Professor Britta Regli-von Ungern-Sternberg, leader of the Perioperative Medicine Team, holds the foundation Chair of Paediatric Anaesthesia at the University of Western Australia (the first of its kind in Australasia), and is a specialist paediatric anaesthetist at Perth Children’s Hospital. She leads the most active paediatric anaesthesia research program in Australasia which is also an internationally leading program focusing on continuously driving improvements in safety and quality of care along the perioperative pathway. The research team is strengthened by its multidisciplinary nature comprising anaesthetists, surgeons, physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, engineers, scientists, statisticians and health economists across multiple medical and academic institutions.  These diverse clinical networks provide strong evidence for immediate translation into tangible health benefits for young Australians.

Her main research interests relate to the prediction and prevention of respiratory complications in paediatric anaesthesia, lung function changes during anaesthesia, the evaluation of different airway devices, as well as the impact of anaesthesia in early life on a child’s neurodevelopment.

Britta was appointed to the Clinical Senate of Western Australia (2020-2022) and sits on the Scientific Advisory Safety Committee of the Child and Adolescent Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee. She is a member of the Executive for the Clinical Trials Network of the Australia and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) as well as a member of the ANZCA Research Committee and sits on the Society for Paediatric Anaesthesia Research Committee.  She is a Section Editor and Editorial Advisory Board member for the journal Pediatric Anesthesia.

Research-Grants

2001    Swiss Society of Anaesthesia and Resuscitation 10’000 CHF

“The Impact of Postoperative Nasal Packing on Sleep Disordered Breathing and Nocturnal Oxygen Saturation in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome”

2005    Swiss Society of Anaesthesia and Resuscitation 5’000 CHF

“Caudal block improves functional residual capacity and ventilation homogeneity in healthy children”

2006    Swiss Paediatric Respiratory Research Group 20’ 000 CHF

“Impact of variations in intra-thoracic and extra-thoracic pressures on lung volumes and respiratory mechanics”

Swiss Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care5’000 CHF

“Heart-lung interaction during changes in pulmonary hemodynamics on lung volumes and respiratory mechanics             

Swiss National Science Foundation (2007/2008)  91’000 CHF

“Impact of anaesthesia and viral infection on bronchial hyperreactivity - Strategies for predicting and preventing respiratory complications in paediatric anaesthesia”

Voluntary Academic Society of Basel, Switzerland (2007/2008) 25’000 CHF

“Impact of anaesthesia and viral infection on bronchial hyperreactivity - Strategies for predicting and preventing respiratory complications in paediatric anaesthesia”

2007    Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation 9992.72 AUD

“Impact of body mass index on respiratory function changes before and after induction of anaesthesia”

2008    Margaret River Friends of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research    8000 AUD

“Preoperative identification of children at a high risk for respiratory problems during or after Anaesthesia”

2009    Swiss National Science Foundation 258’527 AUD

“Impact of intravenous lidocaine on preventing adverse events in children undergoing anesthesia”

2010    Raine Foundation, Australia, Travel Grant 5’000 AUD

2011    Society of Paediatric Anaesthesia New Zealand and Australia 10’000 AUD

Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, 375’000 AUD

“Preventing respiratory complications in Paediatric Anaesthesia”

NHMRC Equipment grant 86’822 AUD

“Medisoft respiratorz function testing station fupplied bz Ascencia Pty Ltd.

2012    SHRAC Translational Grant, Department of Health, Western Australia. 230’000 AUD

“Does inhaled salbutamol decrease the incidence of perioperative respiratory adverse events in children at high risk for respiratory complications?”       

NHMRC Project Grant 2013    477’112.50 AUD

“Risk assessment and prevention of respiratory complications in paediatric anaesthesia”

Douglas Joseph Professorship, Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists 

This professorship is awarded quadrennially by the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA), to fellows who are making an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the speciality.     70’000 AUD

“A new prediction strategy to prevent respiratory complications in paediatric anaesthesia”

Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists 30’000 AUD

“Anaesthesia exposure in early childhood – long term effects on cognition and neurodevelopment”        

Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Foundation, Project Grant 79’926 AUD

“SAFA study – Safer Anaesthesia for Children with Asthma”

Smart Tots, International Anaesthesia Research Society (IARS)  50’000 USD

 “Anaesthetic exposure duration and effects on cognitive and language ability”

2013    Aerocrine Sweden, unrestricted research grant 20’000 AUD

“SAFA study – Safer Anaesthesia for Children with Asthma”

Society of Paediatric Anaesthesia New Zealand and Australia 10’000 AUD

“The “Can’t Intubate Can’t Oxygenate Situation” (CICO) in Paediatric Anaesthesia: A comparison of different devices for needle and surgical cricothyroidotomy in a neonatal cadaveric animal model.”

2014    Society of Paediatric Anaesthesia New Zealand and Australia 5’000 AUD

“Can’t Intubate, Can’t Oxygenate in infants – an animal model.”

Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation 405’132.77 AUD

“Aerosolised Drugs in ventilated patients.”

New Investigator Award, Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, 80’000 AUD

“A pilot randomised open-label taste-testing study to evaluate the acceptability of chocolate-based midazolam in children.”

Project Grant: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, 30’000 AUD

“Obesity: alterations in lung mechanics – impact on the incidence of perioperative respiratory adverse events (OPRAE).”

Academic Enhancement Grant: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists 99’753 AUD “New evidence-based ventilation guidelines for children”

Translation Research Grant, Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, 80’491 AUD

“REACT: reducing anaesthetic complications in children undergoing tonsillectomies”

Society of Paediatric Anaesthesia New Zealand and Australia 20’000 AUD

“Cerebral Near Infrared Spectroscopy monitoring in infants during the peri-operative period”

2015    Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, The Stan Perron Charitable Trust, Frank Callaghan Trust 1’337’886 AUD Funding for the Chair of Paediatric Anaesthesia

Pilot Grant Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, 20’000 AUD

“The NIRS study: oxygen monitoring of children during surgery”

Pilot Grant Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, 19’597 AUD

“The Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Study: Making tonsillectomies safer (OSATS)”

Project Grant: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, 56’000 AUD

“A pilot randomised open-label taste-testing study to evaluate the acceptability of chocolate-based midazolam in children.”

Project Grant: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, 42’000 AUD

“REACT: reducing anaesthetic complications in children undergoing tonsillectomies”

Project Grant, Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, 80’491 AUD

“REACT: reducing anaesthetic complications in children undergoing tonsillectomies”

2016    Project Grant, Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, 80’000 AUD

“Treating children with depression – A randomized single-blind controlled pilot study using a single-dose nitrous oxide (N2O) administration and SSRI treatment as usual”

New Investigator Grant, Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, 78566.38 AUD (CIA=Hayley Herbert). ‘The Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Study: making Tonsillectomies Safer (OSATS)’

UWA pathfinder Fund AUD 25’000

‘Development and clinical evaluation of palatable chocolate based medicated tablets to achieve optimised health outcomes for the paediatric population’

Research Translation Project Travel Award for NHMRC 2016 symposium AUD 1’300

Telethon Perth Children's hospital grant AUD 237’500 (CIA=Micheala Lucas)

‘Penicillin-Yes, please! De-labelling WA children’

Project Grant: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, AUD 102’428

‘The Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Study: making Tonsillectomies Safer (OSATS)’

John Boyd Craig Research Award: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, AUD 56’000 ‘Palatable and chewable tramadol chocolate-based tablets for effective pain management in young’

Novice Investigator: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists  AUD 19’493 (CIA=David Sommerfield)  ‘Nitrous oxide treatment of adolescents with depression (NOTAD) A randomized double-blind placebo controlled pilot study’

NHMRC Project Grant 2016 (CIA= Andrew Davidson) AUD 825’787.40

‘Neurodevelopmental outcome after sevoflurane versus dexmedetomidine/remifentanil anaesthesia in infancy: a randomised controlled trial’

SPANZA: Society of Paediatric Anaesthesia New Zealand and Australia AUD 19’447.25

(CIA=Justin Skowno)  ‘Isoelectric EEG events during infant anesthesia: A Multi-Center, Prospective, Observational Study’

2017    Medical Health Research Infrastructure Fund 2016 Round 20 AUD 18’922

UWA pathfinder Fund AUD 74,895.00 (CIA=Lee Yong Lim)

(1)   To develop an oral midazolam 5 mg CDS tablet for paediatric patients. (2) To develop oral flucloxacillin 125 and 250 mg CDS tablets for paediatric patients

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation AUD 1’278’344 (CIA=Micheala Lucas)

‘Penicillin – “Yes please!” or ‘No thank you!” – Preventing complications due to inappropriate allergy labelling – a program to label and de-label Western Australian children with parental reported allergies’

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation AUD 20’718.10 Equipment grant

Preoperative Lung Function Testing (Tremoflo Airwave Oscillometry System)

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation AUD 41’817.65 Equipment grant (CIA=David Sommerfield) Simplified Assessment of sleep disordered breathing (ActiCals and WristOx)

Telethon Perth Children's hospital grant AUD 237,000 (CIA=Lee Yong Lim) ‘Palatable and chewable tramadol chocolate-based tablets for effective pain management in young paediatric patients’

SPANZA: Society of Paediatric Anaesthesia New Zealand and Australia AUD 10’000 (CIA=David Sommerfield) ‘Enhancing Management of Perioperative High risk patients through Assessment of oxygen Saturation and Sleep quality (EMPHASIS)’

Project Grant: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists AUD 128,711 ‘Improving safety for young children with asthma undergoing general anaesthesia (SAGA)’

Project Grant: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists AUD 139, 953 ‘Prospective de-labelling of inappropriate antibiotic allergy for perioperative patients (CHAD-P, CHildren’s Antibiotic De-labelling -Perioperative)’

