Associate Professor Nicholas Osborne

Associate Professor

School of Public Health
Faculty of Medicine

Associate Professor

School of Public Health
Faculty of Medicine
n.osborne@uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 55178
0431854846

Overview

Dr Osborne, BSc(Hons), MAgSc, PhD is an epidemiologist and toxicologist with research interests in using environmental epidemiology to examine aetiology and pathological pathways of disease. He has worked on a range of projects examining environmental exposures and health outcomes including exposure to metals, pollen, mould, chronic exposures to low levels of chemicals, pesticide and cyanotoxins. He also has experience examining how exposure to the environment may increase health and wellbeing (green/bluespace and solar irradiance and vitamin D).

He has developed skills in the linkage of environmental and population health data in an interdisciplinary context, and has expertise in design, linkage, hypothesis formulation, analysis, interpretation, translation and dissemination.

He has experience in designing and collecting epidemiological data and initiating studies of primary collected data (HealthIron, HealthNuts, Cornwall Housing Study, Survey of Recreational Water Users, Monitoring of Meniere’s Symptoms).

He also has used secondary data from existing cohorts (NHANES, UK Biobank, 1958 Birth Cohort, British Household Survey, Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study, South Asian Clinical Toxicology Research Collaboration), as well as linkage of previously unconnected “big data” sets in mashups on novel platforms (MEDMI project). He has used traditional statistical methods such as linear/logistic regression, time series analysis, interrupted time series and Cox regression to ascertain associations between exposures and outcomes, as well as integrating confirmatory structured equation modelling with environmental/health data sets to construct conceptual diagrams of associations and assess pathway directions.

He currently researches pollen and health outcomes as well as chronic kidney disease in low to middle income countries.

He has supervised 6 PhD students to completion (2 primary supervisor, 4 co-supervisor) and currently supervises 4 PhD student. He has been associate editor of Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health since 2011 and is on the editorial board of International Journal of Epidemiology and Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Pulmonology. He is a member of Australasian Epidemiology Association, International Society of Environmental Epidemiology and International Epidemiology Association.

He has previously worked at the Universities of NSW, Sydney, Exeter, Melbourne, Portsmouth, Queensland and Flinders, the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the Cancer Council Victoria. He completed his PhD at the School of Population Health, University of Queensland/National Research Centre of Environmental Toxicology working on the toxicology and public health effects of cyanobacterial toxins in southeast Queensland.

Research Interests

  • Food allergy and environmental determinants
    Research here examines how certain environmental exposures appear to increase the risk of certain atopic diseases, asking the question on whether they are modifiable and hence a mechanism to reduce community burden.
  • Pollen and health
    Using eDNA to examine grass pollen and its relationship to health outcomes
  • Uncertain Chronic Kidney Disease
    Researching chronic kideny disease of unknown origin in Sri Lanka by examining a range of pathological pathways and environmental risk factors

Research Impacts

My research has been cited in numerous govt reports and society websites:

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) and the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI): Asthma and air pollution (https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/asthma-library/air-pollution-asthma)

Finding a Path to Safety in Food Allergy: Assessment of the Global Burden, Causes, Prevention, Management, and Public Policy (2017) National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee on Food Allergies: Global Burden, Causes, Treatment, Prevention, and Public Policy; Virginia A. Stallings and Maria P. Oria, Editors

Risk factors for food allergy Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Spor

GreenWater Laboratories Potentially Toxigenic (PTOX) Cyanobacteria List

Microbiomes of the Built Environment: A Research Agenda for Indoor Microbiology, Human Health, and Buildings (2017)

Guidelines on urban and peri-urban forestry - FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS, Rome, 2016

Promoting healthy and energy efficient buildings in the European Union - EU Law and Publications Cited by The Publications Office of the European Union on 11 Jan 2017 The Publications Office of the European Union (Publications Office), based in Luxembourg, is an interinstitutional office whose task is to publish the publications of the institutions of the European Union.

Future of the Sea: Health and Wellbeing of Coastal Communities Cited by UK Government (GOV.UK) on 22 Aug 2017 Government Office for Science

Why the United States Needs a National Birth Cohort Study - National Academy of Medicine NAM Perspectives. Discussion Paper, National Academy of Medicine, Washington, DC. doi: 10.31478/201605g

The first thousand days: an evidence paper Moore, T.G., Arefadib, N., Deery, A., & West, S. (2017). The First Thousand Days: An Evidence Paper. Parkville, Victoria; Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

The longitudinal study of Australian children: annual statistical report 2012 19 Jun 2013 Australian Institute of Family Studies

Anaphylaxis: assessment and referral after emergency treatment: Anaphylaxis: full guideline appendix G Cited by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on 14 Dec 2011 The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care.

Human health and climate change in Pacific Island countries Cited by World Health Organization on 01 Jan 2015 The World Health Organization (WHO) is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system.

Opinion on BPA Cited by European Food Safety Authority on 21 Jan 2015 The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is an independent European agency which provides scientific advice on existing and emerging risks, as part of European Union (EU) risk assessments regarding food and feed safety.

Outcome of the public consultations: Scientific Opinion on Bisphenol A Cited by European Food Safety Authority on 21 Jan 2015 The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is an independent European agency which provides scientific advice on existing and emerging risks, as part of European Union (EU) risk assessments regarding food and feed safety.

Promoting healthy and energy efficient buildings in the European Union - EU Law and Publications Cited by The Publications Office of the European Union on 11 Jan 2017 The Publications Office of the European Union (Publications Office), based in Luxembourg, is an interinstitutional office whose task is to publish the publications of the institutions of the European Union.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
  • Masters (Research) of Agriculture, The University of Queensland

Publications

  • Rowney, Francis M., Brennan, Georgina L., Skjoth, Carsten A., Griffith, Gareth W., McInnes, Rachel N., Clewlow, Yolanda, Adams-Groom, Beverley, Barber, Adam, de Vere, Natasha, Economou, Theo, Hegarty, Matthew, Hanlon, Helen M., Jones, Laura , Kurganskiy, Alexander, Petch, Geoffrey M., Potter, Caitlin, Rafiq, Abdullah M., Warner, Amena, the PollerGEN consortium, Wheeler, Benedict, Osborne, Nicholas J and Creer, Simon (2021). Environmental DNA reveals links between abundance and composition of airborne grass pollen and respiratory health. Current Biology, 31 (9), 1995-2003.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.02.019

  • Brennan, Georgina L. , Potter, Caitlin , de Vere, Natasha , Griffith, Gareth W. , Skjøth, Carsten A. , Osborne, Nicholas J. , Wheeler, Benedict W. , McInnes, Rachel N. , Clewlow, Yolanda , Barber, Adam , Hanlon, Helen M. , Hegarty, Matthew , Jones, Laura , Kurganskiy, Alexander , Rowney, Francis M. , Armitage, Charlotte , Adams-Groom, Beverley , Ford, Col R. , Petch, Geoff M. , The PollerGEN Consortium and Creer, Simon (2019). Temperate airborne grass pollen defined by spatio-temporal shifts in community composition. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 3 (5), 750-754. doi: 10.1038/s41559-019-0849-7

