Liz Milne
Honorary Emeritus Fellow
MPH PhD
Liz is an epidemiologist specialising in the aetiology and prevention of childhood cancers and other chronic diseases. For over a decade, her research has had a strong focus on identifying genetic, dietary and environmental risk factors for childhood leukaemia and brain tumours.
She joined The Kids Research Institute Australia in 2001 and established a comprehensive program of research, conducting Australia-wide studies and becoming a key player in the establishment of international consortia. Such international collaborations are crucial because childhood cancers are relatively rare, and difficult to study in relatively small populations. Liz is now an Honorary Emeritus Fellow with the Institute.
Liz’s other research interests include gene-environment interactions, folate metabolism, assisted reproductive technology and the harmful effects of sun exposure, alcohol and mobile phone use. As an epidemiologist, she has a strong interest in research study design and statistical analysis.
Projects
A systematic review of prevention interventions to reduce prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Indigenous communities
Prenatal origins and health outcomes of male reproductive congenital anomalies diagnosed at birth and testicular cancer in adulthood
This study involves record linkage of birth, birth defects, hospital, deaths and cancer data; with links to genealogy data to identify links between families.
National Case-Control Study of Childhood Brain Tumours
The Australian Study of Childhood Brain Tumours was a national case-control study into the risk factors for childhood brain tumours (CBT).
Australian Study of Causes of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in Children
Analysing data collected between 2003 and 2007 in this national case-control study of the risk factors for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
Published research
Ovulation induction and subfertile untreated conception groups offer improved options for interpreting risks associated with ART
To identify and characterise appropriate comparison groups for population studies of health outcomes in ART-conceived births: ovulation induction (OI), subfertile untreated and fertile natural conceptions. Our secondary objective was to examine whether known risks of pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes in ART births are elevated in comparison with subfertile (untreated and OI) conception groups.
Infant feeding practices and childhood acute leukemia: Findings from the Childhood Cancer & Leukemia International Consortium
Increasing evidence suggests that breastfeeding may protect from childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. However, most studies have limited their analyses to any breastfeeding, and only a few data have examined exclusive breastfeeding, or other exposures such as formula milk.
Time spent outdoors in childhood is associated with reduced risk of myopia as an adult
Myopia (near-sightedness) is an important public health issue. Spending more time outdoors can prevent myopia but the long-term association between this exposure and myopia has not been well characterised. We investigated the relationship between time spent outdoors in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood and risk of myopia in young adulthood. The Kidskin Young Adult Myopia Study (KYAMS) was a follow-up of the Kidskin Study, a sun exposure-intervention study of 1776 children aged 6-12 years.
Re-engaging an inactive cohort of young adults: Evaluating recruitment for the Kidskin Young Adult Myopia Study
We evaluate our ability to recruit participants for the Kidskin Young Adult Myopia Study, a follow-up of the Kidskin Study
Recalling our day in the sun: comparing long-term recall of childhood sun exposure with prospectively collected parent-reported data
Group data from retrospective recall of sun-related behaviours may be of limited value in studying the relationship between sun exposure and health outcomes;
Coffee and tea consumption during pregnancy and risk of childhood acute myeloid leukemia: A Childhood Leukemia International Consortium (CLIC) study
We investigated the potential association of maternal coffee and tea consumption during pregnancy with childhood acute myeloid leukemia risk
A systematic review of prevention interventions to reduce prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in indigenous communities
There is little evidence that previous interventions aiming to reduce the risk of prenatal alcohol exposure or FASD in Indigenous populations have been effective
Association between male genital anomalies and adult male reproductive disorders: a population-based data linkage study spanning more than 40 years
We provide new evidence to support current guidelines for orchidopexy before age 18 months to decrease the risk of future testicular cancer and infertility
Association between male genital anomalies and adult male reproductive disorders: a population-based data linkage study spanning more than 40 years
Undescended testes is associated with an increased risk of testicular cancer and male infertility, and decreased paternity
Living on a farm, contact with farm animals and pets, and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
These findings add additional evidence to the hypothesis that regular contact with animals in early childhood is inversely associated with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Maternal consumption of coffee and tea during pregnancy and risk of childhood ALL: a pooled analysis from the childhood Leukemia International Consortium
Our findings suggest that high coffee intake during pregnancy may increase risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Investigating the long-term impact of a childhood sun-exposure intervention, with a focus on eye health: protocol for the Kidskin-Young Adult Myopia Study
A follow-up of Kidskin Study participants provides an opportunity to investigate the associations between a childhood sun-exposure intervention and potentially related conditions in adulthood
Early vaccination protects against childhood leukemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Growing evidence supports a role for infection in the etiology of ALL and the involvement of immune systems suggests that vaccination may also play a role.
