Research Grant recipients

Deakin University Developing a Safe and Scalable Model for Prescription of Digital Health Apps in Primary Care

Digital health apps are increasingly used to support chronic conditions such as obesity and mental health, yet Australia lacks a clear system to guide their safe use in clinical care. General practitioners (GPs) are often uncertain about which apps are safe, effective, and appropriate to recommend, creating potential risks for both patients and clinicians.

This project aims to develop an evidence-informed framework to support the safe and scalable prescription of digital health apps in Australian primary care.

The study will:

• Conduct a rapid international review of established digital prescribing models, including frameworks used in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Singapore
• Undertake a national discrete choice experiment with Australian GPs to identify the safety, evidence, privacy, and workflow features required for app prescription
• Engage a Consumer Reference Group to ensure the framework reflects patient needs and expectations

By combining international best practice with real-world clinician preferences, the project will identify the minimum requirements needed for safe digital prescribing in Australia.

The research will produce practical outputs for immediate use, including:

• A framework outlining safe prescribing conditions for digital health apps
• Guidance and checklists for GPs to support clinical decision-making
• A policy-ready report to inform national regulatory and governance development

While obesity will be used as an initial focus, the framework is designed to be scalable across other conditions such as mental health, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

This project will strengthen patient safety, reduce uncertainty for clinicians, and support the responsible integration of digital health technologies into routine care. Ultimately, it lays the foundation for a national approach to digital prescribing that improves quality, safety, and sustainability in healthcare.

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne: Defining value at the end of life: building the evidence for person-centred, quality and sustainable care

Healthcare systems face increasing pressure to deliver high-quality, person-centred care for people with advanced illness while ensuring sustainability. End-of-life care is a critical period where treatment intensity and resource use are often high, yet may not align with what matters most to patients and families.

This project aims to define what “value” means at the end of life from the perspectives of patients, caregivers, clinicians, and the broader community. By clarifying these priorities, the research seeks to support more meaningful, compassionate, and appropriate care.

Using a mixed-methods approach, the study will:

• Conduct a comprehensive review of existing literature and policy to identify how value in end-of-life care is currently defined
• Undertake in-depth interviews with patients, carers, clinicians, and health system leaders to explore lived experiences and priorities
• Develop the foundations for a national survey to quantify and prioritise what matters most in end-of-life care

The project will generate the first empirically derived framework for value-based end-of-life care in Australia. This framework will help guide clinical decision-making, inform policy, and support health services to better align care with patient goals.

By identifying and reducing low-value or non-beneficial interventions, the research aims to improve patient experience, enhance safety, and contribute to a more sustainable healthcare system.

Ultimately, this work will provide practical tools and evidence to ensure care at the end of life reflects what matters most to people, supporting dignity, quality of life, and better use of healthcare resources.

Home Sweet Home?

Identifying heat-related threats to hospital-in-the-home services in a warming world

As climate change drives more frequent and intense heatwaves across Australia, healthcare systems are being forced to confront a new reality, to continue delivering safe, effective care in a warming world.  

A research project led by Monash University and infectious diseases physician Dr Michael Loftus is tackling exactly that question, through an innovative study exploring the impact of extreme heat on Hospital-in-the-Home (HITH) services, and how healthcare systems can adapt to remain safe, resilient and sustainable in the decades ahead.

Rethinking healthcare delivery in a changing climate

HITH is a rapidly expanding model of care that allows patients with acute medical conditions to leave hospital while still receiving hospital-grade treatment at home. Patients may receive intravenous antibiotics, wound care, cardiac or respiratory monitoring, and regular visits from nurses and doctors, all without occupying a hospital bed.

“In Victoria, around five per cent of all admitted patients are treated through HITH programs,” Dr Loftus explains. “That’s effectively like having another 500-bed hospital that we didn’t have to build.”

The benefits are significant. Patients generally prefer recovering in familiar surroundings, close to family, pets and everyday responsibilities. This reduces pressure on inpatient beds and emergency departments. The model is also considerably less carbon intensive than traditional hospital care.

However, as temperatures climb, an important question has emerged: are patients truly safe at home during extreme heat?

The observation that sparked the research

The idea for the study arose from frontline clinical experience. Healthcare workers visiting patients during summer heatwaves began noticing alarming conditions inside some homes, particularly in disadvantaged communities and older housing stock.