  • McInnes, Rachel N., Hernming, Deborah, Burgess, Peter, Lyndsay, Donna, Osborne, Nicholas J., Skjoth, Carsten Ambelas, Thomas, Sam and Vardoulakis, Sotiris (2017). Mapping allergenic pollen vegetation in UK to study environmental exposure and human health. Science of the Total Environment, 599-600, 483-499. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.04.136

  • Osborne, Nicholas J., Alcock, Ian, Wheeler, Benedict W., Hajat, Shakoor, Sarran, Christophe, Clewlow, Yolanda, McInnes, Rachel N., Hemming, Deborah, White, Mathew, Vardoulakis, Sotiris and Fleming, Lora E. (2017). Pollen exposure and hospitalization due to asthma exacerbations: Daily time series in a European city. International Journal of Biometeorology, 61 (10), 1837-1848. doi: 10.1007/s00484-017-1369-2

  • Osborne, Nicholas J., Cairns, Rose, Dawson, Andrew H., Chitty, Kate M. and Buckley, Nicholas A. (2017). Epidemiology of coronial deaths from pesticide ingestion in Australia. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 220 (2, Part B), 478-484. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.01.009

  • Schmidt, Wiebke, Sarran, Christophe, Ronan, Natalie, Barrett, George, Whinney, David J., Fleming, Lora E., Osborne, Nicholas J. and Tyrrell, Jessica (2017). The Weather and Meniere's Disease: A Longitudinal Analysis in the UK. Otology & Neurotology, 38 (2), 225-233. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000001270

  • Sharpe, Richard A., Bearman, Nick, Thornton, Christopher R., Husk, Kerryn and Osborne, Nicholas J. (2015). Indoor fungal diversity and asthma: a meta-analysis and systematic review of risk factors. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 135 (1), 110-122. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2014.07.002

  • Tyrrell, Jessica, Melzer, David, Henley, William, Galloway, Tamara S. and Osborne, Nicholas J. (2013). Associations between socioeconomic status and environmental toxicant concentrations in adults in the USA: NHANES 2001-2010. Environment International, 59, 328-335. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2013.06.017

  • Melzer, David, Osborne, Nicholas J., Henley, William E., Cipelli, Riccardo, Young, Anita, Money, Cathryn, McCormack, Paul, Luben, Robert, Khaw, Kay-Tee, Wareham, Nicholas J. and Galloway, Tamara S. (2012). Urinary bisphenol A concentration and risk of future coronary artery disease in apparently healthy men and women. Circulation, 125 (12), 1482-1490. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.111.069153

  • Osborne, Nicholas J., Ukoumunne, Obioha C., Wake, Melissa and Allen, Katrina J. (2012). Prevalence of eczema and food allergy is associated with latitude in Australia. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 129 (3), 865-867. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2012.01.037

  • Osborne, Nicholas J., Koplin, Jennifer J., Martin, Pamela E., Gurrin, Lyle C., Lowe, Adrian J., Matheson, Melanie C., Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Wake, Melissa, Tang, Mimi L. K., Dharmage, Shyamali C. and Allen, Katrina J. (2011). Prevalence of challenge-proven IgE-mediated food allergy using population-based sampling and predetermined challenge criteria in infants. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 127 (3), 668-676. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.01.039

  • Allen, Katrina J., Gurrin, Lyle C., Constantine, Clare C., Osborne, Nicholas J., Delatycki, Martin B., Nicoll, Amanda J., McLaren, Christine E., Bahlo, Melanie, Nisselle, Amy E., Vulpe, Chris D., Anderson, Gregory J., Southey, Melissa C., Giles, Graham G., English, Dallas R., Hopper, John L., Olynyk, John K., Powell, Lawrie W. and Gertig, Dorota M. (2008). Iron-overload-related disease in HFE hereditary hemochromatosis. New England Journal of Medicine, 358 (3), 221-230. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa073286

  • Osborne, Nicholas J. T., Webb, Penny M. and Shaw, Glen R. (2001). The toxins of Lyngbya majuscula and their human and ecological health effects. Environment International, 27 (5), 381-392. doi: 10.1016/S0160-4120(01)00098-8

View all Publications

Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

View all Supervision

Available Projects

  • A high incidence of asthma, COPD and allergic rhinitis in the Queensland community has the risk of putting high pressure on the Queensland health system on days when exposure to environmental factors is high. These include viral infection, days with high PM2.5 and high pollen days (>50 particles per m3). In the 2022/23 financial year, there were more than 7,300 hospitalisations in Queensland with a principal diagnosis of asthma.

    This project is multidisciplinary in nature and covers the Queensland Health research priorities of air quality and health and epidemiological data analysis. In collaboration with the University of Melbourne and AirHealth (CI Osborne is member of the scientific coordination committee) we will use data collected over the last 10 year to make better predictions on air quality.

    Recently the University of Queensland has joined the AirHealth network. This Australia wide network of pollen monitoring provides a service including providing pollen forecast to enable patients with asthma, COPD and rhinitis to better manage their conditions via knowledge of environmental.

    Using data collected in Melbourne from 2013 to 2024 we will assess the relationship between pollen levels and symptoms of allergy. Knowledge of this relationship will be used along side newly collected pollen data at the pollen monitoring station at Herston (UQ Health Sciences Building).

    We have over 411,000 geolocated responses from AirHealth data app that records symptoms of those subscribed to the Australia-wide service informing. We intend to link these to daily pollen measures in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra. Initial results have been published (Silver, J. D. et al. Crowd-sourced allergic rhinitis symptom data: The influence of environmental and demographic factors. Science of The Total Environment 705, 135147 (2020).2 and Silver, J. D. et al. Using crowd-sourced allergic rhinitis symptom data to improve grass pollen forecasts and predict individual symptoms. Science of The Total Environment 720, 137351 (2020)).

    Potential question to probe this valuable data set include how grass pollen exposure influences symptoms and hospital admittance, how grass pollen differs from other pollens, how app users respond differently in drought and flood years and how different regions in Queensland and Australia have different responses to high pollen exposure.

    We will use different spatial point process models and techniques that have been developed in the past decades to facilitate the statistical analysis of spatial point patterns. We will use deep neural networks in the statistical analysis of highly multivariate spatial point patterns and provide a new strategy for building spatio-temporal point processes using variational autoencoder generative neural network to examine the relationship between disease and health outcome in using spatial-temporal data sets.

  • Project description

    Heat events are one of the direct impacts of climate change impacting public health are increasing at an alarming rate under the global warming. Physiological response to heat events depends not only on temperature, but also on humidity, wind, and radiation, and on the clothing pattern and working condition of the person exposed to heat. Therefore, the mortality and morbidity burden of heat events vary across the tropics depending on the local and socio-demographic conditions. Most current knowledge on heat waves and heat wave warnings are derived from data in temperate zones.