A variant at 9p21.3 functionally implicates CDKN2B in paediatric B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia aetiology
Discover and replicate a locus indexed by rs77728904 at 9p21.3 associated with BCP-ALL susceptibility
Home pesticide exposures and risk of childhood leukemia: Findings from the childhood leukemia international consortium
In this investigation, the authors found an association between home pesticide exposure before birth and during a child's early years and acute lymphoblastic...
Linked data research: a valuable tool in the ART field
This letter to the editor endorses data linkage studies and cites their potential value over other types of epidemiological studies within the field of...
Home paint exposures and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: findings from the Childhood Leukemia International Consortium
This paper demonstrated that home paint exposure shortly before conception, during pregnancy, and/or after birth appeared to increase the risk of childhood ALL.
Blood micronutrients and DNA damage in children
This is the first study to examine the associations between a range of blood micronutrient levels and DNA damage in healthy children.
Risk of cancer among children with birth defects: A novel approach
This novel approach aimed to prevent inflated hazard ratios arising from reverse causation, and allow identification of associations beyond those already...
Folate pathway gene polymorphisms and risk of childhood brain tumors: Results from an Australian case-control study
Recent research suggests that maternal folic acid supplementation is associated with a reduced risk of childhood brain tumors (CBT); polymorphisms in folate...
Childhood folate, B6, B12, and food group intake and the risk of childhood brain tumors: results from an Australian case–control study
In this case-control study of CBT, the possible associations of childhood intake of dietary and supplemental folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 with the...
Breastfeeding and nutrition to 2 years of age and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and brain tumors
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia and childhood brain tumors are 2 of the most common forms of childhood cancer, but little is known of their etiology.
Vehicle refuelling, use of domestic wood heaters and the risk of childhood brain tumours: Results from an Australian case-control study
The aetiology of childhood brain tumours (CBT) is largely unknown.
Birthweight and childhood cancer: Preliminary findings from the international childhood cancer cohort consortium (I4C)
Background Evidence relating childhood cancer to high birthweight is derived primarily from registry and case-control studies.
Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and indicators of early immune stimulation: a Childhood Leukemia International Consortium study
The associations between childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and several proxies of early stimulation of the immune system, that is, day-care center...
Folate pathway gene polymorphisms, maternal folic acid use, and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Several studies suggest that maternal folic acid supplementation before or during pregnancy protects against childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
Plasma micronutrient levels and telomere length in children
Telomeres are long hexamer (TTAGGG) repeats at the ends of chromosomes, and contribute to maintenance of chromosomal stability.
Maternal supplementation with folic acid and other vitamins and risk of leukemia in offspring: a childhood leukemia international consortium study
Our results suggest that maternal prenatal use of vitamins and folic acid reduces the risk of both ALL and AML
Paternal intake of folate and vitamins B6 and B12 before conception and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Higher levels of paternal dietary vitamin B12 were appeared to be associated with an increased risk of childhood ALL, with those in the highest tertile of...
