Overview
Background
Dr Shakti Shrestha is Deputy Director of Research and Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice and Medicines Management at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Queensland (UQ). His research program focuses on optimising medication use in older people and those with life‑limiting illness, with particular interests in deprescribing, medication safety, dementia and palliative care, quality use of medicines, and the implementation of evidence into practice.
Shakti conceived and co‑led the development of De‑TOPPLE, a deprescribing decision‑support framework designed to improve medication optimisation for older adults with limited life expectancy. He also served as a Research Fellow and Queensland site coordinator for the MRFF‑funded EMBRACE trial, evaluating strategies to enhance the implementation of evidence‑based psychotropic prescribing recommendations in Australian residential aged care. His broader research spans medicines optimisation, medication‑related quality of life, pharmacy practice, health services research, and implementation science, forming a coherent program aimed at reducing medication‑related harm and improving care outcomes for older populations, particularly those with palliative care needs.
He has published widely across ageing, medication safety, deprescribing and pharmacy practice, and received the 2025 Best Publication by an Early Career Researcher Award from the UQ School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. He supervises PhD, postgraduate and undergraduate research projects in medicines optimisation, polypharmacy, deprescribing and medication use in older populations, integrating his research expertise into teaching and research training.
Shakti’s academic and research work is informed by extensive experience across pharmacy practice, clinical research, residential aged care and higher education in Australia, the United Kingdom and Nepal. He was awarded the 2018 Australian Research Training Scholarship for his PhD in Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice at UQ and the 2022 Career Development Scholarship, through which he gained further clinical trail experience across Queensland Hospital and Health Services. He holds a Master of Science in Clinical Pharmacology with Distinction from the University of Aberdeen (UK), and Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences with Distinction from Pokhara University (Nepal). During his Master's training in the UK, he gained research experience working with SITS-ISTR (Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke-International Stroke Thrombolysis Registry) data within NHS Grampian.
Availability
- Dr Shakti Shrestha is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pokhara University
- Masters (Coursework) of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Aberdeen
- Doctor of Philosophy of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Quality Use of Medicines
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Medication optimisation / Deprescribing
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Older adults
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Palliative care
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Dementia
Research impacts
Shakti’s research on deprescribing and medication optimisation has informed clinical guidance, professional education, research tools and implementation approaches for older people with life-limiting illness.
His evidence syntheses on deprescribing have been used beyond academic publication. They have informed a Choosing Wisely Italy recommendation on lipid-lowering therapy in people with limited life expectancy, contributed to the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Making Healthcare Safer IV review, and been incorporated into CareSearch evidence collections supporting palliative-care practice. His work has also been selected by the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (BMJ) to inform practical evidence summaries for healthcare professionals.
Shakti conceived and co-led the development of De-TOPPLE, a person-centred deprescribing framework for older people with limited life expectancy. The framework has been incorporated into professional education, including the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s continuing pharmacy education and hospital-pharmacy education in Spain. He also developed the HATD tool, a validated measure of healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards deprescribing. The tool has been requested for translation and use by researchers internationally and is being used in subsequent intervention research.
Through the MRFF-funded EMBRACE trial, Shakti led implementation research examining how evidence-based recommendations for psychotropic medicine use can be translated into Australian residential aged care. His work with residents, family members and multidisciplinary health professionals identified practical strategies to address barriers to guideline implementation and quality improvement. This research has also been featured in Advanced Pharmacy Australia’s MedsScan, extending its reach to pharmacy professionals and aged-care practice.
Works
Search Professor Shakti Shrestha’s works on UQ eSpace
2021
Journal Article
Prevalence of stroke and stroke risk factors in a south-western community of Nepal
Thapa, Lekhjung, Shrestha, Shakti, Kandu, Rashmi, Ghimire, Mahesh Raj, Ghimire, Sulochana, Chaudhary, Navin Kumar, Pahari, Bishnu, Bhattarai, Suman, Kharel, Ghanshyam, Paudel, Raju, Jalan, Pankaj, Chandra, Avinash, Phuyal, Subash, Adhikari, Bhojraj, Aryal, Nirmal and Kurmi, Om P. (2021). Prevalence of stroke and stroke risk factors in a south-western community of Nepal. Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, 30 (5) 105716, 105716. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2021.105716
2021
Journal Article
Impact of deprescribing dual-purpose medications on patient-related outcomes for older adults near end-of-life: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Shrestha, Shakti, Poudel, Arjun, Cardona, Magnolia, Steadman, Kathryn J. and Nissen, Lisa M. (2021). Impact of deprescribing dual-purpose medications on patient-related outcomes for older adults near end-of-life: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety, 12 204209862110523, 204209862110523. doi: 10.1177/20420986211052343
2021
Conference Publication
Attitude of Australian doctors, nurses and pharmacists towards deprescribing in older adults with limited life expectancy
Shrestha, Shakti, Poudel, Arjun, Reeve, Emily, Linsky, Amy M., Steadman, Kathryn J. and Nissen, Lisa M. (2021). Attitude of Australian doctors, nurses and pharmacists towards deprescribing in older adults with limited life expectancy. APSA 2021 Annual Conference: Pharmacy and pharmaceutical science: rising to the global challenges before us, Online, 6 - 8 December 2021.
