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Institute for Resilient Regions
Centre for Health Research

Centre for Health Research

The Centre for Health Research takes an interdisciplinary approach to health issues that have the greatest impact on communities, especially in regional Australia.

From mental health and wellbeing to aged care, sport and exercise, artificial intelligence, health economics, health biomarkers, and cancer survivorship, the Centre aims to better understand, prevent, and support health in regional and priority populations.

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Manna Institute

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Student-Athlete Empowerment Project

School of Psychology and Wellbeing

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Study health at UniSQ

Themes and Projects

Mental Health and Wellbeing

This research theme examines new solutions to improve the mental health and wellbeing of Australians. Projects focus on innovative approaches to improving the delivery of evidence-based care, particularly for children and families and regional Australians.

Title: The Regional Australia Mental Health Research and Training Institute (Manna Institute)
Funding: Regional Research Collaborative | Australian Department of Education Skills and Employment
Leader: Professor Sonja March
Project Team: RUN collaborative
Project Partners: University of New England | Federation University| Australian Catholic University | Sunshine Coast University | Southern Cross University | Charles Sturt University

A collaborative research institute with the Regional University Network, designed to enhance regional mental health research capacity and improve mental health outcomes for regional communities.

Title: Translating evidence-based interventions into population-level digital models of care for child and adolescent mental health
Funding: MRFF / Million Minds
Leader: Professor Sonja March
Project Team: Professor Caroline Donovan | Professor Britt Klein | Professor Susan Spence | Professor Vanessa Cobham | Professor Leanne Hides | Professor Lara Farrell | Professor Alison Calear | Associate Professor Sanjeewa Kularatna | Associate Professor Melanie White
Project Partners: Australian National University | Griffith University | Queensland university of Technology | University of QLD | Federation University

A large multi-institution project making evidence-based digital interventions for child and adolescent mental health publicly available.

Title: A Staged Mental Health Care Plan for Children integrating child & parent assessment in Education settings: A feasibility randomised control trial
Funding: Australian Rotary Health
Leader: Professor Sonja March
Project Team: Dr Kirsty Zieschank | Dr Michael Ireland | Dr Arlen Rowe
Project Partners: Catholic Education

A project working with Catholic Education – Toowoomba Diocese, making child mental health screening and support accessible and engaging using digital technology.

Title: Trauma-informed Behaviour Supports for the Early Intervention of Child mental Health: A Pragmatic implementation trial with Regional Schools
Funding: Australian Rotary Health
Leader: Dr Govind Krishnamoorthy
Project Team: Professor Sonja March | Dr Kay Ayre | Dr Emily Berger | Professor Sandra Chafouleas | Dr Ariana Eivers
Project Partners: Education Queensland | Independent Schools Queensland | Catholic Education

A project trialling whole of school strategies for supporting children at risk of mental illness.

Title: Finding the right balance of ‘support’: Testing a new digital model of care for child and adolescent anxiety in regional communities.
Funding: HCF
Leader: Professor Sonja March
Project Team: Dr Govind Krishnamoorthy | Dr Kirsty Zieschank | Dr Arlen Rowe | Professor Caroline Donovan | Professor Alison Calear
Project Partners: Griffith University | Australian National University

A project aimed at making digital models of mental health care work for children and adolescents in regional communities.

Title: Our Children – Their Future: Understanding Screen Use in Young Children
Funding: Ipswich Hospital Foundation
Leader: Professor Stuart Biddle
Project Team: Professor Sonja March | Dr Govind Krishnamoorthy | Professor Tracy Kolbe-Alexander | Dr George Thomas (UQ)
Project Partners: Dr Robert McGregor | Dr Muthulakshmi Narasimhan

A project in partnership with Ipswich paediatricians to understanding screen use and strategies for managing screen time in young children.

Cancer Control and Survivorship Care

This research theme includes projects aimed at understanding and improving cancer control and survivorship care, particularly for regional Australians.

