Dr Sameera Ansari
2018 Doctor of Philosophy - Public Health (Understanding the Impact of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Intervening to Improve Self-Management in the Context of Multi-morbidity), UNSW Sydney, Australia
2008 Master of Physiotherapy in Cardio-Pulmonary Sciences, Sri Ramachandra University (a Harvard Medical International institution), Chennai, India
2005 Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Sri Ramachandra University (a Harvard Medical International institution), Chennai, India
I am an emerging research leader with over 19 years of experience in health care as a cardio-respiratory physiotherapist, academic, applied research scientist and project manager. My PhD in Public Health comprised development, implementation and mixed-method evaluation of a global-first, self-management intervention for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in the context of multimorbidity in primary care. Relative to opportunity, I have authored peer-reviewed scientific journal publ...
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
Mar 2024 A primary care multi-disciplinary team care approach, including pulmonary rehabilitation, to improve uptake and outcomes of comprehensive evidence-based care for COPD (MDT-PuRe-Primary Care); Chief Investigators: Sarah Dennis, Nicholas Zwar, Zoe McKeough, Jennifer Alison, Elizabeth Halcomb, Michelle Cunich, Sanjyot Vagholkar, Claudia Dobler, Serene Paul, Lisa Pagano, David Meharg, Sameera Ansari; Associate Investigators: Christine Jenkins, Renae McNamara, Wei Xuan, Matthew Jennings, Brendon McDougall, Kristen Short, Kelcie Herrmann, Helen Kulas; Partner Organisations: South Western Sydney Local Health District, South Western Sydney Primary Health Network, InterHealthcare, Lung Foundation Australia, The Healthy Communities Foundation Australia, Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network; Medical Research Future Fund Primary Health Care research grant through the National Health and Medical Research Council; $1,629, 441
Mar 2024 A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial to Digitally Support Self-management for Inhaler Device Technique and Medication Adherence among People with COPD and Comorbidities- The PRISIMA-PECO Trial; Medical Research Future Fund Chronic Respiratory Conditions grant through the National Health and Medical Research Council; Chief Investigators: Sameera Ansari (Lead and Coordinating Investigator), John Hurst, Helen Reddel, Nicholas Zwar, Sarah Dennis, Elizabeth Halcomb, Mouna Sawan, Joel Rhee, Rohina Joshi, Hassan Hosseinzadeh, Marijka Batterham, Varinder Jeet; Associate Investigators: Nigel Hiller-Garvey, Russell Winwood, Ian Yang, Helen Kulas, Alicia Goodwin, Sarah Greenaway; Partner Organisations: Lung Foundation Australia and CareMonitor; $1,988,115
Aug 2023 A general practice toolkit to promote physical activity among people living with cancer; Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Foundation/BOQ Specialist Research Grant; Renae Lawrence, Sonia Markoff, Sameera Ansari, Nicola Burton, Kerry Uebel, Kylie Vuong; $20,000
May 2021 Activating Primary Care COPD Patients with Multi-morbidity (APCOM) Trial; Medical Research Future Fund Primary Health Care Research grant through the National Health and Medical Research Council; Chief Investigators: Nicholas Zwar, Ian Yang, Helen Reddel, Elizabeth Halcomb, Hassan Hosseinzadeh, Sameera Ansari (Coordinating Investigator), Marijka Batterham, Glenn Salkeld; Associate Investigators: Sarah Dennis, Kelcie Herrmann, Lisa Collison, Mark Morgan; Partner Organisations: Lung Foundation Australia and Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association; $977,628
June 2020 Health Information and Digital Health Assessment in the Pacific; World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific; Teng Liaw, Sameera Ansari (Coordinating Investigator); $72,797
Mar 2020 Adoption of telehealth and digital health information systems in low and middle-income Pacific island countries and territories: a policy brief for health policymakers; Competitive grant from the Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies; Adam Craig, Sameera Ansari, Teng Liaw, Sunia Soakai, Katri Maria Kontio, Alex Rosewell, Rowena Cullen, John Hall; $52,500
Mar 2019 Co-creation of digital health country profiles for the Pacific Island Countries; World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific; Teng Liaw, Sameera Ansari (Coordinating Investigator); $36,000
Feb 2019 A review of the use of mHealth to promote healthy ageing and support the delivery of age-friendly health and long-term care services in the Western Pacific Region; World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific; Teng Liaw, Sameera Ansari (Coordinating Investigator); $11,250
June 2018 Competitive sponsorship for presenting my research at the 2018 Primary Health Care Research Conference in Melbourne; Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, UNSW Sydney; Sameera Ansari; $2,000
June 2017 Competitive sponsorship for presenting my research at the ERS International Congress 2017 in Milan, Italy; European Respiratory Society; Sameera Ansari; $1,350
July 2015 Competitive sponsorship of registration fee for presenting my research at the 2015 Primary Health Care Research Conference in Adelaide; Primary Health Care Research and Information Service; Sameera Ansari; $400
May 2015 Activating Primary Care COPD Patients with Multi-morbidity (APCOM) Pilot Study; Investigator Sponsored Studies Grant (invited application, peer reviewed nationally and globally), GlaxoSmithKline Australia; Sameera Ansari (Lead and Coordinating Investigator), Hassan Hosseinzadeh, Sarah Dennis, Nicholas Zwar; $61,100
