Professor Wilson's research interests are in applied research that enhances the health, wellbeing and social participation of people with long-term disabilities, in particular people with intellectual and developmental disability. Professor Wilson has expertise on the intersection of intellectual disability, social inclusion, the nursing workforce, men’s health and sexual health. With over 120 peer reviewed scientific papers, 2 books and multiple book chapters, Professor Wilson is an Australian disability nurse leader.

Professor Wilson is the immediate past President of the Professional Association of Nurses in Developmental Disabilities, Australia (PANDDA), and has led many campaigns to promote the specialty role of nurses who work with people with intellectual disability 

Professor Wilson presents regularly at national and international scientific meetings and has sustained and developing research collaborations with groups in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Norway, the UK, the USA, Latvia and South Africa. His funded research projects cover a number of areas including: 1) reducing the use of pyschotropic medication for people with intellectual disability, 2) mentoring young unemployed adults with intellectual disability at Men's Sheds, 3) cross-modal community mobility of young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, 4) place of death and people with intellectual disability, 5) disability nursing standards of practice, 6) toward the self-management of type 1 diabetes for people with intellectual disability, 7) increasing the capacity of mainstream nurses to work with people with intellectual disability and/or autism, and 8) oral health and intellectual and developmental disability.