Title: Providing Accessible Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care: A virtual care pilot in West Moreton Health
Funding: NH&MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Prostate Cancer Survivorship
Leader: Professor Jeff Dunn
Project Team: Suzanne Chambers | Dr Nicole Heneka | Shannon Wallis | Isaac Thangasamy | Stephen Walker | Melinda Parcell | Sue Coffey | Haitham Tuffaha
Project Partners: Ipswich West Moreton Hospital and Health Service

A collaboration with West Moreton Health to make Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care accessible through virtual care.

Title: PROFound - Prostate Cancer Counselling Service
Funding: Profield Foundation
Leader: Professor Jeff Dunn
Project Team: Anne Savage | Sally Sara | Bernie Riley | Jane Crowe | Paul Bain | Suzanne Chambers
Project Partners: Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia

Title: Development and evaluation of a patient-centred Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care Plan (‘My Personal Plan’) that supports integrated quality prostate cancer survivorship.
Funding: Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia
Leader: Associate Professor Nicole Heneka
Project Team: Professor Jeff Dunn | Sally Sara | Suzanne Chambers
Project Partners: Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia | NH&MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Prostate Cancer Survivorship| University of Technology Sydney| Australian Catholic University

A project in partnership with Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia developing Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care Plans for quality care.

Title: Translation of the Prostate Cancer Survivorship Essentials Framework into multi-disciplinary clinical practice: A participatory research project.
Funding: NH&MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Prostate Cancer Survivorship
Leader: Associate Professor Nicole Heneka
Project Team: Professor Jeff Dunn | Suzanne Chambers | Helen Crowe | Anthony Costello| Jane Crowe| Rachel Heerey | Isabelle Schaefer
Project Partners: Australian Prostate Centre | University of Technology Sydney | Australian Catholic University

Translating Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care into clinical practice.

Technological Innovations, Artificial Intelligence and Health

This research theme examines innovations in health through the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and technological solutions. Programs include technological innovations in medical materials, AI for the assessment of mental and cognitive states, AI for detection of chronic illness risk and AI for health and security.

Title: Automated Mood Inference Tool for Relapse Prediction in Mood Disorders
Funding: Queensland Government| Queensland Health| Netcare Pty Ltd
Leader: Dr Rajib Rana
Project Team: Professor Sonja March | Professor Jeffrey Soar | Dr Niall Higgins
Project Partners: Netcare Pty Ltd

Using Artificial Intelligence to predict relapse in mood disorders from speech.

Title: Using Artificial Intelligence to prioritise emergency calls for suicide prevention dur to COVID-19 pandemic
Funding: Queensland Government| Queensland Health| Cogninet Australia
Leader: Dr Rajib Rana
Project Team: Professor Sonja March | Dr Jeffrey Soar | Dr Niall Higgins
Project Partners: Cogninet Australia

Using Artificial Intelligence to predict distress and suicide risk in emergency line calls.

Title: AI-Assisted Summarisation of Consumer History (‘ASCH’) – A Quality Improvement initiative for Suicide Prevention Practice
Funding: Queensland Health
Leader: Dr Rajib Rana
Project Team: Dr Kathryn Turner | Dr Niall Higgins| Dr Anthony R. Pisani| Dr Rory O’Connor

Using Artificial Intelligence as a method for quality improvement in suicide prevention.

Title: An AI-assisted STI Risk Assessment and Linkage to Care Coaching System: Your Life| Your Body and Your Privacy
Funding: Australian Government Department of Health: Activities to Support the National Response to Blood Borne Viruses (BBV) and Sexually Transmissible Infections (STI)
Leader: Dr Zhaohui Tang | Professor Yan Li
Project Team: Professor Amy Mullens | Sonya Osbourne | Judith Dean
Project Partners: University of Queensland | Queensland Positive People | Queensland Health | Queensland Council LGBTI Health

Using artificial intelligence to facilitate risk assessments for sexually transmitted infections and link to care.

