Overview
Background
Professor Rachel Thomson is a Head of the Greenslopes Clinical Unit, Thoracic Physician and clinical researcher working at Greenslopes Private Hospital.
She has an international reputation in the area of Pulmonary Nontuberculous mycobacterial disease. She has published widely in the area and is regularly invited to speak at international and national meetings.https://medical-school.uq.edu.au/research/ntm-research-group
Her current research focuses on immunological and environmental aspects of susceptibility to NTM infection, characteristics of the lung and gut microbiome in NTM, and improving treatment outcomes.
In a clinical capacity, Professor Thomson is able to offer patients expert management of their disease at Pulmedica, Greenslopes Private Hospital, at public clinics at The Prince Charles Hospital and the MetroSouth Clinical TB service of the Princess Alexandra Hospital and via telehealth for patients across Australia. Patients can also access novel treatments through clinical trials in both the private and public sector.
Prof Thomson also has a special interest in respiratory problems of the elite athlete. This includes asthma management, vocal cord dysfunction, and the requirements of national and international doping organisations for asthma medications.
Availability
- Professor Rachel Thomson is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Research interests
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Pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial disease
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Genetic relatedness of mycobacterial strains
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Environmental ecology of mycobacteria
Works
Search Professor Rachel Thomson’s works on UQ eSpace
2016
Conference Publication
Multivariate immunoprofiling of individuals prone to non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection reveals T cell exhaustion and dysfunction
Ratnatunga, C. N., Lutzky, V. P., Halstrom, S., Price, P., Smith, D. J., Reid, D. W., Bell, S. C., Thomson, R. M. and Miles, J. J. (2016). Multivariate immunoprofiling of individuals prone to non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection reveals T cell exhaustion and dysfunction. International Congress of Immunology (ICI), Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 21 - 26 August 2016. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. doi: 10.1002/eji.201670200
2016
Journal Article
Safety of IV amikacin in the treatment of pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease
Ellender, Claire M., Law, Dayna B., Thomson, Rachel M. and Eather, Geoffrey W. (2016). Safety of IV amikacin in the treatment of pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease. Respirology, 21 (2), 357-362. doi: 10.1111/resp.12676
2016
Journal Article
Is pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease linked with a high burden of latent cytomegalovirus?
Amran, Fathiah S., Kim, Kyungchul, Lim, Andrew, Thomson, Rachel, Lee, Silvia, Waterer, Grant and Price, Patricia (2016). Is pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease linked with a high burden of latent cytomegalovirus?. Journal of Clinical Immunology, 36 (2), 113-116. doi: 10.1007/s10875-016-0233-1
2015
Journal Article
Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease. Time to get a grip!
Thomson, Rachel, Donnan, Ellen and Unwin, Sean (2015). Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease. Time to get a grip!. Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 12 (10), 1425-1427. doi: 10.1513/annalsats.201508-524ed
2015
Journal Article
Review: environmental mycobacteria as a cause of human infection
Halstrom, Samuel, Price, Patricia and Thomson, Rachel (2015). Review: environmental mycobacteria as a cause of human infection. International Journal of Mycobacteriology, 4 (2), 81-91. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmyco.2015.03.002
2015
Conference Publication
Validation of a non-tuberculous mycobacterial elisa in an australian cystic fibrosis and non-cystic fibrosis population
Cunningham, J., Thomson, R., Smith, D. and Bell, S. (2015). Validation of a non-tuberculous mycobacterial elisa in an australian cystic fibrosis and non-cystic fibrosis population. Thoracic Society Australia New Zealand Australian New Zealand Society Respiratory Science Annual Scientific Meeting 2015, Queensland, Australia, 27 March-1 April 2015. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
2015
Conference Publication
Validation of a nontuberculous mycobacterial Elisa in an Australian cystic fibrosis and non-systic fibrosis population
Cunningham, J., Smith, D. J., Bell, S. and Thomson, R. (2015). Validation of a nontuberculous mycobacterial Elisa in an Australian cystic fibrosis and non-systic fibrosis population. International Conference of the American-Thoracic-Society (ATS), Denver, CO, United States, 15 - 20 May 2015. New York, NY, United States: American Thoracic Society.
