One in 20 children in Australia have surgery each year with 1 in 7 having breathing problems during or after anaesthesia with infants having even a 1 in 3 chance of breathing problems. Unsurprisingly, paediatric anaesthesia is seen as a high-risk specialty which can lead to long-lasting harm, including death. Through several large research projects, Professor Britta Regli-von Ungern-Sternberg has generated new knowledge which led to changes in how anaesthesia for children is performed in Australia and worldwide. Her goal is to ensure that when a child needs a vital operation, it is as safe and pain-free as possible.