Overview
Background
Professor Ruth E. Hubbard is the leading frailty expert in Australia, with dual clinical and research leadership roles.
As the Director of General and Geriatric Medicine & Consultant Geriatrician at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, Queensland, she has led the establishment of frailty-focused models of care including a peri-operative geriatric medicine service, geriatrician-led care in the Emergency Department and specialised dementia care wards for people with challenging behaviours.
As Masonic Chair of Geriatric Medicine at The University of Queensland, she created the Australian Frailty Network, a national partnership of researchers, clinicians, professional associations and consumers, with the vision of delivering a national response to frailty that enables frailty-informed care for all older Australians.
Prof Hubbard has generated $43mill funding, more than 200 publications, 100 conference appearances, eight book chapters and Consensus Statements supporting national and international policy.
She qualified from St. Mary’s Hospital, London and trained in Cardiff, Wales, completing an MSc in Medical Education and an MD on frailty pathophysiology before undertaking a post-doctoral fellowship in Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia.
Availability
- Professor Ruth Hubbard is:
- Not available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine Surgery, Imperial College
- Masters (Coursework) of Science, Cardiff University
- Doctoral Diploma of Medicine, Cardiff University
- Bachelor of Science, Imperial College
Research interests
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The Australian Frailty Network
The Australian Frailty Network (AFN) was established in 2023 to address frailty across the Australian population. This pioneering initiative integrates research, education, policy advocacy, and practice into a cohesive strategy to improve health outcomes for people living with frailty. This research is funded by an MRFF Dementia Ageing and Aged Care Grant ($5M) Funding period: 2022 - 2027 Role: Lead, Chief Investigator A
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FITTEST Trial
The AFN’s flagship clinical trial FITTEST will test if a multi-domain approach to the care of mildly frail older adults will be better than a self-directed program in attenuating the progress of frailty. The trial aims to recruit 390 participants from geriatric medicine clinics across Australia. Ethics approval was obtained in early November, with the first participant expected to be randomised in July 2024.
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Derivation, Validation and Implementation of a Digital Frailty Index for Acute Care Settings in Queensland
Older people in hospital are at high risk of adverse outcomes, a vulnerability commonly referred to as frailty. In community-dwelling older people, frailty status can be measured precisely with a Frailty Index score. We are currently leading a research programme to develop a Frailty Index from hospital electronic medical records. This would assist clinicians to identify vulnerable older inpatients, improving their care in the acute setting. This research is funded by an NHMRC Partnership Grant ($1.5M) with Queensland Health Funding period: 2024 - 2029 Role: Lead, Chief Investigator A
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The ReFIT Study: Reversing Frailty through Transplantation
This program will provide new insights into the causes of frailty by comparing biological data in older people who are frail, with younger people before and after a kidney transplant. The study is a collaboration between several clinical units at the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) and aims to recruit 100 transplant candidates from the PAH Kidney Transplant Service, and 50 older participants from PAH outpatient clinics. This research is funded by an NHMRC Ideas Grant ($1.6M) Funding period: 2023 - 2026 Role: Lead, Chief Investigator A
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Frailty ADD: Improving Hospital Outcomes for Frail Patients Across Different Disciplines
This Centre of Research Excellence unites four nodes (in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth) where Australia's strongest academic geriatricians have partnered with discipline experts to build clinical and research programs. lt will investigate the relationship between frailty, medication utilisation and global health outcomes and develop a core outcome set of patient-important outcomes that can be used for all frailty research in any discipline. This new knowledge will be transferred to policy and practice by championing practice change initiatives, piloting implementation studies across different disciplines that will be nested in our Frailty Research and Translation Framework and providing frailty education and training for health care professionals. The CRE will establish a cutting-edge capacity building scaffold to train the next generation of health and medical researchers with the potential to become leaders in their fields. This research is funded by an NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence ($2.5M) with additional strategic funding from UQ ($500k) Funding period: 2022 - 2027 Role: Lead, Chief Investigator A
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The GOAL Trial