    We plan to model heat exchange between human body and the surrounding environment and how that is influenced by climatic factors. This will enable to understand the potential benefits of various intervention. We will examine health and climate data from India and Australia to develop heat mortality model. Further we expect to project the health burden attributable to heat events under various climate change scenarios for the two countries.

    A range of questions will be asked around the different heat type in the tropics/subtropics. Smaller diurnal shifts, longer strings of days in the 98th percentile, high night-time temperatures and high humidity have been flagged as potential pathways that the heat-health nexus differs from the temperate zones. These initial studies will use extant data from Bureau of Meteorology and Health Services. This will follow on from conclusions in recent UQ paper Impact of low-intensity heat events on mortality and morbidity in regions with hot, humid summers: a scoping literature review.

  • Air quality is a strong predictor of respiratory health. In comparison to traditional sources like industry, transport, open burning, bushfires, power plants, the contribution of plant pollen is not so well studied in the sub-tropical/arid climate. Residents in the subtropical regions show higher allergic sensitivity and subfamily-specific immunoreactivity with pollen of Chloridoideae and Panicoideae grasses, compared with temperate grass pollen. Therefore, knowledge of species and amount of pollen in air column is essential to preparing more accurate predictions of episodes when respiratory disease burden would be high and focusing public health efforts.

    We plan to examine what biologics are in the air column in Delhi and Brisbane as currently there is very little knowledge. Aerial dispersion of pollen gives an important snapshot of the biodiversity of the surrounding environment. New environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques allow samples of plant pollens and fungal spores to be collected and analysed using stored data (“DNA barcode” library) or other sequencing techniques allowing sapling of all genes in all organisms present in a complex sample via high-throughput molecular methods. This information, when combined with the next generation air quality models provides a variety of tools to examine the release, dispersion and transformation of bioaerosols and how it affects the environment. Further we expect to analyse the respiratory morbidity data from the two cities to understand the health risk of exposure to pollen.

    We will collect pollen at different times of year. Using eDNA techniques and light microscopy we will ascertain diurnal and seasonal fluctuations in pollen genera and species, and their relationship to human health outcomes.

View all Available Projects

Publications

Featured Publications

  • Rowney, Francis M., Brennan, Georgina L., Skjoth, Carsten A., Griffith, Gareth W., McInnes, Rachel N., Clewlow, Yolanda, Adams-Groom, Beverley, Barber, Adam, de Vere, Natasha, Economou, Theo, Hegarty, Matthew, Hanlon, Helen M., Jones, Laura , Kurganskiy, Alexander, Petch, Geoffrey M., Potter, Caitlin, Rafiq, Abdullah M., Warner, Amena, the PollerGEN consortium, Wheeler, Benedict, Osborne, Nicholas J and Creer, Simon (2021). Environmental DNA reveals links between abundance and composition of airborne grass pollen and respiratory health. Current Biology, 31 (9), 1995-2003.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.02.019

  • Brennan, Georgina L. , Potter, Caitlin , de Vere, Natasha , Griffith, Gareth W. , Skjøth, Carsten A. , Osborne, Nicholas J. , Wheeler, Benedict W. , McInnes, Rachel N. , Clewlow, Yolanda , Barber, Adam , Hanlon, Helen M. , Hegarty, Matthew , Jones, Laura , Kurganskiy, Alexander , Rowney, Francis M. , Armitage, Charlotte , Adams-Groom, Beverley , Ford, Col R. , Petch, Geoff M. , The PollerGEN Consortium and Creer, Simon (2019). Temperate airborne grass pollen defined by spatio-temporal shifts in community composition. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 3 (5), 750-754. doi: 10.1038/s41559-019-0849-7

  • McInnes, Rachel N., Hernming, Deborah, Burgess, Peter, Lyndsay, Donna, Osborne, Nicholas J., Skjoth, Carsten Ambelas, Thomas, Sam and Vardoulakis, Sotiris (2017). Mapping allergenic pollen vegetation in UK to study environmental exposure and human health. Science of the Total Environment, 599-600, 483-499. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.04.136

  • Osborne, Nicholas J., Alcock, Ian, Wheeler, Benedict W., Hajat, Shakoor, Sarran, Christophe, Clewlow, Yolanda, McInnes, Rachel N., Hemming, Deborah, White, Mathew, Vardoulakis, Sotiris and Fleming, Lora E. (2017). Pollen exposure and hospitalization due to asthma exacerbations: Daily time series in a European city. International Journal of Biometeorology, 61 (10), 1837-1848. doi: 10.1007/s00484-017-1369-2

  • Osborne, Nicholas J., Cairns, Rose, Dawson, Andrew H., Chitty, Kate M. and Buckley, Nicholas A. (2017). Epidemiology of coronial deaths from pesticide ingestion in Australia. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 220 (2, Part B), 478-484. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.01.009

  • Schmidt, Wiebke, Sarran, Christophe, Ronan, Natalie, Barrett, George, Whinney, David J., Fleming, Lora E., Osborne, Nicholas J. and Tyrrell, Jessica (2017). The Weather and Meniere's Disease: A Longitudinal Analysis in the UK. Otology & Neurotology, 38 (2), 225-233. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000001270

  • Sharpe, Richard A., Bearman, Nick, Thornton, Christopher R., Husk, Kerryn and Osborne, Nicholas J. (2015). Indoor fungal diversity and asthma: a meta-analysis and systematic review of risk factors. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 135 (1), 110-122. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2014.07.002

  • Tyrrell, Jessica, Melzer, David, Henley, William, Galloway, Tamara S. and Osborne, Nicholas J. (2013). Associations between socioeconomic status and environmental toxicant concentrations in adults in the USA: NHANES 2001-2010. Environment International, 59, 328-335. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2013.06.017

  • Melzer, David, Osborne, Nicholas J., Henley, William E., Cipelli, Riccardo, Young, Anita, Money, Cathryn, McCormack, Paul, Luben, Robert, Khaw, Kay-Tee, Wareham, Nicholas J. and Galloway, Tamara S. (2012). Urinary bisphenol A concentration and risk of future coronary artery disease in apparently healthy men and women. Circulation, 125 (12), 1482-1490. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.111.069153

  • Osborne, Nicholas J., Ukoumunne, Obioha C., Wake, Melissa and Allen, Katrina J. (2012). Prevalence of eczema and food allergy is associated with latitude in Australia. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 129 (3), 865-867. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2012.01.037

  • Osborne, Nicholas J., Koplin, Jennifer J., Martin, Pamela E., Gurrin, Lyle C., Lowe, Adrian J., Matheson, Melanie C., Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Wake, Melissa, Tang, Mimi L. K., Dharmage, Shyamali C. and Allen, Katrina J. (2011). Prevalence of challenge-proven IgE-mediated food allergy using population-based sampling and predetermined challenge criteria in infants. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 127 (3), 668-676. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.01.039

