Current members
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Epidemiology, gastroenterology
M.B.B.S, B.Med.Sci, FRACP, M.Med – Clin. Epi., PhDAssociate Professor Suzanne Mahady is a senior staff specialist, consultant gastroenterologist at Royal Melbourne Hospital and adjunct senior research fellow in the School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine at Monash University. She holds a Masters degree and PhD in clinical epidemiology (University of Sydney) and has expertise in teaching epidemiology at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She is the Chair of the International Endpoint Adjudication Committee for Clinically Significant Bleeding for the ASPREE and ASPREE-XT clinical trials, with publication in New England Journal of Medicine and others. She has research interests in clinical epidemiology of gastrointestinal disorders and evidence-based health care.
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Academic pharmacist
Professor Jo-anne Brien was appointed as the inaugural chair in Clinical Pharmacy (St Vincent’s Hospital) at the University of Sydney in 2000, and continued in this role until 2020. She is now an Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Pharmacy School at The University of Sydney. Professor Brien is an Adjunct Professor in the St Vincent’s Hospital Clinical School, University of New South Wales. Professor Brien is a member of the Medical Services Advisory Committee.
In her early career, Professor Brien was working as a clinical pharmacist in Oncology Pharmacy in Sydney, and then undertook postgraduate clinical research training in the United States, working in academic research units with a focus on pharmacokinetics in cancer and returned to an academic appointment at Monash University in 1992.
Professor Brien was Chair of the St Vincent’s Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee for 15 years,and was Deputy Chair of the St Vincent’s Hospital Drug and Therapeutics Committee from 2000 until 2019. Other roles have included membership of the Management Committee of the New South Wales (NSW) Therapeutic Advisory Group, the Drug Utilisation Sub-Committee of Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, Chairmanship of the NSW Branch of Society of Hospital Pharmacists Australia. Professor Brien was Associate Editor for the Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice, a member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Pharmacy Practice and was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research from 2006 to 2013.
In 2006 Professor Brien was awarded the ‘Best Consultant Tutor’ in the St Vincent’s Clinical School, and in 2008 was awarded the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia Medal of Merit. Professor Brien has supervised 40 postgraduate research students in the areas of Quality Use of Medicines and Health Services research.
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Vascular surgeon
Associate Professor Sarah Aitken is a vascular surgeon, researcher and educator based at Concord Repatriation General Hospital in Sydney. She is Head of the Specialty of Surgery at the University of Sydney, Deputy Chair of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Vascular Training Board and Chair of the Sydney Health Partners Perioperative and Surgery Clinical Academic Group. Her PhD research using routinely-collected population health data to evaluate age-related disparities in vascular surgical outcomes resulted in innovative new approaches to older patients having surgery and has been included in national and international clinical guidelines. Her current clinical research program involves the use of population-health data, participatory research, and digital health solutions to translate evidence into patient-centred surgical services and health policies. She has been awarded over $1.8 million in research funding, more than 40 publications in the past 5 years, and her collaborative approach to vascular and perioperative research has received international recognition.
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Geriatric medicine
Professor Christopher Etherton-Beer is a professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Western Australia and a Consultant Physician of Geriatric Medicine at the Royal Perth Hospital.
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Molecular genetics
PhD., Grad Cert Health Mgt., FHGSADr David Fairbairn is a molecular geneticist working for Pathology Queensland, Queensland Health. David is President of the Queensland Branch of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia (HGSA), a member of the governing Council and past Treasurer of the Society. He has over 12 years experience in diagnostic clinical genetics and 20 years postdoctoral research experience in university, government and industry sectors. David has an interest in the application of genomic technologies to diagnostic testing, particularly for cancer.
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General surgery
Professor Marc Gladman is a Surgeon Scientist specialising in the care of patients with functional gastrointestinal and pelvic floor disorders. He received his degree in Medicine from King’s College in the UK and was awarded a PhD by the University of London prior to completing a NIHR lectureship in the UK. His research interest is the understanding of bowel function in health and disease, and the application of such knowledge to improve patient care.
Marc is Chair of the Surgical Research Society of Australasia, Deputy Chair of the Section of Academic Surgery of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and a member of the Specialist Medical Education Accreditation Committee of the Australian Medical Council. He has served in advisory roles for the National Health Performance Agency, the Cancer Institute of NSW, Cancer Australia and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. He is a member of the Academy of Surgical Educators and the University of Adelaide Education Academy and is the Director of the Medical Program at the University of Adelaide. -
Consumer representative
Suzie Edward May has been a consumer advocate in musculoskeletal disease since 2002; and a tertiary lecturer in Western Australian universities in medical and allied health since 2006. She is the former inaugural Deputy Chair of the East Metropolitan Health Service Board in Western Australia. She currently sits on the Ethics Committee of the Australian Orthopaedic Association Board; and is an expert panellist developing ‘An Australian Living Guidelines for the Pharmacological Management of Inflammatory Arthritis’ through Monash University.
