UNSW Medicine & Health

24/11/2025

Imagine a map of the brain so accurate that neurosurgeons could pinpoint a tumour and plan their route to it, just like entering a destination into Google Maps.

That’s what Dr Steve Kassem and his team at NeuRA - Neuroscience Research Australia are working towards, with the help of some coloured pencils, a tungsten divider and glossy tracing paper.

Tune in to Genius to learn more: https://bit.ly/4a6nZs0

24/11/2025

💬 "In late life, social isolation is the biggest risk factor for dementia.”

Dr Suraj Samtani, a researcher at the UNSW Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, says the consequences of being socially disconnected as we get older are profound.

A recent study found socially frail individuals were up to 50% more likely to develop dementia, even after accounting for other factors such as physical and psychological frailty.

‘Social frailty’ is a major dementia risk. A UNSW researcher is changing how to spot and treat it early.

20/11/2025

Our Biomedical Sciences Centre in Wagga Wagga is officially open.🎉

Supported by the federal government’s Murray-Darling Medical Schools Network, this state-of-the-art facility will expand training opportunities for the next generation of rural and regional doctors.

“We have worked with the local community to imagine and develop this facility,” says Dean of UNSW Medicine & Health Professor Cheryl Jones. “We know it will boost the number of doctors and other health professionals in the future who will practise in the Wagga Wagga area and surrounding regions.”

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3LMYZfj

19/11/2025

Congratulations to 2025 Australian Mental Health Prize winners Professor Pat Dudgeon, Professor Brian Burdekin, Major Hugo Toovey and Keith Donnelly. 👏

They have been recognised for their exceptional leadership, research and advocacy to improve mental healthcare.

🏆 Prof. Dudgeon was awarded the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Prize for her trailblazing work developing culturally-informed approaches to mental health and su***de prevention.

🏆 Prof. Burdekin received the Professional Prize for his ground-breaking work in mental health policy reform, which has reframed mental illness as a human-rights issue.

🏆 Major Toovey was awarded the Lived Experience Prize for his advocacy work, including founding 25StayAlive — a charity that encourages young adults to prioritise their physical and mental health.

🏆 Mr Donnelly received the Community Hero Prize for establishing Keith’s Closet, a volunteer program that has provided clothing and essentials to thousands of people experiencing mental illness.

Read more about this year’s prize winners: https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2025/11/a-decade-of-recognition-2025-australian-mental-health-prize-winners-announced?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social

14/11/2025

COP30 must centre the voices of Indigenous communities and women to address the health inequities being worsened by climate change, experts say.

The increased frequency of extreme weather events is having a devastating effect on human health and medical systems – from heightening maternal and reproductive health risks to increasing food insecurity.

Yet, the people most affected are often not included in the development of climate solutions.

Researchers from the UNSW and The George Institute for Global Health discuss why effective action needs to be community-focussed and led by those with lived experience.

UNSW academics explain why COP30 must not overlook the power of grassroots and community-based responses – especially with the health impacts of climate change.

11/11/2025

Congratulations to Professor Henry Brodaty, who has been named the 2026 NSW Senior Australian of the Year. 🎉

This honour acknowledges Prof. Brodaty’s trailblazing work as a clinician, researcher and advocate for people living with dementia.

“This award is a tribute to my father, who lived with young-onset dementia, my mother, who was his devoted carer, and to all those living with dementia and their families,” said Prof. Brodaty, Co-Director of the UNSW Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing.

“We’ve moved from hopelessness to hope - from stigma to science - in the way we understand and respond to dementia. I’m proud to have played a part in this transformation.”

Learn more about Prof. Brodaty’s outstanding career: https://bit.ly/43qNErf

10/11/2025

Should you be taking magnesium supplements to help with sleep and muscle cramps, or is it just marketing hype?

While magnesium is essential for the body’s functioning, whether you need magnesium supplements depends your diet, health conditions and age.

Experts explain the signs of low magnesium to look out for, and what magnesium products are safest to use.

Do you need to take magnesium, or is it just marketing hype? The simple rule is: you only need a magnesium supplement if you show signs of low magnesium.

07/11/2025

Children with multiple neurodevelopmental conditions are at a higher risk of experiencing severe depression and anxiety, according to a recent study involving UNSW experts.

Health systems around the world are seeing a growing number of children with more than one developmental condition – such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, cerebral palsy and Tourette syndrome – yet there has been limited research to understand the emotional difficulties affecting these kids.

The new study reveals the hidden mental health burden and has important implications for health services and planning.

Read more:

Children with more than one developmental condition – such as ADHD, autism or others – are at risk of depression or anxiety too. And health systems need to adapt.

05/11/2025

Congratulations to Dr David Khoury from the Kirby Institute at UNSW, who has been awarded a Prime Minister’s Prize for Science. 🎉

Dr Khoury received the Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year in recognition of his outstanding work in infectious disease modelling, which has guided international policies on COVID-19 and mpox as well as the development of new antimalarial drugs.

“My passion is applying maths to laboratory science to help make important real-world decisions that can change people's lives,” Dr Khoury said. “It has enabled faster development and deployment of life-saving treatments.”

Dr Khoury said this award was an absolute honour and a testament to “the hard work that my family put in to help me through school, and the team and collaborators I now work with, without whom the work that I do wouldn't be possible.”

https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2025/11/UNSW-researcher-awarded-Prime-Ministers-Prize-for-Science?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social

05/11/2025

Happy 25th birthday to the UNSW Rural Clinical Campuses! 🥳

Over the past 25 years, thousands of medical students have been trained across our rural campuses in Albury, Coffs Harbour, Griffith, Port Macquarie and Wagga Wagga, with many continuing to practise in regional communities.

Thank you to all the students, staff, local doctors, hospitals, health professionals and community members, who have helped us to reach this milestone.

Here’s to the next 25 years! 🩺

03/11/2025

UNSW researchers have secured more than $35 million from Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project scheme.

This funding will support 54 projects across the faculties of Medicine & Health, Science, Engineering, Law & Justice, Business, Arts, Design & Architecture, and UNSW Canberra, that will work to deliver cultural, social, health and economic benefits for Australia.

Fifty-four UNSW projects across seven faculties will advance bold ideas, foster collaboration and deliver long-term national benefits.

31/10/2025

Malnutrition affects around 10% of older Australians, but rates rise to 30-40% among older adults in hospital.

It can delay recovery, prolong hospital stays, and increase the risk of complications and readmission.

UNSW’s Dr Zhaoli Dai-Keller and colleagues found that a lack of familiar food options may prevent patients from eating properly, particularly among adults from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The team outlines four practical steps to improve hospital food satisfaction and support better health outcomes.

Most older patients in a recent study had a ‘no complaints’ attitude to hospital food. But when it was unfamiliar, they were less likely to eat it.