Dr Paola Urroz Guerrero

I completed my PhD at the University of Newcastle in 2025 and am currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Newcastle and the Centre of Excellence in Treatable Traits. I hold a Bachelor in Applied Science (Sport and Exercise) and a Master of Health Science from Western Sydney University

Experience leading to research interest

Prior to commencing my PhD, I worked in corporate health and wellbeing. This involved conducting health and fitness assessments as a means of identifying and targeting traits that increase the risk of metabolic diseases. This enabled me to develop and prescribe individualised programmes that promoted healthy behaviours. In 2016, after completing my Masters by Research, I started working in respiratory research in a co-ordinating capacity. I've been responsible for co-ordinating multi-site and single site international and national clinical trials within respiratory disease.

My research interests

My current research explores physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour as treatable traits across lung conditions including asthma (mild, moderate and severe), chronic obstructive airway disease, and bronchiectasis. My goal is to develop practical solutions that enable people with lung conditions to participate more fully in daily activities.

Factors contributing to physical inactivity

Moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity improves disease-related outcomes in people with lung conditions, yet current approaches have translation limitations. My work has focused on identifying causes of physical inactivity in people with lung conditions to overcome these limitations by targeting these causes. Specifically, I am interested in examining if people with lung disease don't do the recommended amount of physical activity because they don't have the physical capacity to do so. This may help to inform strategies to optimise physical activity levels

Stakeholder perspective and involvement

Current strategies to increase movement in people with asthma fail to consider the unique barriers faced by people living with the disease. I have been focused on conducting mixed methods work that gains the perspective of people living with asthma, their carers and healthcare professionals in order to develop and design interventions or strategies that increases the likelihood of an effective and beneficial outcome. 

Targeting sedentary behaviour as stepwise approach

Sedentary behaviour is distinct from physical inactivity, and potentially beginning with sedentary behaviour-focused strategies may lead to an increase in movement generally, suggesting a feasible approach for people with high disease burden. My work aims to firstly convey the message that sedentary behaviour requires a distinct approach compared to physical inactivity, and secondly to determine if targeting sedentary behaviour in the first instance will initiate a stepwise approach to increasing higher intensity physical activity.

24-hour movement behaviour in asthma

Considering the significant health impact of the collective influence of 24-hour movement behaviours on health, a similar approach is recommended for people with asthma which is yet to be adopted. Adopting a comprehensive 24-hour movement behaviour approach can create more flexible and achievable solutions for people with lung conditions, regardless of their capabilities. I am interested in applying this approach to people living with asthma and finding out how much time displaced from one behaviour to another impacts asthma-related outcomes. I am also interested in understanding if there is importance not only in accumulated time in these behaviours, but how it is accumulated (patterns) on asthma outcomes.