2015
Conference Publication
Spatial variation in the composition of infective lung microbiota revealed by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of multisite bronchoalveolar lavage
Scoleri, G., Leong, L., Burr, L., Choo, J., Thomson, R., Serisier, D. and Rogers, G. (2015). Spatial variation in the composition of infective lung microbiota revealed by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of multisite bronchoalveolar lavage. Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand and the Australian & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science, Annual Scientific Meeting 2015, Gold Coast, Australia, 27 March – 1 April 2015. Richmond, VIC, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia. doi: 10.1111/resp.12494_8
2014
Journal Article
Rapidly growing mycobacteria associated with laparoscopic gastric banding, Australia, 2005-2011
Wright, Hugh L., Thomson, Rachel M., Reid, Alistair B., Carter, Robyn, Bartley, Paul B., Newton, Peter and Coulter, Christopher (2014). Rapidly growing mycobacteria associated with laparoscopic gastric banding, Australia, 2005-2011. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 20 (10), 1612-1619. doi: 10.3201/eid2010.140077
2014
Journal Article
Heterogeneity of clinical and environmental isolates of Mycobacterium fortuitum using repetitive element sequence-based PCR: municipal water an unlikely source of community-acquired infections
Thomson, R. M., Tolson, C. E., Carter, R., Huygens, F. and Hargreaves, M. (2014). Heterogeneity of clinical and environmental isolates of Mycobacterium fortuitum using repetitive element sequence-based PCR: municipal water an unlikely source of community-acquired infections. Epidemiology and Infection, 142 (10), 2057-2064. doi: 10.1017/S0950268813003257
2014
Journal Article
A spatial epidemiological analysis of nontuberculous mycobacterial infections in Queensland, Australia
Chou, Michael P., Clements, Archie C. A. and Thomson, Rachel M. (2014). A spatial epidemiological analysis of nontuberculous mycobacterial infections in Queensland, Australia. BMC Infectious Diseases, 14 (1) 279, 279. doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-14-279
2014
Journal Article
Strain variation amongst clinical and potable water isolates of M. kansasii using automated repetitive unit PCR
Thomson, Rachel, Tolson, Carla, Huygens, Flavia and Hargreaves, Megan (2014). Strain variation amongst clinical and potable water isolates of M. kansasii using automated repetitive unit PCR. International Journal of Medical Microbiology, 304 (3-4), 484-489. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2014.02.004
2014
Journal Article
Levels of anti-cytokine antibodies may be elevated in patients with pulmonary disease associated with non-tuberculous mycobacteria
Kim, Kyungchul, Waterer, Grant, Thomson, Rachel, Yang, Ian A., Nashi, Najla, Tan, Dino B. A. and Price, Patricia (2014). Levels of anti-cytokine antibodies may be elevated in patients with pulmonary disease associated with non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Cytokine, 66 (2), 160-163. doi: 10.1016/j.cyto.2014.01.005
2013
Journal Article
Searching for an immunogenetic factor that will illuminate susceptibility to non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease
Affandi, Jacquita S, Hendry, Shona, Waterer, Grant, Thomson, Rachel, Wallace, Hilary, Burrows, Sally and Price, Patricia (2013). Searching for an immunogenetic factor that will illuminate susceptibility to non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease. Human Immunology, 74 (10), 1382-1385. doi: 10.1016/j.humimm.2013.06.019
2013
Journal Article
Isolation of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) from household water and shower aerosols in patients with pulmonary disease caused by NTM
Thomson, Rachel, Tolson, Carla, Carter, Robyn, Coulter, Chris, Huygens, Flavia and Hargreaves, Megan (2013). Isolation of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) from household water and shower aerosols in patients with pulmonary disease caused by NTM. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 51 (9), 3006-3011. doi: 10.1128/jcm.00899-13
2013
Journal Article
Mycobacterium abscessus isolated from municipal water - a potential source of human infection
Thomson, Rachel, Tolson, Carla, Sidjabat, Hanna, Huygens, Flavia and Hargreaves, Megan (2013). Mycobacterium abscessus isolated from municipal water - a potential source of human infection. Bmc Infectious Diseases, 13 (1) 241, 241.1-241.7. doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-13-241
