Sydney Health

04/09/2026

Congratulations to our medicine and health researchers Professor Maree Teesson AC, Dr Lauren Gardner and the OurFutures Va**ng team, and Professor Georgina Long AO, who have been awarded 2026 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes 🎉👏

A huge congratulations to our seven University of Sydney researchers who took home a raft of awards at the prestigious Australian Museum Eureka Prizes last night! 👏👏

Please join us in congratulating our winners:

🏆 Professor Maree Teesson AC, Leadership in Science
🏆 Dr Lauren Gardner and the OurFutures Va**ng team, Societal Impact in Science
🏆 Professor Georgina Long AO, Scientific Research
🏆 Professor Vincent Gramoli, Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia
🏆 Associate Professor Helen Paterson, Excellence in Forensic Science
🏆 Professor Ivan Kassal and Associate Professor Ting Rei Tan, Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research

“From tackling melanoma and substance abuse, to improving quantum technologies that will advance next generation energy and drug discovery, the University of Sydney’s winners highlight the focus and tenacity of outstanding academic pursuit and the University’s continued contribution to the public good,” said University of Sydney Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research), Professor Mike Ryan.

Read more about their incredible research here: https://go.sydney.edu.au/zGzOuQ

01/09/2026

Cervical cancer is low on the list of most deadly cancers in Australia, yet it’s right up the top for many of our closest neighbours.

Cancer epidemiologist Karen Canfell explains why Australia is projected to be the first country to eliminate cervical cancer, and outlines how what we’ve achieved here can improve public health systems worldwide.

Listen to the podcast: https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/podcasts/the-solutionists.html

31/08/2026

Could embedding physiotherapists is emergency departments reduce waiting times, improve quality of care and save money?

A University of Sydney trial led by Associate Professor Gustavo Machado focused on patients with musculoskeletal conditions (including fractures, dislocations and arthritis). It found that having physios in EDs brought down waiting times by an hour and could save NSW $19m a year.

The trial, carried out across five Local Health Districts in NSW, also saw patients being treated sooner and reporting greater satisfaction with their care. A great result that the research team hopes could improve care and release more than 540,000 hours of emergency department capacity if implemented across NSW.

Read more: https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2026/08/28/physio-led-care-reduces-emergency-department-wait-times.html?cid=Organic-Facebook-Image-mBD8kC

28/08/2026

New research from Dr Natalie Matosin has found that a gene called FKBP5, responsible for regulating stress in the brain, gets "stuck on” in people with schizophrenia.

Dr Matosin also found that people with schizophrenia lose the chemical tags that keep the FKBP5 gene in check, meaning that not only gets stuck on but reacts at a heightened level.

The research opens up the exciting possibility of developing drugs that target the FKBP5 gene and creating new treatments for people with schizophrenia.

Read more: https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2026/08/26/stress-gene--stuck-on--in-people-with-schizophrenia-.html?cid=Organic-Facebook-Image-8CbRko

24/08/2026

Join us this September to find out how a postgraduate degree in medicine and health can help shape your future.

Explore our wide range of advanced courses, connect with our academics and discover how postgraduate studies can enhance your career.

⬇️ Explore all Faculty of Medicine and Health events this Postgraduate Month.

Register now: https://go.sydney.edu.au/51bk2x

22/08/2026

Experience everything the Faculty of Medicine and Health has to offer at Open Day 2026!

Join us for an exciting program packed with activities, course advice and information sessions where you can get answers to your burning questions and discover what it's really like to be a medicine and health student at the University of Sydney.

🗓 Check out the full schedule and register now: https://openday.sydney.edu.au/

18/08/2026

Professors Tania Sorrell and Lyn Gilbert are paying forward the support and opportunities that helped shape their own careers.

The Sorrell–Gilbert Prize supports emerging researchers like Associate Professor Phoebe Williams to drive infectious diseases research forward.

Read more: https://go.sydney.edu.au/9mZ7Qz

11/08/2026

New research from the University of Sydney has revealed that millions of high-dose vitamin B6 supplements continue to be purchased in Australia despite safety warnings about potential nerve damage associated with prolonged excessive use.

The study highlights the need for stronger consumer education alongside regulatory reform to help Australians make informed decisions about supplement use.

“Chronic intake of high doses of vitamin B6 have been found to cause nerve damage, leading to symptoms like numbness, tingling, and pain and other neurological effects. This is often under-recognised by both consumers and health professionals, showing many are unaware of the risks associated with prolonged or high dose vitamin B6 intake." said senior author, Associate Professor Joanna Harnett from the University of Sydney School of Pharmacy

Find out more: https://go.sydney.edu.au/UPEovW

03/08/2026

Happy Dental Health Week!

This week we celebrate the importance of oral health and hygiene and the vital role of dentists in healthcare. This year’s theme focuses on supporting young Australians aged 18–25 to maintain healthy dental habits and keep regular check-ups on their to-do list.

Sydney Dental School is committed to bolstering Australia's dental workforce by nurturing high quality dentists through our valued clinical teaching and educators.

"The strategic vision of the school is clear and as we work together to communicate this vision more broadly with our partners, fellow practitioners, colleagues and communities, we do so with a firm commitment to respect for all people, and using evidence-based, person-centred approaches." Professor Donna Waters, Head of School and Dean, The University of Sydney School of Dentistry.

24/07/2026

Congratulations to our University of Sydney medicine and health researchers who have been awarded 2025 Australian Government Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Early to Mid-Career Researcher grant, totalling over $6.8 million.

Associate Professor Joshua Zardro has been awarded over $3.9 million to restructure health services to ensure equitable access to effective, affordable care for people with low back pain.
This program aims to co-design and evaluate new health services that will improve the health of Australians, are preferred by patients and health professionals, address the needs of priority populations, and use scarce health resources more efficiently.

Dr Richard Tan has secured over $426,000 to enhance the longevity of transcatheter bioprosthetic valves through targeted nanotechnology-based surface modification.
This project will create special coatings for TAVI valves, called ApixaShield, that enhance their resilience to deterioration, making TAVI safer and longer-lasting for younger people, enabling earlier intervention for aortic stenosis.

Dr Lucinda Grummitt has received over $909,000 to conduct a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a novel social connection intervention to improve adolescent mental health.
This program is embedded in the education curriculum and could be rolled out at scale to make a substantial impact on current rates of mental disorders among youth.

Dr Samuel Klistorner has been awarded over $746,000 to find better ways to monitor and treat the slow, hidden form of inflammation in the brain that causes long-term disability in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). By using brain scans and medical records, they will test a new method to see if switching treatments can reduce this type of inflammation.

Artur Shvetcov has received approximately $788,000 to identify APOE4 carriers at risk of future Alzheimer's before symptoms appear through the use of artificial intelligence and large clinical datasets.
This project will develop new blood biomarkers to detect Alzheimer’s disease risk in people who carry the APOE4
gene, the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's.