Dr Jake O'Brien
Dr

Jake O'Brien

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 344 32448

Background

Doctor Jake O’Brien is Senior Research Fellow and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow at the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS). His main field of interest is in wastewater-based epidemiology, but he also has interest in developing analytical methods for chemicals of emerging concern within biological and environmental samples. Doctor O'Brien is a strong advocate for collaborative research having co-authored with more than 300 collaborators worldwide on over 160 publications. Jake is strongly supportive of early career researcher development and is currently the chair of the EMCR@UQ Committee. He is also a Chief Investigator of the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program since its establishment in 2016.

Availability

Dr Jake O'Brien is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Analytical chemistry Chemical Sciences Disease surveillance Environmental Sciences Epidemiology Health Sciences Pollution and contamination Pollution and contamination not elsewhere classified Social epidemiology

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science, The University of Queensland
  • Bachelor (Honours), The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Search Professor Jake O'Brien’s works on UQ eSpace

224 works between 2011 and 2025
All (224) Book (1) Journal Article (173) Other Outputs (9) Conference Publication (38) Book Chapter (3)

1 - 20 of 224 works

2025

Journal Article

Changes in wastewater measures of alcohol consumption in Alice Springs, Australia, 1 year after the introduction of restrictions on alcohol sales

Tscharke, Ben, Livingston, Michael, Clifford, Sarah, Zheng, Qiuda, Thai, Phong K., Verhagen, Rory, Bade, Richard, O'Brien, Jake W., Gerber, Cobus, Keller, Emma, Simpson, Bradley S., Thomas, Kevin V., Hall, Wayne and Mueller, Jochen F. (2025). Changes in wastewater measures of alcohol consumption in Alice Springs, Australia, 1 year after the introduction of restrictions on alcohol sales. Addiction add.70262. doi: 10.1111/add.70262

Changes in wastewater measures of alcohol consumption in Alice Springs, Australia, 1 year after the introduction of restrictions on alcohol sales

2025

Journal Article

Discovery of previously unreported per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in pooled Australian human serum using nontarget analysis

Dewapriya, Pradeep, Nilsson, Sandra, Ghorbani Gorji, Sara, O’Brien, Jake W., Bräunig, Jennifer, José Gómez Ramos, María, Samanipour, Saer, Martin, Jonathan W., Toms, Leisa-Maree L., Mueller, Jochen F., Kaserzon, Sarit L. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2025). Discovery of previously unreported per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in pooled Australian human serum using nontarget analysis. Environmental Science and Technology, 59 (48), 26081-26091. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c04623

Discovery of previously unreported per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in pooled Australian human serum using nontarget analysis

2025

Journal Article

Environmental antimicrobial resistance: current status and future prospects

Thomas, Kevin V., Zhai, Naixiang, Li, Jinglong and O’Brien, Jake W. (2025). Environmental antimicrobial resistance: current status and future prospects. Environmental Contamination: Causes and Solutions, 1 (1). doi: 10.53941/eccs.2025.100006

Environmental antimicrobial resistance: current status and future prospects

2025

Journal Article

Machine learning for predicting environmental mobility based on retention behavior

Hulleman, Tobias, Samanipour, Saer, Haddad, Paul R., Rauert, Cassandra, Okoffo, Elvis D., Thomas, Kevin V. and O’Brien, Jake W. (2025). Machine learning for predicting environmental mobility based on retention behavior. Environmental Science and Technology, 59 (43) acs.est.5c07274, 23339-23348. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c07274

Machine learning for predicting environmental mobility based on retention behavior

2025

Journal Article

Evaluating dextrorphan as a wastewater biomarker for cough suppressant use: A longitudinal study in China

Shao, Xue-Ting, Ma, Xin-Dong, Li, Jing-Long, O’Brien, Jake W., Thomas, Kevin and Wang, De-Gao (2025). Evaluating dextrorphan as a wastewater biomarker for cough suppressant use: A longitudinal study in China. Water Research, 285 124119, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.124119

Evaluating dextrorphan as a wastewater biomarker for cough suppressant use: A longitudinal study in China

2025

Journal Article

Quality of Life of People with Mental Health Challenges and Problematic Substance Use while Engaged with an Exercise Physiology Service

Kugelman, Jane, Meg, Doohan, Dyer, Brett, O'Brien, Jake, Kayal, Mridula and Chapman, Justin (2025). Quality of Life of People with Mental Health Challenges and Problematic Substance Use while Engaged with an Exercise Physiology Service. Community Mental Health Journal, 1-1. doi: 10.1007/s10597-025-01518-0

Quality of Life of People with Mental Health Challenges and Problematic Substance Use while Engaged with an Exercise Physiology Service

2025

Journal Article

Stability of antibiotics and their metabolites in sewers: implications for wastewater-based epidemiology and antibiotic sustainability

