
Overview
Background
Dr Sally Shrapnel is an internationally recognised interdisciplinary scientist whose research spans quantum physics, artificial intelligence, digital medicine, and philosophy. With a unique career trajectory bridging clinical medicine and cutting-edge quantum technologies, Dr Shrapnel is committed to solving foundational and applied problems that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries.
A registered medical practitioner and Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, she brings over two decades of clinical experience in Tasmania, Queensland, and the UK. After earning an MSc in Bioengineering from Imperial College London, she pursued a PhD in Quantum Artificial Intelligence—focusing on quantum causal inference—which launched her second career as a quantum physicist.
Currently, Dr Shrapnel is Associate Professor of Physics at The University of Queensland and Deputy Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems (EQUS). Her research addresses two fundamental questions:
- What does quantum theory reveal about the nature of reality?
- Can quantum resources be harnessed to design faster, more efficient AI algorithms?
These inquiries drive her leading contributions in Quantum Foundations and Quantum Machine Learning, where she develops novel theoretical frameworks and algorithms that aim to unlock the quantum advantage in emerging technologies. As Program Lead for Quantum Technologies for Health at the Queensland Digital Health Centre, Dr Shrapnel is also preparing the state’s healthcare ecosystem for the next technological revolution—bringing quantum tools into real-world applications in health and medicine.
A passionate advocate for interdisciplinary research, Dr Shrapnel continues to publish widely across quantum physics, computer science, digital health, and the philosophy of science. Her work exemplifies the power of rigorous, cross-disciplinary thinking to address some of the most profound and practical challenges of our time.
Availability
- Associate Professor Sally Shrapnel is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medical Science, The University of Queensland
- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, The University of Queensland
- Masters (Coursework) of Science, Imperial College
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Works
Search Professor Sally Shrapnel’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Other Outputs
Global geographic and socioeconomic disparities in COVID-Associated AKI: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Dai, Danyang, Gois, Pedro Franca, Simpson, Digby, Hedfi, Souhayel, Shrapnel, Sally and Pole, Jason D. (2025). Global geographic and socioeconomic disparities in COVID-Associated AKI: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Centre for Health Services Research; Centre for Online Health.
2025
Journal Article
A de Finetti theorem for quantum causal structures
Costa, Fabio, Barrett, Jonathan and Shrapnel, Sally (2025). A de Finetti theorem for quantum causal structures. Quantum, 9 1628, 1628. doi: 10.22331/q-2025-02-11-1628
2025
Conference Publication
Prevalence of Acute Kidney Injury throughout COVID-19: A Systematic review and meta-analysis
Franca Gois, Pedro Henrique, Gois, Pedro Franca, Simpson, Digby, Hedfi, Souhayel, Shrapnel, Sally and Pole, Jason D. (2025). Prevalence of Acute Kidney Injury throughout COVID-19: A Systematic review and meta-analysis. ISN World Congress of Nephrology (WCN) 2025, New Delhi, India, 6 - 9 February 2025. New York, NY United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2024.11.1083
2025
Conference Publication
Global Geographic and Socio-Economic Disparities in COVID-Associated Acute Kidney Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Franca Gois, Pedro Henrique, Gois, Pedro Franca, Simpson, Digby, Hedfi, Souhayel, Shrapnel, Sally and Pole, Jason D. (2025). Global Geographic and Socio-Economic Disparities in COVID-Associated Acute Kidney Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. ISN World Congress of Nephrology (WCN) 2025, New Delhi, India, 6 - 9 February 2025. New York, NY United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2024.11.1085
2024
Journal Article
