Dr Mohammed Salahudeen is a lecturer and postgraduate coordinator within the School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology at the University of Tasmania. In addition, he also leads a Foundation-funded study into a new program of intervention that aims to decrease the impact of several drugs that are often used in combination when treating older adults in hospitals. It’s a vital study, especially for Tasmania’s ageing population.
Dr Mohammed Salahudeen says his journey to becoming a doctor in Australia was a long one and one that covers many countries. Originally hailing from Kerala in India, he has also lived and studied in the United Arab Emirates and New Zealand, before finally calling Australia home. Dr Salahudeen is a clinical pharmacist with extensive expertise in the areas of medication safety and quality use of medicine in older adults. He completed his PhD in 2015 from the University of Otago, New Zealand, and holds a range of other degrees from international universities, including his MBA. After achieving his PhD, Dr Salahudeen was then awarded a prestigious fellowship from the University of Otago to commence his postdoctoral research investigating the risks of multiple medication use in older New Zealanders.
Dr Salahudeen enjoys an outstanding reputation for his contributions to multidisciplinary research teams, particularly those working on new models of care aimed to improve the quality use of medicines. Recent highlights include leading an interventional project, funded by the Foundation’s Incubator Grant program, which is believed to be the first hospital-based study to investigate the cumulative (and potentially detrimental) effect of a variety of medications that contain anticholinergic properties (including opioids, antidepressants and benzodiazepines). Exploring the side effects of these medications in combination is aimed to improve a range of outcomes including length of hospital stay, falls and readmission. In another funded project from the RHHRF, his team investigates the nature, risk factors, prevention and management of other adverse drug-related hospital admissions in older adults with dementia. We know Dr Salahudeen’s work is making a real impact, locally and nationally.
Throughout his career, he has worked on several research projects and has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications within the scope of clinical pharmacy. But fundamentally, Dr Salahudeen has a strong interest in real-world studies in older adults, with his other areas of research focusing on dementia, aged care, evidence-based medicine, and mental health. Dr Salahudeen is also an active member of various associations, including the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA). Within his role, he endeavours to conduct research and inspire his research students to explore new boundaries. His research aims to positively impact the health of the ageing population through reduced medicine-related harm that ultimately improves the person’s quality of life.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Dr Salahudeen is a passionate Movember fundraiser. Each year, he grows a moustache to raise awareness for men’s health issues such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and suicide prevention. He has been doing this regularly for many years and has raised a considerable amount of money for the Movember Foundation.
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