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 150 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

213 works between 2011 and 2025
All (213) Journal Article (162) Book Chapter (3) Conference Publication (38) Book (1) Other Outputs (9)

21 - 40 of 213 works

2024

Journal Article

A review of wastewater-based epidemiology for antimicrobial resistance surveillance

Clarke, Leah M., O’Brien, Jake W., Murray, Aimee K., Gaze, William H. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2024). A review of wastewater-based epidemiology for antimicrobial resistance surveillance. Journal of Environmental Exposure Assessment, 3 (1) 7, 1-18. doi: 10.20517/jeea.2023.29

A review of wastewater-based epidemiology for antimicrobial resistance surveillance

2024

Journal Article

In-sewer stability of 31 human health biomarkers and suitability for wastewater-based epidemiology

Li, Jiaying, Choi, Phil M., Gao, Jianfa, Ren, Jianan, O'Brien, Jake W., Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F., Thai, Phong K. and Jiang, Guangming (2024). In-sewer stability of 31 human health biomarkers and suitability for wastewater-based epidemiology. Water Research, 249 120978, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120978

In-sewer stability of 31 human health biomarkers and suitability for wastewater-based epidemiology

2024

Journal Article

Analysis of wastewater from 2013 to 2021 detected a recent increase in nicotine use in Queensland, Australia

Wang, Zhe, Zheng, Qiuda, O'Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Chan, Gary, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Thai, Phong K. (2024). Analysis of wastewater from 2013 to 2021 detected a recent increase in nicotine use in Queensland, Australia. Water Research, 250 121040, 121040. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.121040

Analysis of wastewater from 2013 to 2021 detected a recent increase in nicotine use in Queensland, Australia

2023

Journal Article

Wastewater-based epidemiology of Campylobacter spp.: A systematic review and meta-analysis of influent, effluent, and removal of wastewater treatment plants

Zhang, Shuxin, Shi, Jiahua, Li, Xuan, Tiwari, Ananda, Gao, Shuhong, Zhou, Xu, Sun, Xiaoyan, O'Brien, Jake W., Coin, Lachlan, Hai, Faisal and Jiang, Guangming (2023). Wastewater-based epidemiology of Campylobacter spp.: A systematic review and meta-analysis of influent, effluent, and removal of wastewater treatment plants. Science of The Total Environment, 903 166410, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166410

Wastewater-based epidemiology of Campylobacter spp.: A systematic review and meta-analysis of influent, effluent, and removal of wastewater treatment plants

2023

Journal Article

Direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry as a sensitive and high-throughput method for the quantitative surveillance of antimicrobials in wastewater

Li, Jinglong, Shimko, Katja M., He, Chang, Patterson, Brad, Bade, Richard, Shiels, Ryan, Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin V. and O'Brien, Jake W. (2023). Direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry as a sensitive and high-throughput method for the quantitative surveillance of antimicrobials in wastewater. Science of The Total Environment, 900 165825, 1-17. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165825

Direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry as a sensitive and high-throughput method for the quantitative surveillance of antimicrobials in wastewater

2023

Journal Article

Associations between wastewater microbiome and population smoking rate identified using wastewater-based epidemiology

Wu, Jiangping, Zhang, Shuxin, Chen, Yan, Zhao, Jiawei, Prosun, Tanjila, O’Brien, Jake William, Mueller, Jochen F., Tscharke, Ben J., Coin, Lachlan J.M, Luby, Stephen P., Hai, Faisal I., Buchanan, Tanya and Jiang, Guangming (2023). Associations between wastewater microbiome and population smoking rate identified using wastewater-based epidemiology. Environment and Health, 1 (6), 394-404. doi: 10.1021/envhealth.3c00105

Associations between wastewater microbiome and population smoking rate identified using wastewater-based epidemiology

2023

Journal Article

Emergence and occurrence of performance-enhancing substance use in Australia determined by wastewater analysis