2021
Journal Article
Attitudes of ambulatory care older Nepalese patients towards deprescribing and predictors of their willingness to deprescribe
Shrestha, Shakti, Giri, Roshan, Sapkota, Hari Prasad, Danai, Siddhartha Sharma, Saleem, Ahsan, Devkota, Shreeshab, Shrestha, Sagar, Adhikari, Bhojraj and Poudel, Arjun (2021). Attitudes of ambulatory care older Nepalese patients towards deprescribing and predictors of their willingness to deprescribe. Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety, 12 20420986211019309, 204209862110193. doi: 10.1177/20420986211019309
2020
Journal Article
Community pharmacy personnel understanding of antibiotic dispensing in Eastern Nepal
Goswami, Nikita, Dahal, Prasanna, Shrestha, Shakti, KC, Bhuvan and Mallik, Shyam Kumar (2020). Community pharmacy personnel understanding of antibiotic dispensing in Eastern Nepal. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, Volume 13, 1513-1522. doi: 10.2147/rmhp.s264192
2020
Journal Article
Outcome predictors in scrub typhus requiring ventilator and vasopressor support
Adhikari, Shital, Poudel, Ramesh Sharma, Shrestha, Shakti and Bhandari, Nisha (2020). Outcome predictors in scrub typhus requiring ventilator and vasopressor support. Journal of Nepal Health Research Council, 17 (4), 485-490. doi: 10.33314/jnhrc.v17i4.1991
2020
Journal Article
Immense price variation of branded generic medicines in low-income countries: the need for an inclusive price control policy
Poudel, Ramesh Sharma, Shrestha, Shakti and Poudel, Arjun (2020). Immense price variation of branded generic medicines in low-income countries: the need for an inclusive price control policy. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 16 (9), 1326-1327. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.05.002
2019
Journal Article
Access to palliative care: discrepancy among low-income and high-income countries
Poudel, Arjun, Kc, Bhuvan, Shrestha, Shakti and Nissen, Lisa (2019). Access to palliative care: discrepancy among low-income and high-income countries. Journal of Global Health, 9 (2) 020309, 020309. doi: 10.7189/jogh.09.020309
2019
Journal Article
Underestimation of the prevalence of medication errors in nursing homes
Poudel, Ramesh Sharma and Shrestha, Shakti (2019). Underestimation of the prevalence of medication errors in nursing homes. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 68 (2) jgs.16221, 443-444. doi: 10.1111/jgs.16221
2019
Journal Article
Outcomes of deprescribing interventions in older patients with life‐limiting illness and limited life expectancy: a systematic review
Shrestha, Shakti, Poudel, Arjun, Steadman, Kathryn and Nissen, Lisa (2019). Outcomes of deprescribing interventions in older patients with life‐limiting illness and limited life expectancy: a systematic review. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 86 (10) bcp.14113, 1931-1945. doi: 10.1111/bcp.14113
2019
Journal Article
Healthcare professionals' competence in using inhaler devices: a wake-up call for immediate action in low-income countries
Poudel, Ramesh Sharma, Shrestha, Shakti and Adhikari, Shital (2019). Healthcare professionals' competence in using inhaler devices: a wake-up call for immediate action in low-income countries. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 15 (11), 1377-1378. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2019.08.007
2019
Journal Article
Undergraduate pharmacy students’ attitudes and perceived barriers toward provision of pharmaceutical care: a multi-institutional study in Nepal
Baral, Sanjay Raj, Parajuli, Daya Ram, Shrestha, Shakti, Acharya, Santosh Raman, Dahal, Prasanna, Poudel, Prakash, Ghimire, Saruna, Palaian, Subish and Shrestha, Naveen (2019). Undergraduate pharmacy students’ attitudes and perceived barriers toward provision of pharmaceutical care: a multi-institutional study in Nepal. Integrated Pharmacy Research and Practice, 8, 47-59. doi: 10.2147/iprp.s203240
2019
Journal Article
Factors predicting home medication management practices among chronically ill older population of selected districts of Nepal
Shrestha, Shakti, Poudel, Ramesh Sharma, Pradhan, Saroj, Adhikari, Aashutosh, Giri, Arjun and Poudel, Arjun (2019). Factors predicting home medication management practices among chronically ill older population of selected districts of Nepal. BMC Geriatrics, 19 (1) 55, 55. doi: 10.1186/s12877-019-1081-7
2019
Conference Publication
Do deprescribing interventions improve quality of life and prevent death acceleration in elderly with life-limiting illness and limited life expectancy?
