Tobias Strunk

Tobias Strunk is a Clinical Professor at the University of Western Australia (UWA), affiliated with the UWA Medical School's Paediatrics department and the Institute for Paediatric Perioperative Excellence. His work focuses on neonatal infections, preterm birth outcomes, and translational interventions to improve infant health. He leads clinical trials such as the PROTECT Trial and developed the Newborn Sepsis Calculator, reducing antibiotic overuse by $1M/year.

Research Interests: Strunk's research explores mechanisms of neonatal sepsis susceptibility, long-term health impacts of preterm birth, and prophylactic therapies. Key areas include cytokine responses in preterm infants, pharmacokinetics of medications like pentoxifylline, and the role of gestational age in childhood infection risks. His work bridges clinical practice and translational science to reduce neonatal morbidity.

Grant Activity: Current projects involve optimizing pentoxifylline treatment for preterm infants with sepsis, designing paternal support programs for preterm care, and developing rapid sepsis detection technologies. Recent studies address drug compatibility in neonatal ICUs and core outcomes after neonatal sepsis.

Collaborations: Strunk collaborates internationally on sepsis prevention and neonatal care protocols. His team's findings have informed national neonatal unit practices through tools like the Newborn Sepsis Calculator.