Title: The Key Techniques Development for EEG Classification and Mass Brain Network Modelling
Funding: Shenzhen Delica Medical Equipment Co. Ltd
Leader: Professor Yan Li
Project Team: Professor Peng (Paul) Wen
Project Partners: Shenzhen Delica Medical Equipment Co. Ltd| Queensland Health

Using artificial intelligence to develop techniques for brain modelling via EEG.

Title: Developing an AI prediction model for Chronic Disease
Funding: Queensland Government (Advanced Queensland Fellowship)
Leader: Associate Professor Xujuan Zhou
Project Team: Professor Raj Gururajan | Floyd Leedie | Adjunct Professor Prabal D Barua
Project Partners: Goondir Health Services at Dalby | Cogninet Australia

Using artificial intelligence to predict risk of chronic disease.

Title: AI Based Efficacy assessment of rTMS technology in mental health assessment
Funding: Belmont Private Healthcare
Leader: Professor Raj Gururajan
Project Team: Professor Xiaohui Tao | Associate Professor Xujuan Zhou | Mary Williams | Adjunct Professor Soman Elangovan
Project Partners: Belmont Healthcare

Title: Using AI in postpartum assessment
Funding: SRM Institute of Science and Technology| India
Leader: Abinaya Goplakrishnan
Project Team: Professor Raj Gururajan | Associate Professor Xujuan Zhou | Professor Revathi Venkataraman
Project Partners: SRM Institute of Science and Technology| India

Using artificial intelligence to facilitate postpartum assessment.

Title: 3D bioengineered bone microenvironments to model tumourigenic properties
Funding: Department of Education
Leader: Dr Louisa Windus (UniSQ) | Alissa Reinke (PhD student)
Project Team: Professor Eliza Whiteside | Associate Professor Polly Burey | Dr Jessica Feldman | Dr Tristan Shelley | Dr Michael Roberts (DDH and UniSQ) | Associate Professor Chris Wall (DDH and UQ
Project Partners: Darling Downs Health| Sunny Queen Eggs| UQ

Using 3D bioengineered bone microenvironments to model tumourigenic properties.

Title: Development of 3D printed surgical guides for precision medicine in orthopaedics
Funding: Department of Education
Leader: Dr Michael Roberts
Project Team: Professor Eliza Whiteside | Associate Professor Polly Burey | Dr Tristan Shelley | Steph Piper (UniSQ) | Dr Viv Shridhar| Associate Professor Chris Wall and Dr Doogie Whitcombe (DDH and UQ)
Project Partners: Darling Downs Health | UQ

Using 3D printed surgical guides to facilitate precision medicine in orthopaedics.

Title: Developing and evaluating training models for medical students and clinicians
Funding: Department of Education
Leader: Professor Eliza Whiteside
Project Team: Associate Professor Kate Kauter | Associate Professor Polly Burey | Dr Tristan Shelley | Steph Piper (UniSQ) | Dr Rose Nicol and Dr Michael Roberts (DDH and UniSQ) | Dr Doogie Whitcombe (DDH and UQ) | Dr David Wedgwood (DDH and LifeFlight)
Project Partners: Darling Downs Health | UQ Rural Clinical Unit | Toowoomba

A project examining training models for medical students and clinicians.

Title: Single-use plastics recycling of hospital theatre waste
Funding: Department of Education
Leader: Dr Rose Nicol (UniSQ and DDH)
Project Team: Professor Eliza Whiteside | Associate Professor Polly Burey | Dr Tristan Shelley | Dr Michael Roberts (DDH and UniSQ) | Dr Doogie Whitcombe (DDH and UQ) | Dr David Wedgwood (DDH and LifeFlight)
Project Partners: Darling Downs Health | Ability Enterprise

A project examining strategies for reducing hospital theatre waste.

Health Equity

This research theme brings together inter-disciplinary researchers to reduce disparities and improve health outcomes among priority populations in health and wellbeing. Key programs of research include Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities, Neurodiversity, and Sexuality and Gender.

