Have you lived with asthma or COPD? Do you care for someone with a lung condition? Have you participated in health research before?
Our researchers are looking for people with lived experience to help shape and guide the OPTIMAL Study.
By becoming a Consumer Advisor, you can work alongside researchers to make sure the study reflects the needs, experiences and priorities of people who are directly affected by respiratory disease. Your insights will help ensure the research is practical, meaningful and focused on improving health outcomes for the community.
What is a consumer advisor?
A Consumer Advisor brings their lived experience to research.
The best research is done with people, not just about people.
Researchers are experts in science and medicine. Consumers are experts in what it’s like to live with a health condition, care for someone who does, or use healthcare services.
Consumer Advisors help researchers:
- Focus on issues that matter most to patients and families
- Improve study materials
- Make research easier to participate in
- Share findings in ways that make sense to the community
Consumer Advisors will be paid for their time and reimbursed for eligible expenses.
Who can join as a consumer advisor?
You don’t need to understand research methods, medical terminology or statistics.
We’re looking for people who can tell us:
• What’s important to patients and families
• What might make research participation easier or harder
• Whether information is easy to understand
• How research findings should be shared
Your lived experience is the expertise we’re looking for
About the OPTIMAL Study
The OPTIMAL Study (Optimising Pulmonary Therapies using ImmunoMetabolic Analyses of Lung Disease) is being conducted by researchers from the University of Newcastle and HMRI.
We want to better understand why some people with asthma or COPD experience worse symptoms than others, and how factors such as blood sugar, cholesterol and body fat may affect lung health.
What we learn could help improve prevention, treatment and care for people living with these conditions.
Opportunities to Get Involved
Researchers are currently recruiting consumers for three different roles.
Commitment: 2 meetings per year (2026 – 2029) + occasional document review.
By being a Consumer Advisory Group Member you’ll help:
– Shape the direction of the study
– Review participant information
– Improve communication with the community
Commitment: Around 10 hours total
As a Planning Phase Consumer Advisor you’ll help:
- Review study documents
- Improve recruitment materials
- Provide feedback before participant recruitment begins
Commitment: 1 meeting per year (2027 – 2029)
This role helps make sure the participant experience remains at the centre of the study.
You’ll join a group that reviews how the project is progressing and provide a consumer perspective on decisions that may effect participants.
This role is suited to someone with an interest in research, study safety, and participant wellbeing. Curiosity, willingness to learn, and confidence using online meetings are important.
As a Consumer Representative for Study Oversight, you’ll help:
- Review study progress
- Consider participant experiences
- Support participant-centered decision making
You may be interested in these opportunities if you:
- Live with asthma and/or COPD
- Have cared for someone living with asthma and/or COPD
- Have taken part in asthma and/or COPD research before
- Want to help improve healthcare and research for others
If you’re not sure whether you’re the right fit, we encourage you to apply anyway. We value a wide range of experiences and perspectives.
Support and Payment
We recognise that consumer involvement takes time and effort.
Consumer Advisors will:
- Receive payment for their time
- Be reimbursed for eligible expenses
- Receive any training and support needed for their role
- Have access to a member of the research team who can answer questions and provide guidance
You do not need previous research experience. We’ll support you to contribute confidently. We are committed to creating an inclusive and respectful environment where all voices are valued.
Interested in Getting Involved?
Your experiences and insights can help shape research that is more relevant, practical and meaningful for people living with asthma and COPD.
We’d love to hear from you.
Download, complete and submit an Expression of Interest form and send it to:
Dr Bronwyn Berthon
E: [email protected]
If you’d like to learn more before applying, please contact Dr Bronwyn Berthon on 4042 0116 or [email protected]
