Dr Tamara Blake
Respiratory Scientist
Child Health Research Centre
Researcher biography
Tamara is a trained respiratory scientist and has 7 years' experience in measuring the lung function of children aged 3-18 years. She has recently completed her PhD whereby she validated the use of normal healthy reference values for two lung function tests (spirometry and fractional exhaled nitric oxide) for children who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. She has a particular interest in childhood respiratory illnesses such as cystic fibrosis and asthma, emerging clinical measurement techniques, as well as Australian First Nations respiratory health. Her current research aims to better understand the mechanisms of early CF lung disease and to improve current clinical outcome measures to aid in appropriate CF management.
Journal Articles
Collaro, Andrew J., Chang, Anne B., Marchant, Julie M., Vicendese, Don, Chatfield, Mark D., Cole, Johanna F., Blake, Tamara L. and McElrea, Margaret S. (2022). Developing fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) predicted and upper limit of normal values for a disadvantaged population. Chest. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2022.10.014
Collaro, Andrew J., Chang, Anne B., Marchant, Julie M., Chatfield, Mark D., Vicendese, Don, Blake, Tamara L., McElrea, Margaret S. and Dharmage, Shyamali C. (2021). Early childhood pneumonia is associated with reduced lung function and asthma in first nations Australian children and young adults. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10 (24) 5727. doi: 10.3390/jcm10245727
Collaro, Andrew J., Chang, Anne B., Marchant, Julie M., Chatfield, Mark D., Dent, Annette, Blake, Tamara, Mawn, Patsi, Fong, Kwun and McElrea, Margaret S (2021). Associations between lung function and future cardiovascular morbidity and overall mortality in a predominantly First Nations population: a cohort study. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific, 13 100188, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2021.100188
Collaro, Andrew J., Chang, Anne B., Marchant, Julie M., Chatfield, Mark D., Dent, Annette, Blake, Tamara, Mawn, Patsi, Fong, Kwun and McElrea, Margaret S. (2021). Determinants and Follow-up of Lung Function Data from a Predominantly First Nations Cohort of Adults Referred to Specialist Respiratory Outreach Clinics in Regional and Remote Queensland. Lung, 199 (4), 417-425. doi: 10.1007/s00408-021-00453-7
Sly, Peter, Blake, Tamara and Islam, Zahir (2021). Impact of prenatal and early life environmental exposures on normal human development. Paediatric Respiratory Reviews, 40, 10-14. doi: 10.1016/j.prrv.2021.05.007
Collaro, Andrew J., Chang, Anne B., Marchant, Julie M., Chatfield, Mark D., Blake, Tamara L. and McElrea, Margaret S. (2021). How do Cormic Index profiles contribute to differences in spirometry values between White and First Nations Australian children?. Pediatric Pulmonology, 56 (12), 3966-3974. doi: 10.1002/ppul.25692
Blake, Tamara L., Chang, Anne B., Marchant, Julie M. and McElrea, Margaret S. (2020). Respiratory health profile of Indigenous Australian children and young adults. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 56 (7), 1066-1071. doi: 10.1111/jpc.14817
Blake, Tamara L., Chang, Anne B., Chatfield, Mark D., Marchant, Julie M., Petsky, Helen L. and McElrea, Margaret S. (2020). How does parent/self-reporting of common respiratory conditions compare with medical records among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) children and young adults?. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 56 (1), 55-60. doi: 10.1111/jpc.14490
Blake, Tamara L., Chang, Anne B., Chatfield, Mark D., Marchant, Julie M., Petsky, Helen L. and McElrea, Margaret S. (2019). Fractional exhaled nitric oxide values in Indigenous Australians 3 to 16 years of age. Chest, 156 (2), 239-246. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2019.02.401
Blake, Tamara L., Chang, Anne B., Chatfield, Mark D., Marchant, Julie M. and McElrea, Margaret S. (2019). Global Lung Function Initiative‐2012 ‘other/mixed’ spirometry reference equation provides the best overall fit for Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and young adults. Respirology, 25 (3) resp.13649, 281-288. doi: 10.1111/resp.13649
Blake, Tamara L., Chang, Anne B., Chatfield, Mark D., Petsky, Helen L., Rodwell, Leanne T., Brown, Michael G., Hill, Deb C. and McElrea, Margaret S. (2017). Does ethnicity influence fractional exhaled nitric oxide in healthy individuals?: a systematic review. Chest, 152 (1), 40-50. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2017.02.007
Blake, Tamara L., Chang, Anne B., Petsky, Helen L., Rodwell, Leanne T., Brown, Michael G., Hill, Debra C., Thompson, Bruce and McElrea, Margaret S. (2016). Spirometry reference values in Indigenous Australians: a systematic review. Medical Journal of Australia, 205 (1), 35-40. doi: 10.5694/mja16.00226
Conference Papers
Blake, Tamara, Chatfield, Mark, Chang, Anne, Petsky, Helen and Mcelrea, Margaret (2018). Self-reported and medical chart histories of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) children and young adults. 28th International Congress of the European-Respiratory-Society (ERS), Paris France, 15-19 September 2018. Lausanne, Switzerland: European Respiratory Society. doi: 10.1183/13993003.congress-2018.PA4682
Blake, Tamara, Chatfield, Mark, Chang, Anne, Petsky, Helen and Mcelrea, Margaret (2018). Spirometry reference values for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) children and young adults. 28th International Congress of the European-Respiratory-Society (ERS), Paris France, 15-19 September 2018. Lausanne, Switzerland: European Respiratory Society. doi: 10.1183/13993003.congress-2018.OA3777