  • Allen, Katrina J., Gurrin, Lyle C., Constantine, Clare C., Osborne, Nicholas J., Delatycki, Martin B., Nicoll, Amanda J., McLaren, Christine E., Bahlo, Melanie, Nisselle, Amy E., Vulpe, Chris D., Anderson, Gregory J., Southey, Melissa C., Giles, Graham G., English, Dallas R., Hopper, John L., Olynyk, John K., Powell, Lawrie W. and Gertig, Dorota M. (2008). Iron-overload-related disease in HFE hereditary hemochromatosis. New England Journal of Medicine, 358 (3), 221-230. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa073286

  • Osborne, Nicholas J. T., Webb, Penny M. and Shaw, Glen R. (2001). The toxins of Lyngbya majuscula and their human and ecological health effects. Environment International, 27 (5), 381-392. doi: 10.1016/S0160-4120(01)00098-8

Book Chapter

  • Osborne, Nicholas J. (2021). Marine dermatatoxins. Toxic cyanobacteria in water: a guide to their public health consequences, monitoring and management. (pp. 113-119) edited by Ingrid Chorus and Martin Welker. Geneva, Switzerland: CRC Press.

  • Sharpe, Richard, Osborne, Nicholas, Vardoulakis, Sotiris and Dimitroulopoulou, Sani (2020). Housing, Indoor Air Pollution, and Health in High-Income Countries. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Environmental Science. (pp. 1-45) Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/acrefore/9780199389414.013.34

Journal Article

Conference Publication

  • Dhankhar, Arzoo, Dey, Sagnik, Darssan, Darsy and Osborne, Nicholas J. (2024). Estimating pollen profiles and assessing relationships with meteorology, air pollutants and vegetation in three cities of India. EGU24, Vienna, Austria, 14 - 19 April 2024. Göttingen, Germany: Copernicus GmbH. doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu24-779

  • Aglas-Leitner, Philipp, Perkins-Kirkpatrick, Sarah, Lansbury, Nina, Selvey, Linda, Osborne, Nicholas J. and Stone, Daithi (2024). Significant increase in heat-related human death toll due to climate change during 2009 Victoria heatwave. DKT-13 Deutsche Klimatagung, Potsdam, Germany, 12–14 March 2024. Berlin, Germany: German Meteorological Society. doi: 10.5194/dkt-13-56

  • Perkins-Kirkpatrick, Sarah, Stone, Dáithí, Aglas-Leitner, Philipp, Osborne, Nicholas J., Lansbury, Nina and Selvey, Linsa (2023). Impact attribution: estimating the anthropogenic influence on mortality during an Australian heatwave. AGU23, San Francisco, CA United States, 11 - 15 December 2023. Washington, DC United States: AGU.

  • Osborne, Nicholas John, Hundessa, Samuel, Algas, Philipp, Nina, Lansbury, Daithi, Stone, Linda, Selvey and Kirkpatrick, Sarah Perkins (2023). Attributing the health impacts of the 2009 Victorian, Australia heatwave to climate change. ISEE 2023: 35th Annual Conference of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 17-21 September 2023. Research Triangle Park, NC United States: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. doi: 10.1289/isee.2023.pk-012

  • Garcia Sanchez, Diana C., Darssan, Darsy, Lawler, Sheleigh P., Warren, Christopher M., De Klerk Braasch, Adel and Osborne, Nicholas J. (2023). Which comes first: asthma or anxiety?. ISEE 2023: 35th Annual Conference of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 17-21 September 2023. Research Triangle Park, NC United States: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. doi: 10.1289/isee.2023.mp-118

  • Aglas-Leitner, Philipp, Perkins-Kirkpatrick, Sarah, Lansbury, Nina, Selvey, Linda, Osborne, Nicholas J. and Stone, Daithi (2023). Attribution of excess heat-related death toll during 2009 heat wave in Victoria, Australia. AGU23, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 April 2023. Göttingen, Germany: Copernicus GmbH. doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu23-6412

  • Reid, Simon, Osborne, Nicholas, Lawler, Sheleigh, Willemsen, Angela and Shelley, Karen (2023). Students learn better when we design public health curricula using systems thinking principles. 17th World Congress on Public Health, Rome, Italy, 2-6 May 2023. Heraklion, Greece: EU European Publishing. doi: 10.18332/popmed/165357

  • Osborne, Nicholas, Garcia-Sánchez, Diana, Ang, Nathalie and Darssan, Darsy (2022). Factors effecting inflammatory-based diseases anxiety and atopy in Australian children. 34th Annual Conference of The International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, Athens, Greece, 18-21 September 2022. Research Triangle Park, NC, United States: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. doi: 10.1289/isee.2022.p-0522

  • Vardoulakis, Sotiris, Matthews, Veronica, Morgan, Geoff, Ford, Linda Payi, Farrant, Brad, Espinoza Oyarce, Daniela, Hanigan, Ivan, Johnston, Fay, Cass, Alan, Williams, Craig, Bentley, Rebecca, Chu, Cordia, Osborne, Nicholas, Knibbs, Luke and Jalaludin, Bin (2022). HEAL – Australian Research Network in Human Health and Environmental Change. ISEE Annual Conference - Strengthening the Global Role of Environmental Epidemiology, Athens, Greece, 18-21 September 2022. Triangle Park, NC United States: Environmental Health Perspectives. doi: 10.1289/isee.2022.p-0597

  • Creer, Simin, Rowney, F, Breenan, G, Skjoth, C, Griffith, G, McInnes, R, Clewlow, Y, Adams-Groom, B, Barber, A, Devere, N, Economou, T, Hegarty, M, Hanlon, H, Jones, L, Kurganskiy, A, Petch, G, Potter, C, Rafiq, A, Walker, A, Wheeler, B and Osborne, NJ (2021). Environmental DNA analyses reveal links between abundance and composition of airborne grass pollen and population scale respiratory health. European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Hybrid Congress, Virtual, 10-12 July 2021. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.

  • Waudby, Charlotte, Osborne, Nicholas and Muscatello, David (2021). Extreme daily numbers of general practice encounters of asthma and allergic rhinitis in Australia. IEA World Congress of Epidemiology 2021, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 3-6 September 2021. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyab168.703

  • Osborne, Nicholas, Reid, Simon, Karatela, Shamshad, Assefa, Yibeltal and Wan, En-Tzu Grace (2021). Relationship of pesticide exposure with kidney function in NHANES: lessons from low level chronic exposure. IEA World Congress of Epidemiology 2021, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 3-6 September 2021. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyab168.517

  • Stewart, Patrick T., Chiew, Angela L., Becker, Therese, Osborne, Nicholas J., Withall, Adrienne and Chan, Betty (2020). Post-overdose cognitive function. International Congress of the European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists (EAPCCT), Tallinn, Estonia, 19-22 May 2020. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Taylor & Francis.