2013
Journal Article
Factors associated with the isolation of Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) from a large municipal water system in Brisbane, Australia
Thomson, Rachel, Carter, Robyn, Tolson, Carla, Coulter, Chris, Huygens, Flavia and Hargreaves, Megan (2013). Factors associated with the isolation of Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) from a large municipal water system in Brisbane, Australia. BMC Microbiology, 13 (1) 89, 89.1-89.8. doi: 10.1186/1471-2180-13-89
2013
Journal Article
The geographic diversity of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from pulmonary samples: an NTM-net collaborative study
Hoefsloot, Wouter, van Ingen, Jakko, Andrejak, Claire, Ängeby, Kristian, Bauriaud, Rosine, Bemer, Pascale, Beylis, Natalie, Boeree, Martin J., Cacho, Juana, Chihota, Violet, Chimara, Erica, Churchyard, Gavin, Cias, Raquel, Dasa, Rosa, Daley, Charles L., Dekhuijzen, P. N. Richard, Domingo, Diego, Drobniewski, Francis, Esteban, Jaime, Fauville-Dufaux, Maryse, Folkvardsen, Dorte Bek, Gibbons, Noel, Gómez-Mampaso, Enrique, Gonzales, Rosa, Hoffman, Harald, Hsueh, Po-Ren, Indra, Alexander, Jagielski, Tomasz, Jamieson, Frances ... Wagner, Dirk (2013). The geographic diversity of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from pulmonary samples: an NTM-net collaborative study. European Respiratory Journal, 42 (6), 1604-1613. doi: 10.1183/09031936.00149212
2011
Journal Article
Mycobacterium lentiflavum in Drinking Water Supplies, Australia
Marshall, H. M., Carter, R., Torbey, M. J., Minion, S., Tolson, C., Sidjabat, H. E., Huygens, F., Hargreaves, M. and Thomson, R. M. (2011). Mycobacterium lentiflavum in Drinking Water Supplies, Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 17 (3), 395-402. doi: 10.3201/eid1703.090948
2011
Conference Publication
Pathogenic nontuberculous mycobacteria in the Brisbane potable water distribution system
Thomson, R., Tolson, C., Carter, R., Coulter. C., Huygens, F. and Hargreaves, M. (2011). Pathogenic nontuberculous mycobacteria in the Brisbane potable water distribution system. American Thoracic Society 2011 International Conference, Denver, CO, U.S.A., May 13-18 2011. New York, NY, U.S.A.: American Thoracic Society.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Rachel Thomson is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Transmission dynamics of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis amongst immune suppressed patients exposed to an infectious case
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor John Upham, Professor Antje Blumenthal
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Doctor Philosophy
Nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections associated with climate change and major weather events: enhancing surveillance and mitigation strategies.
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
The nature of the relationship between patient and environmental isolates of Mycobacterium intracellulare in Queensland.
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
The Gut-Lung axis in Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Disease (NTM-PD)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Morrison, Professor Antje Blumenthal
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Doctor Philosophy
The Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics of Antimycobacterial Drugs in People with Cystic Fibrosis and Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Infection
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Scott Bell, Professor Jason Roberts
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Doctor Philosophy
Risk and mitigation of cough aerosols for people with cystic fibrosis.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Scott Bell
Completed supervision
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2017
Master Philosophy
Environmental transmission factors and host genetic polymorphisms influencing NTM infection in patients with no overt immunodeficiency
Principal Advisor
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Rachel Thomson directly for media enquiries about:
- Mycobacterial diseases
- mycobacterial infections
- Pulmonary Nontuberculous mycobacterial infections
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