“One of the turning points,” Dr Loftus recalls, “was hearing about nurses trying to take a patient’s temperature in a caravan during extreme heat, and the infrared thermometer simply wouldn’t work because the environment was so hot.”

“It made us start thinking carefully about the environments we’re sending patients into,” he says. “Heat is becoming such a central issue for healthcare systems that we need to make sure patients are safe, and that healthcare delivery itself is resilient in the face of climate change.”

Heat and healthcare: an emerging risk

Extreme heat presents multiple challenges for HITH programs. Patients recovering from illness may be exposed to dangerously high indoor temperatures, particularly in homes without adequate cooling or insulation. For older patients or those with chronic disease, heat exposure can worsen symptoms, increase dehydration, and place additional stress on cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

At the same time, many intravenous antibiotics commonly used in HITH care are only chemically stable below 25 - 30°C. Exposure to higher temperatures may reduce the medications effectiveness before treatment is complete.

“There’s a real concern that patients may not receive effective antimicrobial therapy if medications are exposed to excessive heat,” Dr Loftus says.

The implications extend beyond individual patients. During heatwaves, hospitals experience enormous pressure, with rising emergency presentations and increased hospitalisations. If HITH services become less viable during these periods, health systems could lose critical surge capacity precisely when it is needed most.

“At Monash Health, more than ten per cent of patients admitted overnight spend some of their care under Hospital in the Home,” Dr Loftus says. “If we lose that capacity during extreme heat events, the flow-on impact across the entire hospital system is substantial.”

A groundbreaking study across Victoria

The study will recruit 80 Hospital in the Home patients from both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria, including Mildura, one of the hottest parts of the state, which recently recorded temperatures exceeding 48°C.

Researchers will place temperature sensors inside patients’ homes and alongside medications to measure real-world heat exposure during treatment. Patients will also provide information about comfort levels, symptoms, and experiences receiving care during hot weather. In parallel, surveys and interviews with patients, carers and clinicians will explore attitudes toward home-based care during heatwaves and identify practical solutions to improve safety and resilience. The project is notable because it moves beyond broad population-level climate data and examines heat exposure at an individual household level.

“There’s a lot of research looking at heat and health across entire cities or populations,” Dr Loftus says. “What we’re doing differently is understanding the patient-level experience, what people are actually exposed to inside their homes.”

That granular understanding is critical because indoor heat exposure can vary dramatically depending on housing quality, access to air conditioning, energy affordability and social disadvantage.

Innovation beyond observation

The research team is already exploring practical interventions. One promising area involves developing portable cooling technologies to protect temperature-sensitive antibiotics during community treatment.

“We’re essentially looking at small portable cooling devices, almost like a miniature esky or fridge, that patients can carry while still receiving intravenous therapy at home,” Dr Loftus explains.

The goal is not simply to identify problems, but to develop adaptable solutions that can strengthen healthcare delivery under future climate conditions.

“There won’t be one magic bullet,” he says. “Climate resilience in healthcare will involve a range of technical, logistical and social solutions working together.”

Sustainability and the future of healthcare

The project also reflects a broader shift in healthcare thinking around sustainability and climate resilience.

Australia’s healthcare system is estimated to contribute approximately seven per cent of national carbon emissions. Models like Hospital in the Home offer opportunities to reduce healthcare’s environmental footprint while maintaining high-quality care.

“We’re trying to think about two things at once,” Dr Loftus says. “How do we deliver healthcare more sustainably, with lower emissions, while also making healthcare systems resilient to climate change?”

Building the evidence base

The project builds on earlier pilot work and has been strengthened through collaboration between clinicians, researchers, nurses and patients across the HITH network.  Dr Loftus credits much of the project’s momentum to the enthusiasm of frontline healthcare staff and participating patients.

“Our patients have been incredibly generous,” he says. “They’ve welcomed us into their homes, allowed us to monitor temperatures, and shared their experiences to help improve care for the future.”

Support through grant funding has also been instrumental in expanding the work.

“The funding really propels the research forward,” Dr Loftus says. “It allows us to build the evidence base properly and highlights that this is an issue people recognise as important.”

