Promoting positive relationships between lifestyle and health
Our vision is that all Australians are supported to reach their full potential in life by having a healthy lifestyle. We bring together a range of disciplines across health to advance support for eating well, being physically active, reducing stress, managing weight, ceasing smoking and optimising sun exposure.
Our research is innovative and transformative with emphasis on improving health care services in a way that matters to people, their doctors and to policy makers.
We focus on:
- pragmatic/real-life interventions
- accessible modes of delivery
- representative samples.
Research Highlights
Researchers secure $2 million grant to expand ovarian cancer trials
Professor Sandi Hayes has secured a $2 million grant to fund a trial that aims to bolster survival rates for women with ovarian cancer.
Professor Alfred King-yin Lam named in 2022 Australia Day Honors
Professor Alfred King-yin Lam has been named a Member (AM) in the general division, for his significant service to tertiary education, research and pathology.
Nutrition in primary care yields health and economic benefits
Personalised nutrition advice from primary healthcare providers is better than usual care at improving a person’s health and costs little more.
Nursing researchers recognised by international society
Professor Ann Bonner has been recognised for her contribution to nursing research by the prestigious Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma).
Our aim
We use world-class research methods to understand and promote the positive relationships between lifestyle and health, including its role in reducing morbidity and mortality associated with the prevention and management of chronic health conditions.
Focus areas
Improving health outcomes for people living with cancer
We are committed to improving lives and reducing health disparities in Australia and across the globe. Our projects focus on cancer prevention, early detection and the physical and psychosocial recovery process following cancer treatment. We have a special interest in skin cancer, breast cancer, gynaecological cancer and lymphoedema.
Expert: Professor Sandi Hayes
STOP FRACTURE
STOP FRACTURE! Stands for ‘Strength Training for Optimum Prevention of Fracture. Refocusing A Clinical paradigm That Underutilises Recognised Effective therapy’. The goal of the STOP FRACTURE study is to enhance patient access to Onero™ by increasing clinician and patient awareness and creating a simple referral pathway. The project aligns with the MRFF goal to provide equitable healthcare through transformative preventative research that addresses a vital and growing unmet health need in Australia.
Expert: Professor Belinda Beck
Improving outcomes for people with chronic kidney disease
One in ten Australians aged 18 and over has at least one sign of chronic kidney disease and over 23,000 Australians receive dialysis or a kidney transplant for kidney failure. We focus on improving outcomes for people along the trajectory of chronic kidney disease—from slowing disease progression to kidney replacement therapies and to end-of-life care.
Expert: Professor Ann Bonner and Louise Purtell
Partner with us
Partnerships and collaboration are essential to our research impact. We partner widely with industry, not-for-profit organisations and government. We also collaborate with fellow researchers and maintain strong ties with our community.
If you would like to partner with us, or tap into our research expertise, facilities or services, please get in touch.
Co-lead
Professor Sandi Hayes
Professor Hayes is an exercise physiologist with a passion for improving cancer survivorship through epidemiological research and clinical trials.
She has a particular focus on cancer-related lymphoedema and explores the role of healthy lifestyles and physical activity in preventing and alleviating cancer-related burden.
Co-lead
Dr Melanie Plinsinga
Dr Melanie Plinsinga is an exercise scientist in the field of chronic symptom research, with a particular interest in exercise management and rehabilitation.
She is internationally known for her contributions to the field of chronic pain. She uses this expertise to address unanswered questions in cancer-related symptoms to improve lives through prevention and better management.
Members
- Professor Belinda Beck
- Associate Professor Leanne Bisset
- Professor Ann Bonner
- Associate Professor Nicola Burton
- Dr Brooke Coombes
- Associate Professor Ben Desbrow
- Associate Professor Kyra Hamilton
- Professor Alfred Lam
- Dr Amanda McGuire
- Dr Amy Mitchell
- Associate Professor Joy Parkinson
- Dr Melanie Plinsinga
- Dr Rosalind Spence
- Dr Lisa Vincze
Contact details
- Phone
- (07) 5678 8811
- Location and postal address
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland
- G40 Griffith Health Centre, Level 8.86
- Gold Coast campus
- Griffith University QLD 4222
