Staff and student profiles
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Professor Peter McIntyre Peter McIntyre is the Director of NCIRS. He trained as a paediatrician and infectious disease physician, completing the FRACP in 1986 and became a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine in 1992. His PhD in the epidemiology of invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease with the School of Public Health, University of Sydney was completed in 1995. His current research interests include surveillance and prevention by vaccination of invasive Hib and pneumococcal disease and pertussis, and the use of routinely collected data including the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR). He has extensive experience in vaccine trials. He has a clinical appointment at the Children’s Hospital
at Westmead as a Senior Staff Specialist in Infectious Diseases
and a conjoint academic appointment as Professor in the Discipline
of Paediatrics and Child Health and the School of Public Health,
University of Sydney.
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Professor Robert Booy Professor Robert Booy joined the National Centre for Immunisation
Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) in March 2005 as Co-Director with
a particular remit for research. He is a medical graduate of the
University of Queensland (1984) and trained in Paediatrics at the
Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane.
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Professor Raina MacIntyre Raina MacIntyre is Professor of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology and Head of the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). She is also a member of NCIRS, and runs the Strategic Priority Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research (SPIDER) Unit of NCIRS from UNSW. She has dual specialist qualifications in internal medicine and public health, as well as a Masters in Applied Epidemiology and a PhD in epidemiology. Her interests include infectious diseases, emerging infections, influenza, epidemiology, tuberculosis (the subject of her PhD thesis), vaccines, health economics, evidence-based medicine, public health and preventive medicine, adult immunisation, refugee health, human rights and health services research. She is a current associate editor of Epidemiology and Infection (Cambridge University Press). She leads an NHMRC Capacity Building Grant in mathematical modelling of infectious diseases, an NHMRC project grant looking at pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in geriatric patients, and is also involved in vaccination research in the NHMRC Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Infection and Bioethics in Haematology at Westmead Hospital. With Professor Booy, she is also involved in an ARC Linkage grant of oseltamivir use in aged care facilities [ Full list of grants]. She has 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals and sits on several expert groups including the NHMRC Expert Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance, The Specialist Influenza Advisory Group to the Chief Medical Officer of Australia, the Hepatitis B subcommittee of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on AIDS, STIs and Hepatitis, and various working parties of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.
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Assoc Professor Glenda Lawrence Glenda Lawrence has qualifications in nursing, science (PhD in virology), public health and epidemiology. She is interested in the prevention and control of communicable diseases through evidence-based policy and public health action. At NCIRS she has developed and/or co-ordinated major projects in the surveillance of adverse events following immunisation, immunisation coverage and the accuracy of ACIR data, and parents and provider attitudes to immunisation. Other interests include the epidemiology of vaccine preventable diseases, and immunisation in adults, adolescents and occupational groups.
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Dr Julia Brotherton Julia Brotherton is a public health physician and epidemiologist. She is a medical graduate of the University of Newcastle, completed a Master of Public Health at the University of Sydney and is a graduate of the NSW Public Health Officer Training Program. Julia's current major research interests are in human papillomavirus (HPV) epidemiology and HPV vaccines. Julia is interested in all aspects of evidence based policy making.
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Dr Kristine Macartney Kristine Macartney is a paediatrician specialising in infectious diseases. She is a medical graduate of the University of New South Wales, and gained much of her experience in the United States where she worked at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Her Doctorate of Medicine was on rotavirus infection, in particular the mucosal immune response to novel vaccine candidates. She was also a member of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and is interested in all aspects of vaccine-preventable disease research.
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Dr Nicholas Wood Nicholas Wood is a paediatrician and currently enrolled in a PhD on "Vaccines in the newborn", in particular examining the response to pertussis vaccines administered at birth and the longevity of immunity following hepatitis B vaccination in infancy. He is involved in the Immunisation Adverse Events Clinic and Refugee clinic at The Children's Hospital at Westmead. He is interested in maternal and neonatal immunisation, as well as immunisation in lIndigenous communities and developing countries.
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Dr Julie Leask Julie Leask is a social researcher with academic qualifications
in public health, midwifery and nursing. She leads the social research
program at NCIRS and is a conjoint senior lecturer within the Discipline
of Paediatrics and Child Health and the School of Public Health,
University of Sydney. Julie's MPH and PhD focused on the impact
of public controversies about vaccine safety. Since then, her research
has focused on public and professional perceptions and behaviours
regarding vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases. She has published
work on program evaluation, decision aids, risk communication, ethics,
media discourses, and audience studies using a range of qualitative
and quantitative approaches. She has a particular interest in cognitions
and practices around viruses and contagion.