Quantum kernel machine learning with continuous variables
Henderson, Laura J., Goel, Rishi and Shrapnel, Sally (2024). Quantum kernel machine learning with continuous variables. Quantum, 8 1570. doi: 10.22331/q-2024-12-17-1570
2024
Journal Article
At-admission prediction of mortality and pulmonary embolism in an international cohort of hospitalised patients with COVID-19 using statistical and machine learning methods
Mesinovic, Munib, Wong, Xin Ci, Rajahram, Giri Shan, Citarella, Barbara Wanjiru, Peariasamy, Kalaiarasu M., van Someren Greve, Frank, Olliaro, Piero, Merson, Laura, Clifton, Lei, Kartsonaki, Christiana, Abdukahil, Sheryl Ann, Abdulkadir, Nurul Najmee, Abe, Ryuzo, Abel, Laurent, Abrous, Amal, Absil, Lara, Acker, Andrew, Adachi, Shingo, Adam, Elisabeth, Adriano, Enrico, Adrião, Diana, Ageel, Saleh Al, Ahmed, Shakeel, Aiello, Marina, Ainscough, Kate, Airlangga, Eka, Aisa, Tharwat, Hssain, Ali Ait, Tamlihat, Younes Ait ... Zucman, David (2024). At-admission prediction of mortality and pulmonary embolism in an international cohort of hospitalised patients with COVID-19 using statistical and machine learning methods. Scientific Reports, 14 (1) 16387. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-63212-7
2024
Conference Publication
AKI in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Patients in the Omicron Surge: Insights from a Multinational Study
Gois, Pedro Henrique Franca, Dai, Danyang, Shrapnel, Sally, Wainstein, Marina, Ghadimi, Moji, Spyrison, Nicholas S., Claure-Del Granado, Rolando and Pole, Jason D. (2024). AKI in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Patients in the Omicron Surge: Insights from a Multinational Study. Kidney Week, San Diego, CA United States, 24-27 October 2024. Philadelphia, PA United States: Wolters Kluwer. doi: 10.1681/asn.2024j8evcrgq
2024
Journal Article
Lightweight transformers for clinical natural language processing
Rohanian, Omid, Nouriborji, Mohammadmahdi, Jauncey, Hannah, Kouchaki, Samaneh, Nooralahzadeh, Farhad, Clifton, Lei, Merson, Laura, Clifton, David A., Abbas, Ali, Abdukahil, Sheryl Ann, Abdulkadir, Nurul Najmee, Abe, Ryuzo, Abel, Laurent, Abrous, Amal, Absil, Lara, Jabal, Kamal Abu, Salah, Nashat Abu, Acharya, Subhash, Acker, Andrew, Adachi, Shingo, Adam, Elisabeth, Adewhajah, Francisca, Adriano, Enrico, Adrião, Diana, Al Ageel, Saleh, Ahmed, Shakeel, Aiello, Marina, Ainscough, Kate, Airlangga, Eka ... Zucman, David (2024). Lightweight transformers for clinical natural language processing. Natural Language Engineering, 30 (5), 887-914. doi: 10.1017/S1351324923000542
2024
Journal Article
Optimising Clinical Epidemiology in Disease Outbreaks: Analysis of ISARIC-WHO COVID-19 Case Report Form Utilisation
Merson, Laura, Duque, Sara, Garcia-Gallo, Esteban, Yeabah, Trokon Omarley, Rylance, Jamie, Diaz, Janet, Flahault, Antoine, Abdalasalam, Sabriya, Abdalhadi, Alaa Abdalfattah, Abdalla, Walaa, Abdalla, Naana Reyam, Abdalrheem, Almthani Hamza, Abdalsalam, Ashraf, Abdeewi, Saedah, Abdelgaum, Esraa Hassan, Abdelhalim, Mohamed, Abdelkabir, Mohammed, Abdukahil, Sheryl Ann, Abdulbaqi, Lamees Adil, Abdulhamid, Widyan, Abdulhamid, Salaheddin, Abdulkadir, Nurul Najmee, Abdulwahed, Eman, Abdunabi, Rawad, Abe, Ryuzo, Abel, Laurent, Abodina, Ahmed Mohammed, Abouelmagd, Khaled, Abrous, Amal ... Zucman, David (2024). Optimising Clinical Epidemiology in Disease Outbreaks: Analysis of ISARIC-WHO COVID-19 Case Report Form Utilisation. Epidemiologia, 5 (3), 557-580. doi: 10.3390/epidemiologia5030039
2024
Journal Article
Implementing AI in Hospitals to Achieve a Learning Health System: Systematic Review of Current Enablers and Barriers
Kamel Rahimi, Amir, Pienaar, Oliver, Ghadimi, Moji, Canfell, Oliver J., Pole, Jason D., Shrapnel, Sally, van der Vegt, Anton H. and Sullivan, Clair (2024). Implementing AI in Hospitals to Achieve a Learning Health System: Systematic Review of Current Enablers and Barriers. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 26 e49655, 1-29. doi: 10.2196/49655
2024
Journal Article
Characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital with and without respiratory symptoms