Title: Increasing capacity and capability for GPs to provide Hepatitis B testing and management among Chinese and Vietnamese Communities
Funding body: Queensland Sexual Health Research Fund
Leader: Professor Amy Mullens
Project Team: Jo Durham (QUT) | Zhihong Gu (ECCQ) | Joseph Debattista (Metro North Public Health) | Associate Professor Erich Fein (UniSQ) | Margaret Kay (BSPHN) | Lana Richardson (Hep Qld) | Dr Kirstie Daken (UniSQ)
Project Partners: Queensland University of Technology | Ethnic Communities Council Queensland | Brisbane South Primary Health Network | Hepatitis Queensland | Metro North Public Health

A project aimed at improving GP capabilities in Hepatitis B care for Chinese and Vietnamese communities.

Title: Enhancing pathways| workforce & capacity for HAND assessment for people living with HIV throughout Qld| including regional
Funding body: Queensland Sexual Health Research Fund
Leader: Professor Amy Mullens
Project Team: Dr Kirstie Daken (UniSQ) | Adina Piovesana | Chris Howard (QPP) | Sue Gilling (QPP)
Project Partners: Queensland Positive People | University of New South Wales

A project aimed at improving workforce capacity in assessment of HIV in regional QLD.

Title: Exploring the context for introducing a nurse-led satellite clinic to increase testing and surveillance for sexually transmitted infections
Funding body: Fellowship | Nursing and Midwifery Research | Health Innovation | Investment & Research Office Prevention Division | Qld Health
Leader: Amanda Balmer (PhD Candidate)
Project Team: Leah East | Professor Amy Mullens | Sonya Osbourne | Associate Professor Annette Bromdal | Kathryn Kynoch (Mater)
Project Partners: Queensland Corrective Services| Queensland Health| Mater

A project aimed at improving access to testing and care for STIs.

Title: Co-designing a Food Sovereignty Model with Indigenous Communities
Funding Body: Australian Research Council
Leader: Associate Professor Debbie Duthie
Project Team: A/Prof Donald Wharton (QUT), A/Prof Kate Murray (QUT), Prof Leah East, Prof Danielle Gallegos (QUT) Deanne Minniecon (Diabetes Australia.

Title: Improving the physical and mental health of people born with innate variations of sex characteristics
Funding body: MRFF 2023: Models of Care for Sexuality & Gender Diverse People with Innate Variations of Sex Characteristics
Leader: Associate Professor Morgan Carpenter (University of Sydney)
Project Team: Professor Amy Mullens | Associate Professor Annette Bromdal | Professor Philip Batterham (ANU) | Professor Adam Bourne (La Trobe University) | Professor Alison Calear (ANU) | Ms Bonnie Hart | Professor Martin Holt (UNSW) | Ms Elissa Jacobs (Canberra Health Service) | Professor Ainsley Newson (University of Sydney) | Dr Prakash Poudel (ACT Health) | Natalie Hamam (IHRA) | Dr Aileen Kennedy (UTS) | Dr Bridget Haire (UNSW) | Dr Alyssa Morse (ANU) | Professor Christy Newman (UNSW) | Professor Michael Roche (University of Canberra) | Dr Ingrid Rowlands (UQ) | Dr Julie Mooney-Somers (University of Sydney) | Associate Professor Ashleigh Lin (Telethon Kids Institute) | Ms Velissa Aplin (Canberra Health Services) | Dr Penelope Strauss (UWA)
Project Partners: University of Sydney | Canberra Health Services | Australian National University | University of Southern Queensland | La Trobe University | University of New South Wales | University of Technology Sydney | The University of Queensland | Telethon Kids Institute | University of Canberra | Intersex Human Rights Australia | Intersex Peer Support Australia | A Gender Agenda

A project aimed at developing co-designed, integrated, person-centred models of care that improve the physical and mental health and wellbeing of people with innate variations of sex characteristics ('IVSCs') and their families, including those with intersectional disadvantages.

