About

 A/Prof Suzy Munns is a researcher in Biomedicine at James Cook University (JCU). She leads the Pulmonary Health in The Tropics (PHiTT) Research Group, a collaborative team of researchers from JCU, Townsville University Hospital, and University of Papua New Guinea (PNG), who have wide ranging interests in both human and animal physiology and pathophysiology.

PHiTT Research primarily focuses on improving early and accurate diagnosis of non-communicable respiratory diseases and improving outcomes for patients and health systems. Current projects involve establishing spirometry reference values for underrepresented populations (e.g. PNG), enhancing adoption and accuracy of best practice spirometry models, and understanding barriers and enablers to spirometry use.

PHiTT Research also includes developing techniques to enhance wildlife health monitoring and investigating integrated physiological responses to physiological and/or environmental challenges. These studies aim to inform and enhance wildlife management, with particular focus on endangered sea turtles.

Teaching
  • BM5001: Professional Placement 1 (Level 5; TSV)
  • BM5002: Professional Placement 2 (Level 5; TSV)
  • BM5003: Clinical Measurements 1 (Level 5; TSV)
  • MD1020: Introduction to Integrated Medical Studies Part 2 of 2 (Level 1; TSV)
  • MD2011: Integrated Human System Pathophysiology Part 1 of 2 (Level 2; CNS & TSV)
  • MD2012: Integrated Human System Pathophysiology Part 2 of 2 (Level 2; TSV)
  • PP2201: Medical Physiology 2 (Level 2; TSV)
  • PP3101: Advanced and Integrated Physiology (Level 3; TSV)
  • PP3251: Systemic Pathophysiology and Therapeutics (Level 3; TSV)
  • PP5101: Advanced and Integrated Physiology (Level 5; TSV)
  • PP5251: Systemic Pathophysiology and Therapeutics (Level 5; TSV)
Interests
Research
  • Lung function
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  • Integrated physiological responses in health and disease
  • Herpetology and Comparative Physiology
Teaching
  • Developing research skills in undergraduate students
  • Determining the effectiveness of e-learning modalities in terms of assessment performance and student satisfaction
  • Developing teaching techniques that scaffold threshold concepts throughout an integrated curriculum
Experience
  • 2014 to present - Associate Professor, James Cook University
  • 2014 to present - Associate Dean Learning and Teaching, James Cook University
  • 2012 to present - Editorial Board, PLOS One
  • 2010 to present - Biomedicine Teaching and Learning Commitee, James Cook University
  • 2010 to present - Faculty MHMS Teaching and Learning Commitee, James Cook University
  • 2009 to 2014 - Senior Lecturer, James Cook University
  • 2005 to 2008 - Lecturer, James Cook University
  • 2002 to 2005 - Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Irvine
  • 2000 to 2001 - Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Adelaide
  • 1996 to 2000 - PhD, University of Melbourne
Socio-Economic Objectives
Honours
Awards
  • 2014 - Office for Learning and Teaching Australian Awards for University Teaching: Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning for "Demand Evidence and think critically: building research excellence in tomorrow's scientists"
  • 2013 - Faculty Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning http://www.jcu.edu.au/learnandteach/public/groups/everyone/documents/awards/jcu_126766.pdf
  • 2012 - James Cook University 3 Minute Thesis: Winner Established Research and Winner Overall
  • 2009 - Faculty Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
  • 2009 - Australian Teaching and Learning Council Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning http://www.jcu.edu.au/learnandteach/public/groups/everyone/documents/advice/jcuprd_050561.pdf
  • 2003 - Scholander Award, American Physiological Society
Memberships
  • 2002 - American Physiological Society
  • 2002 - Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
  • 1999 - Society for Experimental Biology
  • 1995 - Australian Society for Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry
Publications

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles
Conference Papers
More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 43+ research outputs authored by A/Prof Suzanne Munns from 2003 onwards.

Current Funding

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

The Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand - Robert Pierce Grant-in-Aid for Indigenous Lung Health

All Ages Lung Function in Australia's First Nations Peoples

Indicative Funding
$23,524 over 1 year
Summary
Chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) are over-represented in Australian Indigenous Peoples. CRD cause structural changes that compromise lung function. These functional changes are measured using Spirometry. Ethnic specific reference values should be used when performing spirometry, however, these are missing for Australian Indigenous Peoples. This lack limits the ability to diagnose CRD, especially in the early-stages, and to accurately assess disease severity and response to treatment. This project will measure lung function in apparently healthy Indigenous Australians and determine spirometry reference values for these groups. Ethnic specific reference values will improve the accuracy of CRD diagnosis and assessment using spirometry.
Investigators
Suzanne Munns and Gary Nolan (College of Public Health and Medical & Vet Sciences)
Keywords
Pulmonary Function Testing; Indigenous; Reference Values; Spirometry; Chronic Respiratory Disease; standards
Supervision

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current
  • Spirometry: Are we doing enough to Assess Breathlessness in TUH Acute Patients (Masters , Primary Advisor)
Completed
Data

These are the most recent metadata records associated with this researcher. To see a detailed description of all dataset records, visit Research Data Australia.

Collaboration

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.

  • 5+ collaborations
  • 4 collaborations
  • 3 collaborations
  • 2 collaborations
  • 1 collaboration
  • Indicates the Tropics (Torrid Zone)

Connect with me
Share my profile
Share my profile:
jcu.me/suzy.munns

Email
Phone
Location
  • 87.223, Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences (Townsville campus)
Advisory Accreditation
Primary Advisor
Find me on…
Icon for LinkedIn profile page Icon for Scopus Author page Icon for Google Scholar profile Icon for ResearcherID page Icon for ORCID profile

Similar to me

  1. Prof Ellen Ariel
    Biomedical Sciences and Molecular Biology
  2. Dr Richard Francis
    Biomedical Sciences and Molecular Biology
  3. A/Prof Theophilus Emeto
    Public Health & Tropical Medicine