This cluster randomised controlled trial will test whether Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment by a geriatrician can help frail older patients with CKD improve their health and wellbeing and achieve their own goals. Uniting geriatricians and nephrologists in a cross-disciplinary collaboration for the first time at 15 hospital sites across Australia, the last participant was recruited mid-2023. Follow up is for 12 months and results will be reported in 2025. This research is funded by an NHMRC Targeted Call for Research ($1.6M) Funding period: 2020 - 2025 Role: Lead, Chief Investigator A
Works
Search Professor Ruth Hubbard’s works on UQ eSpace
2026
Journal Article
The relationship between sublingual microcirculatory structure and frailty in renal transplant candidates: exploring tortuosity & endothelial glycocalyx biomarkers
Homes, Ryan A. P., Payne, Trent, Giddens, Fiona, Francis, Ross S., Hubbard, Ruth E., Gordon, Emily H. and Midwinter, Mark J. (2026). The relationship between sublingual microcirculatory structure and frailty in renal transplant candidates: exploring tortuosity & endothelial glycocalyx biomarkers. Microcirculation, 33 (5) e70072, 1-9. doi: 10.1111/micc.70072
2026
Journal Article
A cluster randomized controlled trial (GOAL trial) evaluated a comprehensive geriatric assessment for frail older people with chronic kidney disease
Logan, Benignus, Viecelli, Andrea K., Johnson, David W., Comans, Tracy, Gordon, Emily H., Gray, Leonard C., Hawley, Carmel M., Hickey, Laura E., Janda, Monika, Jaure, Allison, Jose, Matthew D., Kiriwandeniya, Charani, Matsuyama, Misa, Mihala, Gabor, Nguyen, Kim-Huong, Pascoe, Elaine M., Paul-Brent, Peta-Anne, Pole, Jason D., Polkinghorne, Kevan R., Pond, Constance D., Raj, Rajesh, Reidlinger, Donna M., Scholes-Robertson, Nicole, Valks, Andrea, Wong, Germaine, Hubbard, Ruth E. and GOAL Trial Investigators (2026). A cluster randomized controlled trial (GOAL trial) evaluated a comprehensive geriatric assessment for frail older people with chronic kidney disease. Kidney International. doi: 10.1016/j.kint.2026.05.015
2026
Conference Publication
Remoteness and frailty in patients admitted to Queensland public hospitals: A population-based analysis using routine clinical data
Drak, Douglas, Tornvall, Ida, Andem, Shreeya, Hubbard, Ruth Eleanor and Ward, David (2026). Remoteness and frailty in patients admitted to Queensland public hospitals: A population-based analysis using routine clinical data. HOBOKEN: WILEY.
2026
Conference Publication
Evaluating goals in frail older adults with cancer
Fletcher, James, Reid, Natasha, Logan, Benignus, Ladwa, Rahul, Berry, Robyn, Weston, Michelle and Hubbard, Ruth Eleanor (2026). Evaluating goals in frail older adults with cancer. HOBOKEN: WILEY.
2026
Conference Publication
Disease-related & age-related frailty: A machine learning approach to characterising frailty by aetiology
Payne, Trent, Hubbard, Ruth Eleanor, Gordon, Emily, Shaw, Alyra, Midwinter, Mark and Francis, Ross (2026). Disease-related & age-related frailty: A machine learning approach to characterising frailty by aetiology. HOBOKEN: WILEY.
2026
Conference Publication
Measuring frailty at scale: Development and validation of an electronic frailty index for Queensland Health hospitals
Ward, David D., Drak, Douglas, Tornvall, Ida, Andem, Shreeya, Fujita, Kenji, Hilmer, Sarah N. and Hubbard, Ruth Eleanor (2026). Measuring frailty at scale: Development and validation of an electronic frailty index for Queensland Health hospitals. HOBOKEN: WILEY.
2026
Conference Publication
Preliminary usability and acceptability of a digital frailty prevention website for older adults: A qualitative evaluation using the Kirkpatrick model
Reid, Natasha, Milburn, Paris, Young, Adrienne M., Burrows, Jessica, Fitzgerald, Keara, Rowlands, Meg, Valdinocci, Michael, Witherspoon, Edward, Purcell, William and Hubbard, Ruth Eleanor (2026). Preliminary usability and acceptability of a digital frailty prevention website for older adults: A qualitative evaluation using the Kirkpatrick model. HOBOKEN: WILEY.
2026
Conference Publication
Frailty is associated with earlier dementia onset: Evidence from the Rush Memory and Aging Project
Strating, Tom R., Haapanen, Markus J., Ma, Ding, Gordon, Emily H., Rockwood, Kenneth, Hubbard, Ruth Eleanor and Ward, David D. (2026). Frailty is associated with earlier dementia onset: Evidence from the Rush Memory and Aging Project. 2026 ANZSGM Annual Scientific Meeting, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 23–26 Jue 2026. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. doi: 10.1111/ajag.70171
2026
Conference Publication
An infrastructure-enabled model of care for cognitively impaired older inpatients improved care while reducing patient-to-staff violence rates
Graham, Frederick, Gordon, Emily H., Kelly, Lisa, Fullerton, Fiona, Patton, Jenny and Hubbard, Ruth E. (2026). An infrastructure-enabled model of care for cognitively impaired older inpatients improved care while reducing patient-to-staff violence rates. 2026 ANZSGM Annual Scientific Meeting, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 23–26 June 2026. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
2026
Conference Publication
Gender differences in knowledge, self-efficacy beliefs, and information preferences for mild cognitive impairment and dementia among adults aged 40 and above: A mixed methods study
Martin, Jissa, Reid, Natasha, Ward, David, King, Shannon, Hubbard, Ruth Eleanor and Gordon, Emily (2026). Gender differences in knowledge, self-efficacy beliefs, and information preferences for mild cognitive impairment and dementia among adults aged 40 and above: A mixed methods study. HOBOKEN: WILEY.