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Mr Brynley Hull Brynley Hull is an epidemiologist and data analyst, working in public health research. He is a science graduate of the University of NSW and completed a Master of Public Health at the University of Sydney. After gaining experience in occupational health and safety, he is now the principal analyst for NCIRS of data from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register and also the NCIRS webmaster. His main interests and expertise are the manipulation and analysis of public health data, immunisation research and the epidemiology of injury.
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Mr Robert Menzies Rob Menzies has qualifications in Public Health and Applied Science. He has worked in communicable disease surveillance and epidemiology at NSW Health, and in Laos and the Philippines. At NCIRS he works in the area of vaccine preventable disease surveillance and epidemiology. One particular focus is projects related to the immunisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, in which he is enrolled in a PhD at the University of Sydney.
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Dr Helen Quinn Helen is an epidemiologist with a background in science (PhD in parasitology). Through her training she has gained experience in disease surveillance and control, outbreak investigation, study design and data analysis. Helen is interested in the epidemiology of vaccine preventable diseases, improving surveillance data quality and attitudes to immunisation in parents and providers.
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Ms Telphia Joseph Telphia a Yamitji woman from Western Australia has qualifications in Community Development which led to her initial interest in environmental health and otitis media. Telphia has a qualitative research base and now acts in a liaison position between the National Immunisation Committee and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and other service providers offering immunisation programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Telphia is continuing her collaboration with the Sax Institute by facilitating focus groups with Aboriginal parents and carers of Aboriginal children 0-17 years of age to determine what their beliefs are to ensure that their children can reach their maximum potential as well as still having an interest in the participation of the New South Wales aspect of WHINURS a National study collecting data for the development of Australia's first Human Papillomavirus vaccine.
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Ms Han Wang Han Wang is a statistician. She obtained a masters degree in statistics from the University of Sydney, after a primary mathematics degree from Peking University. Her research work involves study design, mathematical modelling and data analysis. She is interested in robust estimation for mixed models, longitudinal analysis, matched case-control studies, multivariate analysis and time series.
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Dr Jane Jelfs Jane is the Manager, Policy Support and was involved in the technical editing and technical writing for the 9th Edition of the Australian Immunisation Handbook and the 4th Edition of Myths and Realities. Jane's background is in clinical and molecular microbiology, infectious diseases and public health, with a particular interest in meningococcal disease (the subject of Jane's PhD). Jane is also involved in the provision of technical support to the Australian Techncial Advisory Group on Immunisation, numerous ATAGI Immunisation Working Parties and has a continuing role in the production of subsequent Immunisation Handbooks and other publications. Jane is a member of the evidence-based medicine team at NCIRS and is interested in all aspects of vaccine-preventable disease research and communicable disease surveillance.
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Dr Leon Heron Dr Leon Heron joined the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) in November 2006 to manage clinical research undertaken at NCIRS. He is a medical graduate of the University of Otago, New Zealand (1979) and trained in Medical Microbiology (FRCPA, 1992) and Public Health (FAFPHM, 2002). |
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Dr Clayton
Chiu Clayton Chiu is a medical graduate trained in adult internal medicine and public health. He is also a graduate of the NSW Public Health Officer Training Program. His main interests are in epidemiology and control of communicable diseases, especially vaccine-preventable diseases. He is also interested in public health policy and practice.
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Dr Spring Cooper Spring Cooper is a social researcher with academic qualifications in public health, health promotion, and sexuality. She has taught both health promotion and sexuality classes to postgraduate students. Her PhD focused on the sexual health education implications of menstrual attitudes and knowledge among women of varying socio-economic status in the United States. Her current research interests are in sexual health, health promotion, health communication, and prevention of disease through behaviour change and vaccination..
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Dr Aditi Dey Aditi joined the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) in August 2008 as an epidemiologist. She has completed her PhD, Master of Public Health and Graduate Diploma in Applied Science (Health Information Management) from the University of Sydney after her medical degree (MBBS, University of Delhi) and training in tropical medicine (DTM&H, Mahidol University, Bangkok). Aditi has worked at the University of Sydney, and also in Thailand and India. At NCIRS, Aditi is involved in surveillance and evaluation of vaccine preventable diseases.
