The ResPTlab is a unique centre for Research in Respiratory Physiotherapy (PT). We are a dedicated team of researchers and clinicians striving to improve health outcomes for individuals affected by respiratory disease. We are healthcare professionals who place a high importance on the role of physiotherapists to help this patient group, and are committed to the continued enhancement of our profession to conduct clinically-relevant research and foster emerging talent in order to drive sustainable, evidence-based healthcare into the future.
Mission
We strive to work collaboratively with clinicians and researchers interested in respiratory rehabilitation to develop the necessary research skills, capacity and leadership to generate innovative and sustainable solutions to contemporary respiratory healthcare issues.
Meet the team
A/Prof. Christian Osadnik
Christian is the Founding Director and Head of ResPTlab. Through his roles as Director of Research at Monash University Department of Physiotherapy and honorary Research Fellow at Monash Lung, Sleep, Allergy & Immunology, he brings almost 20 years clinical, research and academic experience to the team.
Dr Belinda Thomas
Belinda is ResPTlab’s Senior Scientist. Based at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Belinda offers expertise in laboratory analysis, tissue sampling, animal models and inflammatory pathways. She has renowned expertise regarding the role of TGF-beta in lung diseases including pulmonary fibrosis and COPD.
Dr Martin MacDonald
Martin is ResPTlab’s senior Consultant Respiratory Physician. Martin consults at Monash Lung, Sleep, Allergy & Immunology where he manages a diverse caseload of patients with chronic lung disease. His PhD focussed on the diversity of aetiological phenotypes in people with acute exacerbations of COPD.
Dr Paul Leong
Paul is a Consultant Respiratory Physician. Paul consults at Monash Lung, Sleep, Allergy & Immunology and recently completed his PhD examining the role of novel imaging techniques to detect cardiovascular comorbidities in people affected by acute exacerbations of COPD.
Carla Gordon
Carla is the Head of the general medicine / respiratory physiotherapy stream at Monash Health Physiotherapy. Carla has supervised many student projects and enjoys a diverse research profile spanning multiple areas of clinical practice.
Alethea Kavanagh
Ale (‘Ally’) is a Senior Physiotherapist with significant experience in acute respiratory care and chronic disease management. Ale has diverse research and clinical interests including managing dysfunctional breathing and refractory cough from her private practice Lung Life.
Laura Montgomery
Laura is the Senior Physiotherapist of acute respiratory care at Monash Health Physiotherapy. Laura has a background in BioMedical Sciences and clinical interests in the area of non-invasive ventilation management of people with chronic lung disease.
Sally Heyde
Sally is a Senior Physiotherapist based in the community rehabilitation sector. Sally has vast experience in the delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation programs and an interest in ways to improve patient care and self management.
News
Want to find out more about our ResPTlab work?
Catch up on our recent posts via the thumbnails below or click to read more about updates on current lab projects, staffing, recent initiatives such as journal club topics and lots more.
Projects
Review some of the highlighted ResPTlab team projects below to learn more about what we do. Or click HERE to review some of our completed projects.
LungFlareCare
A new educational resource for improving care and recovery from acute respiratory exacerbations
ERS Frailty Statement
World’s first societal Statement on the management of frailty in adults with chronic lung disease
Validation of the 60-second sit-to-stand test in acute COPD exacerbations
Association of blood lactate in COPD exacerbations with adverse outcomes
‘MULTI-PHACET’
Multidimensional clinical phenotyping of hospitalised acute COPD exacerbations
‘EPIC-Rehab’
Exacerbation phenotypes in COPD: implications for rehabilitation
‘FRAILE’
Impact of frailty during acute inpatient lung exacerbations
‘PeACE’
Perspectives of anxiety during COPD exacerbations
Perceptions and work-readiness of Australian physiotherapists in cancer care: a national evaluation
Cancer Exercise Toolkit
Collaborative development of a new web-resource for cancer rehabilitation
Exercise training for people with bronchiectasis: a Cochrane Systematic Review
Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in COPD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
List of projects
Professional Development
We run regular professional development activities throughout the year in conjunction with Monash University Department of Physiotherapy. All topics relate to evidence-based respiratory patient care, and are presented by leading healthcare professionals and academics. Attend seminars live and/or online, or watch the recordings later if you can’t make the event.
Connect with our network
Useful resources
Browse the following links for useful resources to assist the management of people affected by chronic lung disease:
Exercise guidance
Centres of lung health excellence
Clinical practice guidelines
International Resources
“It’s great to be part of an enthusiastic cross-disciplinary network of researchers with broad and complementary skillsets“
Paul, Respiratory physician, resptlab member
Collaboration
ResPTlab is a welcoming group aiming to move patient care forwards through a spirit of collaboration.
If you would like to join our team or have a great idea to work with us on a future project, please contact us via the webform below.