2026
Conference Publication
Safety in focus: Building a statewide hospital framework for dementia-related aggression
Graham, Frederick, Whiting, Elizabeth, Downey, Madeline, Hines, Laureen and Hubbard, Ruth E. (2026). Safety in focus: Building a statewide hospital framework for dementia-related aggression. 2026 ANZSGM Annual Scientific Meeting, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 23–26 June 2026. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
2026
Journal Article
Delirium predicts nursing home admission in individuals with and without dementia: A matched cohort study in the UK Biobank
Haapanen, Markus J., Ward, David D., Ma, Ding, Gordon, Emily H., Rockwood, Kenneth and Hubbard, Ruth Eleanor (2026). Delirium predicts nursing home admission in individuals with and without dementia: A matched cohort study in the UK Biobank. Australasian Journal On Ageing, 55 (5). doi: 10.1093/ageing/afag151
2026
Conference Publication
Comprehensive geriatric assessment for frail older people living with chronic kidney disease-A cluster randomised controlled trial (the GOAL trial)
Logan, Benignus, Viecelli, Andrea K., Johnson, David W., Comans, Tracy, Gordon, Emily, Gray, Len, Hawley, Carmel, Hickey, Laura, Janda, Monika, Jaure, Allison, Jose, Matthew, Kiriwandeniya, Charani, Matsuyama, Misa, Mihala, Gabor, Nguyen, Kim-Huong, Pascoe, Elaine, Paul-Brent, Peta-Anne, Pole, Jason, Polkinghorne, Kevan, Pond, Constance, Raj, Rajesh, Reidlinger, Donna, Scholes-Robertson, Nicole, Valks, Andrea, Wong, Germaine and Hubbard, Ruth Eleanor (2026). Comprehensive geriatric assessment for frail older people living with chronic kidney disease-A cluster randomised controlled trial (the GOAL trial). 2026 ANZSGM Annual Scientific Meeting, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 23–26 June 2026. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
2026
Conference Publication
Sleepless in a geriatric rehabilitation unit: A hidden burden in older inpatients
Dunstan, Olivia B. Ogilvy, Young, Adrienne, Hubbard, Ruth Eleanor and Ellender, Claire M. (2026). Sleepless in a geriatric rehabilitation unit: A hidden burden in older inpatients. HOBOKEN: WILEY.
2026
Journal Article
Using kidney transplantation to explore epigenetic markers of frailty
Yang, Y., Giddens, F., Neupane, S., Tran, L., Tannenberg, R., Reid, N., Hubbard, R. E., Shaw, A., Francis, R. S., Gratten, J. and Gordon, E. H. (2026). Using kidney transplantation to explore epigenetic markers of frailty. GeroScience. doi: 10.1007/s11357-026-02344-2
2026
Journal Article
Important outcomes for patients with frailty admitted to hospital with peripheral arterial disease, their caregivers and their health professionals: a Nominal Group Technique study
Gordon, E. H., Young, A. M., Wu, D., Muller, J., Hubbard, R. E. and Ludlow, K. (2026). Important outcomes for patients with frailty admitted to hospital with peripheral arterial disease, their caregivers and their health professionals: a Nominal Group Technique study. Geriatric Nursing, 70 104068, 104068. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2026.104068
2026
Journal Article
Delirium and incident nursing home admission among people with and without dementia
Haapanen, Markus J., Ward, David D., Ma, Ding, Gordon, Emily H., Rockwood, Kenneth and Hubbard, Ruth E. (2026). Delirium and incident nursing home admission among people with and without dementia. Age and Ageing, 55 (5) afag151. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afag151
2026
Journal Article
ABSTRACT NUMBER: ESOC2026A276 IMPACT OF FRAILTY ON EFFECTS OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE TREATMENT ON STROKE
Chen, Linan, Harris, Katie, Chen, Xiaoying, Anderson, Craig, Chalmers, John, Rockwood, Kenneth, Ward, David, Hubbard, Ruth, Jenkins, Christine, Wang, Ruirui, Williamson, Jeff, Woodward, Mark and Peters, Ruth (2026). ABSTRACT NUMBER: ESOC2026A276 IMPACT OF FRAILTY ON EFFECTS OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE TREATMENT ON STROKE. European Stroke Journal, 11 (Supplement_1), i12-i12. doi: 10.1093/esj/aakag023.017
2026
Journal Article
Australian consensus statement on the prevention and management of frailty among community‐dwelling older adults: A modified Delphi study
Chopra, Sakshi (Australian Frailty Network Working Group), Tornvall, Ida (Australian Frailty Network Working Group), Reid, Natasha (Australian Frailty Network Working Group), Whiting, Elizabeth (Australian Frailty Network Working Group), Hilmer, Sarah N., Job, Jenny (Australian Frailty Network Working Group), Villani, Anthony, Maiorana, Andrew J., Morgan, Mark, Fox, Sarah (Australian Frailty Network Working Group), Young, Adrienne (Australian Frailty Network Working Group), Gibson, Caroline, Reidlinger, Donna M. (Australian Frailty Network Working Group), Burton, Elissa, Gordon, Emily H. (Australian Frailty Network Working Group), Baker, James, Shafiee Hanjani, Leila (Australian Frailty Network Working Group), Kouladjian O’Donnell, Lisa, Sim, Marc, Miller, Michelle, Dampney, Peta, Levinger, Pazit, King, Shannon (Australian Frailty Network Working Group), Hubbard, Ruth E. (Australian Frailty Network Working Group) and Australian Frailty Network Working Group (2026). Australian consensus statement on the prevention and management of frailty among community‐dwelling older adults: A modified Delphi study. Medical Journal of Australia, 224 (5) e70182, 1-13. doi: 10.5694/mja2.70182
2026
Journal Article
