Cabrini Scientific Advisory Committee
Cabrini Research is guided by scientists, clinicians, and professionals, leading and shaping their respective fields.
The Scientific Advisory Committee reviews all research activities undertaken at Cabrini, offering insights through a collective knowledge base that spans across disciplines and modalities from basic through to translational and clinical research.
Professor Stephen Jane
MBBS PhD FRACP FRCPA
Professor Stephen Jane is chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee for Cabrini Research, Director of Research at Alfred Hospital, and Foundation Dean for the Sub-Faculty of Translational Medicine and Public Health at Monash University.
He also serves as its Head of the Epidermal Development Laboratory, Co-Head of the Red Cell Research Group within the Division of Blood Cancers and was previously Head of the Central Clinical School. His broad research interests include both developmental and acquired disorders of the blood and skin in mouse models. Upon completing his medical studies at Monash, he underwent training in both clinical and laboratory haematology at the Alfred before completing doctoral research under Professor Hatem Salem, Director of the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases. He then went to the United States, firstly as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute of Health and then as a member of faculty at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He returned to Australia in 1995 as a Wellcome Senior Research Fellow at the Bone Marrow Research Laboratory, jointly hosted across the University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital, becoming its Director in 2000. In 2005, he was appointed NHMRC Principal Research and as Professor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne the following year. In 2011, he assumed his current roles with Monash University, including as member of the Clinical Haematology Service. Under his leadership, the School has seen a four-fold increase in its competitive grant funding, recruiting over 400 new researchers and 30 laboratory heads.
Professor Chris Bain
MBBS MInfTech PhD
Professor Chris Bain is Professor of Practice in Digital Health at the Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University. An experienced clinician and health information management and technology (IMT) practitioner, he has diverse exposure to broad aspects of the healthcare system in Australia.
His research focuses upon the design, implementation, and management of operational IMT functions in healthcare organisations, across a broad range of data and technology-driven applications. With 12 years’ experience as a medical practitioner and 15 years in health IMT, he is one of few health informaticians in Australia with both extensive clinical and technological experience. Professor Bain has previously held leadership positions in the Australasian Institute of Digital Health and actively participates in jurisdictional committees on topics around Digital Health. In 2017, he was appointed by Monash University as its inaugural Professor of Practice in Digital Health and holds several adjunct appointments with the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences while working with stakeholders across industry sectors, and Monash faculties and institutes.
Dr Emma Baker
BSc MSc PhD
Dr Emma Baker joined Cabrini in 2015 and is the Director of Medical Research at Cabrini Research.
She completed degrees in medical and molecular biology before completing her doctoral research at the University of Melbourne and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. She went on to complete postdoctoral fellowships in cancer epigenetics at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and St. Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research. At St. Vincent’s she led independent research in oncology, continuing her work in epigenetics while also focusing on preclinical drug discovery. She has been the recipient of Middows Research, NHMRC Peter Doherty, and Cure Cancer Australia Fellowships. With Cabrini, she played a central role in its organisational restructuring, which led to the establishment of Cabrini Research as an independent body in 2021. She continued to oversee its research activities, including its non-oncology research program.
Dr Maree Brinkman
BSc MSC PhD
Dr Maree Brinkman is Director and Senior Researcher at the Nutrition Biomed Research Institute.
She has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in nutrition science and completed her doctoral research in biomedical science at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. Upon finishing an accomplished career as an accredited practicing dietitian, Dr Brinkman has conducted research through the Nutrition Biomed Research Institute while holding honorary research positions at the Department of Complex Genetics and Epidemiology, Maastricht University and the Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria. Her pan-cancer research explores the behavioural determinants behind disease origin and progression. Along with her clinical and research background, Dr Brinkman provides a critical consumer perspective to the Scientific Advisory Committee, having been the primary caregiver for her husband during his ten-year journey with metastatic colorectal cancer.
Professor Wendy Brown
MBBS PhD FRACS FACS
Professor Wendy Brown is Head of the Department of Surgery and holds a number of positions at the Alfred Hospital, including as Director of the Oesophago-Gastric-Bariatric Unit, Programme Director of Surgical Services, and Chair of the Monash University Department of Surgery, the first woman to be appointed to that role.
