UQ Health

Could the secret to better health be in your backyard? 🌿

A study led by Chinonso Christian Odebeatu, PhD and Associate Professor Nick Osborne at The University of Queensland UQ School of Public Health, found that people with home gardens or access to nearby parks have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The findings have planted fresh evidence that gardens and greenspaces should be a priority in urban planning. 🌺🪴

Read more:

Home gardens reduce risk of type 2 diabetes People with home gardens are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, a University of Queensland study has found, planting fresh evidence that gardens and greenspaces should be a priority in urban planning.

The future is here!🦾

The University of Queensland researchers have developed non-invasive sensors that measure muscle forces - unlocking new possibilities for wearable robotic devices 🔓🦿

Associate Professor Taylor Dick from UQ School of Biomedical Sciences says that having accurate measurements of muscle forces opens up exciting opportunities for rehabilitation, injury prevention and recovery, and aged care. 🤸‍♂️

Read the full article: https://news.uq.edu.au/2026-07-muscle-radar-unlocks-potential-future-robotic-limbs

We know choosing to take the stairs over the lift is a small but smart choice for general health and wellbeing, but how important are ‘activity snacks’ for people with severe mental illness?

According to research by Dr Mike Trott from UQ’s Medical School, these bite sized choices can have significant benefits for people living with severe mental illness.

That’s because they remove the pressure around exercising and focus on the underlying philosophy that ‘something is always better than nothing.’

For people with severe mental illness, traditional exercise can come with a range of barriers including socioeconomic deprivation, cognitive difficulties, and the side effects of medications.

Activity snacks can be more manageable, because there is no threshold to hit or performance to measure. The goal is simply to move a little more than you did yesterday.

Find out more below or read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gwu9FjQn

Driven by his father’s legacy and his own lived experience as a refugee fleeing war, Dr Joseph Yunis’ work at The University of Queensland is personal and far-reaching.

A Research Fellow at ’s Child Health Research Centre and the Frazer Institute, Dr Yunis is leading research that sits at the intersection of cutting-edge cancer immunotherapy and community health education impact.

In his role as the Lead mRNA Cancer Vaccine Scientist at the Ian Frazer Centre for Children’s Immunotherapy Research, Dr Yunis’ focus is on a powerful question: how can we better train the immune system to fight disease?

Central to this work is the development of next-generation mRNA cancer vaccines for children and young people with sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer.

While the science is complex, the motivation behind it is deeply personal and community focused.

Alongside Dr Yunis’ research, he also founded the Yunis Abusodur Organisation Inc, a not-for-profit named after his father.

The organisation is dedicated to improving access to education, health and leadership opportunities for students and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; including refugee and migrant students, many of whom face challenges such as interrupted schooling, language barriers and limited access to mentoring.

Read more in the article in the comments ⬇️

A huge congratulations to our Faculty researchers on their success in the latest Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) grants.

Across areas including cancer, cardiovascular health, stem cell therapies, arthritis and Alzheimer's disease, their work is helping shape the future of healthcare and improve outcomes for patients and communities.

We're incredibly proud that our Faculty researchers feature so strongly among this year's UQ recipients.

Read the full story and see all funded projects below. 👇

A rare opportunity awaits Ryven Ewing as he heads to Glasgow for his Commonwealth Games debut, with the weightlifter set to wear the green and gold in the country he once called home.🏋

Born and raised in Scotland until the age of 8, The University of Queensland student said the chance to represent Australia in front of family and lifelong friends adds extra meaning to his debut.

"It'll be so special for people who have been such an important part of my journey to be there and watch,” Ewing said.

“It feels like I'm bringing 2 different worlds together." 🌏

Read Ryven's story: https://news.uq.edu.au/2026-07-uq-athletes-flex-their-muscles-commonwealth-games

When you consider microplastics in the home 🏠do you ever think about tyre dust? 🚗🚛

Researchers at UQ's Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences have found tyre particles and tyre additive chemicals in dust collected from 29 out of 30 residential balconies across Brisbane.🏙️

The study identified a range of chemicals in the tyre dust including 6PPD-quinone, a chemical that has been linked to significant environmental impacts overseas. 🌏

According to Dr Cassandra Rauert, these findings could help inform environmental monitoring programs of tyre pollution and guide research into ways of reducing tyre wear, as well as improved stormwater and urban pollution management.

Read the full article: https://news.uq.edu.au/2026-07-microplastic-tyre-pollution-found-brisbane-balcony-dust 🧪🌿🚙