Woolcock Institute of Medical Research

10/08/2026

Has the time come for the world to regulate ni****ne itself rather than the ci******es, vapes, pouches and patches that deliver it? For ni****ne addiction specialist Professor Renee Bittoun the answer has always been clear - ni****ne is the problem. Read more: https://www.woolcock.org.au/news/rethinking-ni****ne
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Has the time come for the world to asks whether we should be regulating ni****ne instead of the vapes and ni****ne pouches that deliver it. For ni****ne addition specialist Professor Renee Bittoun, the answer has always been clear. Ni****ne is the problem.

07/08/2026

Last week, Woolcock leaders joined by Macquarie University colleagues attended a training session run by the Black Dog Institute , Your Mental Health at Work.

The training emphasised the importance of strategies to support good mental health in the workplace.

05/08/2026

Last chance to register to join Professor Helen Reddel and an expert panel as they share key insights from this year’s GINA report focusing on acute asthma management in adults, adolescents, and children aged 6 years and older in primary care and emergency department settings. Register here: https://thelimbic.com/respiratory/gina-2026-whats-new-in-acute-asthma-management/

Join online as an expert panel shares key insights from this year’s GINA report, focusing on acute asthma management in adults, adolescents, and children aged 6 years and older in primary care and emergency department settings. Hosted by Professor Helen Reddel Chair of the Science Committee of the...

04/08/2026

Yesterday the new café opened in our building at 2 Innovation Road, Macquarie Park. Great coffee and yummy food on offer.

If you are coming in to the Woolcock grab a drink and a bite to eat while you are here.

03/08/2026

Woolcock Research Leader Professor Bandana Saini spoke to HealthEd's David Lim recently on "Insomnia assessment and management/referral options for GPs" for the Clinical Takeaway podcast. Listen to the episode here: https://www.healthed.com.au/podcasts/the-clinical-takeaway-insomnia-assessment-and-management-referral-options-for-gps-part-1

Educational Activities (EA)These are activities that expand general practice knowledge, skills and attitudes, related to your scope of practice.

31/07/2026

A recent study published in the Medical Journal of Australia found asthma control among Australian adults has worsened over the past decade despite years of national efforts to improve asthma management. To hear the latest advice on acute asthma management in adults, join Professor Helen Reddel and an expert panel on Thursday 6 August as they share key insights from this year’s GINA report. Read more and register to attend: https://www.woolcock.org.au/news /adult-asthma

27/07/2026

Dr Christine Cowie, a senior research fellow in the Woolcock's Respiratory and Environmental Epidemiology research group, spoke to ABC Radio's Becc Bird last week about the risks posed to human health by gas heating and cooking. Read more: https://www.woolcock.org.au/news/gas-heaters

Dr Christine Cowie, a senior research fellow in the Woolcock's Respiratory and Environmental Epidemiology research group, spoke to ABC Radio's Becc Bird last week about the risks posed to human health by gas heating and cooking.

22/07/2026

Smoking remains the single biggest risk factor for lung cancer. But researchers have become increasingly interested in another group of patients: people who develop lung cancer despite having never smoked. Read more: https://www.woolcock.org.au/news/never-smoker

Researchers estimate 10-25% of people with lung cancer have never smoked and are increasingly asking why?

15/07/2026

What's a sleep debt? Can it be repaid? Woolcock Clinic sleep psychologist Dr Amelia Scott explains the science behind sleep debt, including advice on how to think about the information provided by sleep trackers in an article for The Conversation. Read more: https://theconversation.com/whats-a-sleep-debt-can-i-ever-pay-it-back-an-expert-explains-284318

Never seem to get enough sleep? Why chasing ‘enough sleep’ to repay your ‘sleep debt’ might not be helping.

07/07/2026

How can two people with similar genetic backgrounds experience very different health outcomes? The answers may lie in epigenetics because while genetics provides the blueprint, environmental exposures and life experiences can influence how that blueprint is used over time. Read more: https://www.woolcock.org.au/news/environment-and-genes

It’s easy to assume that our genes determine our future but the reality is far more interesting. While we inherit our genes from our parents, epigenetics looks at how our environment can influence how those genes behave.