Rate My Professor Fatima Yaqoot

Professor Fatima Yaqoot is Professor of Sleep Research at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay campus. She is a pharmacist, epidemiologist, and sleep scientist with a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Queensland, MTech in Pharmaceutical Technology from NIPER, and Graduate Certificate in Adult Sleep Science from the University of Western Australia. As director of the Let’s Yarn About Sleep program, she integrates multidisciplinary translational research with culturally responsive co-designed programs to reduce the societal burden of poor sleep, particularly addressing health inequities in First Nations communities. Her work has pioneered initiatives such as Australia’s first Indigenous Sleep Coach training and strategies for local sleep disorder management. Collaborating with 16 communities, her team enhances awareness, builds capacity, and develops clinician resources. Since 2018, Professor Yaqoot has secured over $26 million in competitive funding, including five Medical Research Future Fund grants and four National Health and Medical Research Council grants, supporting projects like Untapping the potential of sleep health to improve prevention and management of mental health problems in First Nations children ($4,997,586, 2025-2030), Co-designing Obstructive Sleep Apnoea screening and diagnostic approaches for First Nations Australians ($1,998,178, 2024-2029), and Obstructive sleep apnoea diagnosis and management in First Nations communities ($4,144,871, 2023-2028).