Dr Tamara Blake
Research Fellow (Respiratory Physiology)
Child Health Research Centre
Respiratory Scientist
Child Health Research Centre
Researcher biography
Tamara is an early career researcher (6 years post-doc) and a trained respiratory scientist with over 10 years' experience in measuring the lung function of children aged between 3-18 years across a range of disease modalities including asthma, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis (CF). Her PhD 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 is experienced in performing a wide range of clinically available lung function tests as well as several new emerging techniques including oscillometry and multiple breath washout. These techniques are attractive additions to clinical practice due to improved sensitivity to early lung disease progression. 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 i) better understand the mechanisms of early lung disease including asthma, CF, preterm and neuromusccular conditions, ii) to improve current clinical outcome measures to aid in appropriate management, and iii) to establish the clinical utility of new techniques for use in both teritary and home-based settings.
Journal Articles
Boissiere-O'Neill, Thomas, Lazarevic, Nina, Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Sly, Peter D., Chen, Aimin, Blake, Tamara L., Brook, Jeffrey R., Du Berry, Cassidy, King, Louise, Mandhane, Piushkumar J., Moraes, Theo J., Simons, Elinor, Subbarao, Padmaja, Vilcins, Dwan, Subbarao, Padmaja, Simons, Elinor, Moraes, Theo J., Turvey, Stuart E., Mandhane, Piushkumar J., Azad, Meghan B., Vuillermin, Peter, Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Tang, Mimi L.K., Collier, Fiona, Sly, Peter D., Harrison, Leonard, Saffery, Richard, Ranganathan, Sarath, Burgner, David ... O’Hely, Martin (2026). Phthalates, bisphenols, and childhood allergic phenotypes: findings from two birth cohort studies. Environmental Pollution, 389 127401, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127401
Rodwell, Leanne, Schneider, Irene, Bernard, Anne, Blake, Tamara, Mawn, Patsi, Dodd, Deearne, Hopkins‐Lincolne, Jeleacha and McElrea, Margaret S. (2025). A culturally responsive Indigenous Health Worker Spirometry training and mentoring programme (IHWS) increases quantity and quality of spirometry performed in primary care. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 33 (6) e70112, 1-10. doi: 10.1111/ajr.70112
Douglas, Tonia, Deery, Maddison, Kimball, Hayley, Cobham, Vanessa E., Panochini, Sophia, Robinson, Paul D., Wainwright, Claire E., Sly, Peter D. and Blake, Tamara (2025). Mental health, behaviour and sleep quality in children 6–11 years before and after elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor initiation. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, 24 (3), 571-573. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2024.10.002
Vilcins, Dwan, Lee, Wen R, Blake, Tamara L., Wu, Wenbo, Cormier, Stephania and Sly, Peter D. (2024). Reply to Myers and Rosser: A comment about studying the health effects of smoke produced by prescribed fire. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 210 (11), 1384-1385. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202408-1614le
Vilcins, Dwan, Lee, Wen Ray, Pham, Cindy, Tanner, Sam, Knibbs, Luke D., Burgner, David, Blake, Tamara L., Mansell, Toby, Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Sly, Peter D. and Barwon Infant Study Investigator Group (2024). Association of Maternal Air Pollution Exposure and Infant Lung Function Is Modified by Genetic Propensity to Oxidative Stress. Children, 11 (8) 937, 1-12. doi: 10.3390/children11080937
Vilcins, Dwan, Lee, Wen R., Blake, Tamara L., Wu, Wenbo, Cormier, Stephania and Sly, Peter D. (2024). Assessing the impact of wildfire smoke exposure on lung health: A pilot feasibility study using prescribed fires as a model. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 210 (7), 936-937. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202403-0625RL
Wong, Matthew D., Condon, Kathleena, Robinson, Paul D., Suresh, Sadasivam, Zahir, Syeda Farah, Sly, Peter D. and Blake, Tamara L. (2024). Assessment of bronchodilator response in preschoolers: A systematic review. Pediatric Pulmonology, 59 (11), 1-16. doi: 10.1002/ppul.27112
Collaro, Andrew J., Foong, Rachel, Chang, Anne B., Marchant, Julie M., Blake, Tamara L., Cole, Johanna F., Pearson, Glenn, Hii, Rebecca, Brown, Henry, Chatfield, Mark D., Hall, Graham and McElrea, Margaret S. (2024). Which reference equation should we use for interpreting spirometry values for First Nations Australians? A cross‐sectional study. Medical Journal of Australia, 220 (10), 523-529. doi: 10.5694/mja2.52306
Wong, Matthew D., Blake, Tamara L., Zahir, Syeda F., Suresh, Sadasivam, Hantos, Zoltán, Grimwood, Keith, Lambert, Stephen B., Ware, Robert S. and Sly, Peter D. (2024). Longitudinal tracking of intrabreath respiratory impedance in preschool children. Pediatric Pulmonology, 59 (7), 1885-1893. doi: 10.1002/ppul.26994
Blake, Tamara L., Sly, Peter D., Andersen, Isabella, Wainwright, Claire E., Reid, David W., Bell, Scott C., Smith, Briana R., Kettle, Anthony J. and Dickerhof, Nina (2024). Changes in urinary glutathione sulfonamide (GSA) levels between admission and discharge of patients with cystic fibrosis. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, 23 (6), 1163-1166. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2024.04.009