Li, Jinglong, Ren, Jianan, Li, Jiaying, Thai, Phong K., Cen, Xiaotong, Zhao, Zeyang, Zhai, Naixiang, Thomas, Kevin V. and O’Brien, Jake W. (2025). Stability of antibiotics and their metabolites in sewers: implications for wastewater-based epidemiology and antibiotic sustainability. Environmental Science and Technology, 59 (33), 17796-17810. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c04421

Stability of antibiotics and their metabolites in sewers: implications for wastewater-based epidemiology and antibiotic sustainability

2025

Journal Article

Impact of human lifestyle on the pathogenic potential of urban wastewater

Wu, Jiangping, Chen, Yan, Zhao, Jiawei, O'Brien, Jake William, Coin, Lachlan, Hai, Faisal I., Sanderson-Smith, Martina and Jiang, Guangming (2025). Impact of human lifestyle on the pathogenic potential of urban wastewater. Environmental Research, 286 (Part 1) 122591, 122591. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.122591

Impact of human lifestyle on the pathogenic potential of urban wastewater

2025

Journal Article

Occurrence and emission evaluation of oxypurinol and metformin from effluent in WWTPs across Australia

Yang, Cong, Zheng, Qiuda, Wang, Zhe, Ahmed, Fahad, Tscharke, Ben, Yang, Sen, O’Brien, Jake W., Verhagen, Rory, Mueller, Jochen F., Tong, Lei and Thai, Phong K. (2025). Occurrence and emission evaluation of oxypurinol and metformin from effluent in WWTPs across Australia. Environmental Science and Technology, 59 (23), 11767-11775. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.4c14351

Occurrence and emission evaluation of oxypurinol and metformin from effluent in WWTPs across Australia

2025

Journal Article

Evaluation of a Low-Cost Active Air Sampler for the Surveillance of Airborne Transmission of Antibiotic Resistance Genes Using a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant as a Case Study

Zhai, Naixiang, Li, Jinglong, Klümper, Uli, Lakhey, Pooja, Thomas, Kevin V. and O’Brien, Jake W. (2025). Evaluation of a Low-Cost Active Air Sampler for the Surveillance of Airborne Transmission of Antibiotic Resistance Genes Using a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant as a Case Study. ACS ES&T Engineering, 5 (9), 2260-2268. doi: 10.1021/acsestengg.5c00180

Evaluation of a Low-Cost Active Air Sampler for the Surveillance of Airborne Transmission of Antibiotic Resistance Genes Using a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant as a Case Study

2025

Journal Article

Utilizing national wastewater and sales data to derive and validate the correction factors of five common antidepressants for wastewater-based epidemiology

Zhao, Zeyang, Yuan, Jingyi, Zheng, Qiuda, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Boogaerts, Tim, Wang, Zhe, Chen, Shuo, O'Brien, Jake W., van Nuijs, Alexander L.N., Covaci, Adrian, Mueller, Jochen and Thai, Phong K. (2025). Utilizing national wastewater and sales data to derive and validate the correction factors of five common antidepressants for wastewater-based epidemiology. Water Research, 276 123263, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.123263

Utilizing national wastewater and sales data to derive and validate the correction factors of five common antidepressants for wastewater-based epidemiology

2025

Journal Article

Prioritization of unknown LC-HRMS features based on predicted toxicity categories

Turkina, Viktoriia, Gringhuis, Jelle T., Boot, Sanne, Petrignani, Annemieke, Corthals, Garry, Praetorius, Antonia, O’Brien, Jake W. and Samanipour, Saer (2025). Prioritization of unknown LC-HRMS features based on predicted toxicity categories. Environmental Science and Technology, 59 (16), 8004-8015. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.4c13026

Prioritization of unknown LC-HRMS features based on predicted toxicity categories

2025

Journal Article

High levels of antibiotics released by a pharmaceutical manufacturer negatively impacted wastewater treatment plant performance

Keane, Chantal A., Li, Jinglong, Li, Jiaying, Mueller, Jochen F., O'Brien, Jake W. and Verhagen, Rory (2025). High levels of antibiotics released by a pharmaceutical manufacturer negatively impacted wastewater treatment plant performance. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 11 (4), 903-913. doi: 10.1039/d4ew01032a

High levels of antibiotics released by a pharmaceutical manufacturer negatively impacted wastewater treatment plant performance

2025

Journal Article

Occurrence, removal, and risk assessment of antimicrobials and their transformation products in effluent from Australian wastewater treatment plants

Li, Jinglong, O’Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Ben J., Verhagen, Rory, He, Chang, Shimko, Katja M., Shao, Xueting, Zhai, Naixiang, Hulleman, Tobias, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2025). Occurrence, removal, and risk assessment of antimicrobials and their transformation products in effluent from Australian wastewater treatment plants. Environmental Science and Technology, 59 (13), 6825-6838. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c00425

Occurrence, removal, and risk assessment of antimicrobials and their transformation products in effluent from Australian wastewater treatment plants

2025

Journal Article

Bridging knowledge gaps in human chemical exposure via drinking water with non-target screening