  • Goodwins, L., Menzies, B., Osborne, N. and Muscatello, D. (2019). Human seasonal influenza and climate change : a systematic review of the methods used to examine the relationship between meteorological variables and influenza. 31st Annual conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE 2019), Utrecht, Netherlands, 25-28 August 2019. Philadelphia, PA United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. doi: 10.1097/01.ee9.0000607256.48033.53

  • Brennan, G., Potter, C., Adams-Groom, B., Barber, A., Clewlow, Y., De Vere, N., Griffith, G., Hanlon, H. M., Hegarty, M., Kurganskiy, A., Mc Innes, R. N., Petch, G., Osborne, N., Skjoth, C., Wheeler, B. and Creer, S. (2019). Assessing quantitative taxon-specific grass pollen biodiversity in time and space using targeted molecular analysis of aerial environmental DNA. Congress of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), Lisbon, Portugal, 1-5 June 2019. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/all.13957

  • Osborne, N., Hajat, S., Skjoth, C., Sarran, C., McInnes, R., Hemming, D., Vardoulakis, S., Fleming, L. and Wheeler, B. (2019). Different levels of hospitalisation due to asthma across the grass pollen season. 2019 Annual Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht, Netherlands, 25 - 28 August 2019. Wolters Kluwer Health. doi: 10.1097/01.ee9.0000609208.53151.a6

  • Griffith, G.W., Potter, C., De Vere, N., Hegarty, M., Brennan, G.L., Skjøth, C.A., Osborne, N.J., Wheeler, B.W., Rowney, F.M., Barber, A., Clewlow, Y., Mcinnes, R.N., Hanlon, H.M., Adams‐Groom, B., Kurganskiy, A., Petch, G.M., Jones, L., Ford, C.R., Armitage, C. and Creer, S. (2019). High- throughput DNA sequencing defines spatiotemporal shifts in airborne grass pollen communities at species level. European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Congress, Lisbon, Portugal, 1 - 5 June 2019. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/all.13957

  • Griffith, G. W., Potter, C., De Vere, N., Hegarty, M., Brennan, G. L., Skjoth, C. A., Osborne, N. J., Wheeler, B. W., Rowney, F. M., Barber, A., Clewlow, Y., Mcinnes, R. N., Hanlon, H. M., Adams-Groom, B., Kurganskiy, A., Petch, G. M., Jones, L., Ford, C. R., Armitage, C. and Creer, S. (2019). High-throughput DNA sequencing defines spatiotemporal shifts in airborne grass pollen communities at species level. Congress of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), Lisbon, Portugal, 1-5 June 2019. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/all.13957

  • Goodwins, L., Menzies, B., Osborne, N. and Muscatello, D. (2019). Human seasonal influenza and climate change: a systematic review of the methods used to examine the relationship between meteorological variables and influenza. 2019 Annual Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht, Netherlands, 25-28 August 2019. Philadelphia, PA United States: Wolters Kluwer Health. doi: 10.1097/01.ee9.0000607256.48033.53

  • Osborne, N. , Waudby, C. , Sherwood, S. and Muscatello, D. (2019). Pollen flowing over the Great Dividing Range, Australia. 2019 Annual Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht, Netherlands, 25-28 August 2019. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. doi: 10.1097/01.ee9.0000610820.53949.3a

  • Osborne, N., Kaur, H., Pett, J., Dissanayake, D. , Jayasekara, K. , Mohamed, F., Knight, J., Rahman, B. and Taylor, R. (2019). Relationship between access to piped water and CKDu: a conditional autoregressive model. 2019 Annual Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht, the Netherlands, 25-28 August 2019. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). doi: 10.1097/01.ee9.0000609212.53151.ab

  • Rowney, F., Potter, C., Brennan, G., Osborne, N. , Economou, T., McInnes, R., Creer, S., de Vere, N., Skjøth, C. and Wheeler, B. (2019). Respiratory health outcomes associated with different grass taxa in the UK. 2019 Annual Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht, Netherlands, 25-28 August 2019. Wolters Kluwer Health. doi: 10.1097/01.ee9.0000609768.07517.40

  • Pathiraja, Vindya M., Gawarammana, Indika B., Buckley, Nicholas A., Mohamed, Fahim, Jayamanna, Shaluka F., Osborne, Nicholas and Dawson, Andrew H. (2017). Palatability of tablets and capsule forms of N-acetylcysteine and methionine and associated adverse events in healthy volunteers. ABINGDON: TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD.

  • Osborne, N., Amos, B. and Tyrrell, J. (2015). Adult food allergy in the UK biobank cohort study. Annual Meeting of the British-Society-for-Allergy-and-Clinical-Immunology, Telford England, Sep 28-30, 2014. HOBOKEN: WILEY-BLACKWELL.

  • Cherrie, M., Osborne, N. J. and Sarran, C. (2015). Association between vitamin D status and asthma: a secondary analysis of the 1958 Birth Cohort, UK. Annual Meeting of the British-Society-for-Allergy-and-Clinical-Immunology, Telford England, Sep 28-30, 2014. HOBOKEN: WILEY-BLACKWELL.

  • Sharpe, R. A., Thornton, C. R., Nikolaou, V. and Osborne, N. J. (2015). Household energy efficiency, fungi and allergic asthma. Annual Meeting of the British-Society-for-Allergy-and-Clinical-Immunology, Telford England, Sep 28-30, 2014. HOBOKEN: WILEY-BLACKWELL.

  • Osborne, N. J., Amos, B. and Tyrrell, J. (2015). Adult Drug and Food Allergy in the UK Biobank Cohort Study. 20th IEA World Congress of Epidemiology (WCE), Anchorage, Alaska, 17-21 August 2014 . Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.

  • Shiue,, Boyle, R. J., Tyrrell, J., Ukoumunne, O. and Osborne, N. J. (2013). Abnormal liver function is associated with food sensitisation: NHANES, 20052006. World Allergy and Asthma Congress of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and World Allergy Organization, Milan, Italy, 22-26 June 2013 . Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.

  • Koplin, J. J., Martin, P. E., Tang, M. L. K., Gurrin, L. C., Lowe, A. J., Osborne, N. J., Robinson, M. N., Ponsonby, A., Dharmage, S. C. and Allen, K. J. (2012). Do Factors Known to Alter Infant Microbial Exposures Alter the Risk of Food Allergy and Eczema in a Population-based Infant Study?. Annual Meeting of the American-Academy-of-Allergy-Asthma-and-Immunology (AAAAI), Orlando, Florida, 2-6 March 2012 . Philadelphia, PA, United States: Mosby. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.12.150

  • Tan, T., Ellis, J. A., Koplin, J. J., Martin, P. E., Dang, T. D., Matheson, M. C., Dharmage, S., Lowe, A., Tang, M., Robinson, M., Ponsonby, A., Osborne, N., Hill, D. and Allen, K. J. (2012). Filaggrin Mutations are Associated with an Increased Risk of Infantile Food Allergy and Sensitization. Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), Orlando, FL United States, 2-6 March 2012. New York, NY United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.12.213

  • Hunter, J., Madden, R., Stone, A., Osborne, N., Wheeler, B., Barlow, M., Bendall, R., Lin, N., Henley, W., Gaze, W. and Dalton, H. (2012). Hepatitis E (HEV) in south west England. Geographical, environmental and social factors: a case control study. Digestive Disorders Federation Meeting, Liverpool, 17–20 June 2012. London, United Kingdom: BMJ Group. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2012-302514b.161

  • Taylor, Mark, Wheeler, B. W., White, M. P. and Osborne, N. J. (2012). Street trees and anti-depressant use in London, UK Cross sectional analyses 2009-2010. 5th European Public Health Conference, Malta, 8-10 November 2012. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.