“This research is really about building the foundations,” he says. “Understanding where we are now, what patients are experiencing, and how we can adapt Hospital in the Home services to make them safer and stronger in the years ahead.”

Restorative just and learning culture: transforming health systems quality and safety to support the prevention of suicide among healthcare professionals and those with whom they work.

 Healthcare professionals face significantly higher risks of burnout, psychological distress, and suicide - often worsened by workplace cultures that focus on blame after adverse events. This project aims to transform how health services respond to these incidents by embedding a Restorative Just and Learning Culture (RJLC).

Led by the Zero Suicide Institute of Australasia, the research will pilot a structured culture change program within a major public health service. The program includes training, workshops, and 12 months of leadership coaching to help organisations move from punitive responses toward supportive, learning-focused practices.

Using a mixed-methods evaluation, the project will measure changes in staff wellbeing, organisational culture, patient outcomes, and system costs. It will also develop practical tools—including a validated measurement framework and staff wellbeing protocols - to support long-term cultural change.

Expected outcomes include:

• Improved psychological safety and wellbeing for healthcare staff
• Reduced burnout, turnover, and drivers of suicide risk
• Better engagement with patients, families, and carers after critical incidents
• Stronger organisational learning and improved patient outcomes
• Evidence of economic benefits from culture change

Ultimately, this project will deliver a scalable, evidence-based model to help healthcare systems across Australia create safer, more compassionate workplaces - supporting both staff and the people they care for.

From Incidents to Insight: Leveraging AI to Strengthen Health System Safety

Preventable harm in healthcare remains a major global challenge, with up to one in eight patients affected. While incident reporting systems capture valuable information about risks and errors, analysing this data is still largely manual, time-consuming, and costly, leaving much of it underused.

This project, led by Macquarie University, will develop and pilot an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tool to transform how health systems learn from patient safety incidents. Using cutting-edge technologies such as Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI, the tool will analyse large volumes of free-text incident reports to rapidly detect, classify, and prioritise emerging safety risks.

The research combines technical development with real-world testing, ensuring the tool is accurate, safe, and practical for use by patient safety teams. It will also evaluate how AI can best support, rather than replace, expert judgement in safety-critical environments.

Expected outcomes include:

• Faster and more efficient analysis of patient safety incidents
• Earlier detection of emerging risks and system failures
• Reduced reliance on labour-intensive manual review
• Evidence-based guidance for safe and effective use of AI in healthcare
• Scalable tools that can be adopted across health systems nationally and internationally

By unlocking insights from existing data, this project aims to strengthen patient safety systems, reduce preventable harm, and support more proactive, data-driven healthcare.

Lead Researcher, Dr Kristen Kappell

Identifying Strategies to Sustain the Medical Voluntary Assisted Dying Workforce in Victoria

Pioneering support for doctors involved in voluntary assisted dying

Victoria made history in 2019 by becoming the first Australian state to introduce voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation. As a groundbreaking initiative, the service was designed to be integrated into usual healthcare delivery. Yet, the reality is that VAD remains a unique and demanding area of practice, relying on doctors who willingly undergo special training and provide assessments beyond their typical clinical work.

Susan Jury, Director of the Statewide VAD Navigator Service, and clinical psychologist Kristen Kappel, the chief investigator for an important new research project, emphasise that while VAD is a vital service, involvement for healthcare professionals can be taxing, often bureaucratic, time-consuming, and emotionally demanding. “Our role as navigators is to support and sustain the medical workforce involved in VAD,” Susan explains. “Since the outset, we’ve recognised this as a significant challenge to maintaining service delivery.”

Their current study is the first of its kind in Australia, aiming to provide evidence that will not only strengthen Victoria’s VAD workforce but also guide national efforts. “We are confident that the findings will inform research across the country and help build practical support for doctors,” says Susan. The research team hopes their work will encourage more doctors to engage with VAD assessments and care, ultimately improving access for patients. “Depending on the results, we plan to share our findings widely, helping other jurisdictions learn from our experience,” Kristen adds.

Both Susan and Kristen bring deep personal and professional experience to their research, shaped by firsthand involvement in VAD service delivery. They have witnessed the impact on both healthcare providers and patients, especially when there are shortages of trained doctors. “Many doctors are supportive of VAD but don’t complete the required training or provide assessments, even for their own patients,” Kristen notes. “Understanding why this happens is a key question beyond our current study.”

