UQ pharmacist recognised as one of the nation’s leading researchers

17 Oct 2019

jason robertsProfessor Jason Roberts from the UQ School of Pharmacy has been recognised as one of the country's leading researchers.

The Australian’s 2019 Research magazine has named Professor Roberts as Australia’s Leading Researcher in both Communicable Diseases and Critical Care.

The annual publication uses big data to identify the nation’s leading researchers across more than 250 fields.

Professor Roberts is also an NHMRC Practitioner Fellow at the UQ Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR) and a Consultant Clinical Pharmacist at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

He specialises in the optimisation of antibiotic dosing in the critically ill.

“This is a huge honour, to be the leader in two categories is quite amazing,” Professor Roberts said.

“Infections occur in more than 50 per cent of patients in intensive care units (ICU). Making sure these patients not only receive the optimal drug, but the optimal dosage, is key.”

Drug dosing can be particularly difficult for ICU patients as the serious nature of their illness often affects the way their bodies handle drugs.

“This can mean drugs don’t have the intended result for these patients when administered in standard doses,” he said.

“Witnessing the uncertainty that clinicians, myself included, have for dosing in the ICU made me realise the important contribution I could make to improving patient outcomes.”

However Professor Roberts is quick to note that research is always a team effort.

“It is truly a multidisciplinary collaboration from the lab to the bedside – we have an outstanding team!” he said.

“Patients and carers are key partners in allowing us to perform our work.

“I am also grateful for the support we receive from UQ, UQCCR, the School of Pharmacy, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, National Health and Medical Research Council and other funding agencies who have made our work possible.”

The University of Queensland was also recognised as Australia's Lead Institution in the field of Microbiology.

A version of this story first appeared on the UQCCR website

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