In addition to these roles, Professor Brown is also the Clinical Director of the Australia and New Zealand Bariatric Surgery Registry and Clinical Lead of the Victorian Upper GI Cancer Registry. Her clinical focus is on bariatric and upper gastrointestinal surgery, including cancer and reflux disease, and her research examines the processes and benefits of weight loss and optimised surgical outcomes for patients. Through her interest in registry science, she led the development of the Bi-national Bariatric Surgery Registry and is involved in several translational and clinical research projects, while also actively collaborating with researchers in basic science. Additionally, Professor Brown serves in several leadership roles, including as Chair of the Global Registry Committee and previously as Scientific Chair of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders. She is also the past-President of both the Australia and New Zealand Gastro Oesophageal Surgery Association and the Obesity Surgery Society of Australia and New Zealand. Professor Brown has been a leading voice in shaping healthcare in Australia, serving on several government committees at both Commonwealth and State levels.
Professor Andrew Forbes
BsC PhD FAHMS
Professor Andrew Forbes is Head of the Division of Quantitative Research Methodology in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University.
Upon completing his doctoral degree in statistics from Cornell University, he worked at Ciba-Geigy Pharmaceuticals as a postdoctoral fellow in clinical trials design and analysis. He then joined Monash University in 1992 and continues to head the Biostatistics Unit with research interests in the development of analytical methods for interrupted time series designs, the application of causal modelling principles to practical problems, and latent variable methods. Professor Forbes also leads the Biostatistics Collaboration of Australia, a consortium of five universities designing educational programs in biostatistics, and co-leads the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance Statistics Interest Group. In 2020 he was elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences for his contributions to the discipline of biostatistics and its applications in clinical and public health research.
Associate Professor Caroline Gurvich
BsC PhD
Associate Professor Caroline Gurvich is a clinical neuropsychologist at the Lisa Thurin Women’s Mental Health Centre at Cabrini and the Victoria Clinic. She also serves as Deputy Director of the HER Centre Australia and is Head of the Cognition and Hormones Group at Monash University.
Her research investigates hormones and their influence on cognition across various stages of life, along with their interaction with psychological, environmental, and behavioural factors. Additionally, her work integrates eye movement research as part of neuropsychological assessments of cognition. Professor Gurvich is the recipient of an NHMRC Early-Career Fellowship and a Rebecca Cooper Foundation Project Grant, along with several awards and prizes for her research in neuropsychology and women’s mental health. She is committed to training the next generation of clinicians and researchers in neuropsychological through doctoral supervision.
Professor Anne Holland
BAppSci (Physio) PhD FThorSoc
Professor Anne Holland is Head of Respiratory Research at Monash University and Alfred Health, and Professor of Physiotherapy as Monash University.
She is currently an NHMRC Leadership Fellow and Chief Investigator for two NHMRC Centres of Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis and Treatable Traits. Her research investigates supportive non-pharmacological therapies for people with chronic respiratory disease, including pathways for implementation. These have involved several clinical trials evaluating new models of pulmonary rehabilitation that address barriers to access in conventional approaches, such as the HomeBase Trial. Professor Holland’s research has informed more than 30 clinical guidelines globally and has led to several awards, including the Society Medal from the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, and the European Respiratory Society Gold Medal for Allied Health Professionals. Professor Holland currently serves as President of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand.
Professor David Kaye
MBBS PhD FRACP FACC DDU FESC FAHMS
Professor David Kaye is Director of the Department of Cardiology and a Senior Cardiologist in the Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Service at the Alfred. He is also Head of the Heart Failure Research Group at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and appointed the inaugural Director for the Monash Alfred Baker Centre for Cardiovascular Research.
His research examines the pathophysiology of heart failure, focusing on the identification of novel mechanisms that can be targeted for therapeutic intervention. Professor Kaye has extensive experience in translational research and commercialisation, with his work going on to form three early- to mid-stage medical device companies, one of which includes ASX-listed Osprey Medical. All are clinically active and are supported by 13 US patents. Professor Kaye is also the recipient of the Eric Susman and R.T. Hall Prizes for research excellence from the College of Physicians and Cardiac Society respectively, and in 2012 was awarded the 2012 Eureka Prize for Medical Research Translation. In 2015 he was elected Fellow to the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.
