Trans Health Research

19/11/2025

Today is Trans Day of Remembrance. It is a time for communities to come together in solidarity, to honour trans and gender diverse people whose lives were lost due to transphobic violence and discrimination, and to reaffirm our commitment to challenging transphobia so that everyone can live in a safer and more inclusive world.

This day is incredibly difficult for many people. If you need support, you can find a comprehensive list of trans-affirming services and resources here:

https://www.transresearch.org.au/community-resources

Image description: Text and the Trans Health Research logo displayed alongside a photo. The text reads, “We honour and remember those who have lost their lives to transphobic violence and discrimination. Trans Day of Remembrance, 20 November”. The photo shows a person sitting on a couch, elbows braced on their legs, hands folded. Another person is holding their forearm comfortingly. End description.

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18/11/2025

Today, for Trans Awareness Week, we are highlighting the experiences and identities of tr*******al community members.

Visibility and acceptance of people who identify as tr*******al is urgently needed. Research, policy, healthcare, and community spaces must recognise all trans and gender diverse experiences, including the people who identify with this label.

For more information, and to read quotes from tr*******al folks, visit this link: https://www.transresearch.org.au/post/tr*******al

Recent research, conducted as part of the TRANSform project, revealed that 7% of surveyed community members identified as tr*******al, with the youngest being 18 and the oldest being 81. Respondents were diverse in the other labels they used, as well, showing that far more visibility and inclusion is needed before this population is properly represented in research and community spaces.

Leon, a community member and post co-author, explained, “For me, the term captures my trans identity/history and simultaneously validates my current-day experience of being a man with non-typical s*x characteristics. My journey has been about altering my s*x to better represent the gender which always existed within me, and to alleviate my dysphoria. I am incredibly proud of my body, I love being a man, and tr*******al captures that entirely for me.”

We welcome tr*******al people to join our research projects!

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Transs*xual people need to be included in modern trans advocacy, research, and community spaces.

13/11/2025

This Trans Awareness Week, we're taking a closer look at recent groundbreaking research, translating the findings into accessible everyday language.

Oestrogen-based gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) doesn’t just change hormone levels, it impacts how the body works at a much deeper, molecular level, beyond visible changes like breast growth and skin texture.

These findings help explain why some health risks and benefits may shift after starting GAHT. Further research is essential to provide clinicians and community members with more information when embarking on (and managing) medical gender affirmation.

Nature Medicine publishes the first-ever trans health study showing oestrogen therapy reshapes thousands of body proteins, aligning biology with gender identity.

12/11/2025

We are celebrating Trans Awareness Week!! Trans Awareness Week runs from the 13th to the 19th of November, culminating with Trans Day of Remembrance on the 20th. This week is an opportunity to honour the trans and gender diverse community, and come together to celebrate, support, and uplift each other.

Trans Health Research would like to express our heartfelt love and respect for all of our trans team members, research participants, colleagues, and the broader trans community.

The world is a better place for having you in it, we treasure you, and we’re committed to doing everything we can to build a world where all gender diverse people have access to safe and affirming healthcare.

Recently, our team visited the Science Gallery for an afternoon of connection, exploration, and joy. We’ll be bringing this energy into Trans Awareness Week and beyond, and wish the same for all of our trans peers and community members ❤️

Image description: Text and the Trans Health Research logo displayed alongside a photo. The text reads, “13 November 2025: Sending love to our community on Trans Awareness Week”. The photo shows eight Trans Health Research team members sitting indoors on grey steps, wearing casual clothing and smiling happily. End description.

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12/11/2025

Transgender Victoria’s Trans Visibility Awards named Dr Sav Zwickl as Trans Person of the Year! A truly well-deserved recognition!

Sav’s visibility as a trans researcher, their generous mentoring of emerging trans researchers, and their leadership of the TRANSform study which now has more than 2000 participants, has set a new benchmark for trans-led, community-driven research. Their work hasn’t only advanced trans health and wellbeing; it’s transformed the field, with genuine innovation and multiple world firsts including the landmark COVID-19 mental health study and the creation of the Gender Euphoria Scale.

During their speech, Sav said, “Our research has not been possible without the generosity of the many trans people who have given their time and shared their experiences as part of our research.

“Together, we have created this country’s largest and longest-running trans health project, published several world-first studies, and produced data that governments have used to inform policy and funding decisions, that community organisations have used to support their programs and funding requests, and doctors have used to improve the care they give to trans people.

