Rate My Professor Barry Taylor

Taylor's research interests encompass paediatric endocrinology, sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), sleep disorders, obesity prevention, and diabetes. With over thirty years dedicated to SUDI research, he has been instrumental in reducing infant mortality rates in Otago from approximately 30 deaths per year to one every one to two years, through evidence-based campaigns promoting safe sleep positions, reduced parental smoking, and avoidance of bed sharing. He leads the University's Obesity Research Group and serves as Deputy Director of the A Better Start – E Tipu e Rea National Science Challenge. His scholarly impact is evident in highly cited publications, including "Normal sleep patterns in infants and children: a systematic review of observational studies" (2012, Sleep Medicine Reviews), "Results from the first year of the New Zealand cot death study" (1991, New Zealand Medical Journal), "Risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome following the prevention campaign in New Zealand: a prospective study" (1997, Pediatrics), and "Four modifiable and other major risk factors for cot death: the New Zealand study" (1992, Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health). In 2024, colleagues honored his career with a festschrift presentation, recognizing his strategic leadership, tenacity, kindness, and commitment to collegiality and clinical-grounded research.