Project summary and aims:

Folic acid supplementation is recommended from preconception until the end of lactation.
However, another form of supplemental folate, 5-MTHF, is also approved by Health Canada and
is increasingly being used by women who are pregnant and trying to conceive. It is unclear
whether these folate forms should be considered interchangeable, as they have different
chemical structures and are metabolized differently. To address this gap, we are conducting a
multisite clinical trial in Vancouver, BC and Saskatoon, SK. Women who are trying to become
pregnant will be recruited and randomized to supplementation with folic acid or 5-MTHF;
supplementation will continue until ~1 month postpartum. We aim to ensure that
supplementation with 5-MTHF is as effective as folic acid in increasing maternal blood folate
concentrations by early pregnancy (~6 weeks’ gestation) and throughout pregnancy, and will
evaluate outcomes related to fetal growth and human milk folate composition. Our results will
help to confirm the safety and effectiveness of prenatal supplements containing 5-MTHF. This
study is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (2023 Fall Project Grant).

The current position is for a PhD Nutrition student at the University of Saskatchewan, to lead the
clinical trial at the Saskatoon site, under the supervision of Dr. Cochrane.

Skills & qualifications:
• Knowledge related to perinatal nutrition, folate/B-vitamins, one carbon metabolism,
pregnancy physiology, fetal growth, and/or human milk
• Clinical trial experience, as evidenced by relevant academic training and scholarly
outputs (e.g., peer-reviewed publications)
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to work independently, find creative solutions, and meet deadlines
• Excellent written (lay and scientific) and verbal communication skills

Anticipated start date: September 2024

Principal Investigators:
Dr. Kelsey Cochrane, PhD, RD (Co-Principal investigator)
Assistant Professor, Kelsey.cochrane@usask.ca
College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, Division of Nutrition
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
(Co-Principal Investigator: Dr. Crystal Karakochuk, University of British Columbia)

 documents/phd-project-preface.pdf