Title: A 'whole-of-setting' model of care for trans and gender diverse people in prison
Funding body: MRFF 2023: Models of Care for Sexuality & Gender Diverse People with Innate Variations of Sex Characteristics
Leader: Dr Paul Simpson (UNSW)
Project Team: Professor Amy Mullens | Associate Professor Annette Bromdal | Professor Valerie Jenness (University of California Irvine) | Professor Tony Butler (UNSW) | Dr Matthew Maycock (Monash University) | Professor Penelope Abbott (Western Sydney University) | Dr Jocelyn Jones (Curtin University) | Associate Professor Graham Neilsen (UQ) | Dr Raewyn Connell (University of Sydney) | Mr Teddy Cook (ACON) | Ms Shani Prosser (Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network) | Ms Kelly-Anne Stewart (Corrective Services NSQ) | Ms Natalie Boal (International Corrections and Prisons Association) | Dr Melissa Kelly (The Albion Centre) | Dr Katerina Lagios (Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network) | Dr Zahra Stardust (QUT) | Ms Rebecca Reynolds (QC) | Dr Riki Lane (Monash University) | Miss Chantell Martin (NSW Trans & Gender Diverse Criminal Justice System Advisory Council) | Dr Joseph Debattista (Metro North HHS) | Mr Parker Forbes (ATSAQ)
Project Partners: University of Sydney | University of California Irvine | Monash University | University of Southern Queensland | Western Sydney University | Curtin University | The University of Queensland | ACON | Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network | Corrective Services NSW | International Corrections and Prisons Association | The Albion Centre | Queensland University of Technology | Queensland Council for LGBTI Health | Metro North Hospital and Health Service | The Australian Transgender Support Association Queensland Inc | NSW Trans & Gender Diverse Criminal Justice System Advisory Council

A project aimed at establishing the evidence required to co-design and evaluate an integrated 'whole-of-setting' model of care for trans people in prison.

Health Promotion

This theme includes research that focuses on strategies for improving individual wellness, physical health and healthy lifestyles and community wellbeing (public health). Projects examine the role of physical activity and screen time in health, sports and activity-based interventions, and public health approaches to promoting community health and wellbeing.

Title: Sustainable Industry Manufacturing Planning for Long-term Ecosystems (SIMPLE) Hub - Medical Materials and Technologies Stream
Funding: Department of Education| $3.35 million
Leader: Associate Professor Polly Burey | Dr Tristan Shelley | Professor Eliza Whiteside (Medical stream)
Project Team: Dr Louisa Windus | Associate Professor Kate Kauter | Dr Michael Roberts | Dr Rose Nicol
Project Partners: Centre for Future Materials | Darling Downs Health | South-West Health and Hospital Service | Sunny Queen Eggs

A large initiative to develop and research sustainable medical materials and technologies.

Title: What do female athletes know about the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraception? Updating and validating Knowledge Questionnaire 2.0 (MCq-Knowledge)
Project Leader: Dr Brianna Larsen
Funding: Australian Sports Commission (Australian Institute of Sport)
Research Team: Dr Brianna Larsen | Professor Stephen Bird
External Partners: Dr Karlee Quinn (Queensland Academy of Sport) | Tim Newans (Griffith University) | Dr Alice McNamara (Australian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians; Victorian Institute of Sport; Swimming Australia)

Title: Developing quantum and advanced wearable sensor technology for injury prevention in youth athletes
Project Leader: Associate Professor Toan Dinh
Funding: Quantum 2032 Challenge Program | Department of Environment, Science and Innovation | $832,410
Research Team: Associate Professor Dean Mills | Professor John Bell | Professor Stephen Bird
External Partners: Dr Trong Toan Tran (University of Technology Sydney)

Link: www.unisq.edu.au/student-athlete

Title: AI-driven markerless motion capture system for enhancing human motor function screening and assessment
Project Leader: Dr Ben Hoffman
Funding: Industry PhD Scholarship Program | CSIRO | $240,000
Research Team: Dr Patricio Pincheira | Professor Stephen Bird
External Partners: Jackson Stone (Toowoomba Grammar School) | Dr David Ahmedt Aristizabal (CSIRO)

Link: www.unisq.edu.au/student-athlete

Economics of Health and Healthcare

This research theme examines the economic evaluation of healthcare interventions towards evidence-based and value-based decision making. This research aims to inform policy-making decisions and industry practice at local, national, and international levels.