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation AUD 81,538 ‘Neurodevelopmental outcome after sevoflurane versus dexmedetomidine/remifentanil anaesthesia in infancy: a randomised controlled trial’

2018    Research Translation Grant, WA Health AUD 239’830

‘Facing the challenge of self-reported antibiotic allergies in WA Health’

Medical Health Research Infrastructure Fund 2017 Round 21 AUD 15’306

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation AUD 91,520 Equipment grant (CIA=Paul Bumbak) Monitoring children with obstructive sleep apnea (CO2 monitors)

Telethon Perth Children's hospital grant AUD 236, 424 (CIA=Graham Hall) ‘Preventing perioperative respiratory complications in children with recurrent respiratory symptoms’

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation AUD 23,626 Equipment grant ‘Assessing the severity of obstructive sleep apnea under anaesthesia’

2019    The University of Western Australia Research Impact Grant AUD 19, 730

“Safer for Everyone Tonsillectomies (SAFE-T)”

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation AUD 25, 045.80

“High Flow Nasal Oxygen-Improving oxygenation in vulnerable sick children undergoing anaesthesia and surgery”

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation 25, 045.80 AUD

“High Flow Nasal Oxygen-Improving oxygenation in vulnerable sick children undergoing anaesthesia and surgery”

Telethon Channel 7 Major Beneficiaries Grant 461, 425.14 AUD

“SAFE-T Project (Safer for Everyone Tonsillectomies): OSA Arm

University of Western Australia Research Impact Grant (CIA=Michaela Lucas) 17,100 AUD

Research Translation Project, WA Health 10,000 AUD

“Preventing perioperative respiratory complications in children with recurrent respiratory symptoms (inhaled corticosteroids in tonsils)”

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation Equipment grant. 28, 476.56 AUD

Clinical audit and quality improvement

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation Equipment grant 52, 870.04 AUD

Mobile sleep monitoring equipment

Medical Health Research Infrastructure Fund 2018 Round 22 15, 743 AUD

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation Project grant. 41348.28 AUD

An international multicentre study of isoelectric EEG events in infants and young children during anaesthesia for surgery

Health and Medical Sciences Research Impact Grant 33, 944 AUD

Developing taste-masked antibiotic medicines to achieve treatment outcomes in young children

Health and Medical Sciences Research Equipment Grant 47,541.45 AUD

CMAG TLC Scanner (CIB, CIA- Connie Locher)

WA Health Research Translation Project 240, 900 AUD

Bee Pain Free

PCH Foundation Equipment Grant 65, 499.59 AUD

Drug pharmacokinetics (HPLC)

Project Grant: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists 56, 000 AUD

OASIS: Oscillation mechancics and sustained inflation study using FOT measurements of children under general anaethesia

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation Equipment grant. AUD 41780.10

3D Facial Cameras

2020    Project Grant: EL Thrasher Award 327, 458 US$

High-flow for tubeless airway surgery in children. (CIC, CIA- Susan Humphreys)

Project Grant: Perth Children’s Hospital 416,608.03 AUD

Safe-T Tonsillectomies

Telethon Grant 363, 390 AUD

Improving safety and outcomes for children undergoing surgery– a patientcentered consumer co-developed initiative (CIA)

Project Grant: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists 56000 AUD

OASIS: Oscillation mechancics and sustained inflation study using FOT measurements of children under general anaethesia

Stan Perron Chariatable Foundation 150,000 AUD

Personal Funding

SPANZA: Society of Paediatric Anaesthesia New Zealand and Australia (CIC, CIA-Elsa Taylor) 15, 000 AUD

2021    WA Health Research Translation Project 269, 912 AUD

Clonidine to improve management of post-tonsillectomy pain in children (CIA)

WA Child Research Fund 192, 449 AUD (CIA)

Flexible Bronchoscopy Insufflated and High Flow Nasal Oxygen: BUFFALO

Australia and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists 89, 999.41 AUD (CIB, CIA=Susan Humphreys)

Flexible Bronchoscopy Insufflated and High Flow Nasal Oxygen: BUFFALO

Stan Perron Charitable Foundation 158,198 AUD

Personal funding

Stan Perron Charitable Foundation 583, 000 AUD

Platform funding: ENT Biorepository (CIG, CIA=Lee-Ann Kirkham)

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation 94586 AUD

Equipment funding: CO2 monitors

2022    NHMRC Investigator Grant 1.87 million AUD

Innovation Seed Fund 392,820 AUD

Detecting pain in kids who can’t tell you it hurts: PainChek® for children with disabilities (CII, CIA= Jenny Downs)

Telethon Channel 7 Major Beneficiaries Grant AUD 461, 425.14

“SAFE-T Project (Safer for Everyone Tonsillectomies): OSA Arm

University of Western Australia Research Impact Grant AUD 19730.

Safer For Everyone Tonsillectomies (SAFE-T)