Professor Vanessa McDonald

The University of Newcastle / Hunter Medical Research Institute

Background

Professor Vanessa McDonald is a Professor of Chronic Disease Nursing in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She is Co-Director of the Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma and the Director of the Centre of Excellence in Treatable Traits. Vanessa is also the Co-Director of the Priority Research Centre (PRC) for Healthy Lungs at the University of Newcastle and Head of Research in the School of Nursing and Midwifery.

Professor McDonald joined the University of Newcastle in 2011, following the completion of her PhD. Prior to this, she worked clinically within the Hunter New England Local Health District as a Respiratory Clinical Nurse Consultant and now holds an honorary clinical academic appointment. She has been a respiratory nurse and educator for over 25 years. Vanessa also holds honorary professorial appointments with the University of Manchester, UK, and West China Hospital/Sichuan University.

Research Interest

Vanessa’s research interests are centred around the development of innovative approaches to the management of chronic airway diseases, particularly severe asthma and COPD.

She is passionate about the development and implementation of personalised medicine strategies that place the person at the centre of health care delivery.

Learn more about Professor Vanessa McDonald