Professor Fatima is a pharmacist, epidemiologist, sleep scientist, and the director of the Let’s Yarn About Sleep program. With a strong focus on reducing the societal burden of poor sleep and its associated health outcomes, Fatima's work exemplifies the integration of multidisciplinary, translational research with culturally responsive, co-designed programs and service models.
Professor Fatima’s innovative approaches have set benchmarks in addressing sleep health inequities, particularly in First Nations communities. Her research program, Let’s Yarn About Sleep (letsyarnaboutsleep.org), is a sleep health equity movement rooted in co-design, end-user empowerment, shared decision-making, and a deep understanding of local priorities. The program has enhanced community awareness of sleep health, driven innovative initiatives such as Australia’s first Indigenous Sleep Coach training, created programs and resources for clinicians, and developed strategies for the local management of sleep disorders. Fatima’s team is collaborating with 16 communities to strengthen local capacity and address systemic inequities in sleep health care. Additionally, communities and services outside Queensland have sought her expertise for workforce training and tailored service delivery for First Nations peoples.
Since 2018, Professor Fatima has secured over $19 million in competitive research funding as a Chief Investigator, including four grants from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and three from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Her research findings have been widely cited in national and international policy documents and clinical guidelines, demonstrating the impact of her work on shaping the future of sleep health care.
Professor Fatima’s work has been celebrated through numerous prestigious awards, including the UQ Early to Mid-Career Researcher Industry Impact Award (2024), UQ Partners in Indigenous Research Excellence (2023), Queensland Women in Technology—First Nations Changemakers (Highly Commended, 2023), and the Queensland Young Tall Poppy (2021). She has also been recognised for her research leadership with accolades such as the James Cook University Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research (2021) and the Rising Stars Early Career Research Leadership Award (2018).
A sought-after speaker, Professor Fatima has presented at and chaired international and national conferences. Her expertise has been featured extensively in media outlets, with over 600 stories published on platforms such as The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, SBS, and ABC News. She has participated in several radio and television interviews and appeared in an SBS documentary showcasing her groundbreaking work.
Professor Fatima’s commitment to broadening public understanding extends to platforms like The Conversation and Koori Mail, where she shares insights on sleep health. Her research resonates globally, with international outlets translating and disseminating her findings to non-English-speaking audiences. Through her leadership, Fatima continues to redefine the landscape of sleep health research, service delivery, and community empowerment, creating a lasting impact for First Nations peoples and beyond.
Professional Membership
- Board Director, Sleep Health Foundation
- Member of the Indigenous Working Party of the Australasian Sleep Association
Awards/Fellowships
- Early to Mid-Career Researcher Industry Impact Award, University of Queensland, 2024
- Research Culture Awards, University of Queensland, 2024
- Early Career Research Excellence Award, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Science, University of Queensland 2023
- Partners in Indigenous Research Excellence Award, University of Queensland 2023
- Queensland Women in Technology-First Nations Changemakers, Highly Commended 2023
- L'Oréal-UNESCO Australia & New Zealand for Women in Science Fellowship, Finalist 2022
- Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research, James Cook University, 2021
- Queensland Young Tall Poppy Award, 2021
- Rising Stars-Early Career Research Leadership Award, James Cook University, 2018
Links
- https://letsyarnaboutsleep.org/
- https://x.com/yarn_abt_sleep
- @fatimayaqoot18) / X
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Project name |
Investigators |
Funding body and AUD$ value |
Year(s) |
Focus of research grant |
|
Co-designing Obstructive Sleep Apnoea screening and diagnostic approaches for First Nations Australians: Strengthening clinical pathways with lived-experience support from community champions
|
Yaqoot Fatima (PI) Tracy Woodroffe, Kai Wheeler, Daniel Sullivan, Roslyn von Senden, Timothy Skinner, Romola Bucks, Peter Eastwood, Jasneek Chawla, Azhar Potia, Eng Joo Tan, Victor Oguoma, Bushra Nasir, Priya Martin, Stephanie Yiallourou, Andrew Collaro, Cathrine Mihalopoulos, Rae Cooper |
MRFF PPHRI Grant, $1,998,178 |
2024-2029 |
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea screening and diagnostic approaches for First Nations Australians |
|
Preventing non-communicable diseases (PreventNCD) among Indigenous children and youth in major cities of Australia (2024-2029)
|
Abdullah Mamun, James Ward, Anthony Shakeshaft, Yaqoot Fatima (CID), Rob McPhee et al |
NHMRC Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases, $1,115,978 |
2024-2029 |
Preventing non-communicable diseases among Indigenous children and youth |
|
