Dr Dwan Vilcins
Researcher biography
Dwan is the Group Leader Environmental Epidemiology, Centre for Safe Air Postdoctoral Research Fellow and the Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Children's Health and Environment. Dwan has a particular interest in children's environmental health. Her current research explores the following:
- Bushfire smoke
- Air pollution, especially indoor air quality
- Environmentally persistent free radicals
- Green space
- Climate change and health
The EMBER (Environmental Measures of Bushfire smoke Exposure and Respiratory health) study is a comprehensive investigation into how bushfire smoke affects the respiratory health of children, adults, and firefighters. It integrates environmental sampling, in‑home air quality monitoring, biomarker assessment, and repeated lung‑function testing to build a full picture of smoke exposure from source to health impact. EMBER also uses advanced tools—such as drone technology—to characterise pollutant profiles during fire events, generating evidence to inform public health policy and better protect communities during increasingly frequent smoke events. Learn more at: research.uq.edu.au/ember
Smoke kits: This project responds to the growing health risks posed by increasingly frequent bushfires by developing practical, community‑focused tools to reduce smoke exposure. Recognising that current guidance—such as staying indoors—may not adequately protect families, the initiative creates affordable clean‑air kits that include materials for a DIY filter fan, a user‑friendly handbook, and accessible resources for families. Through hands‑on workshops and broader community outreach, the program supports households in using these kits effectively, aiming to strengthen public health resilience during smoke events.
The EPFR project investigates how environmentally persistent free radicals—combustion‑derived pollutants we have previously identified in Australian homes—contribute to adverse health effects, particularly in children. By examining their presence indoors and their formation during events like bushfires, the project aims to understand how these long‑lived pollutants drive key health impacts associated with air pollution. This work focuses on characterising exposure in Australian households and uncovering how EPFRs influence human health, ultimately supporting efforts to reduce harmful environmental exposures.
Building the Autonomy of Indigenous Communities to Make their Data Work for Decision-Making: This project empowers Indigenous communities in Canada to use their own health and environmental data for better decision-making by hosting a series of Knowledge Symposiums on key topics like children's environmental health, water contamination, microplastics, and Indigenous health economics. These symposiums bring together community members, researchers, and experts to share knowledge, build local capacity, and co-develop practical tools and strategies. By centering Indigenous voices and fostering data autonomy, the project not only addresses urgent health concerns but also demonstrates leadership in community-driven research, strengthening your profile as a researcher committed to impactful, collaborative, and culturally grounded work.
WHO Collaborating Centre for Children's Health and Environment
Our Collaborating Centre focuses on supporting the World Health Organization in strengthening countries' capacity to protect children from the health impacts of climate and environmental change. Activities include assisting WHO to assess air quality and climate‑related health risks to children in the Western Pacific Region, developing and revising competency‑based training materials in children's environmental health, and updates to existing WHO training packages. The workplan also contributes to coordination across the network of WHO Collaborating Centres by providing input to the Collaborative Framework of Action on children's environmental health and by producing research reviews and thematic analyses on climate‑ and chemical‑related risks to support WHO policies and guidance. Learn more here: https://child-health-research.centre.uq.edu.au/research/who-collaborating-centre-for-children-s-health-and-environment