Professor Julia Morphet
RN MN PhD
Professor Julia Morphet is Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Monash University. She is an experienced emergency nurse with more than 15 years of clinical experience.
Transitioning to academia to deliver a postgraduate emergency nursing program, she has since gone on to become a leading researcher in healthcare workforce participation and training, exploring its impact on patient outcomes. Professor Morphet has held several senior leadership roles in nursing, including as Director of Education and Deputy Head of School at Monash University, and currently serves as National President for the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia. She plays an important role in shaping Australian healthcare policy, promoting safe quality care for patients and clinicians through several committees and working groups for both the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments. In 2021, Professor Morphet received the Julie Finucane OAM Medal for Leadership in Emergency Nursing, the highest honour of the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia.
Professor Terence O’Brien
MBBS MD FRACP FRCPE FAHMS FAES
Professor Terence O’Brien is Chair of Medicine (Neurology) and Head of the Central Clinical School at Monash University. He is also Program Director for Alfred Brain and Deputy Director of Research at Alfred Health.
He was previously the Van Cleef Roet Chair of Neuroscience at Monash University and the James Stewart Chair of Medicine at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the University of Melbourne. Professor O’Brien is a specialist in neurology and clinical pharmacology, with a focus on epilepsy and neurodegenerative diseases. He leads a large research team undertaking work in both basic, translational, and clinical research, focused on developing improved treatments for people with epilepsy and related brain diseases. Through his research, he has received 18 awards from national and international scientific bodies, including the Ambassador for Epilepsy Award from the International League Against Epilepsy, the Dreifuss-Penry Epilepsy Award from the American Academy of Neurology, and the James Lance Oration and Award, the highest honour of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists. Professor O’Brien serves on a number of professional societies including as President of the Epilepsy Society of Australia and in 2016 was elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences
Professor Mark Shackleton
MBBS PhD FRACP
Professor Mark Shackleton is a Professor of Oncology at Monash University and Clinical Research Fellow for the Victorian Cancer Agency. He also serves as Director of Oncology at Alfred Health, Chair of Melanoma and Skin Cancer Trials, and Co-Director of the Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium.
After training in medical oncology and at the Ludwig Institute in Melbourne, he undertook doctoral studies at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan. His clinical interests centre on skin cancer, with his research focusing on cancer biology, developmental biology, oncogenic signalling pathways, and clinical trials. Professor Shackleton has received several major prizes for his research including the Victorian Premier’s Award for Medical Research, a NHMRC Achievement Award, a Pfizer Australia Fellowship, and a Victorian Cancer Agency Clinical Research Fellowship. In 2012, he was awarded the Australian Science Minister’s Prize for Life Scientist of the Year.
Professor Karen Walker-Bone
MB PhD FRCP
Professor Karen Walker-Bone is Director of the Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health and Professor of Planetary Health at the School of Public Health and Preventative Medicine at Monash University.
Also a clinically qualified rheumatologist, her research focuses on musculoskeletal health in the workplace with broader interests in workplace physical and mental health promotion, particularly with relation to women and older workers. Before joining Monash in December 2022, Professor Walker-Bone was Director of Medical Research Council Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Health and Work in the United Kingdom. She continues to hold honorary appointments in occupational rheumatology at the University of Southampton. Professor Walker-Bone was the recipient of the Arthritis Research UK fellowship and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Medicine.
Professor Stephen Hall
MBBS MMSc FRACP
Professor Stephen Hall is a clinical rheumatologist at Cabrini, Professor within the Monash Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Founder and Medical Director for Emeritus Research, an independent clinical trials centre in Melbourne.
After finishing his medical degree at Monash University, he completed training in rheumatology at the Mayo Clinic. He has led over 250 clinical trials and has sought to integrate new medical advances into clinical workflows for the purposes of improved patient care and safety. He has previously served as Chair of the Australian Rheumatology Association Education and Training Committee and the Scientific Programme Committee for the Australian Rheumatology Association. Committed to healthcare equity at population-scale, Professor Hall was the Visiting Speaker at the Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University in Uganda where he conducted specialty clinics in one of the largest HIV hospitals in the world, while also a consultant rheumatologist for several hospitals throughout Cambodia.