Suzie is a lawyer who works in strategic law reform with the University Western Australian Law School, working on projects in the areas of criminal justice and public health law reform. -
Pathology
Associate Professor Adrienne Morey is currently a Senior Staff Specialist in Anatomical Pathology at the Canberra Hospital. She undertook her medical training at the University of Sydney, obtained a DPhil in molecular pathology from the University of Oxford, and trained as a pathologist in Oxford and Sydney. She is a former Head of Department of Anatomical Pathology at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, and former Chair of the Anatomical Pathology Advisory Committee of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA). She has previously been an RCPA nominee on the National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Committee, and Chaired the Anatomical Pathology/Cytology Working Group for the MBS Review. She is a former committee member of MSAC, and is on the PICO Advisory Committee (PASC) of MSAC. She has research interests in the application of molecular biomarkers to routine surgical samples, particularly the use of in situ hybridization techniques.
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Consumer representative
Dash Heath-Paynter is the Deputy CEO of Health Equity Matters (formerly, the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations). He is also the consumer representative on the Therapeutic Goods Administration Advertising Consultative Committee. and Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales.
Dash’s professional background includes more than thirteen years' experience working as a lawyer, and in public health policy providing advice on human rights and preventative health focusing on community health and systems strengthening cancer control, sexual health, HIV and other blood borne viruses. Through this work, he continually collaborates with community and consumer agencies to ensure the treatment and care needs of health care users are considered in decision making around access to new health technology. -
Health economist
Dr Jemimah Ride is a medically qualified health economist and Senior Research Fellow at the Health Economics Unit, Centre for Health Policy at the University of Melbourne. Her research uses health economic methods to address mental health and mental health care, including preferences for and distributio of care. She has affiliate positions at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the Royal Children’s Hospital. Prior to joining the University of Melbourne in early 2019, Jemimah completed her PhD in health economics at Monash University and then worked at the Centre for Health Economics at the University of York in the UK. Before her research career, Dr Ride was a medical practitioner working in emergency medicine, and worked in mental health policy and public health at the Victorian Department of Health.
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Clinical geneticist
Associate Professor Alison Trainer is a Clinical Geneticist at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Melbourne Health with over 25 years experience in paediatric and adult genetics in both Australia and UK. She was awarded her PhD from Glasgow University. Her research focusses on the development of genomic testing frameworks which are equitable, cost-effective, and person-centred. She is the past Chair of the Victorian Branch of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia and is currently a member of the Cancer Institute NSW eviQ familial cancer committee, the Australian Inherited Cancer Connect Partnership, the COSA rare cancer committee, and Ovarian Cancer Australia clinical and scientific expert advisory panel.
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Neurology
Professor John Watson AM is an Emeritus Professor who has made significant contributions to the fields of neuroscience, medical education, and healthcare administration. He currently serves as the Director of The Eccles Institute of Neuroscience at the Australian National University and as the Deputy National Secretary for The Rhodes Scholarships in Australia.
Prior to his current positions, Professor Watson held several key leadership roles at the University of New South Wales, including as Director of the Faculty of Medicine and Health and Senior Vice Dean, Clinical Affairs in the Faculty of Medicine. He also worked at the University of Sydney for 25 years as an academic clinician and was Chair of the university's Human Research Ethics Committee for six years.
Professor Watson is a highly respected consultant neurologist and honorary consultant neurologist at several major hospitals in Sydney, including Hornsby Ku-ring-gai, Sydney Adventist, and The Mater Hospitals. He has served on various subcommittees and panels for the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), and he is the Chair of the Sydney Adventist Hospital Medical Advisory Committee.
In addition to his clinical and academic work, Professor Watson is deeply committed to improving healthcare through value-based care and leadership development. He was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia in its General Division for his significant service to medicine in the field of neurology, medical education, and administration, as well as through mentoring roles.
Professor Watson's expertise and leadership extend beyond medicine and healthcare. He is also involved in The Rhodes Scholarships in Australia, supporting the selection of highly accomplished students for study at the University of Oxford. Professor Watson himself was a Rhodes Scholar in 1977 and obtained his DPhil in Neurophysiology from Oxford University in 1981.
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Cardiology, electrophysiology
Associate Professor Glenn Young is a Cardiac Electrophysiologist with over 30 years in clinical practice. He has a diverse range of current commitments including ongoing involvement in clinical research, Chair of the Prostheses Cardiovascular Expert Clinical Advisory Committee (DOHA), Member of Bellberry Ethics committee, and has a regular commitment to teaching and education in Myanmar. He is past president of the EP and Pacing Council of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand. He enjoys the balance of clinical medicine, teaching, research and advisory work that exists in his work life.