Suzy Munns

suzy.munns@jcu.edu.au
Associate Professor

Projects

1

Publications

36

Awards

6

Contact Details

Associate Professor

Biography

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.

Research

Research Interests

Respiratory Physiology and Medicine
Accessibility and quality of lung function testing
Sleep Disorder Breathing
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Integrated physiological responses in health and disease

Projects

All Ages Lung Function in Australia's First Nations Peoples (Old ID 27534)

01 Apr 2022 - 01 Apr 2023

Research Data

Kophamel, Sara; Munns, Suzanne (2022): Data from: Haematological and biochemical reference intervals... More

20 Apr 2022

Kophamel, Sara; Munns, Suzanne; Ward, Leigh; Konovalov, Dimitry; Mendez, Diana; Ariel, Ellen; Cassid... More

24 Nov 2022

Kophamel, Sara; Ward, Leigh C.; Mendez, Diana; Ariel, Ellen; Bell, Ian; Shum, Edith; Munns, Suzanne ... More

14 Apr 2023

Teaching

Teaching Interests

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

Research Advisor Accreditation

Advisor Type

Primary

Current JCU Research Students

Spirometry: Are we doing enough to Assess Breathlessness in TUH Acute Patients

Master of Philosophy (Medical and Molecular Sciences)

Completed JCU Research Students

Bioelectrical impedance analysis for adipose tissue estimation in green turtles Chelonia mydas

Doctor of Philosophy (Health)- 2022

Current Honours and External Research Students

Mobilization of ICU patients on vasoactive medications

OTHER- 2024

Completed Honours and External Research Students

Developing an animal model for behavioural fever in the freshwater turtle Emydure Krefftii

HONOURS

The diagnostic yield comparison between 3 and 5 minutes of Hyperventilation conducted during Electroencephalography testing

OTHER

Basking behaviour: an immune response of Krefft’s freshwater turtle

UNDERGRADUATE_PROJECT

Predicting OSA – Can Questionnaires be used to determine presence and severity of disease? A Retrospective Clinical Audit

OTHER

Biomarkers of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD); Lung Function and Leukocyte Indicators of Disease Progression

HONOURS

The effect of digestion on metabolic rate in hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata): Implications for release of captive or rehabilitated turtles into the wild

COURSEWORK_MASTERS

Non-invasive measurement of ventilation and metabolism in post hatchling green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) was not influenced by human handling

OTHER

Transitioning to Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) spirometry reference ranges in Papua New Guinea impacts on airflow classification and defect severity.

OTHER

Basking Behavior of Krefft’s River Turtle (Emydura macquarii krefftii) in the Ross River, Townsville

UNDERGRADUATE_PROJECT

Seasonal basking characteristics of the Ross River population of Emydura krefftii

OTHER

The effects of using alveolar volume and anatomical dead space as an estimation for total lung capacity

OTHER

Assessing the current state and impact of implementing ethnic corrections on pulmonary function testing in Northern Queensland

HONOURS

Determining the impact of adopting new normative values for adult lung function testing on disease categorisation in the Townsville Respiratory Laboratory.

OTHER

Is the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) an appropriate screening tool for patients with Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB): A retrospective clinical audit.

OTHER