  • Allen, K. J., Koplin, J. J., Martin, P. E., Gurrin, L. C., Tang, M. L. K., Lowe, A. J., Osborne, N. J., Robinson, M. N., Ponsonby, A. and Dharmage, S. C. (2012). Vitamin D insufficiency is strongly associated with challenge-proven infantile food allergy in the HealthNuts population-based study. Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), Orlando, Florida, 2-6 March 2012. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Mosby. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.12.474

  • Gurrin, L. C., Martin, P. E., Koplin, J. J., Peters, R., Osborne, N. J., Bertalli, N. A., Matheson, M. C., Lowe, A. J., Ponsonby, A., Wake, M., Tang, M. L., Dharmage, S. C. and Allen, K. J. (2011). Can skin prick testing thresholds replace oral food challenges in population-based studies and community screening of infants?. American-Academy-of-Allergy-Asthma-and-Immunology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, 18-22 March 2011 . Philadelphia, PA, United States: Mosby. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.01.003

  • Dang, T. D., Licciardi, P. V., Martin, P. E., Koplin, J. J., Tan, T., Osborne, N. J., Tang, M. and Allen, K. J. (2011). Characterization Of Immune Cytokine Profiles In Food Allergic And Food Sensitized Tolerant 12 Month Old Infants. American-Academy-of-Allergy-Asthma-and-Immunology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, 18-22 March 2011. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Mosby. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.12.134

  • Koplin, J., Osborne, N., Gurrin, L., Tang, M., Dharmage, S. and Allen, K. (2011). Environmental risk factors for oral food challenge-confirmed egg allergy in a population-based study of an infant cohort. 30th Congress of the European-Academy-of-Allergy-and-Clinical-Immunology (EAACI), Istanbul, Turkey, 11-15 June 2011. Hoboken, NJ, United States: Wiley-Blackwell.

  • Wang, Y., Gurrin, L., Wluka, A., Bertalli, N., Osborne, N., Delatycki, M., Giles, G., English, D., Hopper, J., Simpson, J., Graves, S., Allen, K. and Cicuttini, Flavia M. (2011). HFE C282Y Homozygosity is associated with an increased risk of total hip replacement for osteoarthritis in men but not women. 2011 World Congress on Osteoarthritis, San Diego, CA United States, 15-18 September 2011. Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/S1063-4584(11)60377-4

  • Nethercote, M., Heine, R., Osborne, N., Stevens, L., Davidson, D. and Allen, K. (2011). Management of eosinophilic esophagitis in a consecutive series of pediatric patients in an Australian tertiary referral centre. American-Academy-of-Allergy-Asthma-and-Immunology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA USA, 18-22 March 2011. Philadelphia, PA USA: Mosby. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.12.439

  • Allen, K. J., Koplin, J. J., Almer, S., Dawson, D., Dang, T., Dharmage, S., Gurrin, L., Hill, D., Lowe, A., Matheson, M., Martin, P., Miles, L., Osborne, N., Ponsonby, A., Robertson, M., Slaa, M., Sutherland, M., Tan, T., Tang, M., Tey, D., Thiele, L. and Wake, M. (2011). Oral Food Challenges in 1 Year Old Infants Using Pre-Determined Challenge Criteria. American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA United States, March 18-22 2011. New York, NY United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.12.736

  • Martin, P. E., Osborne, N. J., Koplin, J. J., Gurrin, L. C., Wake, M., Tang, M. L., Matheson, M. C., Lowe, A. J., Dang, T., Tan, T., Anderson, D., Sutherland, M., Thiele, L., Miles, L., Ponsonby, A., Dharmage, S. C. and Allen, K. J. (2011). Season of Birth Modifies the Risk of Food Allergy in Infants with Eczema and Food Sensitization in HealthNuts: a Population-based Study. American-Academy-of-Allergy-Asthma-and-Immunology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, 18-22 March 2011 . Philadelphia, PA, United States: Mosby. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.12.143

  • Dharmage, S. C., Martin, P. E., Osborne, N. J., Koplin, J. J., Gurrin, L. C., Ponsonby, A., Tang, M. L., Matheson, M. C., Lowe, A. J., Dang, T., Tan, T., Anderson, D., Thiele, L., Sutherland, M., Miles, L., Wake, M. and Allen, K. J. (2011). The Epidemiology of Food Sensitization-Associated Eczema in Infancy in HealthNuts, a Population-based Study. American-Academy-of-Allergy-Asthma-and-Immunology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, 18-22 March 2011. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Mosby. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.12.151

  • Koplin, J., Osborne, N., Martin, P., Gurrin, L., Robinson, M., Slaa, M., Thiele, L., Miles, L., Dawson, D., Tan, T., Dang, T., Hill, D., Lowe, A., Matheson, M., Ponsonby, A., Tang, M., Wake, M., Dharmage, S. and Allen, K. (2010). Does age of introduction of foods affect the risk of having egg allergy? A population-based study of an infant cohort. 29th Congress of the European-Academy-of-Allergy-and-Clinical-Immunology (EAACI), London England, Jun 05-09, 2010. HOBOKEN: WILEY-BLACKWELL. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2010.02393.x

  • Martin, P., Osborne, N., Koplin, J., Gurrin, L., Robinson, M., Thiele, L., Slaa, M., Miles, L., Dawson, D., Tan, T., Dang, T., Hill, D., Lowe, A., Matheson, M., Ponsonby, A., Tang, M., Wake, M., Dharmage, S. and Allen, K. (2010). Oral food challenge-confirmed food allergy occurs more frequently among infants with early-onset eczema than in those diagnosed after 8 months of age in HealthNuts, a population-based food allergy study. 29th Congress of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), London, United Kingdom, June 5-9 2010. Hoboken, NJ United States: Wiley-Blackwell.

  • Osborne, N., Gurrin, L., Koplin, J., Martin, P., Robinson, M., Slaa, M., Thiele, L., Miles, L., Dawson, D., Dang, T., Hill, D., Lowe, A., Matheson, M., Ponsonby, A., Tang, M., Wake, M., Dharmage, S. and Allen, K. (2010). Prevalence of food challenge: confirmed food allergies in a large pediatric population based study in Melbourne, Australia. 29th Congress of the European-Academy-of-Allergy-and-Clinical-Immunology (EAACI), London, England, 5-9 June 2010. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.

