John Upham is a clinical scientist and respiratory physician with longstanding research interests in the immunological basis of airway inflammation, and the development of novel approaches to treatment. He has published over 180 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, has been cited over 5400 times and has an ‘H index’ of 39. The majority of his publications are in the higher impact journals in the field.

He is a previous recipient of an NHMRC Neil Hamilton Fairley Fellowship, and the Young Investigator Award, Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand (TSANZ). He has been a long term recipient of funding from the NHMRC,inclduing Practitioner Fellowships, Program & Project Grants, a Development Grant and a CRE for Indigenous Lung Health.

After specialist training in Brisbane, John completed a PhD at the University of Western Australia, and spent 2 years in Canada, before moving back to Perth in 1998. In 2007, he moved to Brisbane to take up a position as Professor of Respiratory Medicine. He is based at the Princess Alexandra Hospital and the Translational Research Institute, and is the academic head of the Discipline of Medicine within PA/Southside School of Medicine, University of Queensland, and the Chair of Metro South Research.

Professor Anne Holland is Professor of Physiotherapy and Head of Respiratory Research at Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne. She leads a research program investigating non-drug treatments for respiratory disease, with >340 publications cited more than 19 000 times. Anne has led development of clinical practice guidelines for TSANZ, European Respiratory Society and American Thoracic Society. In 2021 Anne was awarded the TSANZ Society Medal for advancing the practice of respiratory medicine.

Anne brings respiratory-specific corporate governance expertise as a recent Board Director for both the TSANZ (2015-2019) and the American Thoracic Society (2019-2021). As TSANZ president, Anne would build on increased community awareness of respiratory health during the COVID-19 pandemic to advocate for best respiratory care, enhanced funding for respiratory research, and support for the professional needs of all our members. Anne believes that the diversity of our membership is a TSANZ strength and has a strong commitment to inclusivity.

Dr Sohal is Head of the Respiratory Translational Research Group and Senior Lecturer at School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania, Launceston. His research group investigates cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying chronic lung diseases such as COPD, lung cancer, AsthmaCOPD Overlap Syndrome (ACOS), asthma, pulmonary hypertension, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). His lab is also home to investigations looking at effects of electronic smoking devices on lung health such as e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn devices. Dr Sohal has served in different roles such as convenor for the COPD SIG, member of the TSANZ Education and Training SubCommittee and Research Sub-Committee. He also serves on the Medical and Scientific Advisory Panel of LAM Australia Research Alliance. He is a member of the Clinical Problems Programme Committee for the American Thoracic Society. Dr Sohal serves on the European Board for Accreditation in Pneumology. In 2016, for his contributions to chronic lung disease, he was elected Fellow of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (FAPSR).

Associate Professor Shannon Simpson is co-head of the Children’s Lung Health team at Telethon Kids Institute and an academic at Curtin University. She leads a multi-faceted research program spanning from clinical cohort studies and interventional clinical trials to laboratory-based exploratory science, with the broad aim of improving the lung health for survivors of preterm
birth. A/Prof Simpson is supported in this endeavour by strong community
engagement and involvement, as well as wide reaching collaborative research and clinical networks into the future.

Professor Hubertus Jersmann is a Respiratory and Sleep Medicine Specialist. He was born in Germany and after specialist qualification in Australia he completed a PhD and spent many years in laboratory based immune system research. He now practices at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Alice Springs Hospital.

At the University of Adelaide, he lectures across all six years of the undergraduate course and was instrumental in introducing climate change into the medical curriculum. He lectures on the topic at both, Flinders and Adelaide Universities. As a Respiratory Physician Professor Jersmann has a special interest in the effects of air pollution on respiratory health. Improving air quality and Australian fuel standards is one of his keen objectives as one of the Directors of the Board of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ).

Dr Graham Hall is an internationally recognised respiratory physiologist and was a Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Curtin University and held an adjunct position at the Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia. Graham completed his PhD at the Telethon Kids Institute in late 1999 before working in the University Children’s Hospitals in Zurich and Bern in Switzerland.

Graham brings great experience and knowledge, including an impressive 20 years working in lung health. He has worked as the Deputy Director and Co-Head of Children’s Lung Health at one of the largest and most successful medical research institutes in Australia, Telethon Kids Institute. Over the course of his career, Graham has established an international reputation in paediatric respiratory science and has contributed to both research and policy development.

With his passion for making a difference in the respiratory health space, Graham inspires colleagues and is a natural leader. His ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people and his commitment to supporting the professional development of all those engaged in respiratory health ensure that under Graham’s leadership, TSANZ will continue to be responsive to servicing the educational, professional community, advocacy and other needs of its members.