Our Health Study
A person’s lifetime experiences of health and illness are determined by many factors, including their unique combination of genetic, physical, environmental, lifestyle, psychological and other traits. It is therefore important that healthcare and medical treatments are not a ‘one size fits all’ offering, and are tailored to reflect these individual differences. This personalised approach to care is known as ‘precision health’.
In this study, we seek to collect detailed information about participants' health, daily habits, experiences, lifestyle, body function and genes (DNA), through the collection of:
- Physical health measures (eg, blood pressure, bone density and lung testing)
- Questionnaires (eg, mental health, life experiences)
- Information collected from smart phones and smart watches (eg, physical activity)
- Bodily (biological) samples – (eg, blood, saliva, urine, dental plaque, and faeces). These samples also tell us about the activity of bacteria ("bugs") within the body!
All of these factors play important roles in determining health and disease throughout life. Some of the samples will undergo routine tests, like blood tests you might have at your doctors. We will also look at the microscopic things that make up our body’s cells and keep them functioning (eg, proteins, genes, and other small molecules).
By collecting such rich and detailed information from a diverse community group, we aim to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide range of health conditions. We also aim to provide as much information as possible back to participants, to inform and aid your knowledge of your own health.
Find out more
To learn more about taking part in the Our Health Study, please see the following resources:
Participant Information and Consent Form (PICF)
Participant Information Booklet (PIB)
This project is a strategic priority of the University of Melbourne, and particularly the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences. The project is funded through the University, and via the Australian Government Medical Research Future Fund.
Can I take part?
To be eligible for the Our Health Study, you must be:
- Able to understand what is involved and give consent to take part
- Aged 25 to 70 years old (inclusive)
- An Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Able to understand written and spoken English
- Able to attend a half-day study visit in Carlton, and for your visit:
- Be able to fast (i.e. not consume food, caffeine, or any drinks other than water) from midnight the night prior.
- Have no acute illness (for example you must not have an infection at the time of participation) *
- Not have undergone major surgery in the past 3 months*
*If you are unsure whether you are eligibledue to recent major surgery, acute illness or any other reason, please reach out to us via email at ourhealth-study@unimelb.edu.au.
What happens if I take part?
If this study is appropriate for you, and you decide to take part, your study participation will happen over 3 phases:
Phase 1 – Pre-visit questions:
You will be asked to complete some questionnaires and information at home (on a computer or tablet) (1 hour, approximately) before your in-person study appointment.
Phase 2 – In-person appointment:
You will be invited to attend the Participant Assessment Centre (‘PAC’) in Carlton. During the visit, we will further explain what is involved and you will be asked to provide biological samples, and complete physical assessments, further questionnaires and a health interview. This visit will take around 4 hours in total.
Study visits are available Monday-Friday mornings only.
The PAC is located within the Australian College of Optometry, at 374 Cardigan Street, Carlton, VIC.
Phase 3 – At home measures:
A two-week monitoring phase following your visit, which includes wearing a smart watch, using a smart phone app, and completing some assessments at home. (Approximately 3 hours over 2 weeks.)
Study completion:
After study completion, you’ll receive an e-gift voucher and, with your consent, an individual report on some of your results. You can view a sample of this report here.
If you’d like to sign up for the Our Health Study, please click join the study below. Please ensure you have read the Participant Information and Consent Form (PICF) before joining the study.
The Our Health Study is being conducted by the University of Melbourne and affiliated researchers. The study has been approved by the University of Melbourne Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC #28434).
Meet the team
The Our Health Study team is made up of staff and researchers from across the University of Melbourne and the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct.
Meet the team at the Carlton Participant Assessment Centre (PAC):
- Kym Rickards – Research Coordinator / Registered Nurse
- Astha Kattel – Research Assistant / Registered Nurse
- Zoe Taylor – Research Assistant / Registered Nurse
- Dr Hasitha Pelenda – Research Assistant / Registered Dentist
- Dr Isabel Evans – Research Assistant / Registered Dentist
- Abigail Richards – Research Assistant
- A/Prof Julian Simmons – Project Supervisor
- Justine Underwood – Project Manager
- Alan Tsui – Data Manager
Lead researchers
University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science
- Prof Bernie Pope
- A/Prof Mihiri Silva
- Prof Lauren Ayton
- Ms Jessica Holliday
- Professor Yoshihisa Kashima
- Professor Nicholas Haslam
- Professor Nicholas Allen
- A/Prof Adrian Bickerstaffe
- Ms Samantha Fox
- Ms Hannah Murchie
- A/Prof Michael Menden
- Dr Amy Loughman
University of Melbourne Faculty of Science
- A/Prof Kate Howell
- Dr Robyn Larsen
- Dr Chiara Murgia
- Prof Kim-Anh Le Cao
Bio21Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute
- A/Prof David Stroud
- Dr Subash Adhikari
- Dr Christopher Brown
- Dr Nikeisha Caruana
- Dr Daniella Hock
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
- Professor Richard Saffery
- Dr Kim Powell
Contact the 'Our Health' Study team:
The 'Our Health' Study team can be emailed directly at ourhealth-study@unimelb.edu.au.
Visiting the PAC
The Carlton Participant Assessment Centre (PAC) is located within the Australian College of Optometry:
374 Cardigan Street,
Carlton, VIC 3053