The art of mental wellbeing

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Maintaining good mental health is a cornerstone of overall wellbeing. It plays a crucial part in fostering resilience, balance, and clarity, in shaping the way we think and feel, and the decisions we make in daily life. However, in Australia, around 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 7 young people experienced mental ill health each year. Dr Christina Davies at The University of Western Australia leads a team of researchers who are successfully promoting arts engagement as an effective way to enhance mental wellbeing.

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Repairing the body with nature in mind

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As the population ages, the need for treatments that can repair and regenerate damaged material by promoting the body’s natural healing processes is expected to become more prevalent.

Professor Minghao Zheng is an expert in the translation of science to clinical practice. Through UWA and his partnership with Mr Paul Anderson, biotechnology companies Orthocell and Marine Biomedical were founded to develop and commercialise surgical technologies, offering practical and effective treatment of difficult cartilage, nerve, dental and bone repair for Australian patients and globally.

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Helping kids breathe easy in hospital

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Paediatric anaesthesia is high-risk and research is needed to ensure that care is evidence-based and safe. Additionally, undergoing surgery can be daunting, especially for children. Improving the experience for patients helps to ensure the best possible outcomes for every child.

A multidisciplinary team led by Professor Britta Regli-von Ungern-Sternberg is using a holistic approach at the heart of their research to focus on ensuring children are safe and comfortable and receive the best possible health care during a hospital stay. Their research has led to practical changes across the world in how medical professionals interact with children in preoperative care, during anaesthesia and surgery, and in their recovery.

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