Their motivation is further fuelled by mentors and colleagues within the VAD research community, including prominent figures such as Ben White, Linda Willmott and Casey Haining from QUT. Susan highlights the inspiration drawn from peers like Dr Maria Ftanou, Director of Psychosocial Oncology at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and Kate Thompson, Program Director of the Victorian Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Service, also based at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, whose expertise and dedication fuel the advancement of this field.

Like many researchers balancing clinical work and study, Kristen has faced challenges managing administrative tasks alongside a demanding clinical role. “The application process and research protocols require considerable time and effort,” she acknowledges. Yet, receiving the Avant Foundation Research Grant was a significant boost. “It was a moment of excitement and relief, recognition that made all the hard work worthwhile.”

The grant funds will be used to employ a research assistant and cover related project costs, enabling the team to focus on delivering meaningful results.

Looking ahead, Susan and Kristen see their research as just the beginning of Australia’s VAD journey. “We intend to remain involved in this evolving field, using research as a foundation for ongoing improvement,” says Susan. “Our ultimate goal is to ensure the VAD system continues to evolve and meet the needs of patients and doctors alike. Both underscore the significance of a collaborative research environment, recognising that peer support and shared expertise are as crucial as financial resources.

“We’re experts in VAD, but we rely on colleagues with strong research skills to help us translate our knowledge into evidence-based change,” Kristen explains.

Susan and Kristen’s work is closely aligned with broader health system priorities. Recent reviews by the Department of Health have identified the sustainability of the medical workforce as a critical factor in the successful implementation of VAD. By addressing the practical and emotional challenges faced by doctors involved in VAD, their research aims to strengthen this essential workforce and enhance the quality of care for individuals seeking end-of-life support.

Lead Researcher, Dr Rajni Lal

ALL BRAN: Empowering Informed Patient Decisions Before Surgery 

ALL BRAN: Empowering Informed Patient Decisions Before Surgery

At Blacktown Hospital in Sydney, Australia, Shared Decision-Making (SDM) clinics have been set up to help patients make informed decisions about their surgery. These clinics use a patient-focused approach, where patients are empowered to make choices that reflect their personal values and preferences. The clinics use a special framework called ALL BRAN (Ask, Listen, and Learn before exploring Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, and Natural progression of disease) to guide these conversations.

To make sure that everyone, including people from diverse cultural backgrounds, has equal access to this care, the project seeks funding to translate SDM resources into the 10 most commonly spoken languages in the area. This will help overcome language barriers and improve health literacy, ensuring that all patients can fully understand their options and make informed choices.

The project aligns with national standards for patient-centred care and is focused on promoting health equity, ensuring that all patients, regardless of their language or background, can receive high-quality care and participate in decisions about their treatment.

Lead Researcher, Dr Louise Stone

“I love my job, but it’s time to go”. A narrative study of wellbeing triggers for early retirement in female GPs

Addressing the challenges facing female GPs through research

When we think about general practice, challenges like long hours, administrative burdens and burnout often come to mind. Dr Louise Stone, a dedicated researcher, is addressing these issues head-on, combining her professional experiences with a clear objective to uncover what’s really driving young GPs, especially women, away from the medical profession. Dr Stone has spent years writing about primary care policy and engaging directly with young GPs. She has identified critical insight: often it’s not the clinical work that pushes doctors out, but the increasing layers of regulation, administration and monitoring. Dr Stone’s research aims to expose the unintended consequences of policy changes and provide a refined understanding of workforce attrition, particularly among female GPs.

This research captures the voices of over 1,200 participants to highlight the widening gender pay gap and the risk of gaps in healthcare provision, especially in women’s and mental health services. By amplifying female GPs’ experiences, Dr Stone’s research seeks to inform policies that accurately portray their lived experience.

While academic publications remain important, policy change requires conversations beyond journal pages. Dr Stone is committed to engaging with stakeholders across the health system to ensure these findings influence decision-making and help reduce the premature exit of female GPs from the workforce.

As a female GP, she brings lived experience of systemic challenges, from being underestimated by her peers, to navigating unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles. This personal insight drives her passion for supporting marginalised voices within the profession and advancing equality.

