Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Prof Natasha Smallwood is a consultant respiratory physician with clinical expertise and research interests in breathlessness, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis, symptom management and severe lung diseases. She completed her undergraduate medical degree at Nottingham University, UK (1999), as well as her initial postgraduate medical training in the UK, before moving to Australia. In addition to her respiratory qualifications, she holds postgraduate qualifications in medical leadership, palliative care and epidemiology. Prior to moving to the Alfred Hospital and Monash University (2021), she was a consultant respiratory physician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital for 11 years, where she led the Advanced Lung Disease and Domiciliary Oxygen Services.
Prof Smallwood is the Head of the Chronic Respiratory Disease Research Group and Respiratory Research Training Lead at the School of Translational Medicine, Monash University. She leads a Breathlessness and Advanced Respiratory Disease Clinic at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne. She has over 140 publications and holds major research grants. In addition to her academic and clinical roles, she hold multiple leadership roles, including being the President-elect for the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, and a Board Director for the Victorian Doctors' Health Program. She is a taskforce member for various national and international respiratory guidelines. In addition to her respiratory research, Prof Smallwood has interests in organisational leadership, crisis preparedness and gender equality.
Monash teaching commitment
Thesis Examiner
2023 - now PhD theses
2022 - now Honours students: Monash University
2021 - now MD SIP Research Projects: Monash University
University Service
- GSK Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection: Burden and Prevention national webinar (Online) June 2024 – Chair.
- CREATE Professional Development Meeting (Sydney) Nov 2023 – “Creating an Impact” symposium chair.
- The Limbic Meeting & National Webinar (Melbourne) Oct 2023 – “ERS 2023: Highlights through an Australian lens” chair.
- European Respiratory Society Annual Congress (Milan, Italy) Sept 2023 – “Critical care and management of chronic respiratory failure” thematic poster session chair.
- TSANZSRS Annual Scientific Meeting Christchurch, New Zealand Mar 2023 – symposium chair: “Clinical impacts of tobacco control and smoke free policies – Australia and New Zealand”.
- TSANZSRS Annual Scientific Meeting Christchurch, New Zealand Mar 2023 – session chair: COPD SIG orals.
- TSANZSRS Annual Scientific Meeting Christchurch, New Zealand Mar 2023 – session chair: COPD SIG posters.
- TSANZ National webinar Mar 2023 co-chair: “COPD Lancet Commission & Update”.
- NRSnet Inaugural Scientific Meeting Auckland, New Zealand Mar 2023 – session co-chair: “Transforming clinical practice guidelines into practice”.
- The Limbic National Webinar Feb 2023 – “E-cigarettes: threat or promise?” debate chair.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Respiratory Medicine, PhD, University of Melbourne
Award Date: 27 Jul 2019
Palliative Care, Specialist Certificate, University of Melbourne
Award Date: 8 Apr 2014
Epidemiology, MSc, University of Melbourne
Award Date: 13 Dec 2011
Medicine, BMBS, University of Nottingham
Oct 1994 → Jul 1999
Medicine, BMedSci, University of Nottingham
Oct 1994 → Jul 1997
External positions
Primary Palliative Care Education, Training and Practice Working Invited Group Member, American Thoracic Society
2024 → …
Quality Use of Medicines in COPD Steering Committee Member, Lung Foundation Australia
2024 → …
President-elect TSANZ, Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand Limited
2024 → …
Co-chair - Australia & New Zealand Respiratory Audit Program, Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand Limited
2023 → …
Honorary Respiratory Physician, Royal Melbourne Hospital
1 Jun 2021 → …
Consultant Respiratory Physician, Alfred Hospital
2021 → …
Clinical Associate Professor, University of Melbourne
5 Apr 2019 → …
Consultant Respiratory Physician, Melbourne Private Hospital
2019 → …
Honorary Respiratory Physician , Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Research area keywords
- COPD
- Dyspnea
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Models of Care
- Palliative care
- Severe lung diseases
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Primary Breathe AUS: A primary care technology-enabled intervention to improve symptom self-management for people with chronic respiratory illness
Smallwood, N., Sanci, L. A., Philip, J. A. M., Russell, G., Mant, J., Chondros, P., Bosnic-Anticevich, S. Z., Manski-Nankervis, J. A., Spathis, A., Steinfort, D. P., Khor, Y., Osadnik, C., Disler, R., Hancock, K. & Holland, A.
