissions in Older Adults: A Systematic Review (co-supervisor)
My Teaching
My teaching interest includes nutritional epidemiology, ageing health, and health policy.
I have taught and coordinated units/courses in nutritional epidemiology, research methods, ageing and health, introduction to public health, and history of public health.
Current teaching (course convenor): Evaluation of chronic disease prevention programs (PHCM 2009)