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Dr Swati Ghotane MB Swati has completed her medical degree from India. Swati is interested in clinical research and clinical trials. Her past experience at the Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology (CIDM) department at Westmead Hospital as a Research Assistant has provided her with greater understanding of research methods and methodologies. Swati joined NCIRS in May 2008 as a Research Assistant and she is conducting one of the clinical trials, “the burden of Influenza in patients with recurrent ischaemic heart disease” that is running within the hospital. Swati is currently enrolled in Master of Public Health through the University of Sydney.
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Lyn Benfield Lyn is the Senior Project Administration Officer for NCIRS and provides administrative secretariat support for Working Parties convened by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). Lyn also provides project and administrative support specifically for the Evidenced Based Policy support section of NCIRS. Lyn has an extensive background in Quality & Clinical Risk and Personal Assistant roles within health organisations and has qualifications in Business Management and Marketing.
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Dr Sanjay Jayasinghe Sanjay is medical graduate with post graduate training and qualifications in Community medicine and public health. He has worked as a clinical practitioner both in Sri Lanka and Australia. He has extensive experience as a health services researcher in the areas of quality and safety of health care for the elderly, evaluation of complex system interventions and assessment of provider and consumer perspectives of health care. He has particular interest in appraisal of large administrative and clinical data bases for research purposes and to inform clinical practice and policy. At NCIRS he is member of the team providing evidence based support for immunisation policy development. Sanjay currently provides technical support to number of ATAGI working parties.
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Dr. Kevin Jiehui Kevin Jiehui YIN is a research officer and currently involved in two ARC Linkage grants of oseltamivir use and influenza vaccination. He teaches Microbiology and Physiology. He is enrolled in PhD (Medicine) through University of Sydney on “epidemiology and health economics on influenza control measures in institutions”, including vaccination in day care centres, antivirals use in age care facilities and school closure. His qualifications also include Master of Public Health (Hons) in 2008 and M.B.B.S in 2006.
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Dr Deepika Mahajan Deepika has qualifications in science (PhD in Parasitic Immunology) and epidemiology. She has experience in study design, data analysis, disease surveillance and outbreak investigations. Deepika is interested in the epidemiology of vaccine preventable diseases, communicable disease surveillance, improving surveillance data quality and immunisation in different groups. She is currently involved in the surveillance of adverse events following immunisation.
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Mr Ralf Itzwerth Ralf Itzwerth is a social researcher with qualifications in Medical Sociology and Computer Science [University of Hamburg / Germany]. He specialised in project and information technology management and disaster preparedness and continuity management. His current research interest is in Pandemic Preparedness Planning and the potential social and economic impact of an influenza pandemic.
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Ms Mary-Ellen Byrne
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Ms Edwina Jacobs Edwina Jacobs is a registered nurse who completed her training at Sydney University. She has worked in operating theatres at the mater hospital for over 13yrs and at various other institutions, and has joined the ncirs in march 2008 working on clinical vaccine trials as a research nurse.
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Ms Camille Lang Email: camillelATchw.edu.au Camille is a registered nurse, currently working at NCIRS on clinical trials as a research nurse.
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Ms Rosemary
Joyce
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Ms Laura
Rost Laura is a registered nurse having worked at the Westmead Childrens Hospital for 25 years within the Grace Centre for Newborn Care (Neonatal ICU - senior nurse). She has also taught Certificate 3 (Assistants in Nursing) for the last 2 years at TAFE and facilitated 2nd year students at the Foundation of Childrens Nursing at UTS. She transferred to NCIRS to work on the burden of flu trial in children less than 5 years of age admitted to the Children's Hospital and is now working on various clinical trials.
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Ms Carol
Shineberg
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Ms
Jennifer Murphy Jenny completed her Nursing degree at Sydney Uni versity and worked in the pediatric surgical ward at Westmead for several years before moving to the Burns Unit at the Childrens Hospital Westmead where she was a Clinical Nurse Specialist for 12 years . During this time she also ran a Pre Admission Clinic, taught AINs and ENs at TAFE, and ran an outpatient burn clinic. She has been a research nurse for NCIRS for the last 12 months working on various clinical and vaccine trials.
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Ms Pamela
Cheung Pamela is a registered nurse who completed her training in London. She has worked at Westmead and at the Childrens Hospital Westmead for 22 years, mainly in the burns and trauma, intensive care unit. She joined NCIRS in March 2007 and is working on various clinical and vaccine trials as a Research Nurse.
