The landscape for medical research is changing rapidly in Australia and internationally.

Driven by large-scale data systems, deeper understanding of cellular mechanisms and genomics and developments in artificial intelligence and robotics, medicine is moving into a new era of precision in diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities.

Emerging fields of specialist expertise require changes in the way we organise and do research. New forms of collaboration are needed, with shared access to experts in fields such as bioinformatics, genomics and the management of clinical trials.

Making education and training in research methods broadly accessible, ensures new knowledge can be mobilised quickly to improve care for patients and their families.

Addiction Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology

Research focus

Clinical and big data, including laboratory research:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and priority population substance use 
• Alcohol biology and genetics of liver disease
• Clinical research in alcohol, addictive behaviours and treatment
• Illicit drug use

Research Lead	Professor Kirsten Morley
Clinical Sponsor	Professor Paul Haber
Research publications 2023	81 publications
Higher degrees by research students 2023	29 PhD students, 5 Masters students

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AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre

Research focus

Laboratory and clinical research, including:

• Immune responses in the liver to improve treatments for various conditions such as malaria, viral hepatitis, transplantation and gene therapy
• Type II diabetes associated with liver disease, liver cancer and liver fibrosis
• The development of ex-vivo normothermic perfusion of human livers with the ultimate goal of using them in liver transplant to improve access and outcomes of this life saving therapy
• Novel endoscopic techniques to treat patients with benign and malignant bile duct strictures of novel and biologic therapies and treatment approaches for patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease

Research Lead	Associate Professor Ken Liu
Clinical Sponsor	Professor Simone Strasser
Research publications 2023	40 publications
Higher degrees by research students 2023	8 PhD students, 4 Masters students

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Cardiology

Research focus

All aspects of heart disease including congenital, genetic, valvular and myocardial, vascular and aortic – from basic science, through clinical and translational research, to public health and clinical trials.

Research Leads	Associate Professor Belinda Gray Associate Professor Clare Arnott Professor David Celermajer Associate Professor Rachael Cordina
Clinical Sponsor	Professor David Celermajer
Research publications 2023	114 publications
Higher degrees by research students 2023	8 PhD students, 5 Masters students

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Cell and Molecular Therapies

Research focus

Clinical, scientific, laboratory, cell and gene therapy, genomics and precision medicine.

Research publications 2023	16 publications
Higher degrees by research students 2023	2 PhD students

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Clinical Haematology

Research focus

National clinical research leader in RPA investigator-initiated trials, novel immunotherapy trials, patient-reported outcomes and symptom research.

Recent major interests include cellular immunotherapy (CAR-T and CAR-NK) trials, bi-specific antibodies, novel molecules targeting cell signalling in the treatment of cancer, as well as gene therapy trials in thalassemia and haemophilia. Our laboratory research investigates the immunological and genetic pathophysiology of haematological cancer utilising state-of-the art methodologies including mass cytometry, next generation flow cytometry and massive parallel sequencing. We also have an extensive laboratory program on platelet pathophysiology and thrombosis.

Research Lead and Clinical Sponsor	Professor Joy Ho
Research publications 2023	19 publications
Higher degrees by research students 2023	3 PhD students

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Clinical Immunology and Allergy

Research focus

• Development of diagnostic tests for immune mediated diseases including autoimmune disorders
• Assessment of the emergency management of anaphylaxis
• Participation in the National Antibiotic Allergy Network with a program to assess the de-labelling of penicillin allergy in an in-patient population
• Vaccine response in people who are immunocompromised
• Participation in a multisite epidemiological study characterising women living with HIV in Australia
• Assessment of the treatment and investigation of oral pemphigus
• Evaluation of cell-based assay in the diagnosis of autoimmune-nodo-paranodopathy (immune mediated peripheral neuropathy)
• Recognition of common food allergens in an allergic population
• ADAPT Study looking at early introduction of peanut immunotherapy in peanut allergic children
• Management change arising from obtaining a genetic diagnosis

Research Leads	Dr Nicolas Urriola Dr Peter Bradhurst Dr Alex Stoyanov
Clinical Sponsor	Associate Professor Roger Garsia
Research publications 2023	19 publications
Higher degrees by research students 2023	2 PhD students, 2 Masters students

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Dermatology

Research focus

Focussed on translational projects that will enable better understanding of the immune mechanisms of skin cancer and inflammatory skin diseases, better ways to prevent and to treat these disorders, and better understanding of the impact of skin disease on quality of life. 

Research Lead and Clinical Sponsor	Professor Diona Damian
Research publications 2023	9 publications
Higher degrees by research students 2023	3 PhD students, 1 Masters student

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Endocrinology

Research focus

Clinical trials, translational research and laboratory research of models of disease and biomarkers.

Research Lead	Associate Professor Jencia Wong
Clinical Sponsor	Professor Stephen Twigg
Research publications 2023	41 publications
Higher degrees by research students 2023	12 PhD students, 1 Masters student

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Geriatric Medicine

Research focus

Clinical research with a focus on perioperative medicine, trauma geriatrics, antipsychotic use and staff perceptions in delivering end of life care. The Department of Geriatric Medicine team is involved in the ENRICH project and provides research support to the Surgical Outcomes Research Centre (SOuRCe) for frailty in older cancer patients who are undergoing surgery.