Title: Digital health transformation of rural primary health care through an innovative digital Indigenous primary health care delivery model
Funding: Medical Research Futures Fund
Leader: Professor Khorshed Alam | Srinivas Kondalsamy Chennakesavan (UQ)
Project Partners: Goondir Health Services

Using digital technologies to improve primary health care models for Indigenous health.

Ageing and Health

This research theme explores the ageing process and care of older adults from an inter-disciplinary perspective (nursing, biomedical, allied health). Projects examine both healthy ageing and the more common clinical conditions that tend to occur in older age, like dementia, stroke and other health problems. Projects focus on ageing from the perspective of health care, aged care, workforce direction and interventions to improve rehabilitation and quality of life for consumers, carers and staff.

Title: The West Moreton Care at End of Life and Older Persons Care Collaboratives Project
Funding: Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network
Leader: Dr Melissa Taylor
Project Team: Carol Hope (Professor Doc Candidate) | Denne Geddes
Project Partners: West Moreton Hospital and Health Services | Members of the West Moreton Care Collaboratives (Dementia and Community/Rural Networks | Care at End of Life)

The West Moreton Region Care Collaboratives Project brings together like-minded government and non-government services and community to optimise systems, processes, and outcomes in social care activities with the community through co-designed, participatory approaches.

Title: Somerset Assist
Funding: Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network Scoping project as part of the West Moreton Care Collaborative Project
Leader: Dr Melissa Taylor
Project Team: Lyn Buchanan (Somerset Regional Council) | Deanne Geddes
Project Partners: Somerset Regional Council | Somerset Assist, Mable | Trilogy Aged Care and Skills Hub Australia | Members West Moreton Care Collaborative Community/Rural Network

A novel self-managed aged care initiative that seeks to train local community to care for locals in the Somerset regional area. An embedded case study approach evaluates patient journeys, governance structures and service delivery outputs.

Title: Emergency Management Information Project for Regional and Rural Seniors: Increasing Consumer Advocacy Recall in Disaster Situations (CARDS) Scoping Project as part of West Moreton Care Collaboratives Project
Funding: Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network
Leader: Dr Melissa Taylor
Project Team: Carol Hope | Denne Geddes | Professor Sonja March
Project Partners: Ipswich City Council | Somerset Regional Council | Scenic Rim Regional Council | Lockyer Valley Regional Council

Adopting a person-centred disaster preparedness approach for seniors in four West Moreton local government areas, the emergency medical information project prepares seniors with accessible health information for use during flood and evacuation.

Title: Seniors Dental Pathways Project
Funding: Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network
Leader: Dr Melissa Taylor
Project Team: Leonie Short (Seniors Dental Care Australia) | Dr Padma Gadiyar (Oral Tech AI)
Project Partners: UnitingCare | Seniors Dental Care Australia | Oral Tech AI | West Moreton Care Collaborative Dementia Network

Mapping oral health care needs and defining and sharing localised referral pathways for seniors in community to alleviate poor oral health.

Title: Priority Pathways Project for Vulnerable Populations Needing End of Life Care
Funding: Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network
Leader: Carol Hope
Project Team: Dr Melissa Taylor | Denne Geddes | Professor Sonja March
Project Partners: Ipswich Hospice | West Moreton Health | Advanced Care Planning | Palliative Care Services West Moreton Health | West Moreton Care Collaboratives Care at End of Life

Mapping end of life care services and referral pathways for people from priority populations in West Moreton to improve access to care at the end of life.

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