Each year, the NDARC Research Symposium highlights the breadth of research underway across the Centre, and the poster competition is always a standout moment. This year, Senior Research Officer Agata Chrzanowska won the Scientific Program Committee Award and Research Officer Lucy Tran won the People’s Choice award, with both sharing important insights into two emerging public health challenges. 

Lucy’s research explored whether there’s a predictive link between methamphetamine use and depression, while Agata examined national trends in GHB-related hospitalisations in Australia. 

We caught up with both of them to learn more about their work, what inspired their research and what’s next for their research areas.  

Can you tell us a bit about the research you presented on your poster? 

Agata: My poster explored trends in hospitalisations related to gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) across Australia. Using national hospital data, we looked at overall trends, demographic patterns like age and sex, and factors such as length of stay and whether other substances were involved. The goal was to build a clearer picture of how and among which sociodemographic groups these harms are occurring. 

Lucy: My poster explored the association between methamphetamine use and depression among people dependent on methamphetamine. The study used data from an RCT cohort led by Professor Rebecca McKetin and, through modelling, we examined whether there was a weekly predictive association between methamphetamine use and depression. Essentially, we were asking if an individual increased their methamphetamine use in one week, is this associated with increased depression the following week and vice versa. 

What inspired you to focus on this topic? 

Agata: GHB has gained attention in recent years because of its association with overdose and severe toxicity, as well as its unique clinical profile. GHB is a substance we hear about in clinical and community settings, but there’s been limited population-level research on its impact in Australia. We were interested in using national data to better understand the scale and characteristics of these harms. The project also fits within Drug Trends’s broader mission to use data to inform public health responses and reduce drug-related harm. 

Lucy: I am a trained clinical psychologist and throughout my work at NDARC, I was always interested in the interplay between mental disorders and substance use. Within the literature of methamphetamine use, there is always mention of how common methamphetamine use and depression co-occur, but there haven’t been many studies that looked at what could be driving this relationship between the two, particularly within a shorter timeframe. Rebecca’s cohort, where people were followed up every week, allowed us to explore this area and I just couldn’t pass it up. 

Were there any findings that surprised you? 

Agata: We found that while GHB-related hospitalisations have increased overall, the pattern has changed over time. Hospitalisations among younger people, particularly those aged 20–24, have actually decreased in recent years, but we are now seeing a noticeable rise among people aged 30–39. It was interesting to see that shift. It could reflect changes in who is using GHB, how it is being used, or even broader social and market factors. It’s something we definitely want to explore further. 

Lucy: We found that there was a predictive association between methamphetamine use and depression in both directions. That is, compared to their average, if an individual increased their methamphetamine use in one week, this was then associated with an increased likelihood of depression in the following week. Additionally, if an individual’s likelihood of depression increased in one week was associated with an increase in their methamphetamine use the next week. Though the finding was not completely surprising, it was reassuring to see that there was a predictive association in both directions, as it provides empirical evidence supporting what people are reporting when they are interacting with staff in clinical and non-clinical settings. 

What’s next for your project or research area? 

Agata: We are excited to share this work more widely. Publishing our findings will help contribute to the evidence base around GHB-related harms and hopefully support more informed policy and clinical responses.  

Lucy: This project is part of my PhD exploring the associations between co-occurring mental disorders and treatment outcomes among people dependent on methamphetamine or opioids. The next stage is to hopefully get my studies published in journals and finish writing my PhD thesis so that I can submit in 2026. 

And finally, what do you enjoy most about working at NDARC? 

Agata: Definitely the people and the purpose. NDARC brings together such a diverse team of researchers, clinicians and policy experts, all working toward improving health outcomes. It is a privilege to be part of that and to see how data can drive real-world impact. 

Lucy: Absolutely the people! I have worked at NDARC coming up to eight years and the number of friendships I’ve made is something I really appreciate. I also really appreciate the wide range of work that NDARC is a part of, ranging from improving outcomes of people who live in regional or rural Australia to a more global scale. 

Want more highlights from this year’s event? View all posters from the 2025 NDARC Annual Research Symposium, read a reflection from the Chair of the Scientific Program Committee and watch recordings of all sessions.