One of the best
Emeritus Professor Jake Najman's study of a lifetime
The University of Queensland is privileged to foster the work of thousands of researchers, but few can equal the dedication and achievements of Emeritus Professor Jackob Najman.
Emeritus Professor Najman has been recognised in the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Ten of the Best 2016, which acknowledges outstanding research projects.
Through the Mater Mothers’ Hospital – University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), Emeritus Professor Najman and a team of fellow researchers have been following the lives of mothers and their children for almost 40 years. The study has generated more than 250 publications to date.
The MUSP research team
Beginning in 1981, more than 8000 pregnant women were recruited to take part in a long-running study aimed at investigating the mental and physical health of mothers and their children over their lifetimes. As the participants aged, data was collected at key development points for the children, such as early childhood, during puberty, and as young adults.
The study’s long lifespan allows for a huge range of factors to be studied, including socio-economic wellbeing, physical and mental health of the mothers and their children, and the effects of varying lifestyles.
Children of the original participants view their parents' baby photos.
MUSP also made it possible to assess the evolution of healthcare values over its almost 40-year existence, allowing researchers to see how changing norms have affected the wellbeing of the participants. The wealth of data collected through the study continues to provide researchers with resources for new publications and follow-up studies.
Emeritus Professor Najman describes his interest in healthcare as stemming from his studies in sociology at the University of New South Wales in the 1960s – the political upheaval and social change of the time leaving a clear mark.
“Sociology students were engaged in political activity, and the prospect of doing ‘good’ on a national and global scale was highly motivating. There appeared to be an opportunity to participate in changing the world.”
Since his appointment in a joint role at the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine (now the School of Public Health) and the School of Social Science in 1973, Emeritus Professor Najman has made an unrivalled impact at UQ.
With more than 500 publications to his name and over 14,500 citations worldwide, Emeritus Professor Najman has been one of UQ’s most prolific researchers across his 43 years of continuous service. He has received more than 80 research grants across his career, totalling more than $20 million in funding.
Emeritus Professor Najman with his grandchildren
He has held a number of prestigious roles at the University, including Head of the School of Social Sciences, and Director of the UQ-based Queensland Alcohol and Drug Research and Education Centre.
His contributions to UQ include mentoring future generations of academics. Despite his retirement in 2016, he continues to supervise PhD students.
He remains active in academic work, continuing to apply for research funding, and editing and reviewing research papers.
This story is featured in the Summer 2017 edition of UQMedicine Magazine. View the latest edition here. Or to listen, watch, or read more stories from UQ’s Faculty of Medicine visit our content hub, MayneStream.