“In a truly community effort, we have managed some significant wins for the trans health sector in Victoria! And while there is still a long way to go on many fronts, as a community, working together, I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved, and look forward to working with many of you, in one way or another, in the future.”

We couldn’t be prouder to see Sav’s extraordinary contributions recognised on such a huge stage. Huge congratulations, Sav!!

If you live in Australia and are trans or gender diverse, you can be part of this groundbreaking research. Join TRANSform here: https://www.transresearch.org.au/participate

Read more about what TRANSform has achieved in its first 5 years here: https://www.transresearch.org.au/reports/transform20-25

Image description: Text displayed alongside three photos. The text reads, “Trans visibility awards: Dr Sav Zwickl, Trans Person of the Year 2025”. The left photo shows Sav onstage, speaking into a microphone, wearing a white suit shirt, a patterned blue tie, and brown trousers. They have short blond hair. The stage includes a wall of streamers in the trans flag colours, lines of lights, and a large screen displaying Sav's face, name, and award. The two photos on the right show Sav standing with Trans Health Research team members Ada, Foster, and Arden at the Gender Revel Gala event, where the award was presented. End description.

Transgender Victoria

06/11/2025

IN THE MEDIA: Last weekend, ABC News spotlighted healthcare experiences of trans and gender diverse people living in regional and remote Australia.

Trans Health Research's Dr Sav Zwickl spoke to the prevalent lack of doctors educated in trans health outside metropolitan areas.

Drawing from our research on healthcare experiences, they stated that, "Even if there is a local doctor in their local town, that person might not know much about trans people, they might have been discriminatory against them in the past. So, people are sharing these stories of having to travel two, three, up to even six hours to see a healthcare professional that they feel safe with."

The article calls for trans health to be embedded in university curricula, and for the upskilling of the existing health workforce.

Read the full article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-01/healthcare-for-trans-people-in-regional-australia/105951286

Read our blog post on healthcare discrimination: https://www.transresearch.org.au/post/healthcareaccess

A Queensland trans man says healthcare workers did not fully understand his needs when he sought fertility treatment.

04/11/2025

Huge congratulations to Dr Brendan Nolan: Winner of the Endocrine Society of Australia’s (ESA) Ken Wynne Award 2025!

At the ESA Annual Scientific Meeting in Perth, Brendan delivered his award presentation on subdermal estradiol implants in gender-affirming hormone therapy, showcasing our pioneering research that’s shaping safer, more effective options for trans and gender diverse people using estradiol therapy.

This national award recognises excellence in clinical endocrinology research, and we couldn’t be prouder to see his work (and the importance of trans health research) celebrated on the main stage.

Congratulations, Brendan, on this well-deserved recognition!

Image description: Text displayed alongside three photos. The text reads, “Research recognition: Endocrine Society of Australia Award for Trans Research”. The photos show Dr Brendan Nolan, wearing suits and glasses, standing at podiums onstage, speaking into microphones, and holding presentations about estradiol implants. The left photo is his ESA presentation, with the two photos on the right taken at WPATH 2024. End description.

*******al

01/11/2025

Today is Trans Parent Day!

Did you know the first Sunday of November is Trans Parent Day; a day to honour and celebrate all the incredible parents in our communities?

This includes trans and gender diverse parents, as well as cisgender mums, dads, and carers of trans and gender diverse people who walk alongside their children with love and advocacy.

Being a trans parent can bring unique challenges like navigating gendered healthcare systems, being welcomed into school communities, or finding family-friendly trans peer spaces. Yet, like for any parent, it’s also filled with joy, love, and adventure.

Families come in all shapes and sizes. Today, we celebrate trans and gender diverse parents and call on all services, schools, and community groups to keep improving access and inclusion, because trans parents deserve to be seen, supported, and celebrated.

Resources and support:

For cis parents of trans and gender diverse children: transresearch.org.au/families-carers

For all community members and rainbow families: transresearch.org.au/community-resources

Image description: Text displayed alongside six photos. The six photos, from top left to bottom right, are: A trans woman, her non-binary partner, and her son indoors together. A dad in a pride parade, holding a sign which reads, “My non-binary child is my hero”. A non-binary person standing outdoors, smiling happily, holding their pet dog. A trans man, his wife, and his baby indoors together. A trans woman hugging her son outdoors. A mother in a pride parade, holding a sign which reads, “Proud mom of a trans son”. The text acknowledges Trans Parent Day with a brief message of support. End description.