Obstructive sleep apnoea diagnosis and management in First Nations communities: community co-design, local capacity building and place-based models for sustainable success |
Yaqoot Fatima (PI), Tracy Woodroffe, Bushra Nasir, Shannon Edmed, Simon Joosten, Kathleen Maddison, Michelle Olaithe, Mark Robinson, Lauren Lawson, Scott Coussens |
MRFF, Early and Mid Career Researcher Grant, $4,144,871 |
2023-2028 |
Obstructive sleep apnoea diagnosis and management in First Nations communities |
|
Sleep for Strong Souls (3S): Multisectoral partnership and co-designed solutions to improve the sleep health of First Nations Adolescents |
Yaqoot Fatima (PI), Ruth Wallace, Timothy Skinner, Romola Bucks, Subash Heraganahally, Sadasivam Suresh, Abdullah Mamun, Simon Smith, Lisa McDaid, Robert Adams |
NHMRC Partnership grant and Beyond Blue $968,055 |
2022-2027 |
Behavioural sleep health initiative for First Nations adolescents |
|
Co-designed sleep health program to achieve better sleep and improved mental health symptoms in Indigenous adolescents |
Yaqoot Fatima (PI), Abdullah Mamun, Timothy Skinner, Romola Bucks, Sarah Blunden, Stephanie Yiallourou, Simon Smith, Lisa McDaid |
MRFF Indigenous Health grant, $586,961 |
2020-2024 |
Co-designed sleep health program for First Nations adolescents |
|
Component of the Community Resilience Project |
Anne Cleary, Yaqoot Fatima (CIB), Mark Robinson, Lisa McDaid, Tim Reddel, Kelly Fielding, et al. |
Bundaberg Regional Council, $43,833 |
2021 |
Community Resilience Project |
|
Strategic Evaluation of Health and Wellbeing Queensland's Prevention Programs |
Mark Robinson, Lisa McDaid, Sarah-Ann Burger, Anne Cleary, Yaqoot Fatima (CIE) |
Health and Wellbeing Queensland, $2,114,557 |
2021-2023 |
Evaluation of health promotion programs |
|
Exposure to Trihalomethanes in pregnancy and birth outcomes in Queensland: integrated data analysis and case studies for better policy and health outcomes |
Abdullah Mamun, Peter Sly, Yaqoot Fatima (CIC), Leonie Callaway, Kevin Thomas, Fran Boyle |
NHMRC Partnership grant, $922,284 |
2020-2025 |
Water quality and birth outcomes |
|
Research Partnership - Health and Wellbeing Queensland and ISSR |
Lisa McDaid, Mark Robinson, Abdullah Mamun, Caroline Salom, Anne Cleary, Yaqoot Fatima (CIF) et al. |
Health and Wellbeing Queensland, $1,514,671 |
2020-2022 |
Data audit and evaluation framework |
|
Evaluation Framework for the Keeping Queenslanders Healthy Priority |
Lisa McDaid, Anne Cleary, Yaqoot Fatima (CIC), Tim Reddel, Abdullah Mamun, Mark Western, et al. |
Queensland Health, $109,241 |
2019 |
Evaluation framework |
|
Nurse-led and Aboriginal Health Worker Supported Model for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Diagnosis and Management in Reginal and Remote Queensland |
Yaqoot Fatima (PI), Dan Sullivan |
ResMed, $6,796 |
2024 |
Sleep apnoea screening |
|
Cultural connections and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal youth: Implications for services |
Yaqoot Fatima (PI), Abdullah Al Mamun, Sandy Campbell, Lisa McDaid, Janeen Baxter |
UQ, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences-Partnership Funding Scheme, $44,274 |
2019 |
Social and emotional wellbeing of First Nations youth |
|
Nurse-led and Aboriginal health worker supported model for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea diagnosis and management in remote Queensland |
Yaqoot Fatima (PI), Abdullah Mamun, Romola Bucks, Timothy Skinner, Stephanie King, Isabelle Skinner |
Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre Limited - Research Seed Grants, $49,881 |
2020-2024 |
Sleep apnoea service model |
|
Co-design Sleep Apnoea Awareness and Education Program for First Nations Peoples in Remote Queensland |
Yaqoot Fatima (PI), Abdullah Mamun, Romola Bucks, Timothy Skinner, Stephanie King, Santosh Jatrana |
Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre Limited - Research Seed Grants, $50,000 |
2019-2024 |
Sleep apnoea awareness campaign |
|
Western Queensland Primary Care Collaborative Limited - Research Grant: Co-designing and evaluating youth mental health services in remote, Central and NW QLD |
Yaqoot Fatima (PI), Santosh Jatrana, Sabina Knight, Stephanie King |
Western Queensland Primary Care Collaborative Limited - Research Grant, $207,800 |
2020-2024 |
Youth mental health service co-design |
|
Evaluation of Health Care Homes Trial across seven general practice sites in Western Queensland |
Yaqoot Fatima (PI), Sabina Knight, Sarah Larkins, Rebecca Evans, Stephanie King |
Western Queensland Primary Care Collaborative Limited, $43,763 |
2020-2022 |
Evaluation of health care home project |
|
After Hours - ED Presentation Project |
Yaqoot Fatima (PI), Sabina Knight, Richard Hyas, Isabelle Skinner, Stephanie King |
Western Queensland Primary Care Collaborative Limited, $250,000 |
2019-2021 |
Reducing ED overcrowding |
|
Sleep health of First Nations peoples |
Yaqoot Fatima (PI) |
JCU Rising Star Grant, $13,000 |
2018 |
Sleep health of First Nations peoples |
Research areas
- Sleep health service delivery for First Nations peoples
- Co-design of sleep apnoea screening and diagnostic service for First Nations peoples
Impact of sleep on educational outcome of Indigenous Australian children: A systematic review
Fatima, Khadija, Varela, Sharon, Fatima, Yaqoot, Lindsay, Daniel, Gray, Malama, and Cairns, Alice (2024). Impact of sleep on educational outcome of Indigenous Australian children: A systematic review. Australian Journal of Rural Health 32 (4) 672-683. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.13156