Kristina Kairaitis
Clinical A/Prof
BSc(Hons)/MB/BS (Hons)/FRACP PhD
kristina.kairaitis@wimr.org.au
The Ludwig Engel Centre for Respiratory Research
Sleep and Cancer research Group
Gas Exchange Consequences of Respiratory Disease Research Group
Upper Airway Physiology Research Group
Currently open to PHD and Honours students in the topic areas of:
Interactions between sleep and cancer
Upper airway physiology
Gas Exchange in lung disease

Biography
A/Prof Kristina Kairaitis is a respiratory and sleep physician at Westmead Hospital. She completed her medical degree at the UNSW, and her training in respiratory and sleep medicine at Westmead Hospital, followed by a PhD with a focus on understanding why the upper airway collapses during sleep. She has research experience in acute physiological animal models, but more recently has focused on physiological studies in people including patients with a history of cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and COVID infections, in addition to clinical studies in sleep disorders.
Research interests
Interactions between sleep and cancer, Upper airway physiology, Gas Exchange in lung disease
Adjunct roles
Senior Staff Specialist | Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Westmead Hospital |
Clinical Associate Professor | Western Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney |
Project Co-Leader | Precision Sleep Medicine Node, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney |
Additional information
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8808-3183
USYD link – https://www.sydney.edu.au/medicine-health/about/our-people/academic-staff/kristina-kairaitis.html
Current grants
Westmead Research and Education Network | 12 months | Gas Exchange Consequences of COVID-19 infection. |
Affiliations
Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Westmead Hospital, Western Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney
Professional Associations and Organisations
2022-Current | Australasian Sleep Association | Conference organising committee member |