A strong network of mentors and colleagues has shaped Dr Stone’s work, and she now dedicates herself to nurturing emerging researchers, particularly those facing intersectional disadvantages, to foster a more inclusive research environment.

Receiving an Avant Foundation Research Grant has been a powerful validation for Dr Stone, especially after years of tackling difficult topics such as sexual harassment in medicine. The funding enables her to focus fully on this project, balance her clinical responsibilities and continue supporting patients often underserved by the healthcare system.

Looking forward, she advocates for greater peer learning opportunities, improved research infrastructure for general practice and renewed attention to professionalism. Despite political trends favouring alternative primary care models, Dr Stone believes independent research is crucial to demonstrating the true value of GPs and ensuring sustainable, quality care.

Ultimately, Dr Stone’s goal extends beyond research output. It is about building a supportive community, elevating underrepresented voices and shaping a future where female GPs can thrive, for the benefit of the profession and the patients they serve.

Lead Researcher, Dr Kiarna Brown

The Dungudbila App: A digital education Application supporting pregnancy, postnatal and sustained well-being of Top End First Nations women

Empowering First Nations mothers with the Dungudbila app: a culturally safe pregnancy education tool

In the world of maternal health research, some leaders do more than innovate, they transform. Dr Kiarna Brown, a First Nations obstetrician deeply connected to her community, is driving a groundbreaking project set to revolutionise pregnancy care for First Nations women across Australia.

“My interest is both personal and professional,” Dr Brown shares. Growing up in her community and now working as an obstetrician, she has supported First Nations women through pregnancy journeys in diverse settings, from urban hospitals to remote communities.

A pivotal moment came during a yarning session when a woman spoke about feeling disconnected from standard antenatal care. “Her story was a turning point,” Dr Brown recalls. “It became clear that existing models weren’t designed with Indigenous women’s needs at their core.” This motivated her to advocate for and create maternity care models that thoughtfully incorporate Indigenous knowledge and cultural practices. Central to Dr Brown’s research is the Dungudbila app, a culturally informed, co-designed digital pregnancy education tool. “This isn’t just about providing information; it’s about empowering women by combining clinical evidence with Indigenous ways of understanding,” she explains.

The project aims to improve quality and safety by delivering education that is evidence-based and culturally respectful. It also supports sustainability through community ownership and exemplifies professionalism by fostering ethical, respectful partnerships with First Nations communities. After the pilot, Dr Brown plans to refine the app with community input and expand it to other regions, championing digital health solutions that are community-driven and culturally appropriate. She’s mindful of the challenges ahead, including limited digital access in remote communities, sustaining long-term engagement and ensuring the app continues to reflect and respect cultural values as it evolves. “We have to be careful not to reproduce existing inequities,” she says. “Our goal is to empower Indigenous women fully and respectfully.”

Setbacks are part of the journey. “I see challenges as opportunities to reflect and adjust,” Dr Brown says. “Regularly reconnecting with the community helps keep our work aligned with their needs and motivates me to keep pushing forward.”

Receiving an Avant Research Grant was a proud and humbling moment. “It validates the importance of community-led, culturally safe research,” she says. “The funding has been vital for supporting co-design workshops, compensating participants and creating culturally appropriate content.”

Dr Brown emphasises the importance of structured mentorship and strong peer networks for emerging researchers, particularly those working in Indigenous health, where support and guidance are essential for meaningful and culturally respectful research. “Navigating ethics, translating knowledge and engaging with policy can be overwhelming without guidance. Collaboration is key.” She partners closely with Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, maternal health experts and skilled digital designers, to ensure the project remains meaningful and effective.

Looking to the future, Dr Brown envisions a time when First Nations-led digital health tools are a cornerstone of maternal care nationwide. “In the next five to ten years, I hope to see a network of culturally safe resources empowering women across Australia.”

Her broader goal is transformative: “I want to help reshape maternal health systems to be fair, inclusive and truly respectful of culture. This research is my way of contributing to a legacy that centres First Nations women’s voices and autonomy.”

While funding is critical, she emphasises the importance of holistic support for researchers: “Mentorship, community, protected research time and institutional support are all essential. Equally important is emotional support, especially when working in areas involving trauma and social justice.”