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Ms
Elizabeth Clarke Elizabeth is a registered nurse and midwife with qualifications in occupational health and safety and immunisation. She has been involved in vaccine trials since 2004. Currently she is working on two studies, one funded by the Australian Research Council that examines the prevention and treatment of influenza in aged care facilities using the anti-viral drug oseltamir, and the other a follow up of a vaccine trial with Hepatitis B.
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Ms Karyn Phillips Karyn provides business support for the Centre. She is a graduate from the Australian College of Health Services Executives Management Training Program, with qualifications in Health Information Management. Karyn has experience in business management including organisational and financial management for hospital services, as well as experience in patient services and quality management.
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Ms Catherine King Catherine King is a medical librarian, with postgraduate qualifications in both Library and Information Management and Evidence-Based Practice (Med). She has previous experience as the manager of clinical libraries at both the district and teaching hospital level in the NSW health sector. Joining NCIRS in 2001 as Information Manager, Catherine provides professional librarianship and information management services to support the evidence-based policy, teaching and research activities of the Centre, including ongoing literature searching for the Australian Immunisation Handbook, Vaccine-Preventable Disease report and ATAGI Working Parties. Catherine is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Sydney, examining the aspects and types of information required to underpin vaccination policy for the prevention of seasonal influenza.
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Mr Edward Jacyna Edward has a background in clinical trials working on various trials for the Langton Centre/Sydney Hospital. He has completed a Bachelor of Applied Science, a Graduate Certficate in Drug Development from UNSW and a Graduate Diploma in Information and Library Studies from Curtin University. Edward joined NCIRS in 2008 as the Assistant Librarian and is involved in maintaining NCIRS’s knowledge-based resource collection and sourcing relevant literature to support the policy, teaching and research activities of the Centre.
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Ms Amanda Edkins Amanda has a background in Dental Therapy and has been involved in the training of Dental Auxiliaries at Westmead Hospital.She joined NCIRS in 2007 as a Health Information Assistant and is now a Research Assistant working with the Evidence Based Team. Currently she is completing a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Epidemiology at The University of Sydney.
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Ms Donna Armstrong Donna’s background is in biomedical science. She has had experience as a scientist in pathology and research laboratories, and as a product/technical specialist in molecular biology and immunology instrumentation supply companies. Donna is involved in referencing, proofreading and editing support for NCIRS publications, sourcing relevant literature to support research in the Centre, maintaining NCIRS's knowledge-based resource collection, and subscription management for the NCIRS-AIP electronic mailing list.
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Ms Lynda Beaumont Lynda has worked in health as a senior executive secretary. She has expertise in health administration, finance, human resources, conference organisation and management systems. She provides administrative support to the Director.
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Mrs Nicole Jacobs
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Mrs Danni Marchant
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Ms Joanne Perkins
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Dr Iman Ridda Dr Iman Ridda completed her medical degree in Iraq and has recently completed a MPH at the University of Sydney. She is currently enrolled in a PhD at the University of Sydney, the subject of which is a pneumococcal vaccine trial in geriatric patients. Dr Ridda manages this clinical trial at NCIRS, and has significant experience in the area of clinical trials.
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Ms Anita Heywood Anita Heywood joined NCIRS in 2006. She is a graduate of Biomedical Science from the University of Technology, Sydney and has completed her Masters in Public Health at the University of Sydney in 2005. She is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of New South Wales. The subject of her thesis involves travel patterns and traveller behaviour and their relationship to the importation and emergence of infections in the Australian population. In addition, Anita will continue her employment at NCIRS as a Research Assistant supporting work on the Australian Immunisation Handbook, the Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Vaccination Coverage in Australia surveillance report and technical writing for the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) working parties.
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Dr Melanie Wong Melanie Wong is a paediatric immunologist and immunopathologist at Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children. She is interested in all aspects of the immunological system: host defence, immune deficiency, allergic diseases, autoimmunity and all aspects of vaccination. She is currently completing a PhD on acute respiratory tract infection in childhood: aetiological agents and immunological risk factors.
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Professor Margaret Burgess Margaret Burgess is Professor of Paediatrics and Preventive Medicine at the University of Sydney, and a member of the Australian Technical Advisory Committee on Immunisation. Professor Burgess carried out the first trials of rubella vaccination in Australia and has a long-standing clinical and research interest in immunisation, and in vaccine preventable and congenital infections, especially rubella and varicella.
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