UNSW Medicine & Health

Researchers from UNSW Engineering and UNSW Medicine & Health have developed a lightweight wearable sensor that could improve heart health monitoring from home.

The device is designed to track subtle vibrations produced by the heart and lung and to alert clinicians when something may be wrong before symptoms become severe.

Read more: https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2026/06/Wearable-sensor-improve-heart-health-monitoring?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social%E2%80%8B

💬 “This change highlights the multidisciplinary care that is required to better support women with PMOS.”

Renaming polycystic o***y syndrome (PCOS) to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) has been a global effort more than a decade in the making – a change aimed at improving diagnosis and care for the estimated one in eight women living with the syndrome.

With the transition to the new name underway, researchers hope that PMOS will attract greater funding to understand its different subtypes and how they respond to treatment.

Read more:

From PCOS to PMOS: how a name change could improve health care for one in eight women The name shift from polycystic o***y syndrome to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome aims to improve understanding of the condition and support earlier diagnosis and better care.

Almost one in four Australian adults are deficient in vitamin D, which is crucial for maintaining bone and immune system health.

Experts explain how vitamin D functions in the body and when vitamin D supplements may be needed:

Should I take vitamin D now there’s less sun, or for bone or immune health? This vitamin plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health. But that doesn’t mean you need to take a supplement.

Three landmark studies led by The George Institute for Global Health and UNSW have shown the kidney drug finerenone preserves kidney function, reduces cardiovascular risk, and improves survival across a much broader range of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) than previously established.

Finerenone is currently approved for the treatment of CKD associated with type 2 diabetes, but the newly-published research shows that its benefits extend to non-diabetic CKD and glomerular diseases.

“Taken together, these findings suggest that expanding the use of finerenone in patients with CKD has the potential to meaningfully reduce kidney failure and cardiovascular complications for millions of people worldwide,” says Associate Professor Brendon L. Neuen from The George Institute and UNSW.

Read more: https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2026/06/three-landmark-studies-highlight-expanded-benefits-of-kidney-drug-finerenone?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social%E2%80%8B

Associate Professor Erin Howden has been selected for Wellcome Leap’s VISIBLE program, a global research initiative investing more than $75 million in women’s cardiovascular health.

She will lead the RESTORE trial, which aims to deliver a female‑specific treatment approach for coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), a condition which is more common in women and remains poorly understood.

“For decades, CMD has been one of the clearest examples of how women's cardiovascular disease has been overlooked. It affects the majority of women with chest pain and clear arteries, yet not a single approved treatment targets its underlying biology," she said.

Congratulations to A/Prof. Howden and her team! 👏

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4uUVFjW

More than 300 people joined us at the State Library on Thursday night for the inspiring panel event ‘Cancer Reimagined: The Future of Precision Care’.

Hosted in collaboration with UNSW Science, the discussion explored how AI is transforming cancer treatment possibilities and the importance of personalised care.

Thank you to our moderator, Julie McCrossin, and panellists for their invaluable perspectives and insights: Adjunct Prof. Samantha Oakes, Prof. Tracey O'Brien, Prof. Fatemeh Vafaee and Paul Conyngham, with his beloved dog Rosie alongside.

On the night, guests also had the opportunity to engage with three exhibitors – Cancer Institute NSW, UNSW AI Institute and Australian Research Centre for Cancer Survivorship – who shared exciting advances in precision medicine and cancer research.

For those who may have missed the event, or would like to revisit the discussion, you can listen back to the recording here: https://lnkd.in/g8GNZjCV

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be screened for a common heart rhythm condition at least 10 years earlier than current guidelines recommend, new UNSW research shows.

Indigenous Australians develop atrial fibrillation (AF) nearly 16 years earlier than non-Indigenous Australians, on average, contributing to substantially higher stroke rates at younger ages.

Early detection of AF is critical for timely treatment and stroke prevention, and is possible through a pulse check.

Find it, treat it: 30-second test could help prevent stroke in Indigenous Australians Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be screened for a common heart rhythm condition at least 10 years earlier than current national guidelines recommend, say UNSW researchers.

Fewer Australians are getting vaccinated, with the decline hitting some communities harder than others.

UNSW Professor Holly Seale says that for some culturally and linguistically diverse communities, the risk of ending up in hospital due to a vaccine-preventable disease is higher – and the issue is not as simple as vaccine hesitancy.

Read more:

Gap widens as vaccination rates slip A UNSW medical researcher says fewer Australians are getting vaccinated, with the decline hitting some communities harder than others.

Tomorrow, we’re hosting Cancer Reimagined: The Future of Precision Care, a panel event exploring the rise in early cancer diagnoses and what it takes to turn scientific breakthroughs into better, more equitable health outcomes for all.

Hear from Professor Tracey O’Brien AM, Samantha Oakes, Paul Steven Conyngham and Fatemeh Vafaee, on a panel moderated by Julie McCrossin AM.

In person registrations are full, but you can still sign up to get the full audio recording of the event by following the link below.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Register for the audio: https://bit.ly/4u2T7Pj