Department of Clinical Haematology, Cancer Care Services, RBWH

Siok will use her Fellowship to undertake a program of research which aims to develop and deliver novel and cutting-edge immunotherapy to cancer patients. Siok’s program will have three major themes: (1) Using cellular immunotherapy to treat complications of bone marrow transplantation, (2) Establishing a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell clinical program within Queensland, and (3) Research and development into the next generation of cancer immunotherapy.

“We will be using live videoconferencing coupled with a
software application accessed via the patient’s mobile
device to provide an individualised therapy program.”

Speech Pathology & Audiology Department, RBWH

Clare will use this Fellowship to develop two new innovative telepractice models of care.

The first project proposes the development and evaluation of an integrated telepractice-enabled dysphagia rehabilitation program. The second project aims to systematically develop, evaluate, and implement a clinical model delivering the instrumental assessment, Fibreoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) via telepractice. This model proposes to enhance the efficiency of SP diagnostic services to optimise patient outcomes and support FEES service expansion and sustainability across Metro North HHS.  No published evidence exists reporting on the detailed application and evaluation of “live” endoscopy via telepractice. Developing a telepractice endoscopy service would enable existing (RBWH & TPCH) and developing (Redcliffe) FEES clinics to streamline services across MNHHS, improve access to specialised SP and ENT-FEES consultation, and optimise service sustainability

Endocrinology and Diabetes, RBWH & TPCH

Don will use this clinician research fellowship to undertake a program of research that will increase knowledge of thyroid disease causes, enhance prognostic assessment, & improve treatment. Don co-leads Queensland’s only thyroid cancer clinic. It is Australia’s largest, and large by world standards. The program of population-based thyroid cancer research leverages our unique state-wide provision of thyroid cancer care, with significant potential to improve the health care of our Metro North patients. This research will increase our knowledge of causes of thyroid disease, laying the foundations for prevention using disease mechanism discovery, and will enable better targeting of aggressive therapies and help avoid over-treatment, enhance risk prediction and personalised medicine.

Department of Renal Medicine, RBWH

Andrew will use this clinician research fellowship to apply genomics in a multifaceted program of research to transform kidney health for patients, families and healthcare provision for patients with kidney disease and inheritable kidney disease. This will occur through an interwoven program of registry efforts, analysis and application of genomics in interconnected clinical and research paradigms, investigation of new frontier clinical trial efforts, and, outcome and health economic evaluation to provide evidence for value-based healthcare. As a program of research wrapped around healthcare, our patients and families remain the core and touchstone for all efforts.

Clinical practice will be impacted via knowledge translation directly within the QLD Conjoint Renal Genetics Service based within MNHHS. Further, as a partner within the national KidGen Collaborative, the Fellowship findings will inform the models/operation of the associated national KidGen network of 14+ renal genetics clinics, diagnostic laboratories and clinical/fundamental research groups/projects.

Internal Medicine and Aged Care, RBWH

Through this Fellowship, Alison will lead a body of research to improve our understanding of older Australians’ hospital care and outcomes, design local systems responding to their needs and goals, and– importantly –teach and support skills to ensure these systems get put into practice for real impact. Working with patients across medical, surgical and rehabilitation settings in a range of Australian hospitals, this research will help health services design better hospital care for older people, directly improving hospital care and outcomes for thousands of Australians. The program will enhance existing academic and clinical partnerships, engage older consumers and their families in service design and delivery, and cultivate new strategic collaborations to enhance the reach and impact of the research. Importantly, the fellowship will support training and mentoring in implementation science, facilitation and evaluation of complex interventions, building multidisciplinary capacity in health services research.