Dr Brown’s work goes beyond just research, it’s a powerful call for justice, cultural respect and empowerment for First Nations mothers. Under her leadership, the future of maternal health is being reimagined: one that is inclusive, grounded in community and filled with resilience and hope.

Lead Researcher, Dr Kim Davis

Thermal imaging to detect pharyngitis in a Streptococcus pyogenes controlled human infection model

Thermal imaging to detect pharyngitis in a Streptococcus pyogenes controlled human infection model 

Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) is a major cause of illness and death worldwide. One of the most common diseases caused by Strep A is strep throat, which affects around 290 million people each year. Strep A can also lead to serious complications like rheumatic heart disease, which impacts over 40 million people and causes more than 300,000 deaths annually. Despite the widespread impact, controlling Strep A infections has been challenging, and a vaccine is urgently needed.

To help develop a vaccine, researchers have created a controlled human infection model (CHIM) of strep throat, which has provided valuable insights into how Strep A behaves and how the human immune system responds to the infection. A new version of this model using a different strain of Strep A is being developed to expand the understanding of the infection and support vaccine development.

However, diagnosing strep throat remains difficult, both in healthcare settings and research studies. Current methods often rely on clinical judgement or diagnostic tools that can be inaccurate. Recent studies suggest that thermal imaging—using heat-sensitive cameras—could improve the accuracy of diagnosing strep throat without the need for clinical interpretation.

This project aims to test the idea that using a thermal imaging camera, compatible with smartphones, can improve the accuracy of diagnosing strep throat. The goal is to incorporate this technology into the new CHIM to help researchers more accurately study and diagnose Strep A infections.

Lead Researcher, Professor Wei Chua

Cancer-TRUST – Treatment Resource Utilising Smart Translation for patients undergoing cancer therapy

Breaking barriers -  AI and the human side of cancer care

When we talk about cancer care, the conversation often centres on cutting-edge treatments, clinical breakthroughs and survival rates. However, behind the scenes, a critical issue often goes unnoticed: how well patients understand the complex information they are given.

For one Avant Foundation Research Grant recipient, the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, this question is at the heart of their study, especially when it comes to patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Their work is shedding light on the critical role communication and cultural sensitivity play in ensuring inclusive and effective cancer care for patients of all backgrounds.

Working in a healthcare environment serving a large multicultural population, the Institute has seen how overwhelming and confusing cancer information can be. Many patients and their families struggle to fully grasp treatment options, side effects, and warning signs, particularly when English is not their first language. It’s a challenge that prompts a deeply personal motivation to improve communication in cancer care for Lead Researcher, Professor Wei Chua: “I often think about my family members and friends who may not be proficient in English. Would they truly understand the information I provide? How can we do better for them?”

To address this gap, Professor Chua and team are developing an innovative solution: a multilingual chatbot powered by artificial intelligence. Designed to be user-friendly and accessible, this digital assistant will offer cancer patients information in multiple languages and help them recognise early signs of complications during treatment. The hope is that by making reliable, trustworthy information easier to access and understand, patients can feel more confident in managing their care and seeking help promptly when needed.

This innovative project has gained crucial momentum thanks to the support of an Avant Foundation Research Grant, which has empowered the team to develop and pilot a chatbot across four languages.

This early phase has already yielded promising results. Initial testing with both patients and AI developers has sparked a wave of enthusiasm, highlighting the tool’s potential to bridge communication gaps in cancer care. With eyes set on broader implementation, the team is preparing to introduce the tool to larger patient populations and clinical environments. Their long-term vision is to embed this technology as a standard, supportive feature in cancer care, making critical information more understandable and accessible for every patient.

But this research is about more than just technology. It’s a response to a growing complexity in cancer treatment and the information landscape. With a flood of sources, some reliable, many less so, patients can find themselves lost or misled.

Naturally, the path of research is rarely linear. It’s marked by unexpected turns, setbacks and moments of uncertainty. But for this research team, these challenges are not roadblocks, they’re stepping stones. Their motivation is rooted in the daily inspiration they draw from patients’ resilience and the quiet dedication of colleagues who work tirelessly behind the scenes.

Looking ahead, the researchers see vast potential in leveraging artificial intelligence not only in cancer care but throughout medicine. They acknowledge the scepticism and fears surrounding AI but believe it offers tremendous possibilities to improve patient outcomes, reduce administrative burdens and support clinicians. They are passionate about being part of this evolving landscape, acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to guide the safe and effective use of AI tools.