Research Leads	Dr Mark Latt Dr Rihan Shahab
Research publications 2023	1 publication

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Infectious Diseases and Microbiology

Research focus

Laboratory and clinical research in infectious diseases, including:

• Multidrug-resistant bacteria and the healthcare-associated infection
• Pathogen genomics and state-of-the-art molecular epidemiological methods
• Development of highly specialised and locally optimised in-house bioinformatics pipelines and automated reporting systems
• Invasive bacterial infections

Research Lead	Dr Nila Dharan
Research publications 2023	16 publications
Higher degrees by research students 2023	1 Masters student, 1 Pharmacy (Honours) student

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Medical Genomics

Research focus

Laboratory and clinical research in genomics, including:

• Genotype/phenotype correlations in Huntington diseases, as the underlying pathogenic triplet repeat expansion alone does not always correlate with disease severity
• Clinical research to introduce pharmacogenomics as a model of care – addressing the challenges of how it can improve treatments while also reducing adverse events, and the potential for gene markers in the treatment of alcoholism
• Implementation research with primary care to roll out preventive strategies for familial with familial hypercholesterolaemia
• Research and development to introduce long read sequencing in clinical care:
  • Advancements in diagnostic and surveillance options for precision oncology are being made through the exploration of ctDNA, in collaboration with oncologists at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse
  • Research into how somatic mutations affect precision oncology, specifically targeting solid tumours

Director, Medical Genomics and RPA Institute of  Academic Medicine Advisory Council Member	Professor Ron Trent
Research publications 2023	2 publications
Higher degrees by research students 2023	1 PhD student

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Neurology

Research focus

Clinical research with an emphasis on neurophysiology.

Research Leads	Professor Craig Anderson Associate Professor Rebekah Ahmed
Clinical Sponsor	Professor Michael Barnett
Research publications 2023	98 publications
Higher degrees by research students 2023	28 PhD students, 4 Masters students

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Rehabilitation Medicine

Research focus

Clinical research on rehabilitation medicine, including:

• PrESS (Proactive Rehabilitation Screening Tool) – multisite trial investigating the use of a screening tool for early identification of patients who may require inpatient Rehabilitation
• Co-investigators in a study conducted by the Liver Transplant Unit on Sarcopenia and Frailty in Chronic Liver Disease and Liver Transplantation: assessment pre- and post- liver transplant using prehabilitation and muscle biopsies. The project received HREC approval in May 2024
• Predicting disposition from hospital following acute subarachnoid haemorrhage
• Improving the patient journey with a visual ward orientation aid
• A comparative open label study comparing the efficacy of structured physiotherapy vs non structured physiotherapy in reducing post-stroke spasticity related shoulder pain in patients treated with Botulinum toxin A
• Benefits of early rehabilitation in an acute setting 

Rheumatology

Research focus

Clinical research in rheumatology with a focus on connective tissue diseases, systemic sclerosis, myositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, interstitial lung disease, inflammatory arthritis and back pain.

Research Leads	Dr Matthew Parker Dr Peter Youssef
Research publications 2023	17 publications
Higher degrees by research students 2023	4 PhD students

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Renal Medicine and Nephrology

Research focus

Clinical trials in transplantation, dialysis, renal supportive care and chronic kidney disease, including an active basic science lab and epidemiology group.

The Renal Department focuses on the epidemiology and burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end stage kidney disease (ESKD), discovery of new targets with therapeutic potential (innate immunity and microbiome in CKD and transplantation), translation of basic science into clinical care (gut microbiome in CKD and transplant), and randomised clinical trials in CKD and transplantation (for example BEST Fluids, Lancet 2023).

Research Lead	Dr Tracey Ying
Clinical Sponsors	Professor Kate Wyburn Professor Steve Chadban

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Respiratory and Sleep Medicine

Research focus

Focussed on all aspects of respiratory research, from discovery science to translation and implementation.

The Respiratory and Sleep Medicine Department's clinical research program spans a range of disease areas including interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, tuberculosis, lung cancer, bronchiectasis and asthma. Members of the RPA Respiratory and Sleep Medicine Department are involved in the full spectrum of research from discovery science to translation and implementation. Research is an integral component of clinical care and patients are referred from around the state to access clinical trial participation through quaternary-level specialist clinics. The multidisciplinary research team include medical, nursing, allied health and respiratory scientist staff.

Research Leads	Professor Tamera Corte Associate Professor Edmund Lau Dr Simone Visser Dr Anna Maclean
Clinical Sponsor	Professor Tamera Corte
RPA Institute for Academic Medicine Executive Sponsor	Professor Paul Torzillo
RPA Institute for Academic Medicine Co-Director	Associate Professor Lauren Troy
Research publications 2023	95 publications
Higher degrees by research students 2023	16 PhD students, 4 Masters students

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Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine

Research focus

Clinical research in supportive care and palliative medicine, including:

• Development of haematology supportive care plans
• Prognostic awareness and supportive care need in Allogeneic Haemopoietic Stem Cell Transplant and CAR-T Cell Therapy
• Improving patient experience and developing models in chronic disease (such as liver, renal and cardiac)
• Demonstrating the usefulness of meditation in improving psychosocial distress
• Use of novel therapies for uraemic pruritus
• Reviewing standard practice in small bowel obstruction

Research Lead	Riona Pais
Research publications 2023	3 publications

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More information

For more information or to access our past reports on the research activities of the RPA Division of Medicine, please contact SLHD-RPAIAM@health.nsw.gov.au.