  • Osborne, N. J., Koplin, J. J., Gurrin, L. C., Gibson, M., Thiele, L., Miles, L., Aurich, K., Hill, D., Lowe, A., Matheson, M., Ponsonby, A., Tang, M., Dharmage, S., Wake, M. and Allen, K. (2009). Assessment of Sample Frame Validity After Pilot Recruitment for a Population Based Study of Infant Food Allergy. 65th Annual Meeting of the American-Academy-of-Allergy-Asthma-and-Immunology, Washington, DC United States, March 13-17 2009. New York, NY United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2008.12.406

  • Koplin, J. J., Osborne, N. J., Gurrin, L. C., Dharmage, S. C., Tang, M. L. K. and Allen, K. J. (2009). Knowledge of egg and peanut content of infant and maternal diets among parents of non-allergic 12-month-old infants. 65th Annual Meeting of the American-Academy-of-Allergy-Asthma-and-Immunology, Washington, DC USA, 13-17 March 2009. Philadelphia, PA USA: Mosby. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2008.12.943

  • Gurrin, L. C., Osborne, N. J., Koplin, J. J., Bertalli, N. A., Tang, M. L. K., Werther, R. and Allen, K. J. (2009). Positive Predictive Values of Skin Prick Test Wheal Size for Egg and Peanut Allergy by Statistically Combining Data from Clinic and Population-based Samples of 12 Month Old Infants. 65th Annual Meeting of the American-Academy-of-Allergy-Asthma-and-Immunology, Washington DC, 13-17 March 2009 . Philadelphia, PA, United States: Mosby. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2008.12.399

  • Allen, K. J., Koplin, J., Gurrin, L., Gibson, M., Thiele, L., Miles, L., Aurich, K., Hill, D., Lowe, A., Matheson, M., Ponsonby, A., Tang, M., Dhamage, S., Wake, M. and Osborne, N. (2009). Prevalence and environmental predictors of food allergy in infants. 65th Annual Meeting of the American-Academy-of-Allergy-Asthma-and-Immunology, Washington, DC, United States, 13-17 March 2009. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Mosby. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2008.12.395

  • Gurrin, Lyle C., Bertalli, Nadine, Dalton, Gregory W., Osborne, Nicholas, Constantine, Clare C., English, Dallas, Gertig, Dorota M., Delatycki, Martin, Hopper, John L., Giles, Graham, Anderson, Gregory J., Olynyk, John K., Powell, Lawrie W. and Allen, Katrina J. (2008). HFE-compound heterozygotes with serum ferritin < 1000 ug/l at age 65 are not at increased risk of hemochromatosis compared to HFE wild-type controls. 59th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, San Francisco, CA United States, 31 October - 4 November 2008. Hoboken, NJ United States: John Wiley & Sons.

  • Allen, K. J., Gurrin, L. C., Osborne, N. J., Constantine, C. C., Delatycki, M. B., Nicoll, A. J., McLaren, C. E., Bahlo, M., Fletcher, A. S., Nisselle, A. E., Forrest, S., Vulpe, C. D., Anderson, G. J., Giles, G. G., English, D. R., Hopper, J. L., Olynyk, J. K., Powell, L. W. and Gertig, D. M. (2007). Healthiron: a longitudinal population study defining the burden of disease in HFE-associated hereditary hemochromatosis. 2007 International BioIron Society Meeting, Kyoto, Japan, 1-6 April 2007. Hoboken, United States: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/ajh.20964

  • Osborne, N. J., Gurrin, L. C., Allen, K. J., Constantine, C. C., Delatycki, M. B., Nisselle, A. E., Fletcher, A. R., McLaren, C. E., English, D. R., Hopper, J. L., Giles, G. G., Olynyk, J., Nicoll, A., Powell, L. W. and Gertig, D. M. (2007). Homozygosity for the C282Y mutation in the HFE gene is associated with increased risk of colorectailand breast cancer in Australian population. 2007 International BioIron Society Meeting, Kyoto, Japan, 1-6 April 2007. Hoboken, United States: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/ajh.20964

  • Gurrin, L. C., Allen, K. J., Osborne, N. J., Constantine, C. C., Delatycki, M. B., Nisselle, A. E., Fletcher, A. R., McLaren, C. E., Anderson, G. J., English, D. R., Hopper, J. L., Giles, G. G., Olynyk, J., Nicoll, A., Powell, L. W. and Gertig, D. M. (2007). Iron measures at baseline and follow-up from a longitudinal study of modifiers of hereditary haemochromatosis: the healthiron study. 2007 International BioIron Society Meeting, Kyoto, Japan, 1-6 April 2007. Hoboken, United States: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/ajh.20964

  • Allen, Katrina J., Gurrin, Lyle C., Osborne, Nick J., Constantine, Clare C., Delatycki, Martin B., Nisselle, Amy E., Olynyk, John K., Nicoll, Amanda J., English, Dallasi R., Fletcher, Ashley S., Hopper, John L., Powell, Laurie W. and Gertig, Dorota M. (2006). The healthiron study: A longitudinal study of environmental modifiers of hereditary hemochromatosis. 57th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, Boston, MA United States, October 27-31 2006. Hoboken, NJ United States: John Wiley & Sons.

  • Moore, M. R., Shaw, G. R., Osborne, N. J. and Eaglesham, G. K. (2005). Environmental toxicology of lyngbya majuscula in Australia. Eurotox 2005, Cracow, Poland, 11-14 September 2005. Clare, Ireland: Elsevier.

  • O'Neil, J.M., Albert, S., Osborne, N., Shaw, G. R., Heil, C.A., Mulholland, M. and Bronk, D.A. (2004). Nitrogen acquisition by the toxic marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula from Moreton Bay Australia and Tampa Bay Florida. XIth International Conference on Harmful Algae, Cape Town, South Africa, 14-19 November 2004. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier.

  • Osborne, N. J., Webb, P. M. and Shaw, G. R. (2002). Environmental Toxicology of the cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula. Queensland Health & Medical Scientific Meeting, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 4-5 December 2002. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Queensland Health.

  • O'Neil, J., Albert, S., Ahern, K. J., Ahern, C. R., Hey, K. M., Osborne, N. and Shaw, G. R. (2002). Lyngbya majuscula blooms in coastal Australian waters: Upstream causes and downstream effects. Xth International Conference on Harmful Algae, St. Pete Beach, FL United States, 21-25 October 2002. Tampa, FL United States: University of South Florida.

  • Osborne, N., Webb, P. M. and Shaw, G. R. (2002). The toxicology and public health aspects of Lyngbya majuscula in Queensland, Australia. Xth International Conference on Harmful Algae, St. Pete Beach, FL United States, 21-25 October 2002. Tampa, FL United States: University of South Florida.