Boissiere-O’Neill, Thomas, Lee, Wen R., Blake, Tamara L., Sly, Peter D. and Vilcins, Dwan (2024). Exposure to endocrine-disrupting plasticisers and lung function in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Environmental Research, 243 117751, 117751. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117751
Vilcins, Dwan, Blake, Tamara L., Sly, Peter D., Saffery, Richard, Ponsonby, Anne‐Louise, Burgner, David, Tang, Mimi L. K., Reid, Natasha and Barwon Infant Study Investigator Group (2023). Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on infant lung function, wheeze, and respiratory infections in Australian children. Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, 47 (12), 2278-2287. doi: 10.1111/acer.15205
Collaro, Andrew J., Chang, Anne B., Marchant, Julie M., Vicendese, Don, Chatfield, Mark D., Cole, Johanna F., Blake, Tamara L. and McElrea, Margaret S. (2023). Developing fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) predicted and upper limit of normal values for a disadvantaged population. Chest, 163 (3), 624-633. 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, 5727. doi: 10.3390/jcm10245727
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
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
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
Wong, M.D., Condon, K., Zahir, S.F., Sly, P.D., Blake, T.L., Suresh, S., Robinson, P.D. and Hantos, Z. (2025). Bronchodilator Response Measured by Intrabreath Oscillometry Differentiates Wheezers From Healthy Preschoolers. ATS International Conference, San Francisco, CA United States, 16-21 May 2025. New York, NY United States: American Thoracic Society. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm.2025.211.abstracts.a7093
Deery, M., Blake, T., Cobham, V., Kimball, H., Panochini, S., Sly, P., Robinson, P., Wainwright, C. and Douglas, T. (2025). Neuropsychiatric symptoms 6-months post elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor initiation in children. TSANZSRS Annual Scientific meeting 2025, Adelaide, SA Australia, 21-25 March 2025. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1111/imj.70003
Deery, M., Blake, T., Cobham, V., Kimball, H., Panochini, S., Sly, P., Robinson, P., Wainwright, C. and Douglas, T. (2025). Evaluating the impact of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor on anxiety in school-aged children. TSANZSRS Annual Scientific meeting 2025, Adelaide, SA Australia, 21-25 March 2025. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1111/imj.70003
Vilcins, Dwan, Lee, Wen Ray, Pham, Cindy, Tanner, Sam, Knibbs, Luke D., Burgner, Dave, Blake, Tamara L., Mansell, Toby, Ponsonby, Anne Louise and Sly, Peter (2024). Association of maternal air pollution exposure and infant lung function is modified by genetic propensity to oxidative stress. ISEE 2024: 36th Annual Conference of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology, Santiago, Chile, 25-28 August 2024. Research Triangle Park, NC United States: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. doi: 10.1289/isee.2024.0021
Deery, Maddison, Blake, Tamara, Cobham, Vanessa, Kimball, Hayley, Panochini, Sophia, Sly, Peter, Wainwright, Claire and Douglas, Tonia (2024). Mental health and sleep quality in children receiving elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor therapy. 15th Australasian Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 2–4 August 2024. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
Deery, Maddison, Blake, Tamara, Cobham, Vanessa, Kimball, Hayley, Sly, Peter, Wainwright, Claire and Douglas, Tonia (2024). Anxiety, resilience and quality of life in children with cystic fibrosis. 15th Australasian Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 2–4 August 2024. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
Blake, T., Deery, M., Robinson, P., Wainwright, C. and Sly, P. (2024). Variability of intra-breath oscillometry in children with cystic fibrosis. 47th European Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 5-8 June 2024. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/s1569-1993(24)00432-6
Blake, T., Condon, K., Panochini, S., Wainwright, C., Sly, P. and Robinson, P. (2024). Feasibility of home-based oscillometry monitoring in paediatric cystic fibrosis. 47th European Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 5-8 June 2024. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/s1569-1993(24)00433-8
Blake, T., Deery, M., Cobham, V., Kimball, H., Panochini, S., Sly, P., Wainwright, C. and Douglas, T. (2024). Mental health and sleep quality in children receiving elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor therapy. 47th European Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 5-8 June 2024. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/s1569-1993(24)00121-8
Wong, M., Blake, T., Zahir, S., Suresh, S., Hantos, Z., Grimwood, K., Lambert, S., Ware, R. and Sly, P. (2024). Intra-breath oscillometry impedance trajectories differ with wheeze status in preschoolers. TSANZSRS 2024 The Australia & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting for Leaders in Lung Health & Respiratory Science, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 22-26 March 2024. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
Deery, M., Blake, T., Cobham, V., Kimball, H., Panochini, S., Sly, P., Wainwright, C. and Douglas, T. (2024). Mental health and sleep quality in children receiving Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor therapy. TSANZSRS 2024 The Australia and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting for Leaders in Lung Health and Respiratory Science, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 22-26 March 2024. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