Citarella, Barbara Wanjiru, Kartsonaki, Christiana, Ibáñez-Prada, Elsa D., Gonçalves, Bronner P., Baruch, Joaquin, Escher, Martina, Pritchard, Mark G., Wei, Jia, Philippy, Fred, Dagens, Andrew, Hall, Matthew, Lee, James, Kutsogiannis, Demetrios James, Wils, Evert-Jan, Fernandes, Marília Andreia, Tirupakuzhi Vijayaraghavan, Bharath Kumar, Panda, Prasan Kumar, Martin-Loeches, Ignacio, Ohshimo, Shinichiro, Fatoni, Arie Zainul, Horby, Peter, Dunning, Jake, Rello, Jordi, Merson, Laura, Rojek, Amanda, Vaillant, Michel, Olliaro, Piero, Reyes, Luis Felipe, Moharam, S.A. ... Zucman, David (2024). Characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital with and without respiratory symptoms. Heliyon, 10 (10) e29591, e29591. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29591
2024
Conference Publication
Validation Of The Extended Kdigo Definition To Diagnose Acute Kidney Injury In A General Hospital Population Using The Mimic-IV Dataset
Wainstein, Marina, Edward, Eleanor, Spyrison, Nicholas, Rahimi, Amir Kamel, Ghadimi, Moji, Johnson, David and Shrapnel, Sally (2024). Validation Of The Extended Kdigo Definition To Diagnose Acute Kidney Injury In A General Hospital Population Using The Mimic-IV Dataset. ISN World Congress of Nephrology (WCN) 2024, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 13-16 April 2024. New York, NY United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2024.02.537
2024
Journal Article
Quantum kernel evaluation via Hong-Ou-Mandel interference
Bowie, Cassandra, Shrapnel, Sally and Kewming, Michael (2024). Quantum kernel evaluation via Hong-Ou-Mandel interference. Quantum Science and Technology, 9 (1) 015001, 1-10. doi: 10.1088/2058-9565/acfba9
2024
Book Chapter
Artificial intelligence for diabetes in the hospital
Sly, Benjamin P., Shrapnel, Sally and Sullivan, Clair M. (2024). Artificial intelligence for diabetes in the hospital. Diabetes digital health, telehealth, and artificial intelligence. (pp. 353-366) edited by David C. Klonoff, David Kerr and Juan C. Espinoza. London, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-443-13244-5.00021-3
2023
Conference Publication
A Systematic Review of Externally Validated Machine Learning Models for Predicting AKI in General Hospital Patients
Wainstein, Marina, Flanagan, Emily K., Johnson, David W. and Shrapnel, Sally (2023). A Systematic Review of Externally Validated Machine Learning Models for Predicting AKI in General Hospital Patients. Kidney Week, Philadelphia, PA United States, 1-5 November 2023. Philadelphia, PA United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. doi: 10.1681/asn.20233411s11066a
2023
Journal Article
Machine learning clinical prediction models for acute kidney injury: the impact of baseline creatinine on prediction efficacy
Kamel Rahimi, Amir, Ghadimi, Moji, van der Vegt, Anton H., Canfell, Oliver J., Pole, Jason D., Sullivan, Clair and Shrapnel, Sally (2023). Machine learning clinical prediction models for acute kidney injury: the impact of baseline creatinine on prediction efficacy. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 23 (1) 207, 1-14. doi: 10.1186/s12911-023-02306-0
2023
Journal Article
Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with severe COVID-19 registered in the ISARIC WHO clinical characterization protocol: a prospective, multinational, observational study
Reyes, Luis Felipe, Garcia-Gallo, Esteban, Murthy, Srinivas, Fuentes, Yuli V., Serrano, Cristian C., Ibáñez-Prada, Elsa D., Lee, James, Rojek, Amanda, Citarella, Barbara Wanjiru, Gonçalves, Bronner P., Dunning, Jake, Rätsep, Indrek, Viñan-Garces, Andre Emilio, Kartsonaki, Christiana, Rello, Jordi, Martin-Loeches, Ignacio, Shankar-Hari, Manu, Olliaro, Piero L., Merson, Laura, Abbas, Ali, Abdukahil, Sheryl Ann, Abdulkadir, Nurul Najmee, Abe, Ryuzo, Abebrese, Franklina Korkor, Abel, Laurent, Abrous, Amal, Absil, Lara, Acharya, Subhash, Acker, Andrew ... Zucman, David (2023). Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with severe COVID-19 registered in the ISARIC WHO clinical characterization protocol: a prospective, multinational, observational study. Journal of Critical Care, 77 154318, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2023.154318
2023
Journal Article
A multi-country analysis of COVID-19 hospitalizations by vaccination status