ReFIT study (reversing frailty in transplantation): protocol for a longitudinal study to assess clinical and biomedical changes in frailty through kidney transplantation
Payne, Trent, Shaw, Alyra, Shafiee Hanjani, Leila, Homes, Ryan, Giddens, Fiona, Ravuri, Halley Gora, Yap, Chloe X., Walsh, James, Kumar, Vinod, Garton, Fleur C., Rhee, Handoo, Huang, Alan, Francis, Ross S., Reid, Natasha, McAdams-DeMarco, Mara, Gordon, Emily, Midwinter, Mark and Hubbard, Ruth (2026). ReFIT study (reversing frailty in transplantation): protocol for a longitudinal study to assess clinical and biomedical changes in frailty through kidney transplantation. BMJ Open, 16 (3) e100158, 1-13. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-100158
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Ruth Hubbard is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment: How does it work and what are the key active ingredients?
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Monika Janda
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Doctor Philosophy
Organ transplantation and frailty
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Emily Gordon, Professor Mark Morrison
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Doctor Philosophy
Addressing frailty in older people with haematological malignancies
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Emily Gordon, Dr Natasha Reid, Associate Professor Peter Mollee
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Doctor Philosophy
Addressing Frailty in Older Adults with Solid Organ Malignancies
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Natasha Reid
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Doctor Philosophy
A life course approach to frailty: its biopsychosocial determinants and impact on dementia and other ageing-related outcomes
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Emily Gordon, Dr David Ward
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Doctor Philosophy
Sleepless in the GARU?
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Adrienne Young, Associate Professor Claire Ellender
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Doctor Philosophy
The development, validation and implementation of an electronic frailty index (eFI)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr David Ward
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Doctor Philosophy
Core outcomes in frail inpatients.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kristiana Ludlow, Dr Sakshi Chopra, Associate Professor Emily Gordon
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Doctor Philosophy
Improving emergency care for older people
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Frederick Graham
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Master Philosophy
Pharyngolaryngectomies: reconstructive options, short and long-term patient outcomes, and the impact of pre-operative frailty
Associate Advisor
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Master Philosophy
Frailty assessment in patients with multiple myeloma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Peter Mollee
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Doctor Philosophy
Organ transplantation as a model for reversible frailty (ReFIT): robustness and resilience.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ross Francis, Professor Mark Midwinter, Associate Professor Emily Gordon
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Doctor Philosophy
CHAMP: a co-creation of a comprehensive health assessment and management plan for younger people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Emily Gordon, Dr Kristiana Ludlow
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Master Philosophy
Bridging Frailty and Dementia: A Causal Exploration of Risk Pathways and Life Course Dynamics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr David Ward
Completed supervision
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Frailty and goals of care in older people living with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Hon Assoc Professor Andrea Viecelli
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Increasing Adherence for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Usage in Vulnerable Australian Populations with Sleep Apnoea.
Principal Advisor
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Sex differences in frailty: The Frailty Index and the male-female health-survival paradox.
Principal Advisor
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2019
Master Philosophy
Gait speed and frailty status in relation to adverse outcomes in geriatric rehabilitation
Principal Advisor
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2026
Doctor Philosophy
Transitions from mild cognitive impairment to dementia: sex and gender differences in risk factors and health information needs
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Natasha Reid, Dr David Ward, Associate Professor Emily Gordon
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Analysis of Microcirculatory Health Measures and Frailty in Potential Renal Transplant Recipients: A Machine Learning Approach
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Emily Gordon, Professor Mark Midwinter
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Optimising prescribing in frail older people
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lisa Nissen
Media
Enquiries
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