Shimko, Katja M., O’Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Brooker, Lance, Goebel, Catrin, Shiels, Ryan, Speers, Naomi, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). Emergence and occurrence of performance-enhancing substance use in Australia determined by wastewater analysis. Nature Water, 1 (10), 1-8. doi: 10.1038/s44221-023-00136-y

Emergence and occurrence of performance-enhancing substance use in Australia determined by wastewater analysis

2023

Journal Article

Triplex qPCR assay for Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli monitoring in wastewater

Zhang, Shuxin, Shi, Jiahua, Li, Xuan, Coin, Lachlan, O'Brien, Jake W., Sivakumar, Muttucumaru, Hai, Faisal and Jiang, Guangming (2023). Triplex qPCR assay for Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli monitoring in wastewater. Science of The Total Environment, 892 164574, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164574

Triplex qPCR assay for Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli monitoring in wastewater

2023

Journal Article

Critical assessment of the chemical space covered by LC–HRMS non-targeted analysis

Hulleman, Tobias, Turkina, Viktoriia, O’Brien, Jake W., Chojnacka, Aleksandra, Thomas, Kevin V. and Samanipour, Saer (2023). Critical assessment of the chemical space covered by LC–HRMS non-targeted analysis. Environmental Science and Technology, 57 (38), 14101-14112. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03606

Critical assessment of the chemical space covered by LC–HRMS non-targeted analysis

2023

Journal Article

ACS ES&T Water Presents the 2022 Excellence in Review Awards

Duan, Xiaoguang, Furukawa, Kenji, Huebner, Uwe, Lai, Bo, Lin, Yuqin, Liu, Chang, Long, Mingce, O'Brien, Jake, Sharma, Virender, Song, Weihua, Wang, Zhiwei, Wurzbacher, Christian, Zhao, Yingxin, Snyder, Shane, Drewes, Jorg, Huang, Ching-Hua, Li, Xin, Yang, Min, Zhang, Judy Huichun and Mills, Margaret (2023). ACS ES&T Water Presents the 2022 Excellence in Review Awards. ACS - ES & T Water, 3 (9), 2809-2809. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.3c00470

ACS ES&T Water Presents the 2022 Excellence in Review Awards

2023

Journal Article

Novel per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances discovered in cattle exposed to AFFF-impacted groundwater

Dewapriya, Pradeep, Nilsson, Sandra, Ghorbani Gorji, Sara, O’Brien, Jake W., Bräunig, Jennifer, Gómez Ramos, María José, Donaldson, Eric, Samanipour, Saer, Martin, Jonathan W., Mueller, Jochen F., Kaserzon, Sarit L. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). Novel per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances discovered in cattle exposed to AFFF-impacted groundwater. Environmental Science and Technology, 57 (36), 13635-13645. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03852

Novel per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances discovered in cattle exposed to AFFF-impacted groundwater

2023

Journal Article

Cumulative neutral loss model for fragment deconvolution in electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry data

van Herwerden, Denice, O’Brien, Jake W., Lege, Sascha, Pirok, Bob W. J., Thomas, Kevin V. and Samanipour, Saer (2023). Cumulative neutral loss model for fragment deconvolution in electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry data. Analytical Chemistry, 95 (33), 12247-12255. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c00896

Cumulative neutral loss model for fragment deconvolution in electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry data

2023

Journal Article

InSpectra – A Platform for Identifying Emerging Chemical Threats

Feraud, Mathieu, O’Brien, Jake W., Samanipour, Saer, Dewapriya, Pradeep, van Herwerden, Denice, Kaserzon, Sarit, Wood, Ian, Rauert, Cassandra and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). InSpectra – A Platform for Identifying Emerging Chemical Threats. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 455 131486, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131486

InSpectra – A Platform for Identifying Emerging Chemical Threats

2023

Book Chapter

Assessment of in-sample and in-sewer stability of biomarkers in wastewater-based epidemiology: an important step

Gao, Jianfa, O'Brien, Jake W., Li, Jiaying, Choi, Phil, Li, Yijing and Thai, Phong K. (2023). Assessment of in-sample and in-sewer stability of biomarkers in wastewater-based epidemiology: an important step. Wastewater-based epidemiology for the assessment of human exposure to environmental pollutants. (pp. 83-122) edited by Mohammad Hadi Dehghani, Rama Rao Karri, Nikolaos Rousis and Emma Gracia-Lor. London, United Kingdom: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-443-19172-5.00001-9

Assessment of in-sample and in-sewer stability of biomarkers in wastewater-based epidemiology: an important step

2023

Journal Article

Monitoring medication and illicit drug consumption in a prison by wastewater-based epidemiology: impact of COVID-19 restrictions

Wang, Zhe, Mueller, Jochen F., O'Brien, Jake W., Thompson, Jack, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Verhagen, Rory, Zheng, Qiuda, Prichard, Jeremy, Hall, Wayne, Humphreys, Keith, Thomas, Kevin V. and Thai, Phong K. (2023). Monitoring medication and illicit drug consumption in a prison by wastewater-based epidemiology: impact of COVID-19 restrictions. Water Research, 244 120452, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120452

Monitoring medication and illicit drug consumption in a prison by wastewater-based epidemiology: impact of COVID-19 restrictions

2023

Journal Article

Wastewater-based monitoring could help guide responses to the USA opioid epidemic

Ahmed, Fahad, O’Brien, Jake W., Keshaviah, Aparna, Hall, Wayne D., Bade, Richard, Tscharke, Benjamin, Matus, Mariana, Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin V. and Burgard, Daniel A. (2023). Wastewater-based monitoring could help guide responses to the USA opioid epidemic. Nature Water, 1 (5), 401-404. doi: 10.1038/s44221-023-00082-9

Wastewater-based monitoring could help guide responses to the USA opioid epidemic

2023

Journal Article

Improving wastewater-based tobacco use estimates using anabasine

Zheng, Qiuda, Gerber, Cobus, Steadman, Kathryn J., Lin, Chun-Yin, Tscharke, Benjamin J., O’Brien, Jake William, Hobson, Peter, Toms, Leisa-Maree, Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin V. and Thai, Phong K. (2023). Improving wastewater-based tobacco use estimates using anabasine. Environmental Science and Technology, 57 (21), 7958-7965. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01510

Improving wastewater-based tobacco use estimates using anabasine

2023

Book Chapter

Population biomarkers for wastewater-based epidemiology

O'Brien, Jake W., Thai, Phong K. and Tscharke, Benjamin J. (2023). Population biomarkers for wastewater-based epidemiology. Wastewater-based epidemiology for the assessment of human exposure to environmental pollutants. (pp. 123-138) edited by Mohammad Hadi Dehghani, Rama Rao Karri, Nikolaos Rousis and Emma Gracia-Lor. London, United Kingdom: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-443-19172-5.00005-6

Population biomarkers for wastewater-based epidemiology

2023

Journal Article

In-sewer decay and partitioning of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli and implications for their wastewater surveillance

Zhang, Shuxin, Shi, Jiahua, Sharma, Elipsha, Li, Xuan, Gao, Shuhong, Zhou, Xu, O'Brien, Jake, Coin, Lachlan, Liu, Yanchen, Sivakumar, Muttucumaru, Hai, Faisal and Jiang, Guangming (2023). In-sewer decay and partitioning of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli and implications for their wastewater surveillance. Water Research, 233 119737, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119737

In-sewer decay and partitioning of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli and implications for their wastewater surveillance

2023

Journal Article

Increased nicotine consumption in Australia during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic

Thai, Phong K, Tscharke, Benjamin J, O’Brien, Jake, Gartner, Coral, Bade, Richard, Gerber, Cobus, White, Jason M, Zheng, Qiuda, Wang, Zhe, Thomas, Kevin V and Mueller, Jochen F (2023). Increased nicotine consumption in Australia during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 25 (6), 1194-1197. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntac275

Increased nicotine consumption in Australia during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic

Current funding

  • 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 - 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 - 2025
    Realistic assessment of biomarker transformation in the wastewater system
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 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

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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

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