Deborah Lehmann

Deborah Lehmann is a Clinical Associate Professor at the UWA Medical School and UWA Centre for Child Health Research, affiliated with The Kids Research Institute Australia at the University of Western Australia. Her research focuses on child health, particularly pneumococcal vaccines, otitis media, and infectious diseases affecting Aboriginal and First Nations children in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Her research interests include Pneumococcal Vaccines, Otitis Media, Streptococcus Pneumonia, Child Health Research, Immunogenicity, Vaccine Development, Aboriginal Child Health, and Infectious Diseases. Her work addresses critical health disparities in Indigenous populations and contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and well-being.

Lehmann's recent publications (2023-2024) demonstrate a strong focus on vaccine research, otitis media, and child health outcomes among Indigenous populations. Her work includes studies on hypoxic pneumonia in Papua New Guinea, the dynamics of Streptococcus pneumoniae, hearing loss related to pneumococcal vaccines in Australian First Nations children, and otitis media in Aboriginal infants. These studies often employ rigorous methodologies including randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and genomic analyses.

Her research has been supported by multiple NHMRC grants, including projects examining the impact of otitis media on language development, pneumococcal vaccine trials in high-risk populations, and the pathogen-specific burden of infections in children. These projects highlight her commitment to addressing health inequities through evidence-based research.

Lehmann collaborates extensively with researchers across Australia and internationally, particularly on studies involving Indigenous child health. Her work bridges clinical practice, public health, and basic science to improve outcomes for vulnerable pediatric populations.