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Credits: rparobe, iStock. Meg. Ryan McKeever, iStock. westock, freepik. Shutterstock. Jan Budomo.

30/10/2025

We’re thrilled to share our latest publication in JAMA Network Open! Read it here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2840014

This study provides the first prospective evidence that gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) can influence key markers of heart health. Specifically, this study looked at high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I, a blood test used to detect heart injury or risk of heart attack.

Until now, doctors have used different troponin thresholds for men and women, but it’s been unclear which should apply for trans and gender diverse people on hormone therapy.

Our 12-month study of 152 trans and cis participants found that oestrogen-based GAHT shifts troponin levels towards cis women’s ranges, and testosterone-based GAHT shifts troponin levels towards cis men’s ranges.

“These results suggest that after 12 months of hormone therapy, affirmed gender reference ranges may be more appropriate for interpreting troponin tests in transgender people,” said lead investigator Prof Ada Cheung. “This is important for reducing confusion in emergency settings and ensuring trans people receive safe, accurate care.”

Together with our previous JAMA Network Open paper on heart conduction (QT interval) changes in trans people, these findings highlight how GAHT may influence both heart function and muscle biology, with implications for emergency medicine and cardiac care.

Why do we compare results to cisgender ranges? Medicine currently defines blood test reference ranges based on large population datasets which, unfortunately, are still almost entirely drawn from cisgender men and women. These comparisons aren’t about reinforcing a gender binary; they’re a practical step to understand how existing tests apply to trans people on GAHT, since these are the values doctors rely on when making decisions in emergency and clinical care.

By studying how GAHT shifts these markers, we can help ensure trans people are interpreted correctly and safely within the current medical system, and work toward building inclusive reference ranges that reflect the full diversity of human biology in the future.

This work represents another step toward evidence-based, gender-affirming healthcare for all.

Image description: Text displayed alongside three photos. The text summarises research findings, as previously written. The photo on the left shows a smiling non-binary person with short, dark hair, wearing wire-rimmed glasses, earrings, and a collared black shirt. The photo in the middle shows a smiling trans man with a short, closely-cropped afro and facial hair, wearing a blue-and-yellow patterned shirt. The photo on the right shows a smiling blonde trans woman wearing makeup, jewellery, and a bright blue patterned dress. End description.

Previous paper here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2816835



Photos: David Morillo, Matteo Guedia, CREATISTA.

28/10/2025

We’re celebrating some exciting news! Our group leader, Prof Ada Cheung, has been recognised with a Young Tall Poppy Science Award, and was also announced on the night as Victoria's Tall Poppy of the Year!

These awards celebrate outstanding contributions to scientific research and public engagement, and it’s incredibly meaningful to see trans health research recognised on this stage; an area that is so often misunderstood, underfunded, and politicised.

In her speech, Ada spoke about the importance of communicating science with clarity, empathy, and respect, so that it can truly make a difference, especially in the current climate where misinformation and attacks on healthcare and human rights are increasing. She called on the audience to step up and be active allies, to support the trans community, to champion science and evidence-based policy-making, and to help create a world where everyone has opportunity to belong, participate, and flourish.

This recognition belongs not just to Ada, but to the whole Trans Health Research community! Our amazing team, collaborators, and trans and gender diverse people who share their experiences and insights to help create a fairer, healthier world for all.

Congratulations to all of the incredible 2025 Victorian Tall Poppy Award winners! It’s inspiring to see so much brilliant science happening across Victoria!

A huge thank-you to the Australian Institute of Policy & Science (AIPS) for recognising the importance of research and science communication, and for reminding us how evidence and empathy together can drive real change.

Image description: Text displayed alongside a photo. The text reads, “Research recognition: Prof Ada Cheung: 2025 Victorian Tall Poppy Recipient”. The photo shows Ada standing indoors, holding a blue rectangular award with text printed on it. Ada is wearing a red-and-black patterned dress, jewellery, and brown-rimmed glasses, and has shoulder-length dark hair. She is smiling happily. End description.

22/10/2025

Recently, Prof Ada Cheung joined Dr Danielle Stefanski and Stella Lesic (Q***r Sporting Alliance) for Proud 2 Play’s Move in Pride event at the Victorian Pride Centre, unpacking the myths of trans participation in sport.

