Jasneek Chawla

Associate Professor Chawla is a senior clinician within the Respiratory and Sleep Department at Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH). She founded the Kids Sleep Research Group at the Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland (CHRC-UQ), and plays a pivotal role in embedding research within the clinical department to ensure meaningful impact for patients.​

Associate Professor Chawla’s research is deeply informed by her clinical practice and interactions with her patients and their families. Her PhD focused on evaluating the impact of sleep interventions on functional, cognitive and behavioural outcomes in children with Down syndrome and was supported by three fellowships. This formed the foundation of her interest in improving sleep for children with medical complexity. Over time, this has expanded to encompass broader efforts to enhance healthcare delivery and advocate for optimal care for these children and their families. As a result, A/Prof Chawla has strong partnerships with multiple disability consumer support organisations, is part of the leadership group for the UQ Disability Collaboratory and has been appointed as a board director for the not-for-profit organisation Child UnLimited .​

Associate Professor Chawla’s contributions have been recognised through multiple nominations for excellence in research awards at Children’s Health Queensland and UQ over the past three years, and she was a finalist for the Women in Technology QLD Emerging Achiever in Science award in 2022. In 2024 alone, she published 11 peer-reviewed papers while maintaining a 50% clinical role, contributing to a total of 44 peer-reviewed publications, 500 citations, and an h-index of 10.​ In 2025 A/Prof Chawla has received the Children’s Health Queensland Excellence in Research Award, and the 2025 Young Tall Poppy Science Awards.

Associate Professor Chawla has cultivated strong collaborative relationships with clinical teams at QCH, academic institutions, and clinician-researchers across Australia. Her leadership in MRFF-NHMRC funded research is complemented by support from philanthropic organisations such as Down Syndrome Queensland (DSQ) and industry partners including Fisher and Paykel and Sonomedical. She has extensive experience engaging with consumer organisations and has pioneered innovative methods to involve children and families in research, ensuring their voices are central to the process.​

Nationally, Associate Professor Chawla was elected as President of the Australasian Sleep Association (2024–2028), representing the sleep professional community, advocating for consumers, and contributing to the organisation’s strategic direction. Over the past three years, she has been invited to speak at major international and national conferences, including the International Paediatric Sleep Association Conference, the World Down Syndrome Congress, and the Australasian Society of Head and Neck Surgery Annual Conference.​

She regularly reviews for scientific journals and conferences, has served as a guest editor for Frontiers in Sleep, and is a senior editor for the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. Her commitment to mentorship is evident in her supervision of paediatric advanced trainees, medical and allied health students (6–10 annually), and her role as primary supervisor for a higher degree research student. She also supports industry placements for PhD students and mentors through the UQ Women in Leadership Course and the Child Unlimited Youth Mentorship Program.​