Department of Health and Aged Care (Australia), Windermere Foundation Ltd
1/01/23 → 30/06/29
Project: Research
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CRE for Interstitial Lung Disease - towards Individualised Care
Corte, T. J., Holland, A., Chambers, D. C., Hansbro, P. M., Dickinson, J. L., Palmer, A. J., Moodley, Y. P., Powell, J. E., Knibbs, L. D., Smallwood, N., Brooke, M., Glaspole, I., Goh, N., Westall, G., Reynolds, P. N., Hancock, K., Troy, L. K., Mackintosh, J. A., Price, D. P. T. & Dowling, J.
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Australia)
1/11/22 → 31/10/27
Project: Research
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INFINITE: INFINITE: Domiciliary nasal high flow therapy for chronic breathlessness in people with ILD
Buchan, C. A. & Smallwood, N.
Project: Research
-
Breaking the spiral: How negative mood can fuel exertional breathlessness in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Pascoe, A. & Smallwood, N., Mar 2024, In: Respirology. 29, 3, p. 193-194 2 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › Other › peer-review
Open Access -
Dying of heart failure: how do we improve the experience?
Zentner, D., Sivanathan, V., Philip, J. & Smallwood, N., Jun 2024, In: The Medical Journal of Australia. 220, 11, p. 546-549 4 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Other › peer-review
Open Access -
Impact of socioeconomic status on presentation, care quality and outcomes of patients attended by emergency medical services for dyspnoea: a population-based cohort study
Zhou, J., Nehme, E., Dawson, L., Bloom, J., Smallwood, N., Okyere, D., Cox, S., Anderson, D., Smith, K., Stub, D., Nehme, Z. & Kaye, D., 16 Jan 2024, In: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 78, 4, p. 255-262 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
My family and other animals
Smallwood, N., Nov 2024, In: Respirology. 29, 11, p. 994-995 2 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Other › peer-review
Open Access -
Burn-out in the health workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic: Opportunities for workplace and leadership approaches to improve well-being
Smallwood, N., Bismark, M. & Willis, K., Sept 2023, In: BMJ Leader. 7, 3, p. 178-181 4 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Other › peer-review
Open Access15 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
-
Fellow Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand
Smallwood, Natasha (Recipient), 1 Apr 2023
Prize: National/international honour
-
Melbourne Health Celebrating Excellence: Healthcare Innovation Award finalist
Smallwood, Natasha (Recipient), 2016
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
Monash University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Dean's Award for Exceptional Performance by Hospital/Health Professional staff - COVID-19 Australian Clinical Guidelines Taskforce
Smallwood, Natasha (Recipient), 2022
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
NHMRC Investigator Emerging Leader Fellow
Smallwood, Natasha (Recipient), 2 Jan 2021
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
Activities
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National Respiratory Leadership Summit (NRLS) (Brisbane) June 2024 – Invited Speaker “Respiratory Medicine Year in Review”.
Natasha Smallwood (Contributor)
Jun 2024 → …Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public event
-
TSANZSRS Scientific Meeting (Gold Coast) Mar 2024 – Invited PLENARY speaker “Singing for breathing for people with respiratory illnesses”.
Natasha Smallwood (Contributor)
1 Mar 2024Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public event
-
GSK Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection: Burden and Prevention national webinar (Online) June 2024 – Chair & Invited Speaker “Immunisation to prevent RSV infection”
Natasha Smallwood (Contributor)
1 Jun 2024Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public event
-
TSANZSRS Annual Scientific Meeting (Christchurch, New Zealand) Mar 2023 – Invited Speaker “Palliative approaches for serious respiratory illness including singing for breathing”
Natasha Smallwood (Contributor)
Mar 2023Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public event
-
Victorian Geriatric Medicine Training Program Meeting
Natasha Smallwood (Organiser)
Aug 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course
Press/Media
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ERS taskforce sets out treatment options for serious respiratory illness.
17/05/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
-
ERS Clinical Practice Guideline on symptom management for adults with serious respiratory illness: now available online.
9/05/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
-
Why Prof Natasha Smallwood is prescribing singing to her patients.
28/03/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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A/Prof Natasha Smallwood elected TSANZ president.
13/02/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities