An early career researcher with a substantial career trajectory in health research as evidenced by a majority (83.3%) of publications in Quartile 1 journals, with 18.2% of these in the top field-weight 10% cited worldwide (SciVal,2022). 84% of 12 of her indexed articles are in the top 25% of journals (Scopus 2022). With an h-index of seven, increasing citations in the past 5 years (Scopus, 2022), referenced by 155 prestigious institutions across 15 countries (Scopus, 2022), 100% of her publications involve collaboration with authors at national and international institutions (SciVal, 2022). She has a i-10 index of 5, indicating 5 papers with at least 10 citations. With a FWCI of 1.20, her publications are being cited 11% higher than others in the same field, age, and type (SciVal, 2022). Her research has also been referenced in change to policy documents and technical reports, including the Queensland Mental Health Commission Annual Technical Report (2020) and the Preventing Suicide in Community and Custodial Settings, policy document published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2018).
Dr Nasir’s research has also significantly contributed to improving the health of rural Australians, especially Indigenous Australians. Her Q1 journal publication ‘Common mental disorders among Indigenous people living in regional, remote and metropolitan Australia: a cross-sectional study’(BMJ Open 8(6), 2018) for the first time, identified the prevalence of mental health disorders using a clinically validated diagnostic tool. Her publication ‘The risk of common mental disorders in Indigenous Australians experiencing traumatic life events’ (BJPsych Open 8 (1) e8, 2021) further identified the role of trauma and prevalence of common mental disorders within this population. Her latest work has identified high rates of chronic disease for those with mental health disorders (under peer-review) and signifies her important contributions to this area of research. Dr Nasir has been instrumental in securing ~$3.4M in funding. She is also supervisor for multiple PhD, MPhil and HDR students. She has made significant contributions to knowledge through translation, a significant project being the I-ASIST project, recently launched by Minister Ken Wyatt. I-ASIST is a world-first suicide intervention training project developed for Indigenous youth, in collaboration with industry partners LivingWorks Australia.
Dr Nasir’s collaborative networking qualities contribute towards being Chair of the Faculty EMC Research Committee, and a member of 2 other university committees. Dr Nasir’s exemplary discipline engagement and development of service delivery has contributed to developing national and international partnerships, particularly with industry partners (e.g., LivingWorks Australia and Suicide Prevention Australia). She has memberships with the Australian and New Zealand Society of Mental Health (2015-current) and Suicide Prevention Australia (2017-current), and as a professional leader with the National Suicide Prevention Network (2015-current), as well as with regional and local Indigenous health and mental health committees that establish governance etiquette and research integrity. She also plays a key role in establishing community connections and relationships that help sustain ongoing research activities.
Journal Article: "It's what makes us unique.": Indigenous Australian perspectives on genetics research to improve comorbid mental and chronic disease outcomes
Nasir, Bushra Farah, Vinayagam, Ritwika and Rae, Kym (2022). "It's what makes us unique.": Indigenous Australian perspectives on genetics research to improve comorbid mental and chronic disease outcomes. Current Medical Research and Opinion, 1-24. doi: 10.1080/03007995.2022.2061710
Journal Article: The risk of common mental disorders in Indigenous Australians experiencing traumatic life events
Nasir, Bushra Farah, Ryan, Elizabeth G., Black, Emma B., Kisely, Stephen, Gill, Neeraj S., Beccaria, Gavin, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas, Nicholson, Geoffrey C. and Toombs, Maree (2021). The risk of common mental disorders in Indigenous Australians experiencing traumatic life events. BJPsych Open, 8 (1) e8. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2021.1063
Journal Article: A community-led design for an Indigenous Model of Mental Health Care for Indigenous people with depressive disorders
Nasir, Bushra Farah, Brennan-Olsen, Sharon, Gill, Neeraj, Beccaria, Gavin, Kisley, Steve, Hides, Leanne, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas , Nicholson, Geoffrey and Toombs, Maree (2021). A community-led design for an Indigenous Model of Mental Health Care for Indigenous people with depressive disorders. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 45 (4) 1753-6405.13115, 330-337. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.13115
Improving the Mental Health of Indigenous Australians with Chronic Disease
(2020–2021) UQ Early Career Researcher
The association of major depressive disorders with chronic disease among Indigenous Australians
Doctor Philosophy
Telehealth and outreach clinics: a blended model of care
Master Philosophy
Indigenous network suicide intervention skills training
Doctor Philosophy
Multiple projects available
Multiple projects in medicine and mental health related fields.
Nasir, Bushra Farah, Vinayagam, Ritwika and Rae, Kym (2022). "It's what makes us unique.": Indigenous Australian perspectives on genetics research to improve comorbid mental and chronic disease outcomes. Current Medical Research and Opinion, 1-24. doi: 10.1080/03007995.2022.2061710
The risk of common mental disorders in Indigenous Australians experiencing traumatic life events
Nasir, Bushra Farah, Ryan, Elizabeth G., Black, Emma B., Kisely, Stephen, Gill, Neeraj S., Beccaria, Gavin, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas, Nicholson, Geoffrey C. and Toombs, Maree (2021). The risk of common mental disorders in Indigenous Australians experiencing traumatic life events. BJPsych Open, 8 (1) e8. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2021.1063
Nasir, Bushra Farah, Brennan-Olsen, Sharon, Gill, Neeraj, Beccaria, Gavin, Kisley, Steve, Hides, Leanne, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas , Nicholson, Geoffrey and Toombs, Maree (2021). A community-led design for an Indigenous Model of Mental Health Care for Indigenous people with depressive disorders. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 45 (4) 1753-6405.13115, 330-337. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.13115
Nasir, Bushra Farah, Black, Emma, Toombs, Maree, Kisely, Steve, Gill, Neeraj, Beccaria, Gavin, Kondalsamy-Chennakesava, Srinivas and Nicholson, Geoffrey (2021). Traumatic life events and risk of post-traumatic stress disorder among the Indigenous population of regional, remote and metropolitan Central-Eastern Australia: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open, 11 (4) e040875, 1-11. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040875
Implications of COVID-19 on a clinical trial of an Indigenous model of mental health care
Nasir, Bushra, Brennan-Olsen, Sharon and Toombs, M. (2020). Implications of COVID-19 on a clinical trial of an Indigenous model of mental health care. Insightplus MJA.
Brown, Kelly A., Toombs, Maree, Nasir, Bushra, Kisely, Steve, Ranmuthugala, Geetha, Brennan-Olsen, Sharon L., Nicholson, Geoffrey C., Gill, Neeraj S., Hayman, Noel S., Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas and Hides, Leanne (2020). How can mobile applications support suicide prevention gatekeepers in Australian Indigenous communities?. Social Science and Medicine, 258 113015, 113015. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113015
Indigenous mental health research and COVID-19
Nasir, Bushra Farah, Brennan-Olsen, Sharon and Toombs, Maree (2020). Indigenous mental health research and COVID-19. MJA InSight
Toombs, Maree, Nasir, Bushra, Kisely, Steve, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas, Hides, Leanne, Gill, Neeraj, Beccaria, Gavin, Brennan-Olsen, Sharon, Butten, Kayley and Nicholson, Geoffrey (2020). Australian Indigenous model of mental healthcare based on transdiagnostic cognitive–behavioural therapy co-designed with the Indigenous community: protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BJ Psych Open, 6 (3) e33, e33. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2020.16
Toombs, Maree, Nasir, Bushra, Kisely, Steve, Ranmuthugala, Geetha, Gill, Neeraj S., Beccaria, Gavin, Hayman, Noel, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas N. and Nicholson, Geoffrey C. (2019). Cultural validation of the structured clinical interview for diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders in Indigenous Australians. Australasian Psychiatry, 27 (4), 362-365. doi: 10.1177/1039856219852289
The Role of Elders in the Wellbeing of a Contemporary Australian Indigenous Community
Busija, Lucy, Cinelli, Renata, Toombs, Maree R., Easton, Caitlin, Hampton, Ron, Holdsworth, Kristen, Macleod, Ashley, Nicholson, Geoffrey C., Nasir, Bushra F., Sanders, Kerrie M. and McCabe, Marita P. (2018). The Role of Elders in the Wellbeing of a Contemporary Australian Indigenous Community. The Gerontologist, 60 (3), 513-524. doi: 10.1093/geront/gny140
Nasir, Bushra F., Toombs, Maree R., Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas, Kisely, Steve, Gill, Neeraj S., Black, Emma, Hayman, Noel, Ranmuthugala, Geetha, Beccaria, Gavin, Ostini, Remo and Nicholson, Geoffrey C. (2018). Common mental disorders among Indigenous people living in regional, remote and metropolitan Australia: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open, 8 (6) e020196, e020196. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020196
Developing an Internship Preparedness Program for Final Year Medical Students
Nasir, Bushra, Jurd, Kate, Cook, Sheila, Kwan, Marcella and Ostini, Remo (2018). Developing an Internship Preparedness Program for Final Year Medical Students. MedEdPublish, 7 (3), 219. doi: 10.15694/mep.2018.0000219.1
Nasir, Bushra, Kisely, Steve, Hides, Leanne, Ranmuthugala, Geetha, Brennan-Olsen, Sharon, Nicholson, Geoffrey C., Gill, Neeraj S., Hayman, Noel, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas and Toombs, Maree (2017). An Australian Indigenous community-led suicide intervention skills training program: community consultation findings. BMC Psychiatry, 17 (1) 219, 219. doi: 10.1186/s12888-017-1380-5
Social media use in medical education: current perceptions and future potential
Nasir, Bushra, Jurd, Kate and Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas (2017). Social media use in medical education: current perceptions and future potential. Journal of the European Association for Health Information and Libraries, 13 (2), 20-26.
Nasir, Bushra, Hides, Leanne, Kisely, Steve, Geetha Ranmuthugala, Nicholson, Geoff, Black, Emma, Gill, Neeraj, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas and Toombs, Maree (2016). The need for a culturally-tailored gatekeeper training intervention program in preventing suicide among Indigenous peoples: a systematic review. BMC Psychiatry, 16 (1) 357, 357. doi: 10.1186/s12888-016-1059-3
Menon, Saras, Nasir, Bushra, Avgan, Nesli, Ghassabian, Sussan, Oliver, Christopher, Lea, Rodney, Smith, Maree and Griffiths, Lyn (2016). The effect of 1 mg folic acid supplementation on clinical outcomes in female migraine with aura patients. The Journal of Headache and Pain, 17 (60) 60, 1-7. doi: 10.1186/s10194-016-0652-7
Nasir, Bushra Farah, Griffiths, Lyn, Nasir, Aslam, Roberts, Rebecca, Barclay, Murray, Gearry, Richard and Lea, Rodney A. (2013). Perianal disease combined with NOD2 genotype predicts need for IBD-related surgery in Crohn's disease patients from a population-based cohort. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, 47 (3), 242-245. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0b013e318258314d
Nasir, Bushra, Griffith, Lyn R., Nasir, Aslam, Roberts, Rebecca, Barclay, Murray, Gearry, Richard B. and Lea, Rodney A. (2013). An envirogenomic signature is associated with risk of IBD-related surgery in a population based Crohn’s disease cohort. Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 17 (9), 1643-1650. doi: 10.1007/s11605-013-2250-1
A retrospective comprehensive overview of a regional Queensland acute pain management service
Griffiths, Geraldine, Greig, Vanessa, Nasir, Bushra and Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas (2019). A retrospective comprehensive overview of a regional Queensland acute pain management service. National Rural Health Conference, Tasmania, Hobart, 24-27 March, 2019.
Co-designing a suicide intervention training program for Indigenous communities – INSIST
Nasir, Bushra, Maree Toombs, Srinivas KondalsamyChennakesavan, Kisely, Steve, Leanne Hides, Neeraj Gill, Noel Hayman, Geetha Ranmuthugala, Sharon Brennan-Olsen and Geoffrey Nicholson (2019). Co-designing a suicide intervention training program for Indigenous communities – INSIST. 15th National Rural Health Conference, Hobart, Tasmania, 24-27 March 2019.
Data and the role of Rural Clinical Schools: What data and what roles?
Ostini, Remo, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas, Nasir, Bushra, Strasser, Sarah and Geoff Nicholson (2018). Data and the role of Rural Clinical Schools: What data and what roles?. 6th Rural and Remote Health Scientific Symposium. Outback infront: 20 years of rural and remote health research, Canberra, ACT, Australia, 11-12 April 2018.
Mental health and indigenous connection to land and community
Toombs, M., Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, S., Kisely, S., Gill, N., Black, E., Hayman, N., Ranmuthugala, G., Beccaria, G., Ostini, R., Nicholson, G. C. and Nasir, B. (2018). Mental health and indigenous connection to land and community. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Annual Congress 2018, Auckland, New Zealand, 13-17 May 2018. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications.
The Mobile Outreach Boomerang (MOB) We come back
Toombs, Maree and Nasir, Bushra (2018). The Mobile Outreach Boomerang (MOB) We come back. International Health Workforce Collaborative 2018, Queenstown, New Zealand, 23-26 April 2018.
Toombs, M., Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, S., Kisely, S., Gill, N., Black, E., Hayman, N., Ranmuthugala, G., Beccaria, G., Ostini, R., Nicholson, G. and Nasir, B. (2018). The cultural appropriateness of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV TR, Axis I (SCID-I) for Indigenous populations, study update. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Annual Congress 2018, Auckland, New Zealand, 13-17 May 2018. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
Nasir, B., Toombs, M., Kondalsamy-Chennaksavan, S., Kisely, S., Hides, L., Gill, N., Hayman, N., Ranmuthugala, G., Brennan-Olsen, S. and Nicholson, G. (2018). Understanding existing community networks for volunteer suicide intervention trainees – preliminary findings from trainees undertaking an Indigenous suicide intervention training program developed in partnership with Indigenous communities. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Annual Congress 2018, Auckland, New Zealand, 13-17 May 2018. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
Understanding the willingness to intervene and support an individual at risk of suicide
Nasir, B., Toombs, M., Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, S., Nicholson, G., Kisely, S., Hides, L. and Gill, N. (2018). Understanding the willingness to intervene and support an individual at risk of suicide. National Suicide Prevention Conference, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 23-26 July 2018.
Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas, Nasir, Bushra, Ostini, Remo, Strasser, Sarah and Nicholson, Geoff (2017). Calculators to individualise the predicted probability of working in a rural area: an answer for the medical workforce issues in non-Metro areas?. Rural Medicine Australia 2017 (RMA17), Melbourne, 19-21 October 2017.
Pathways to prevention: closing the gap in Indigenous suicide intervention pathways
Nasir, Bushra, Kisely, Steve, Hides, Leanne, Ranmuthugala, Geetha, Brennan-Olsen, Sharon, Nicholson, Geoffrey C., Gill, Neeraj S., Hayman, Noel, Witherspoon, Sally, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas and Toombs, Maree (2017). Pathways to prevention: closing the gap in Indigenous suicide intervention pathways. National Rural Health Conference, Cairns, QLD, Australia, 26-29 March 2017. Deakin West, ACT, Australia: National Rural Health Alliance.
Nasir, B., Kisely, S., Hides, L., Ranmuthugala, G., Brenan-Olsen, S., Easton, C., Wenitong, A., Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas, Nicholson, G. and Toombs, M. (2016). An Australian Community-led suicide intervention skills training program: community consultation findings. 8th Australian Rural and Remote Mental Health Symposium., Kingscliff, NSW, Australia, November 2016.
Gatekeeper training interventions in preventing suicide among Indigenous Australians
Easton, Caitlin, Nasir, Bushra, Toombs, Maree, Ranmuthugala, Geetha, Gill, Neeraj, Hides, Leanne, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas, Black, Emma, Nicholson, Geoff, Kisely, Steve, Hayman, Noel and Wenitong, Adam (2016). Gatekeeper training interventions in preventing suicide among Indigenous Australians. National Suicide Prevention Conference: Connecting Culture Context and Capabilities, Canberra, ACT, Australia, 24-27 July 2016.
Toombs, Maree, Gill, Neeraj, Nasir, Bushra, Black, Emma, Kisely, Steve, Beccaria, Gavin, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas and Nicholson, Geoffrey (2016). The feasibility of the structured clinical interview for diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (SCID-I) as a practical and culturally appropriate method of diagnosing mental disorders in indigenous Australians. 2016 RANZCP International Congress, Hong Kong, 8-12th May, 2016. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications.
Evaluating outcomes in a program to prepare medical students for their intern year
Sheila Cook, Kate Jurd, Remo Ostini and Bushra Nasir (2015). Evaluating outcomes in a program to prepare medical students for their intern year. UQ Teaching and Learning Conference, UQ St Lucia, 6/11/2015.