Confirmation of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia Variants, ARID5B and IKZF1, and interaction with parental environmental exposures
The polygenic nature of childhood ALL predisposition together with the timing of environmental triggers may hold vital clues for disease etiology.
The MOBI-Kids Study Protocol: Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields from Wireless Telecommunication Technologies and Possible Association with Brain Tumor Risk
The rapid increase in mobile phone use in young people has generated concern about possible health effects of exposure to radiofrequency (RF) and extremely...
Parental occupational paint exposure and risk of childhood leukemia in the offspring: findings from the Childhood Leukemia International Consortium
Using individual data from fathers of 8,185 cases and 14,210 controls, the pooled OR for paternal exposure around conception and risk of acute lymphoblastic...
Maternal consumption of coffee and tea during pregnancy and risk of childhood brain tumors: results from an Australian case-control study
The aim of this analysis was to investigate whether maternal coffee or tea consumption during pregnancy was associated with the risk of CBT.
Childhood brain tumours: Associations with parental occupational exposure to solvents
Paternal exposure to solvents in the year before conception was associated with an increased CBT risk. This increased risk appeared to be mainly attributable...
Erratum to: Exposure to household painting and floor treatments, and parental occupational paint exposure and risk of childhood brain tumors
This paper corrects an error in data reported in a previous publication.
Ultraviolet radiation exposure and serum vitamin D levels in young children
This paper examined the link between UV exposure and vitamin D production in young children to determine how long it takes for sun exposure to affect serum...
Maternal Dietary Intake of Folate and Vitamins B6 and B12 During Pregnancy and Risk of Childhood Brain Tumors
This Australia-wide study examines whether maternal intake of folate and vitamins B6 and B12 during pregnancy is associated with development of brain tumors...
Parental occupational pesticide exposure and the risk of childhood leukemia in the offspring: Findings from the childhood leukemia international consortium
Maternal occupational pesticide exposure during pregnancy and/or paternal occupational pesticide exposure around conception have been suggested to increase...
Childhood and parental diagnostic radiological procedures and risk of childhood brain tumors
We found no evidence of positive associations between risk of childhood brain tumours overall and childhood or parental pre-pregnancy radiological procedures.
Exposure to household painting and floor treatments, and parental occupational paint exposure and risk of childhood brain tumors
This study investigated whether household exposure to paints and floor treatments and parental occupational painting were associated with CBT risk...
Rule-based exposure assessment versus case-by-case expert assessment using the same information in a community-based study
Expert assessment is often used to assess lifetime occupational exposures, but these assessments generally lack transparency and are very time-consuming.
Exposure to pesticides and the risk of childhood brain tumors
This Australian case-control study of CBT investigated whether exposures to pesticides before pregnancy, during pregnancy and during childhood, were...
Assisted reproductive technology and birth defects: A systematic review and meta-analysis
It has been 10 years since we carried out a systematic search of the literature on birth defect risk in infants born following assisted reproductive...
Parental occupational exposure to engine exhausts and childhood brain tumors
Increased risks were observed for maternal exposure to diesel exhaust any time before the child's birth and paternal exposure around the time of the child's...
Fetal growth and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Findings from the childhood leukemia international consortium
The evidence that accelerated fetal growth is associated with a modest increased risk of childhood ALL is strong and consistent with known biological...
Familial aggregation of childhood and adult cancer in the Utah genealogy
We explored familial aggregation of cancer in a population-based case-control study using genealogical record linkage and designed to overcome limitations of...
The Childhood Leukemia International Consortium
The Childhood Leukemia International Consortium (CLIC) was established in 2007 to promote investigations of rarer exposures, gene-environment interactions...
Participation in paediatric cancer studies: Timing and approach to recruitment
In this sub-study, we aimed to investigate factors that may have influenced study participation and completeness of survey completion.
Parental alcohol consumption and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and brain tumors
Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood malignancy and brain tumors (CBTs) are the leading cause of cancer death in...