The panel shared powerful lived experiences, from the fear of turning up to a football oval to the joy that comes when trans people are welcomed, and tackled misinformation head-on with science and evidence. They also shared practical tips on how to spot flawed or misleading studies which are often used to justify exclusion.

Community sport isn’t elite sport. It’s about fun, health, and connection, not medals. Fairness in local clubs isn’t about identical bodies; it’s about ensuring everyone can play. Even the AFL’s community inclusion policy states that “social inclusion has greater priority than competitive advantage.”

There’s no evidence trans women outperform cis women or “dominate” women’s competitions. There is a reduction in many areas of physical performance after starting oestrogen-based gender affirming hormone therapy.

Many performance studies simply compare men and women, leaning on outdated biology narratives. Measures like grip strength are often irrelevant to the sport at hand, and don’t create safety issues.

Regardless, sport has never been a level playing field. We celebrate tall basketball players and long-limbed swimmers without calling their advantages unfair.

Let’s move past the false narrative that inclusion threatens women’s sport. We can protect and grow women’s sport AND welcome trans women.

While data informs, we know that storytelling changes hearts. We know the emotional toll it takes to share lived experience for others to learn. This is why we send a huge thank-you to Dr Danielle Stefanski and Stella Lesic for sharing their stories, and to Kade Matthews and Proud2Play for leading this compassionate, evidence-driven conversation, and to everyone who came along to listen, learn, and support inclusion in sport.

Let’s keep these conversations grounded in evidence, empathy, and equality, so that sport truly becomes a place where everyone belongs!

Image description: Text displayed alongside four photos. The text reads, “Busting myths, building sporting inclusion at Proud2Play’s Move in Pride event”. The photos, from top left to bottom left, show Ada speaking into a microphone with Danielle visible in the blurred foreground, Stella speaking into a microphone whilst sitting next to Kade, a room of seated people listening to speakers onstage, and Ada standing with Danielle, Stella, and Kade before a Proud2Play banner. End description.

21/10/2025

A world-first discovery; how gender-affirming hormones reshape the body’s biology, now published in Nature Medicine.

We’re beyond thrilled to announce that our team’s latest study has been published in Nature Medicine (one of the world’s most prestigious medical journals) marking the first-ever original research paper on transgender health published in this journal.

Led by researchers from The University of Melbourne, Austin Health, and Murdoch Children's Research Institute - MCRI, this groundbreaking study shows how oestrogen-based gender-affirming hormone therapy reshapes the body’s proteins (the tiny molecules that drive how our cells and organs function), helping the body align more closely with a person’s gender identity.

Why this study matters:

Until now, most research focused on hormone levels alone. This study used high-throughput proteomics, examining more than 5,000 proteins to reveal how hormones actually change the body’s biology in detail. Such deep molecular profiling sets a new standard for studying hormone effects—not only in transgender care but across all areas of endocrinology.

What we discovered:

• After just six months of estradiol and anti-androgens, s*x-specific proteins in trans women’s blood shifted to resemble those of cisgender women.

• Hormone therapy increased proteins linked to body fat, breast development, immune function, and heart health, while reducing proteins related to male fertility.

• These findings show that human biology is dynamic and adaptable, even in adulthood, reshaping long-held ideas about s*x differences and hormone effects.

This landmark paper forms part of Dr Lachlan Angus’s PhD, which explored how different anti-androgen treatments influence breast development, body composition, and heart conduction in people newly starting oestrogen-based GAHT.

A huge thank you to Ms Kylie King, who played a critical role in participant recruitment and data collection at Austin Health, and to the incredible participants whose involvement made this research possible.

Professor Ada Cheung said:

“Studying proteins could help us personalise gender-affirming care, monitoring how well hormone therapy is working and identifying early signs of side-effects on heart or immune health.”

“Publishing in Nature Medicine is an extraordinary milestone — not just for our team, but for trans health globally. This research brings us closer to truly personalised gender-affirming care, ensuring safety and effectiveness tailored to each individual.”

Congratulations to Dr Lachlan Angus, Ms Kylie King, Associate Professor Boris Novakovic, Professor Ada Cheung, and our entire collaborative team for this world-first achievement.

Read the paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04023-9

See the media release: https://bioengineer.org/hormone-therapy-reshapes-body-proteins-to-align-with-gender-identity/

Groundbreaking study from Melbourne unveils how feminizing hormone therapy reshapes the plasma proteome in transgender women, aligning biological markers with gender identity Recent research