Personal profile
Research Interests
My research aims to improve understanding of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and respiratory disease pathophysiology, identify novel therapeutic targets, and develop new-targeted therapies. To do this, I lead a comprehensive translational research program. My team uses a variety of experimental approaches to measure upper airway neuromuscular control and respiratory mechanics in humans to advance knowledge of basic mechanisms through to multicentre clinical trials to test new therapies. I am most well-known for my respiratory phenotyping work which has led to a new precision medicine therapeutic framework to understand and treat OSA and for my research on the role of arousal mechanisms and hypnotics in OSA pathogenesis and treatment. This work has had a major impact in advancement of OSA pathophysiology and realignment of the therapeutic agenda for this common, chronic health condition.
Grant/Fellowship Funding:
- 2025 NIH Program Project Grant (NIH/NHLBI P01 HL095491), Mechanisms of sleep and sleep apnea, Co-CIA of project 5 US$2.5M- grant total US$15M
- 2025 Restora Medical, An Early Feasibility Study of Neuromodulation Therapy for OSA (The REST Trial), CIA $392,718
- 2025 Oura, In home monitoring for sleep and breathing pilot study, CIA $157,558.50
- 2025 UltraHuman, Evaluation of the accuracy of novel wearable technology for sleep detection, CI $226,000
- 2025 Avant Foundation Grant (RG00049), Reducing Nocturnal Hypertension through new model of GP-based care for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, CI $100,000
- 2025 NHMRC Ideas Grant (2038129), Impact and mechanisms of night-to-night variability in sleep apnoea severity on health and treatment outcomes, AI $2 million
- 2024 Eileen Grace Bignall MND Research Grant, A novel mattress sensor device to improve MND care through comprehensive nightly movement and breathing assessments CI $100,000
- 2024 MRFF Optimising Screening Diagnosis and Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Stream 1 (2035741), A randomised controlled trial of multi-night screening and diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea to improve diagnostic test accessibility, accuracy and reduce costs, CI $2 million
- 2024 MRFF Optimising Screening Diagnosis and Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Stream 2 (2035716), SIMPLIFI-OSA - A Study to Investigate the Management of Patients using LImited-channel testing versus Full polysomnography for Identification of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, CI $2 million
- 2024 MRFF Optimising Screening Diagnosis and Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Stream 3 (2035768), Novel home monitoring and integrated support program of obstructive sleep apnoea management, Co-CIA $1.5 million
- 2023 Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Chronic Respiratory Conditions Grant (2022973), A novel targeted approach to deliver treatable trait-based precision medicine for OSA, CIA $2 million
- 2023 MRFF Early to Mid-Career Researchers Grant (2022971), OSA diagnosis and management in First Nations communities: community co-design, local capacity building and place-based models for sustainable success- Medical Research Future Fund, AI $4.1 million
- 2023 NHMRC Ideas Grant (2029399), Personalised daily body-clock tracking and circadian light therapy retiming to improve sleep, performance, health and safety, AI $1.34 million
- 2023 Eli Lilly Research Grant, Novel weight loss pharmacotherapy for OSA, CIA $860,000
- 2023 Invicta Medical, Novel electrical stimulation to treat OSA CIA $1.2 million
- 2022 Artemis Media, 3-part TV series on a research project titled: Individualised targeted therapy for sleep disorders: Australia’s sleep revolution hosted by Dr Michael Mosely, CIA $277,000
- 2022 Eli Lilly Research Grant, Novel weight loss pharmacotherapy for OSA, CIA $500,000
- 2022 Bayer Investigator-Initiated Grant, Novel pharmacotherapy for OSA, CIA $200,000
- 2022 Withings Investigator-Initiated Grant, Novel diagnostics for OSA, CIA $150,000 ($100k equipment)
- 2022 SomnoMed, Investigator-Initiated Grant, Targeted oral appliance therapy, CIA $120,000 ($100k equipment)
- 2022 ResMed Foundation Clinical Research Grant, Reducing fall risk by treating OSA in older people, CIH $250,000 (US)
- 2022 Garnett Passe and Rodney Williams Memorial Foundation, Selecting patients for sleep surgery using novel physiological and surgical phenotyping, AI $375,000
- 2022 Flinders Foundation Seed Grant, Novel endotyping to predict responders to surgery, CIC $25,000
- 2022 Flinders Foundation Seed Grant, A novel cause of OSA in people with MS, CIB $25,000
- 2021 Takeda Research Grant, New pharmacotherapy for OSA CIA $1.25 million