Gonçalves, Bronner P., Jassat, Waasila, Baruch, Joaquín, Hashmi, Madiha, Rojek, Amanda, Dasgupta, Abhishek, Martin-Loeches, Ignacio, Reyes, Luis Felipe, Piubelli, Chiara, Citarella, Barbara Wanjiru, Kartsonaki, Christiana, Lefèvre, Benjamin, López Revilla, José W., Lunn, Miles, Harrison, Ewen M., Kraemer, Moritz U. G., Shrapnel, Sally, Horby, Peter, Bisoffi, Zeno, Olliaro, Piero L, Merson, Laura, ISARIC Clinical Characterisation Group and Ghadimi, Moji (2023). A multi-country analysis of COVID-19 hospitalizations by vaccination status. Med, 4 (11), 797-812.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.medj.2023.08.005
2023
Journal Article
Validation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation mortality prediction and severity of illness scores in an international COVID-19 cohort
Shah, Neel, Xue, Bing, Xu, Ziqi, Yang, Hanqing, Marwali, Eva, Dalton, Heidi, Payne, Philip P. R., Lu, Chenyang, Said, Ahmed S., Abdukahil, Sheryl Ann, Abdulkadir, Nurul Najmee, Absil, Lara, Acker, Andrew, Adrião, Diana, Hssain, Ali Ait, Akwani, Chika, Al Qasim, Eman, Alalqam, Razi, Al-dabbous, Tala, Alex, Beatrice, Al-Fares, Abdulrahman, Alfoudri, Huda, Aliudin, Jeffrey, Alves, João, Alves, Rita, Alves, João Melo, Cabrita, Joana Alves, Amaral, Maria, Amira, Nur ... ISARIC Clinical Characterisation Group (2023). Validation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation mortality prediction and severity of illness scores in an international COVID-19 cohort. Artificial Organs, 47 (9), 1490-1502. doi: 10.1111/aor.14542
2023
Journal Article
Liver injury in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: An International observational cohort study
Vijayaraghavan, Bharath Kumar Tirupakuzhi, Bishnu, Saptarshi, Baruch, Joaquin, Citarella, Barbara Wanjiru, Kartsonaki, Christiana, Meeyai, Aronrag, Mohamed, Zubair, Ohshimo, Shinichiro, Lefèvre, Benjamin, Al-Fares, Abdulrahman, Calvache, Jose A., Taccone, Fabio Silvio, Olliaro, Piero, Merson, Laura, Adhikari, Neill K.J., Abdukahil, Sheryl Ann, Abdulkadir, Nurul Najmee, Abe, Ryuzo, Abel, Laurent, Abrous, Amal, Absil, Lara, Acker, Andrew, Adam, Elisabeth, Adrião, Diana, Al Ageel, Saleh, Ainscough, Kate, Hssain, Ali Ait, Tamlihat, Younes Ait, Akimoto, Takako ... the ISARIC Clinical Characterisation Group (2023). Liver injury in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: An International observational cohort study. PLoS One, 18 (9 September) e0277859, 1-17. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277859
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Sally Shrapnel is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Characterising the impact of noise in quantum machine learning.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Riddhi Gupta
-
Doctor Philosophy
Perspectives on the de Broglie-Bohm interpretation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Timothy Ralph, Dr Peter Evans
-
Doctor Philosophy
Digital Health Methods for Evaluating Chronic Organ Injuries Resulting from Infectious Epidemics: Acute Kidney Injury post COVID-19 Omicron Surge as an Exemplar
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jason Pole
-
Doctor Philosophy
Predicting adverse diabetes events in hospitals using machine learning
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Clair Sullivan, Professor Jason Pole
Completed supervision
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Artificial Intelligence to Improve Clinical Outcomes in Hospitals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Clair Sullivan, Dr Oliver Canfell, Professor Jason Pole
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Improving Kidney Disease Detection and Risk Prediction Across Diverse Regional and Socioeconomic Settings
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor David Johnson
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
The Wealth of Features: towards a coherent cooperative game theory for feature importance
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ian Wood, Professor Geoffrey McLachlan
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
High-Dimensional Quantum Information
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andrew White, Associate Professor Jacqui Romero
Media
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