Jan 2015 Dora Lush Biomedical Postgraduate Scholarship towards PhD stipend and conference expenses for Years 2 and 3 of the APCOM Pilot Study; National Health and Medical Research Council; Sameera Ansari; $76,228
July 2014 Australian Postgraduate Award towards PhD stipend for Years 2 and 3; Commonwealth of Australia through University of New South Wales; Sameera Ansari; $44,436 (relinquished in January 2015 due to NHMRC Scholarship)
July 2014 Competitive sponsorship of registration fee for presenting my research at the 2014 Primary Health Care Research Conference in Canberra; Primary Health Care Research and Information Service; Sameera Ansari; $400
Nov 2013 Competitive scholarship for presenting my research at the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology Congress in Yokohama, Japan; Postgraduate Research Support Scheme, UNSW Sydney; Sameera Ansari; $3,300
July 2013 Competitive sponsorship of registration fee for attending the 2013 Primary Health Care Research Conference in Sydney; Primary Health Care Research and Information Service; Sameera Ansari; $350
Aug 2024 Early Career Research Excellence Award - School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney
Apr 2020 Finalist - UNSW Graham Painton Clinical Respiratory Research Fellowship
Jun 2017 Young Scientist Sponsorship; European Respiratory Society
Nov 2016 Research Student Award; Postgraduate Council, UNSW Sydney
Jan 2015 Dora Lush Biomedical Postgraduate Scholarship; National Health and Medical Research Council
July 2014 Australian Postgraduate Award; Commonwealth of Australia (through UNSW)
Mar 2008 University gold medal for academic, clinical and research excellence during the Master of Physiotherapy in Cardio-Pulmonary Sciences program; Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, India
Mar 2005 University gold medal for academic and clinical excellence during the Bachelor of Physiotherapy program; Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, India
Jan 2005 Best Outgoing Physiotherapy Internee for outstanding health service delivery; Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, India
Sep 2001 Founder Chancellor Award for first rank in foundation year of Bachelor's degree; Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, India
I lead my own program of innovative research on COPD, Multimorbidity, Digital Health, Integrated Care and Primary Health Care mainly using Implementation Science methodology. My current research projects:
- A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial to Digitally Support Self-Management for Inhaler Device Technique and Medication Adherence among People with COPD and Comorbidities - The PRISIMA Trial (Lead and Coordinating Investigator)
- A hybrid type III factorial randomized controlled trial of a comprehensive primary care multi-disciplinary team care approach, including pulmonary rehabilitation, to improve uptake and outcomes for COPD - MDT-PuRE-Primary Care (Co-Investigator)
- Activating Primary Care COPD Patients in the context of Multimorbidity (APCOM) Trial - a pragmatic randomized controlled clinical trial in Australian general practice (Coordinating Investigator)
- A systematic review of interventions for management of co-existing COPD and hypertension (Senior Investigator)
- Understanding Australian medical students' and academics' perspectives on curricula regarding the management of hypertension (Co-Investigator)
- A general practice toolkit to promote physical activity among people living with cancer (Co-Investigator)
My current professional memberships:
Community Member - WHO Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases
Invited Member - Global Working Group on Cardiopulmonary Risk
Silver Member - European Respiratory Society; Member of ERS CONNECT Clinical Research Collaboration's Working Group on Position Statements on Digital Health in Respiratory Care
Ordinary Member - Asian Pacific Society of Respirology
Ordinary Member - The Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand
Health Professional Member - Lung Foundation Australia
Volunteer Member - Respiratory Network, NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation
Member - Global Burden of Disease Collaborator Network
Life Member - The Indian Association of Physiotherapists
My Research Supervision
- Sadan Taher (UNSW MD Research ILP Program) as Primary Supervisor with Prof Alta Schutte as Co-Supervisor. Research topic: A systematic review of interventions for management of co-existing COPD and hypertension.
- Teresa Sheng (UNSW MD Research ILP Program) as Co-Supervisor with Prof Alta Schutte as Primary Supervisor. Research topic: Understanding Australian medical students' and academics' perspectives on curricula regarding the management of hypertension.
My Teaching
2019 & 2021: Foundations in Public Health and Health Care Systems (PHCM9041) - Internal Tutor (2019 only) and Assessor
2020: Digital Health - Principles, Practice and Evidence (PHCM9790) - Curriculum development and Guest Lecturer
2019: Qualitative Research Methods (PHCM9120) - Tutor
2018: Global Chronic Disease Prevention and Control (PHCM2009) - Research expert input on COPD module
2018: Principles and Practice of Primary Health Care (PHCM9615) - Curriculum redevelopment
2017: Applied Research Methods for Public Health (PHCM9132) - External Tutor and Assessor
2016 & 2017: Principles of Health Education and Behaviour Change (GENM0708) - Internal Tutor and Assessor
2014 – 2017: Influencing Health Beliefs and Health Behaviours (PHCM4013) - Guest Lecturer (2017 only), Internal Tutor and Assessor
My teaching certifications: