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)

41 - 60 of 213 works

2023

Journal Article

A wastewater‐based evaluation of the effectiveness of codeine control measures in Australia

Tscharke, Benjamin J., O’Brien, Jake W., Ahmed, Fahad, Ngyuen, Lynn, Ghetia, Maulik, Chan, Gary, Thai, Phong, Gerber, Cobus, Bade, Richard, Mueller, Jochen, Thomas, Kevin V., White, Jason and Hall, Wayne (2023). A wastewater‐based evaluation of the effectiveness of codeine control measures in Australia. Addiction, 118 (3), 480-488. doi: 10.1111/add.16083

A wastewater‐based evaluation of the effectiveness of codeine control measures in Australia

2023

Journal Article

There's something in the air: a review of sources, prevalence and behaviour of microplastics in the atmosphere

O'Brien, Stacey, Rauert, Cassandra, Ribeiro, Francisca, Okoffo, Elvis D., Burrows, Stephen D., O'Brien, Jake W., Wang, Xianyu, Wright, Stephanie L. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). There's something in the air: a review of sources, prevalence and behaviour of microplastics in the atmosphere. Science of the Total Environment, 874 162193, 1-33. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162193

There's something in the air: a review of sources, prevalence and behaviour of microplastics in the atmosphere

2023

Journal Article

In-sample stability of 52 performance- and image-enhancing drug biomarkers in wastewater

Shimko, Katja M., O’Brien, Jake W., Lin, Xialu, Tscharke, Benjamin J. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). In-sample stability of 52 performance- and image-enhancing drug biomarkers in wastewater. ACS ES and T Water, 3 (3), 669-678. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.2c00393

In-sample stability of 52 performance- and image-enhancing drug biomarkers in wastewater

2023

Journal Article

National wastewater reconnaissance of analgesic consumption in Australia

Ahmed, Fahad, Tscharke, Benjamin, O’Brien, Jake W., Hall, Wayne D., Cabot, Peter J., Sowa, P. Marcin, Samanipour, Saer and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). National wastewater reconnaissance of analgesic consumption in Australia. Environmental Science and Technology, 57 (4), 1712-1720. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06691

National wastewater reconnaissance of analgesic consumption in Australia

2022

Journal Article

From molecular descriptors to intrinsic fish toxicity of chemicals: An alternative approach to chemical prioritization

Samanipour, Saer, O’Brien, Jake W., Reid, Malcolm J., Thomas, Kevin V. and Praetorius, Antonia (2022). From molecular descriptors to intrinsic fish toxicity of chemicals: An alternative approach to chemical prioritization. Environmental Science and Technology, 57 (46), 17950-17958. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c07353

From molecular descriptors to intrinsic fish toxicity of chemicals: An alternative approach to chemical prioritization

2022

Journal Article

The NORMAN Suspect List Exchange (NORMAN-SLE): facilitating European and worldwide collaboration on suspect screening in high resolution mass spectrometry

Mohammed Taha, Hiba, Aalizadeh, Reza, Alygizakis, Nikiforos, Antignac, Jean-Philippe, Arp, Hans Peter H., Bade, Richard, Baker, Nancy, Belova, Lidia, Bijlsma, Lubertus, Bolton, Evan E., Brack, Werner, Celma, Alberto, Chen, Wen-Ling, Cheng, Tiejun, Chirsir, Parviel, Čirka, Ľuboš, D’Agostino, Lisa A., Djoumbou Feunang, Yannick, Dulio, Valeria, Fischer, Stellan, Gago-Ferrero, Pablo, Galani, Aikaterini, Geueke, Birgit, Głowacka, Natalia, Glüge, Juliane, Groh, Ksenia, Grosse, Sylvia, Haglund, Peter, Hakkinen, Pertti J. ... Schymanski, Emma L. (2022). The NORMAN Suspect List Exchange (NORMAN-SLE): facilitating European and worldwide collaboration on suspect screening in high resolution mass spectrometry. Environmental Sciences Europe, 34 (1) 104, 104. doi: 10.1186/s12302-022-00680-6

The NORMAN Suspect List Exchange (NORMAN-SLE): facilitating European and worldwide collaboration on suspect screening in high resolution mass spectrometry

2022

Journal Article

Refining the estimation of amphetamine consumption by wastewater-based epidemiology

Gao, Jianfa, Burgard, Daniel A., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Lai, Foon Yin, O'Brien, Jake W., Nguyen, Hien D., Zheng, Qiuda, Li, Jiaying, Du, Peng, Li, Xiqing, Wang, Degao, Castiglioni, Sara, Cruz-Cruz, Copytzy, Baz-Lomba, Jose Antonio, Yargeau, Viviane, Emke, Erik, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Thai, Phong K. (2022). Refining the estimation of amphetamine consumption by wastewater-based epidemiology. Water Research, 225 119182, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119182

Refining the estimation of amphetamine consumption by wastewater-based epidemiology

2022

Conference Publication

Prevalence and emergence of steroidal and non-steroidal anabolic agents in the Australian community measured through wastewater analysis

Shimko, Katja M., O’Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Brooker, Lance, Goebel, Catrin, Shiels, Ryan, Speers, Noami, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2022). Prevalence and emergence of steroidal and non-steroidal anabolic agents in the Australian community measured through wastewater analysis. 30th meeting of SFTA - 59th meeting of TIAFT, Versailles, France, 5-8 September 2022. Issy les Moulineaux, France: Elsevier Masson. doi: 10.1016/j.toxac.2022.06.010

Prevalence and emergence of steroidal and non-steroidal anabolic agents in the Australian community measured through wastewater analysis

2022

Journal Article

Socioeconomic status and public health in Australia: A wastewater-based study

Rousis, Nikolaos I., Li, Zhe, Bade, Richard, McLachlan, Michael S., Mueller, Jochen F., O'Brien, Jake W., Samanipour, Saer, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Thomaidis, Nikolaos S. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2022). Socioeconomic status and public health in Australia: A wastewater-based study. Environment International, 167 107436, 107436. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107436

Socioeconomic status and public health in Australia: A wastewater-based study

2022

Conference Publication

Pills & Pee: Using triangulated survey and wastewater data to understand patterns of illicit drug use among Australian music festival attendees

Puljevic, Cheneal, Wessel, Ellen Leslie, Francis, Cameron, Tregoning, Will, Measham, Fiona, Page, Rob, Blakey, Karen, Hiley, Sarah, Eassey, Chris, McKinnon, Ginny, Sinclair, Genevieve, Fry, Jacob, Blatchford, Emily, Engel, Liam, Stowe, M.J., Norvill, Alice, Buckley, Jeff, Ferris, Jason, Barrett, Monica, Tscharke, Ben, Verhagen, Rory, O'Brien, Jake and Bade, Richard (2022). Pills & Pee: Using triangulated survey and wastewater data to understand patterns of illicit drug use among Australian music festival attendees. The Australian Winter School, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 18-19 August 2022.

Pills & Pee: Using triangulated survey and wastewater data to understand patterns of illicit drug use among Australian music festival attendees

2022

Journal Article

Urea hydrolysis and long-term storage of source-separated urine for reuse as fertiliser is insufficient for the removal of anthropogenic micropollutants

Monetti, Juliette, Nieradzik, Ludwika, Freguia, Stefano, Choi, Phil M., O'Brien, Jake W., Thomas, Kevin V. and Ledezma, Pablo (2022). Urea hydrolysis and long-term storage of source-separated urine for reuse as fertiliser is insufficient for the removal of anthropogenic micropollutants. Water Research, 222 118891, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118891

Urea hydrolysis and long-term storage of source-separated urine for reuse as fertiliser is insufficient for the removal of anthropogenic micropollutants

2022

Journal Article

Back-estimation of norovirus infections through wastewater-based epidemiology: a systematic review and parameter sensitivity

Guo, Ying, Li, Jiaying, O'Brien, Jake, Sivakumar, Muttucumaru and Jiang, Guangming (2022). Back-estimation of norovirus infections through wastewater-based epidemiology: a systematic review and parameter sensitivity. Water Research, 219 118610, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118610

Back-estimation of norovirus infections through wastewater-based epidemiology: a systematic review and parameter sensitivity

2022

Journal Article

SARS-CoV-2 shedding sources in wastewater and implications for wastewater-based epidemiology

Li, Xuan, Kulandaivelu, Jagadeeshkumar, Guo, Ying, Zhang, Shuxin, Shi, Jiahua, O'Brien, Jake, Arora, Sudipti, Kumar, Manish, Sherchan, Samendra P., Honda, Ryo, Jackson, Greg, Luby, Stephen P. and Jiang, Guangming (2022). SARS-CoV-2 shedding sources in wastewater and implications for wastewater-based epidemiology. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 432 128667, 128667. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128667

SARS-CoV-2 shedding sources in wastewater and implications for wastewater-based epidemiology

2022

Journal Article

The message on the bottle: rethinking plastic labelling to better encourage sustainable use

Burrows, Stephen D., Ribeiro, Francisca, O'Brien, Stacey, Okoffo, Elvis, Toapanta, Tania, Charlton, Nathan, Kaserzon, Sarit, Lin, Chun-Yin, Tang, Cheng, Rauert, Cassandra, Wang, Xianyu, Shimko, Katja, O'Brien, Jake, Townsend, Piers A., Grayson, Matthew N., Galloway, Tamara and Thomas, Kevin V. (2022). The message on the bottle: rethinking plastic labelling to better encourage sustainable use. Environmental Science and Policy, 132, 109-118. doi: 10.1016/j.envsci.2022.02.015

The message on the bottle: rethinking plastic labelling to better encourage sustainable use

2022

Journal Article

A nationwide wastewater-based assessment of metformin consumption across Australia

Yang, Dan, Zheng, Qiuda, Thai, Phong, Ahmed, Fahad, O'Brien, Jake W., Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin V. and Tscharke, Ben (2022). A nationwide wastewater-based assessment of metformin consumption across Australia. Environment International, 165 107282, 107282. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107282

A nationwide wastewater-based assessment of metformin consumption across Australia

2022

Journal Article

Background release and potential point sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to municipal wastewater treatment plants across Australia

Nguyen, Hue T., McLachlan, Michael S., Tscharke, Ben, Thai, Phong, Braeunig, Jennifer, Kaserzon, Sarit, O'Brien, Jake W. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2022). Background release and potential point sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to municipal wastewater treatment plants across Australia. Chemosphere, 293 133657, 133657. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133657

Background release and potential point sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to municipal wastewater treatment plants across Australia

2022

Journal Article

Does size matter? Quantification of plastics associated with size fractionated biosolids

Okoffo, Elvis D., O'Brien, Stacey, O'Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Rauert, Cassandra, Rødland, Elisabeth S., Ribeiro, Francisca, Burrows, Stephen D., Toapanta, Tania, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2022). Does size matter? Quantification of plastics associated with size fractionated biosolids. Science of The Total Environment, 811 152382, 152382. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152382

Does size matter? Quantification of plastics associated with size fractionated biosolids

2022

Journal Article

Naive Bayes classification model for isotopologue detection in LC-HRMS data

van Herwerden, Denice, O'Brien, Jake W., Choi, Phil M., Thomas, Kevin V., Schoenmakers, Peter J. and Samanipour, Saer (2022). Naive Bayes classification model for isotopologue detection in LC-HRMS data. Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, 223 104515, 104515. doi: 10.1016/j.chemolab.2022.104515

Naive Bayes classification model for isotopologue detection in LC-HRMS data

2022

Journal Article

Analytical performance comparison of four SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR primer-probe sets for wastewater samples

Zhang, Shuxin, Li, Xuan, Shi, Jiahua, Sivakumar, Muttucumaru, Luby, Stephen, O'Brien, Jake and Jiang, Guangming (2022). Analytical performance comparison of four SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR primer-probe sets for wastewater samples. Science of the Total Environment, 806 (Pt 2) 150572, 150572. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150572

Analytical performance comparison of four SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR primer-probe sets for wastewater samples

2022

Journal Article

In-sewer stability assessment of anabolic steroids and selective androgen receptor modulators

Shimko, Katja M., O’Brien, Jake W., Li, Jiaying, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Brooker, Lance, Thai, Phong K., Choi, Phil M., Samanipour, Saer and Thomas, Kevin V. (2022). In-sewer stability assessment of anabolic steroids and selective androgen receptor modulators. Environmental Science and Technology, 56 (3) acs.est.1c03047, 1627-1638. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c03047

In-sewer stability assessment of anabolic steroids and selective androgen receptor modulators

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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