Ciccarelli, Davide, Samanipour, Saer, Rapp-Wright, Helena, Bieber, Stefan, Letzel, Thomas, O’Brien, Jake W., Marczylo, Tim, Gant, Timothy W., Vineis, Paolo and Barron, Leon P. (2025). Bridging knowledge gaps in human chemical exposure via drinking water with non-target screening. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 55 (3), 190-214. doi: 10.1080/10643389.2024.2396690

Bridging knowledge gaps in human chemical exposure via drinking water with non-target screening

2024

Journal Article

National survey of the occurrence of antimicrobial agents in Australian wastewater and their socioeconomic correlates

Li, Jinglong, O’Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., He, Chang, Shimko, Katja M., Shao, Xueting, Zhai, Naixiang, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2024). National survey of the occurrence of antimicrobial agents in Australian wastewater and their socioeconomic correlates. Nature Water, 2 (12) 140587, 1166-1177. doi: 10.1038/s44221-024-00349-9

National survey of the occurrence of antimicrobial agents in Australian wastewater and their socioeconomic correlates

2024

Journal Article

Wastewater‐based evaluation of the efficacy of oxycodone regulations in Australia

Verhagen, Rory, Gerber, Cobus, Thai, Phong K., Connor, Jason, Loveday, Bill, Bade, Richard, O'Brien, Jake, Jaunay, Emma L., Simpson, Bradley S., Chan, Gary, Hall, Wayne, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Tscharke, Benjamin J. (2024). Wastewater‐based evaluation of the efficacy of oxycodone regulations in Australia. Addiction, 119 (12), 2153-2161. doi: 10.1111/add.16653

Wastewater‐based evaluation of the efficacy of oxycodone regulations in Australia

2024

Journal Article

Application of design of experiment for quantification of 71 new psychoactive substances in influent wastewater

Nadarajan, Dhayaalini, O’Brien, Jake, Cresswell, Sarah, Kele, Ben, Mueller, Jochen and Bade, Richard (2024). Application of design of experiment for quantification of 71 new psychoactive substances in influent wastewater. Analytica Chimica Acta, 1321 343036, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.aca.2024.343036

Application of design of experiment for quantification of 71 new psychoactive substances in influent wastewater

2024

Journal Article

Assessing daily patterns in stimulant use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Melbourne, Australia using wastewater analysis

Chen, Shuo, Bade, Richard, Tscharke, Ben, Hall, Wayne, Thai, Phong, He, Chang, Ahmed, Fahad, Zheng, Qiuda, Choi, Phil M., O'Brien, Jake W. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2024). Assessing daily patterns in stimulant use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Melbourne, Australia using wastewater analysis. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 476 135130, 135130. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135130

Assessing daily patterns in stimulant use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Melbourne, Australia using wastewater analysis

2024

Journal Article

High throughput and sensitive quantitation of tobacco-specific alkaloids and nitrosamines in wastewater

Wang, Zhe, Zheng, Qiuda, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Li, Jinglong, O'Brien, Jake W., Patterson, Brad, Zhao, Zeyang, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Thai, Phong K. (2024). High throughput and sensitive quantitation of tobacco-specific alkaloids and nitrosamines in wastewater. Talanta, 277 126401, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126401

High throughput and sensitive quantitation of tobacco-specific alkaloids and nitrosamines in wastewater

Current funding

  • 2026 - 2030
    Characterising Environmental Chemicals Driving Antimicrobial Resistance
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2025 - 2026
    MOBSTER: Integrating antimicrobial resistance gene mobility analysis into surveillance to estimate risks
    Universities Australia - Germany Joint Research Co-operation Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2027
    National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program
    Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2028
    ARC Training Centre for Hyphenated Analytical Separation Technologies (ARC ITRP administered by the University of Tasmania)
    University of Tasmania
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    Realistic assessment of biomarker transformation in the wastewater system
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2026
    A National Wastewater Surveillance Program for Antimicrobial Resistance
    NHMRC Investigator Grants
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2025
    Understanding Australia by analysing wastewater during the Census 2021
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2022 - 2023
    Assessing the toxicity and metabolism of New Psychoactive Substances and their presence in wastewater
    Universities Australia - Germany Joint Research Co-operation Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    Preliminary investigations relating to the role of cyanobacterial blooms in the amplification and dispersal of antimicrobial resistance
    Melbourne Water Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    Estimating use of tobacco and nicotine products through wastewater analysis
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program
    Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    Revolutionizing real-time genomic epidemiology in urban wastewater systems (ARC Discovery Project administered by the University of Wollongong)
    University of Wollongong
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Measuring community oxidative stress and tobacco consumption levels through wastewater analysis
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    National Wastewater Analysis Capability Project
    Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
    Open grant
  • 2013
    UWA/UQ joint project on sewer epidemiology
    UWA-UQ Bilateral Research Collaboration Award
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Jake O'Brien is:
Available for supervision

Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Dr Jake O'Brien directly for media enquiries about:

  • Illicit drug monitoring in wastewater
  • national wastewater drug monitoring program
  • wastewater

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au