  • Osborne, N., Webb, P. M. and Shaw, G. R. (2001). Environmental toxicology of the cyanobacterium Lyngbya. Fifth International Conference on Toxic Cyanobacteria, Noosa, QLD Australia, 16-20 July 2001. Brisbane, QLD Australia: CSIRO.

  • Osborne, N., Webb, P. M., Moore, M. and Shaw, G. R. (2001). Environmental toxicology of the cyanobacterium Lyngbya spp.. IXth International Congress of Toxicology, Brisbane, 8-12 July, 2001. Ireland: Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.

  • Bull, N., Osborne, N., Melena, J., Rodrigues, L., Wood, J. and Barnett, N. L. (2001). Inhibition of PKC reduces retinal uptake of glutamate. European Association for Vision & Eye Research (EVER), Alicante, Spain, 10 - 13 October 2001. Basel, Switzerland: Karger.

  • Osborne, N., Webb, P. M., Stewart, I. and Shaw, G. R. (2000). Human Toxicology and Epidemiology of the marine blue-green algal Lyngbya majuscula. 9th International Conference on Harmful Algal Blooms, Hobart, 7-11 February 2000. Hobart: University of Tasmania.

  • Stewart, I., Shaw, G. R., Webb, P. M., Osborne, N. and Moore, M. (2000). Recreational exposure to cyanobacteria in three South East Queensland lakes. 9th International Conference on Harmful Algal Blooms, Hobart, TAS Australia, 7-11 February 2000. Hobart, TAS Australia: University of Tasmania.

  • McNeill, D. M., Osborne, N., Komolong, M. K. and Nankervis, D. (1998). Condensed tannins in the genus Leucaena and their nutritional significance for ruminants. Workshop on Leucaena - Adaptation, Quality and Farming Systems, Hanoi Vietnam, February 9-14, 1998. Canberra ACT Australia: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.

  • Nankervis, D.C., Osborne, N.J. and McNeill, D. (1998). In vivo assessment of the ability of tannin to interfere with the digestion of protein post-ruminally. Australian Society of Animal Production, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 1998. Toowong, QLD, Australia: The Australian Society of Animal Production.

Other Outputs

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

Possible Research Projects

Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.

  • A high incidence of asthma, COPD and allergic rhinitis in the Queensland community has the risk of putting high pressure on the Queensland health system on days when exposure to environmental factors is high. These include viral infection, days with high PM2.5 and high pollen days (>50 particles per m3). In the 2022/23 financial year, there were more than 7,300 hospitalisations in Queensland with a principal diagnosis of asthma.

    This project is multidisciplinary in nature and covers the Queensland Health research priorities of air quality and health and epidemiological data analysis. In collaboration with the University of Melbourne and AirHealth (CI Osborne is member of the scientific coordination committee) we will use data collected over the last 10 year to make better predictions on air quality.

    Recently the University of Queensland has joined the AirHealth network. This Australia wide network of pollen monitoring provides a service including providing pollen forecast to enable patients with asthma, COPD and rhinitis to better manage their conditions via knowledge of environmental.

    Using data collected in Melbourne from 2013 to 2024 we will assess the relationship between pollen levels and symptoms of allergy. Knowledge of this relationship will be used along side newly collected pollen data at the pollen monitoring station at Herston (UQ Health Sciences Building).

    We have over 411,000 geolocated responses from AirHealth data app that records symptoms of those subscribed to the Australia-wide service informing. We intend to link these to daily pollen measures in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra. Initial results have been published (Silver, J. D. et al. Crowd-sourced allergic rhinitis symptom data: The influence of environmental and demographic factors. Science of The Total Environment 705, 135147 (2020).2 and Silver, J. D. et al. Using crowd-sourced allergic rhinitis symptom data to improve grass pollen forecasts and predict individual symptoms. Science of The Total Environment 720, 137351 (2020)).

    Potential question to probe this valuable data set include how grass pollen exposure influences symptoms and hospital admittance, how grass pollen differs from other pollens, how app users respond differently in drought and flood years and how different regions in Queensland and Australia have different responses to high pollen exposure.

    We will use different spatial point process models and techniques that have been developed in the past decades to facilitate the statistical analysis of spatial point patterns. We will use deep neural networks in the statistical analysis of highly multivariate spatial point patterns and provide a new strategy for building spatio-temporal point processes using variational autoencoder generative neural network to examine the relationship between disease and health outcome in using spatial-temporal data sets.

  • Project description

    Heat events are one of the direct impacts of climate change impacting public health are increasing at an alarming rate under the global warming. Physiological response to heat events depends not only on temperature, but also on humidity, wind, and radiation, and on the clothing pattern and working condition of the person exposed to heat. Therefore, the mortality and morbidity burden of heat events vary across the tropics depending on the local and socio-demographic conditions. Most current knowledge on heat waves and heat wave warnings are derived from data in temperate zones.

    We plan to model heat exchange between human body and the surrounding environment and how that is influenced by climatic factors. This will enable to understand the potential benefits of various intervention. We will examine health and climate data from India and Australia to develop heat mortality model. Further we expect to project the health burden attributable to heat events under various climate change scenarios for the two countries.

    A range of questions will be asked around the different heat type in the tropics/subtropics. Smaller diurnal shifts, longer strings of days in the 98th percentile, high night-time temperatures and high humidity have been flagged as potential pathways that the heat-health nexus differs from the temperate zones. These initial studies will use extant data from Bureau of Meteorology and Health Services. This will follow on from conclusions in recent UQ paper Impact of low-intensity heat events on mortality and morbidity in regions with hot, humid summers: a scoping literature review.

  • Air quality is a strong predictor of respiratory health. In comparison to traditional sources like industry, transport, open burning, bushfires, power plants, the contribution of plant pollen is not so well studied in the sub-tropical/arid climate. Residents in the subtropical regions show higher allergic sensitivity and subfamily-specific immunoreactivity with pollen of Chloridoideae and Panicoideae grasses, compared with temperate grass pollen. Therefore, knowledge of species and amount of pollen in air column is essential to preparing more accurate predictions of episodes when respiratory disease burden would be high and focusing public health efforts.

    We plan to examine what biologics are in the air column in Delhi and Brisbane as currently there is very little knowledge. Aerial dispersion of pollen gives an important snapshot of the biodiversity of the surrounding environment. New environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques allow samples of plant pollens and fungal spores to be collected and analysed using stored data (“DNA barcode” library) or other sequencing techniques allowing sapling of all genes in all organisms present in a complex sample via high-throughput molecular methods. This information, when combined with the next generation air quality models provides a variety of tools to examine the release, dispersion and transformation of bioaerosols and how it affects the environment. Further we expect to analyse the respiratory morbidity data from the two cities to understand the health risk of exposure to pollen.

    We will collect pollen at different times of year. Using eDNA techniques and light microscopy we will ascertain diurnal and seasonal fluctuations in pollen genera and species, and their relationship to human health outcomes.