Shrestha, Shakti, Poudel, Arjun, Steadman, Kathryn and Nissen, Lisa (2019). Do deprescribing interventions improve quality of life and prevent death acceleration in elderly with life-limiting illness and limited life expectancy?. APSA 2019 Annual Conference, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 1-4 December 2019.
2018
Journal Article
Variation in prices of medicines used for the long-term management of non-communicable diseases available in the pharmacy of a tertiary care hospital of Nepal
Poudel, Ramesh Sharma, Poudel, Bhupendra Kumar, Shrestha, Shakti and Piryani, Rano Mal (2018). Variation in prices of medicines used for the long-term management of non-communicable diseases available in the pharmacy of a tertiary care hospital of Nepal. Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, 9 (4), 293-296. doi: 10.1111/jphs.12237
2018
Journal Article
Assessment of insulin injection practice of nurses working in a tertiary healthcare center of Nepal
Adhikari, Shital , Poudel, Ramesh Sharma , Rajbanshi, Laxmi and Shrestha, Shakti (2018). Assessment of insulin injection practice of nurses working in a tertiary healthcare center of Nepal. Nursing Research and Practice, 2018 375067, 9375067-6. doi: 10.1155/2018/9375067
2018
Journal Article
Assessment of primary labeling of medicines manufactured by Nepalese pharmaceutical industries
Poudel, Ramesh Sharma, Shrestha, Shakti, Thapa, Santosh, Poudel, Bhupendra Kumar and Chhetri, Muniraj (2018). Assessment of primary labeling of medicines manufactured by Nepalese pharmaceutical industries. Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice, 11 (1) 13. doi: 10.1186/s40545-018-0139-9
2018
Journal Article
Predictors of mortality in scrub typhus infection requiring intensive care admission in tertiary healthcare centre of Nepal
Adhikari, Shital, Poudel, Ramesh Sharma, Shrestha, Shakti and Lamichhane, Praves (2018). Predictors of mortality in scrub typhus infection requiring intensive care admission in tertiary healthcare centre of Nepal. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases, 2018 4867958, 4867958-6. doi: 10.1155/2018/4867958
2018
Journal Article
Perception of patients towards the role of pharmacist: a cross-sectional study from selected three hospitals in Central Nepal
Shrestha, Shakti, Poudel, Ramesh Sharma, Thapa, Priyanka, Baniya, Susmita and KC, Bhuvan (2018). Perception of patients towards the role of pharmacist: a cross-sectional study from selected three hospitals in Central Nepal. Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, 9 (2), 145-151. doi: 10.1111/jphs.12217
2018
Conference Publication
Factors influencing stroke awareness among patients with hypertension in a tertiary hospital of Nepal: a cross-sectional study
Ghimire, Sulochana, Shrestha, Shakti and Thapa, Lekhjung (2018). Factors influencing stroke awareness among patients with hypertension in a tertiary hospital of Nepal: a cross-sectional study. American Academy of Neurology 70th Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, United States, 22-27 April 2018. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Shakti Shrestha is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Exploring medication optimization among older people in low and middle-income countries: the case of Nepal.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lisa Nissen, Associate Professor Esther Lau
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Doctor Philosophy
Optimizing Clinical Pharmacology Outcomes: Integrating Smart Decision Support Systems to Manage Drug-Drug Interactions in Polypharmacy
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Wubshet Tesfaye
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Doctor Philosophy
Optimising Medication Use in Older Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Esther Lau, Dr Wubshet Tesfaye
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Doctor Philosophy
Enhancing adherence in people at high risk of chronic kidney disease: Integrating AI technology with a pharmacist-led adherence-intensive review
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Adam La Caze, Dr Meng-Wong Taing, Dr Jared Miles, Dr Wubshet Tesfaye
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Doctor Philosophy
Enhancing adherence in people at high risk of kidney disease: Leveraging an artificial intelligence(AI)-supported technology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Adam La Caze, Dr Wubshet Tesfaye
Media
Enquiries
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