Dr Danielle Wilson is a Research Fellow in Sleep Health at the Thompson Institute (Moreton Bay campus). As part of the Let's Yarn about Sleep team, she currently leads co-designed projects to implement a culturally responsive local model of care for obstructive sleep apnoea screening, diagnosis and management in rural and remote First Nations communities.
As a sleep scientist based in public hospital sleep laboratories from 2004 - 2025, Dani has a wealth of clinical experience working with people with sleep disorders, particularly obstructive sleep apnoea. Dani holds a Master of Science (Research) from La Trobe University and was awarded her PhD from the University of Melbourne in 2019, which assessed the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea during hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and the impact on the health of the mother and baby. Her postdoctoral work continued on the theme of sleep disorders in pregnancy, developing novel programs or research to inform sleep-related policy and practice (including maternal sleeping position) to improve pregnancy health and keep babies safe.
Dani's recent research into measurement issues on polysomnography has high clinical relevance and impact regarding diagnosis of sleep disorders, and has included better understanding of how sleep scoring rules may influence diagnostic accuracy, how sleeping position can influence clinical judgements made by treating physicians, and how we can predict responders to CPAP therapy for improvement of sleepiness and cognitive function.
Professional Memberships
- Australian & New Zealand Sleep Science Association
- World Sleep Society
- Perinatal Society of Australia & New Zealand
Awards
- New Investigator Award for best oral presentation - Perinatal Society of ANZ Congress 2022
- Austin ResearchFest “Rob Pierce Memorial Award” for best poster, 2021.
- Austin ResearchFest “Rob Pierce Memorial Award” for best poster, 2019.
- New Investigator Award finalist – Australasian Sleep Association 30th Annual Scientific Meeting, Brisbane, 2018.
Conference Presentations
- >20 presentations both nationally and internationally
- Co-chair of multiple sessions on sleep health in women.
The impact of maternal sleep disruption on glucose control in gestational diabetes mellitus
Wilson DL, Kothari A, Callaway L, Berry C, Szollosi I, Mann D, Terrill P.
Redcliffe Hospital Private Practice Trust Fund, 2025
Pilot program to investigate the association between sleep disruption and glucose control in gestational diabetes
High resolution measurement of sleep position during pregnancy and the impact on infant birthweight
Wilson DL, Terrill P, Szollosi I, Kothari A, Callaway L
Metro North 2023-2024
Detailed measurement of sleeping position during pregnancy and whether supine sleep impacted fetal growth
Research areas
- Sleep health
- Obstructive sleep apnoea
- Sleep in First Nations peoples
- Sleep and sleep disorder in women
- Sleep and sleep disorder in pregnancy
- Sleep studies/polysomnography
1. Wilson DL, Hollamby M, Skinner T, Hay K, Curtin D, Szollosi I. Misperception of supine sleep in the sleep laboratory: a retrospective review of self-reported versus polysomnography-measued sleep position. Sleep Breath. 2026; 30:25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-025-03560-4
2. Wilson DL, Mann DL, Szollosi I, Callaway L, Kothari A, Terrill P. “Sleep on side”: Awareness and anxiety around sleeping position during late pregnancy. Women Birth. 2025; 38 (6): 102121.
3. Wilson DL, Whenn C, Barnes M, Walker SP, Howard ME. A position modification device for the prevention of supine sleep during pregnancy: a randomised crossover trial. BJOG. 2025; 132 (2): 145-154. doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17952
4. Booker L, Wilson D, Spong J, Fitzgibbon C, Deacon-Crouch M, Lenz K, Skinner T. Maternal circadian disruption from shift work and the impact on the concentration of melatonin in breast milk. Breastfeeding Medicine. 2024; 19(1): 33-39. doi:10.1089/bfm.2023.0252.
5. Wilson DL, Fung AM, Pell G, Skrzypek H, Barnes M, Bourjeily G, Walker SP, Howard ME. Polysomnographic analysis of maternal sleep position and its relationship to pregnancy complications and sleep-disordered breathing. Sleep. 2022; 45(4): zsac032. doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsac032.
6. Wilson DL, Tolson J, Churchward TJ, Melehan K, O’Donoghue FJ, Ruehland WR. Exclusion of EEG-based arousals in wake epochs of polysomnography leads to underestimation of the arousal index. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022; 18(5): doi: 10.5664/jcsm.9878.