- 2021 Invicta Medical, Novel hypoglossal nerve stimulation to treat OSA CIA $916,500
- 2020 NHMRC Investigator Grant (1196261), Novel approaches for targeted sleep apnoea treatment and management CIA $2.1 million
- 2020 Apnimed Investigator-Initiated Research Grant, New pharmacotherapy for OSA CIA $300,000
- 2020 Department of Defence Science and Technology Undersea Grant CIE $565,000
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, Sleep/Respiratory Physiology, University of Adelaide
Award Date: 24 Nov 2006
Bachelor of Science (Honours), Respiratory Physiology, 1st Class Honours, University of Adelaide
Award Date: 1 Jan 2002
Bachelor, Bachelor of Applied Science, Human Movement/Exercise Physiology, University of South Australia
Award Date: 1 Jan 2000
External positions
Director, Flinders University, Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health
Leadership Fellow, National Health and Medical Research Council
Honorary Principal Research Scientist, Neuroscience Research Australia
Adjunct Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales
Honorary Affiliate, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research
Supervision
- Registered
Research Areas
- Clinical
- Medical biosciences
- Digital health
Keywords
- R Medicine (General)
- Sleep disorders
- sleep health
- Respiratory system
- obstructive sleep apnoea
- precision medicine
- QP Physiology
- Respiratory system
- upper airway
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
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SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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A Comparative Study of Polysomnography-Derived Sleep Disturbance in People Living With Multiple Sclerosis Compared to Matched Controls From the General Population
Reynolds, A. C., Thomas, E., Melaku, Y. A., Hensen, H. A., Krishnan, A. V., Gandevia, S. C., Lord, S. R., Eastwood, P. R. & Eckert, D. J., Feb 2026, In: Journal of Sleep Research. 35, 1, 6 p., e70075.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)22 Downloads (Pure) -
Developments in Pharmacotherapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: Unlocking the Potential for Targeted Treatment
Eckert, D. J., Feb 2026, In: Drugs. 86, 2, p. 143-159 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile10 Downloads (Pure) -
Effect of Novel Hypoglossal Stimulation on Airflow and Airway Collapsibility in OSA
Osman, A. M., Carney, A. S., Ooi, E. H., Joshi, H., Toson, B., Tran, C., Hudson, A. L., Nguyen, P., Gelekis, N., Eastwood, P. R., Catcheside, P. & Eckert, D. J., Jan 2026, In: Chest. 169, 1, p. 257-268 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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A mobile-based daily check-in approach to monitor patient reported outcomes in obstructive sleep apnea: results from a 6-month home-based observation study
Fitton, J., Lechat, B., Reynolds, A. C., Manners, J., Mukherjee, S., Proctor, S., Loffler, K. A., Toson, B., Vakulin, A. & Eckert, D. J., 2025, In: Sleep Advances. 6, 4, 10 p., zpaf086.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus) -
An investigation into sleep, perceived experiences, and exercise performance in elite male cyclists during the Tour de France
Fitton, J., Lechat, B., Reynolds, A. C., Toson, B., Manners, J., Nguyen, P., Loffler, K. A., Altree, T. J., Catcheside, P. & Eckert, D. J., May 2025, In: Physiological Reports. 13, 10, 12 p., e70395.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Citations (Scopus)39 Downloads (Pure)
Prizes
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College of Medicine and Public Health Social Accountability Award 2022
Eckert, D. (Recipient), 2022
Prize: Honorary award
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European Respiratory Society Mid-Career Gold Medal in Sleep Disordered Breathing
Eckert, D. (Recipient), Sept 2023
Prize
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Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (FAASM)
Eckert, D. (Recipient), 5 Jun 2023
Prize: Honorary award
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Activities
- 4 Invited talk
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Sleep Downunder 2023
Eckert, D. (Speaker)
10 Nov 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Tailored personalised approaches to comprehensive care for sleep disordered breathing
Eckert, D. (Speaker)
21 Sept 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Effects of CPAP levels on ventilation in health subjects
Eckert, D. (Speaker)
12 Sept 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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World Sleep Congress
Eckert, D. (Speaker)
20 Oct 2023 → 25 Oct 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
File