Deery, M., Blake, T., Cobham, V., Kimball, H., Sly, P., Wainwright, C. and Douglas, T. (2024). Anxiety, resilience, and quality of life in paediatric Cystic Fibrosis. TSANZSRS 2024 The Australia and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting for Leaders in Lung Health and Respiratory Science, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 22-26 March 2024. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
Wong, M., Condon, K., Robinson, P., Suresh, S., Zahir, S., Sly, P. and Blake, T. (2024). Assessment of a bronchodilator response in preschoolers: a systematic review. TSANZSRS 2024 The Australia & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting for Leaders in Lung Health & Respiratory Science, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 22-26 March 2024. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
Wong, M., Condon, K., Blake, T., Suresh, S., Hantos, Z., Zahir, S., Robinson, P. and Sly, P. (2024). Defining a bronchodilator response using intra-breath oscillometry in healthy preschoolers. TSANZSRS 2024 The Australia & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting for Leaders in Lung Health & Respiratory Science, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 22-26 March 2024. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1111/resp.14673
ONeill, Boissiere T., Lee, W., Blake, T., Sly, P. and Vilcins, D. (2024). Endocrine-disrupting plasticisers and childhood lung function: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Australia & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting for Leaders in Lung Health & Respiratory Science, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 22–26 March 2024. Richmond, VIC Australia: Wiley.
Xin, Bowen, Young, Tony, Wainwright, Claire E., Blake, Tamara, Lebrat, Leo, Gaass, Thomas, Benkert, Thomas, Stemmer, Alto, Coman, David and Dowling, Jason (2024). Deformation-aware GAN for medical image synthesis with substantially misaligned pairs. Medical Imaging with Deep Learning, Paris, France, 3-5 July 2024. ML Research Press.
Blake, T.L., Hantos, Z., Wainwright, C. and Sly, P.D. (2023). Measures of ventilation inhomogeneity in children with cystic fibrosis: intra-breath oscillometry Vs. MBW. International Conference of the American-Thoracic-Society (ATS), Washington, DC, United States, 19-24 May 2023. New York, NY United States: American Thoracic Society. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2023.207.1_meetingabstracts.a4061
Blake, T.L., Hantos, Z., Wainwright, C. and Sly, P.D. (2023). Volume-dependence of reactance as a measure of ventilation inhomogeneity in cystic fibrosis. American Thoracic Society 2023 International Conference, Washington, DC United States, 19-24 May 2023. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2023.207.1_meetingabstracts.a2986
Wong, M., Blake, T., Suresh, S., Zahir, F. and Sly, P. (2023). Longitudinal respiratory impedance in wheezy preschool children using intra-breath oscillometry. TSANZSRS 2023 The Australia & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting for Leaders in Lung Health & Respiratory Science, Christchurch, New Zealand, 25–28 March 2023. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
Blake, T., Sly, P., Andersen,, Wainwright, C., Reid, D., Bell, S., Kettle, A. and Dickerhof, N. (2023). Changes in admission-discharge urinary glutathione sulfonamide levels in CF. TSANZSRS 2023 The Australia & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting for Leaders in Lung Health & Respiratory Science, Christchurch, New Zealand, 25–28 March 2023. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
Blake, T., Hantos, Z., Wainwright, C. and Sly, P. (2023). Volume-dependence of reactance as a measure of ventilation inhomogeneity. TSANZSRS 2023 The Australia & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting for Leaders in Lung Health & Respiratory Science, Christchurch, New Zealand, 25–28 March 2023. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
Collaro, A., Chang, A., Marchant, J., Chatfield, M., Dent, A., Blake, T., Fong, K. and Mcelrea, M. (2021). Adults referred to specialist respiratory outreach clinics in regional and remote Queensland. TSANZSRS 2021 The Australia & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting for Leaders in Lung Health & Respiratory Science,, Online, 1–2 May 2021. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
Blake, T., Chang, A., Chatfield, M., Petsky, H. and Mcelrea, M. (2018). Assessing the suitability of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (feno) cut-off ranges for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and young adults. The Australia & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting, Adelaide, SA Australia, 23–27 March 2018. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
Blake, T., Chang, A., Chatfield, M., Petsky, H. and Mcelrea, M. (2018). Assessing the suitability of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) cut-off ranges for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and young adults. The Australia & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting, Adelaide, SA Australia, 23–27 March 2018. Richmond, VIC Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
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
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