Karen Waters

Professor Karen Waters is a Conjoint Professor of Child and Adolescent Health at the University of Sydney and Senior Staff Specialist in Sleep Medicine at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, where she serves as Head of Sleep Medicine and Head of the SIDS and Sleep Apnoea Research Group. She holds qualifications including MBBS, FRACP, PhD, and GCCM, with her PhD in Medicine completed at the University of Sydney in 1994. Appointed as Conjoint Professor since September 1996, she has over 20 years of experience in paediatric sleep medicine and heads the Home Ventilation Program and Long Term Ventilation Unit at The Children's Hospital at Westmead. Professor Waters has collaborated with government agencies on Safe Sleep Guidelines, worked with the Coroner’s department on SIDS research, served on the Board of EnableNSW to develop guidelines for publicly-funded respiratory equipment for children, and contributed to working groups for the Australian Sleep Association and Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand on home ventilation and activity guidelines for children. She chairs the National Scientific Advisory Group for Red Nose Australia.

Professor Waters' research specializations include sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI/SIDS), identifying biochemical defects and developing population screening methods; management of sleep problems in children with neurodisability through MRFF and NHMRC-funded studies; and behavioural and cognitive consequences of obstructive sleep apnoea in children via an NHMRC-funded randomised controlled trial. Her work on SIDS began during her PhD and post-doctoral studies at the University of Sydney, incorporating clinical infant sleep studies, animal models, and neuropathology. She has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications, secured funding from NHMRC, NIH, and philanthropic sources, and amassed over 6,900 citations. Notable contributions include research on polysomnography in infants, postoperative outcomes in children with sleep-disordered breathing, and neurodevelopmental impacts of respiratory conditions. In 2025, she received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Australasian Sleep Association. Her research has influenced public health policies and clinical guidelines in paediatric respiratory and sleep medicine.

Professional Email: karen.waters@sydney.edu.au