Beyond their immediate research goals, the team hopes to inspire future generations of clinicians and researchers to embrace curiosity and to view research as both rewarding and accessible. Recognising that funding is just one piece of the puzzle, they advocate for enhanced mentorship, research skill development and opportunities to build confidence in grant writing and communication.

As innovation in cancer care continues to accelerate, The Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research reminds us that access to both cutting-edge treatments and clear, understandable information are essential. Their work exemplifies how a question rooted in empathy, “Would my family understand this?”, can spark meaningful innovations that break down communication barriers and improve care for all patients.

In a world increasingly driven by technology, it’s reassuring to see research focused not just on what’s possible but on what’s meaningful for people’s lives. Through a blend of compassion, collaboration and cutting-edge AI, this project is paving the way toward a more inclusive, informed, and safer future in cancer care.

Lead Researcher, Associate Professor Ching Li Chai-Coetzer

Reducing Nocturnal Hypertension through new model of GP-based care for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Waking up to change: Associate Professor Chai-Coetzer’s mission to bring sleep into the heart of healthcare

For Associate Professor Ching Chai-Coetzer, it all started with sleep. Or rather, the lack of attention it was getting in everyday medicine. In 2007, while beginning specialist training in Sleep Medicine, A Prof Chai-Coetzer also embarked on a PhD project that would quietly challenge the status quo: What if obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) could be diagnosed and managed in general practice, not just in specialist clinics?

Working alongside more than 40 GPs and nurses across metro and rural Australia, the research proved what many suspected but hadn’t yet dared to test, primary care could handle it. “That was the turning point,” she recalls. “We needed to put sleep back into the hands of the community.”

Fast forward to 2025, and that idea is still evolving, this time with the support of an Avant Foundation Research Grant.

The latest project tackles the link between OSA and nocturnal hypertension, a silent condition that keeps blood pressure elevated during sleep, often without obvious symptoms. The proposed solution is both practical and forward-thinking. It involves early detection and proactive care delivered directly through general practice, supported by strong cross-sector collaboration and new technology: think under-mattress sensors, smart blood pressure monitors and Wi-Fi-connected scales. This isn’t your average clinic toolkit, it’s a home-based system designed to empower patients to track their own sleep and cardiovascular health. But the real innovation is in the structure, not just the sensors. “We’re creating a scalable model that lets primary care teams lead,” says A Prof Chai-Coetzer. “That means training GPs and nurses, supporting them with specialist partnerships and giving them access to the tools they need to treat two of the most common chronic conditions - OSA and high blood pressure.”

Although this study is still in its pilot phase, its vision is far-reaching, aiming for national impact and potentially global relevance. The ultimate goal is to launch a large-scale, multi-site clinical trial to investigate how integrating sleep and hypertension management within primary care could help reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease. Early-career researchers are part of the vision too. The project provides hands-on roles for future leaders in the field, helping to build capacity where it’s desperately needed.

A Prof Chai-Coetzer knows firsthand how good research can change systems. Her earlier work led to the introduction of the OSA50 screening tool into Medicare guidelines, an achievement that turned clinical insight into real-world impact. Still, there’s more to be done. “Technology and evidence are only half the battle,” they say. “The other half is advocacy - getting policymakers, professional bodies and communities to understand why sleep matters.”

A Prof Chai-Coetzer credits much of the research’s trajectory to mentorship, particularly from sleep medicine pioneer, Emeritus Professor Doug McEvoy. “His guidance has shaped my path,” she reflects. “But so has the challenge of juggling clinical work, research and family life. It’s a balancing act, but it gives the work more meaning.” Despite the pressures, they remain focused on one goal: to transform how sleep health is understood and treated across the healthcare system.

As the health system grapples with chronic disease on a massive scale, A Prof Chai-Coetzer sees sleep becoming central to prevention and care. Over the next decade, she hopes to see sleep assessments integrated into chronic disease plans, new Medicare item numbers supporting GP-led care and sleep education embedded into medical training.

But to get there, A Prof Chai-Coetzer says researchers need more than just grants. “We need flexible workplaces, strong mentorship and space for collaboration, especially for those early in their careers. That’s how we build momentum.”