Program - 2026 Dust and Respiratory Health Forum
Program and speakers
| Time | Title | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 8.00am | Registrations | |
| 8:30am | Opening | Dr Nikky LaBranche, Chair Dust and Respiratory Health Forum, Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI), The University of Queensland |
| 8:35am | Welcome remarks | Professor Liesl Folks, Executive Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, The University of Queensland |
| 8:40am | Opening Keynote | James Sumner, Safe Work Australia |
| 9:10am | Ten years on: Transforming respiratory health surveillance following the re-identification of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis in Queensland | Dianah A-Izzeddin, Resources Safety and Health Queensland |
| 9:35am | Reducing Silica Exposure: A National Approach | Noel Pinkerton, Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency |
| 10:00am | Morning tea | |
| 10.30am | Determinants of respirable crystalline silica exposure in Australian tunnelling | Kate Cole, The University of Sydney |
| 10.55am | Integrated Translational Research in Silicosis: Silica Burden, Mechanisms, Susceptibility and Emerging Therapies | Dr Simon Apte, Queensland Lung Transplant Service / The Prince Charles Hospital / UQ |
| 11.20am | Improving silicosis screening using chemical biomarkers in exhaled breath | Dr Paris Papagianis, Monash University |
| 11.45am | UQ Dust and Respiratory Health Program: current research and emerging priorities | Dr Nikky LaBranche, Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre, UQ |
| 12:10pm | Working with industry: engaging researchers and industry | Scott Anderson |
| 12.20pm | Platinum sponsor presentation | BreatheSafe |
| 12.25pm | Lunch and poster session | |
| 1.25pm | Strengthening Occupational Hygiene through Validation of Real-Time Monitors and Characterisation of Dust Particles | Joseph Pak, Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre, UQ |
| 1.35pm | Particle-Resolved Dust Characterisation from Gravimetric Samples via Redeposition and High-Resolution Electron Microscopy | Daniel Vu, Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre, UQ |
| 1.45pm | Associations between Physicochemical Characteristics of Engineered and Natural Stone Dusts and Cellular Responses Following Longer-term Exposure in Lung Epithelial Spheroids | Siqi (Sheila) Sun, University of New South Wales |
| 2:15pm | Afternoon tea and poster viewing | |
| 2:45 PM | “Safe” asbestos threshold standards in air, water and soil: A comparison from around the world | Raja Singh, Safdarjung Hospital and Vardhman Mahavir Medical College |
| 2:55 PM | Towards Predictive Assessment of Emerging Dust Hazards: Repeated Amorphous Silica Exposure Induces Pro-Fibrotic Lung Responses | Ellen Donohoe, ADDRI |
| 3:05 PM | Breathe in, breathe out: exploring non-invasive lung sampling for disease detection and monitoring | Kiara Knuckey, Queensland Lung Transplant Service / UQ |
| 3:15 PM | Piloting an accelerated health monitoring clinical pathway for workers at high risk of silicosis – insights and next steps | Catherine Field, icare NSW |
| 3:25 PM | Return to Work | Amy Henderson, UQ |
| 3:35 PM | Short Oral Session Discussion | Short oral speakers |
| 3:45pm | Where do we go next on dust and respiratory health? | Panel |
| 4.20pm | Closing Remarks | Dr Nikky LaBranche, Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre, UQ |