Institute for Health Research

Our work aspires to generate knowledge capable of meaningfully improving the health and quality of life of vulnerable persons.

Latest news from the IHR

Publication highlight of the month

Even low levels of air pollution may affect children's development at school entry.

A new study led by Western Australian researchers found that early exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) is linked to a higher risk of developmental vulnerability when children start school, even in a low-pollution place like Western Australia. Researchers tracked 54,458 children in the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) and modelled their PM2.5 exposure before birth and in early childhood. Children exposed to more pollution after birth were more likely to show developmental vulnerability in physical health, social skills, and language and thinking, with each small increase in exposure raising the odds by about 4–6%. Exposure before birth showed no clear effect, suggesting early childhood is a particularly sensitive window for brain development. The risks were strongest for children from disadvantaged backgrounds and those born preterm or underweight, even though pollution levels stayed well below national air quality standards.
The study, published in the August issue of Environmental Research, was led by Kendalem Asmare Atalell and colleagues, with Institute for Health Research affiliates Gizachew Tessema and Gavin Pereira among the senior authors.

You can find the paper here: Read the paper

Research Insights Program

Date

Session type

Speaker

Topic

14 September 2026

Seminar

Dr Iman Ardekani

Novel and Improved Approaches to Determine the Risk of Myocardial Infarction and Strokes

Staff may join our Research Insights shared channel.

If you have any questions or would like to attend a session, please email ihr@nd.edu.au.

What we do

  • Conduct transformative and high-impact research designed to address the needs of vulnerable persons, including those with chronic diseases or frailty, those in aged or palliative care, individuals living with chronic pain, and those who have a mental disorder, are homeless, or have a disability.
  • Conduct highly collaborative research to address inequalities in heart health in Australia and worldwide through innovative community surveillance, big data registries, and randomised controlled trials.
  • Conduct innovative health service research designed to identify and mitigate the impact of climate change on the health of vulnerable persons and communities.
  • Utilise new technologies (such as AI) to enhance the assessment and management of individuals with chronic health conditions.
  • Conduct expert evaluation and reporting of health services designed to address the needs of vulnerable persons, including the homeless and people living with disabilities.

How we build research capacity and collaborations

Research student

We provide expert advice on research techniques

  • Design of observational and experimental studies, including various forms of randomised controlled trials.
  • Setting up, management, and analysis of complex datasets, including various forms of statistical modelling and hypothesis-testing.
  • Setting up of qualitative research based on focus groups, interviews, and observation, as well as on the use of qualitative methods and analyses.
Medicine student

We provide support and training on research applications, studies and ethics

  • Provide expert support and advice on the drafting of health research grant applications, contracts, and scientific communications.
  • We train, mentor, and provide expert supervision to health research students, including those pursuing Master or PhD degrees.
  • Contribute to promote and support a strong and ethical health research ethos.
Australian connections across the globe

We reach out to other researchers and stakeholders

  • Support and collaborate with researchers locally, nationally, and internationally with the aim of improving the health outcomes of vulnerable persons.
  • Active contributors to health advocacy and policy locally, nationally, and internationally.

How we do it

We work in partnership with consumers, philanthropists, not-for-profit organisations, service providers, government agencies, and research collaborators to enhance our understanding of the pathways that lead to the prevention and recovery from health conditions that commonly affect vulnerable persons.

How we measure success

  • Improved health outcomes for study participants.
  • Improved cost-effectiveness in the delivery of health services.
  • Adoption of research findings into health policy and practice.
  • Increasing number of publications appearing in high impact scientific journals.
  • Increasing number of grant applications to funding agencies.
  • Increasing funding from contracts and philanthropy.
  • Increasing number of health research grants managed by UNDA.
  • Improved national and international profile of the UNDA health research program.

View featured publications and staff publication links.

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