Factors relating to pregnancy and birth and the risk of childhood brain tumors: Results from an Australian case-control study
Childhood brain tumors (CBT) are the leading cause of cancer death in children, yet their causes are largely known. This study investigated the association...
Parental smoking and risk of childhood brain tumors
Childhood brain tumors (CBT) are the leading cause of cancer death in children, yet their etiology remains largely unknown.
Genetic polymorphisms and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: GWAS of the ESCALE study (SFCE)
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) accounts for approximately 80% of the acute leukemia (AL) overall cases per year in France. We report the results of a...
Maternal Use of Folic Acid and Other Supplements and Risk of Childhood Brain Tumors
Interest in a possible protective effect of maternal vitamin use before or during pregnancy against childhood brain tumors (CBT) and other childhood cancers...
Statistical adjustment of genotyping error in a case-control study of childhood leukaemia
Genotyping has become more cost-effective and less invasive with the use of buccal cell...
Risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia following parental occupational exposure to pesticides
Risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia following parental occupational exposure to pesticides.
Parental occupational exposure to engine exhausts and childhood brain tumors
Childhood brain tumors (CBT) are the leading cause of cancer death in children; their risk factors are still largely unknown.
Participation in population-based case-control studies: Does the observed decline vary by socio-economic status?
An Australian study of childhood leukaemia (Aus-ALL) previously reported that control participation was positively associated with socio-economic status...
Parental occupational exposure to engine exhausts and childhood brain tumors
Parental occupational exposure to engine exhausts and childhood brain tumors.
Parental prenatal smoking and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
The association between parental smoking and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was investigated
Maternal dietary intake of folate and vitamins b6 and B12 during pregnancy and the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Maternal dietary intake of folate and vitamins b6 and B12 during pregnancy and the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Parental prenatal smoking and risk of childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
The association between parental smoking and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was investigated in an Australian population-based...
Parental occupational exposure to exhausts, solvents, glues and paints, and risk of childhood leukemia
It is unknown whether parental occupational exposure to chemicals before during and after pregnancy increases the risk of acute lymphoblastic...
Participation in population-based case-control studies: does the observed decline vary by socio-economic status?
Participation in population-based case-control studies: does the observed decline vary by socio-economic status?
Exposure to professional pest control treatments and the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Previous studies suggest that exposure to pesticides increases the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
ART, birth defects and subfertility-what should prospective patients be told?
Clinicians who counsel prospective ART patients about birth defect risk should provide information about the overall risk of having a child with a birth defect
Western Australian children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia are taller at diagnosis than unaffected children of the same age and sex
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the commonest childhood malignancy in Australian children
Maternal consumption of coffee and tea during pregnancy and risk of childhood ALL: results from an Australian case-control study
To investigate whether maternal coffee and/or tea consumption during the last 6 months of pregnancy was associated with risk of childhood ALL.
Risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia following parental occupational exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields
Risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia following parental occupational exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields British Journal..
Maternal consumption of coffee and tea during pregnancy and risk of childhood ALL: Results from an Australian case-control study
The objective of this study was to investigate whether maternal coffee and/or tea consumption during the last 6 months of pregnancy was associated with risk...
Exposure to diagnostic radiological procedures and the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Diagnostic irradiation of the mother during pregnancy increases the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Maternal folate and other vitamin supplementation during pregnancy and risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the offspring
The Australian Study of Causes of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Children (Aus-ALL) was designed to test the hypothesis, raised by a previous Western Australia
Representativeness of child controls recruited by random digit dialling
Recruiting control subjects who are representative of the population from which the cases are drawn is a challenge in case-control studies
Detecting genotyping error using measures of degree of Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium - art. no. 5
Tests for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) have been used to detect genotyping error, but those tests have low power unless the sample size is very large.
Fetal growth and risk of childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
The relation between intrauterine growth and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia was investigated in an Australian population-based case-control...