AITHM James Cook University
21 February 2024

Health data divide: rural challenges revealed

Restrictions on public access to information about health service delivery, combined with reliance on health data sources that are not fit for purpose, are hindering the provision of adequate health care to Northern Queensland rural and remote communities.  
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21 February 2024

Battling dengue with mosquitos and math

Annually, around 400 million people worldwide contract dengue and some 40,000 lives are lost to the disease. A viral infection, dengue is spread by Aedes mosquitoes. Seasonal outbreaks of dengue were common in the North Queensland city of Townsville — prior to the strategic release of mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia, a naturally occurring bacteria which disarms their ability to transmit dengue to humans.
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15 November 2023

Developing a digital health highway in Northern Australia

James Cook University (JCU) is spearheading a project which aims to revolutionise the delivery of digital health care to rural and remote communities in Northern Australia, through technical expansion and innovation, upskilling healthcare providers, and patient education.
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12 October 2023

Spraying away Pacific Island mozzies

Public health officials from 12 Pacific Island countries are visiting the James Cook University (JCU) Cairns campus this week for training that will help protect their communities from mosquito-borne diseases.
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05 October 2023

Mapping care across North Queensland

A JCU-led project has created a unique, interactive health map of North Queensland. The open-access resource provides a clearer picture of unmet community health needs, which have been exacerbated by crucial gaps in information sharing between multiple health systems in the region.
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01 September 2023

A deeper dive into shellfish allergy diagnosis

Shellfish are the number one food-related trigger of fatal allergic reactions in Australia. New research led by Dr Thimo Ruethers shows that one of the most common methods for diagnosing shellfish allergies can yield unreliable results.
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31 August 2023

Through the worm hole to new pharma remedies

In a world first, a JCU PhD researcher, backed by a crack interdisciplinary research team, has identified protein families with significant anti-inflammatory benefits – in hookworm saliva. The discovery paves the way for developing conventional treatment delivery, such as capsules or injections, to supersede infecting patients with live worms to achieve similar results.
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17 August 2023

World-first research into the ebb and flow of the deadly Irukandji jellyfish

A JCU PhD researcher who took to the sea to pursue a world-first study into the environmental triggers that guide the elusive Irukandji jellyfish has dispelled one theory – that wind patterns nudge them closer to beaches – and generated other new data which could aid future strategies to help keep swimmers safe.
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13 July 2023

Townsville joins world-first stroke rehabilitation trial

JCU has secured Townsville a place in a national stroke rehabilitation trial – the first of its kind in the world. The North Queensland city is the only regional centre in Australia participating in the study.
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29 June 2023

Know your enemy – plotting the path of mosquito species in the Pacific

AITHM researchers have compiled a landmark guide to mosquitoes in the Pacific – to help nations in the region, including Australia, stay one step ahead of disease-carrying species that are on the move and triggering unprecedented outbreaks.
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