Sunday Pam, Kynaston, A, Sive, A, Gwenda Chapman, Nasir, Bushra and Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas (2015). How reliable are Extended Midwifery Services (EMS) in tracking morbidity in Late Preterm Infants (born 34 weeks to 36 week 6 days gestation (LPI)), discharged to the community?. 9th Health Services and Policy Research Conference, Melbourne, 7-9 December 2015.
Social Media in Medical Education
Bushra Nasir, Kate Jurd, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas and Remo Ostini (2015). Social Media in Medical Education. UQ Teaching and Learning Conference, UQ St Lucia, 6/11/2015.
Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas, Nasir, Bushra and Kwan, Marcella (2015). Validation of the Australian uterine cancer nomograms to predict local or distant recurrence using portec trials dataset. European Society of Gynaecology Oncology International Meeting 2015, Nice, France, 24-27 October, 2015. PHILADELPHIA: LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS.
Genomic risk profiling to predict clinical outcomes in Crohn's disease patients
Nasir, B. F., Griffith, L. R., Nasir, A., Roberts, R. L., Gearry, R. and Lea, R. (2012). Genomic risk profiling to predict clinical outcomes in Crohn's disease patients. BDC 2012: 2nd Biomarker Discovery Conference 2012, Shoal Bay, NSW, Australia, 3-6 December, 2012.
Envirogenomic risk profiling to predict clinical outcomes in Crohn's disease patients
Nasir, B. F., Lea, R., Nasir, A., Macartney-Coxsin, D., Hall, D. and Griffiths, L. (2011). Envirogenomic risk profiling to predict clinical outcomes in Crohn's disease patients. HGSA 2011: Human Genetics Society of Australasia 35th Annual Scientific Meeting, Gold Coast , QLD, Australia, 31 July-3 August, 2011. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1375/twin.14.4.347
Identifying a genomic signature for predicting the risk of CD
Nasir, Bushra Farah, Griffith, L. R., Nasir, A. and Lea, Rod A. (2011). Identifying a genomic signature for predicting the risk of CD. Australian Society for Medical Research Conference, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 2011.
Envirogenomic risk profiling to predict clinical outcomes in Crohn's disease patients
Nasir, B. F., Griffith, L. R., Nasir, A., Roberts, R. L., Gearry, R. and Lea, R. (2010). Envirogenomic risk profiling to predict clinical outcomes in Crohn's disease patients. BDC 2010: Inaugural Biomarker Discovery Conference 2010, Shoal Bay, NSW, Australia, 6-10 December, 2010.
Nasir, B. F., Griffith, L. R., Nasir, A., Roberts, R. L., Barclay, M. L., Gearry, R. B. and Lea, R. (2010). Perianal disease combined with NOD2 genotype predicts need for IBD-related surgery in Crohn's disease patients from a population-based cohort. Gold Coast Health and Medical Research Conference 2010, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 2-3 December, 2010. Nathan, QLD, Australia: Griffith Health Institute.
Retention of the health workforce in rural and remote areas: a systematic review
World Health Organisation Team, Strasser, Sarah, Austin, Marni, Bendotti, Hollie, Bourke, Gary, Campbell, David, Campbell, Narelle , Chater, Alan Bruce, Chong, Hwee Sin , Cribb, Jacqueline, Cumming, Kay, Doty, Barbara Jean, Eley, Diann, Erikson, Jay S., Florentis, Anastasia, Floss, Mayara, Goot, Katie, Greacen, Jane, Jonk, Yvonne , Khoo, Kean, Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas, Lamb, Margaret, Longenecker, Randall, McGrail, Matthew, Nasir, Bushra, Partanen, Riitta, Paterson, Davis , Rajapalisha, Dilum , Schmitz, David ... Tynan, Anna (2020). Retention of the health workforce in rural and remote areas: a systematic review. Human Resources for Health Observer Series No. 25 Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.
Improving the Mental Health of Indigenous Australians with Chronic Disease
(2020–2021) UQ Early Career Researcher
The association of major depressive disorders with chronic disease among Indigenous Australians
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Telehealth and outreach clinics: a blended model of care
Master Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Indigenous network suicide intervention skills training
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
The association of mental health conditions and chronic diseases among Indigenous Australians
Master Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.
Multiple projects available
Multiple projects in medicine and mental health related fields.