Research Excellence Awards 2024

Winner: Technological Advances and Improved Patient Outcomes following Intraoperative Cell Salvage

Winner: Technological Advances and Improved Patient Outcomes following Intraoperative Cell Salvage

More than 300 million patients receive peri-operative transfusion in the world each year and many experience serious adverse outcomes. Within this program international experts in transfusion (Dr Roets), intensive care (A/Prof Sturgess), anaesthesia (Prof van Zundert), immunology (Dr Dean), resource management (Vicki Swaine) and research administration (Christine Woods) collaborated to enable results that will benefit many surgical patients in Metro North Hospital and Health Service (MetroNorth) and internationally.

In collaboration they developed a program designed to evaluate immune related patient outcomes, immune cells and function (in patients and in vitro) and discovery of previously unknown biomarkers of immune competence during transfusion; specifically following intraoperative cell salvage (ICS). Publications, international presentations, and collaboration during Dr Roets’ PhD program with the University of Queensland (UQ) provide this foundation; to now include new findings, techniques and expertise into the design of our own international multicentre trial. Our vision is to ensure Metro North is at the forefront of international developments in novel aspects of transfusion science, to build research capacity, ensure expert collaboration and future funding. Technological Advances and Improved Patient Outcomes following Intraoperative Cell Salvage (TAIPO-ICS) will lead and influence policies and transfusion research internationally in the future.

Winner: Optimising the perioperative care of patients with obesity

Winner: Optimising the perioperative care of patients with obesity

This team of anaesthetists, surgeons and research nurses identified that obesity can impact the quality of care provided to patients in the perioperative period. Over the previous 5 years we have published 21 papers investigating how obesity can influence clinical care, by evaluating equipment, drugs and anaesthetic techniques. We have documented the patient experience, summarised the failings of existing techniques and explored new innovations in providing anaesthetic care to patients with obesity. Our aim is to improve the patient experience and quality of patient care. Our research has led to local practice change in blood pressure measurement, we have been cited in international practice guidelines and our research has supported updated drug dosing guidelines.

Our projects include the oxygenation of patients with obesity, optimising perioperative medication doses, improving blood pressure measurement and the exploring the influence of obesity on coagulation and maternity outcomes. Passionate senior clinicians (Eley, Chin, Wyssusek, van Zundert) have led capacity-building within RBWH and Metro North, with anaesthetist PhD students, medical students, junior doctors and anaesthesia trainees included as co-investigators. Our work has increasingly attracted competitive funding and been disseminated widely, winning awards at national anaesthetic and surgery conferences.

Winner: HELIX Implementation Capacity Building Program (HELIX4Implementation)

Winner: HELIX Implementation Capacity Building Program (HELIX4Implementation)

The HELIX Implementation Capacity Building Program (HELIX4Implementation), a key part of the HELIX Hub, exemplifies excellence in supporting Metro North’s healthcare workforce to implement and innovate. Launched as a pilot in 2023 and scaled Metro North-wide in 2024, this evidence-based, low-cost program has accelerated research implementation, enhancing patient care and service efficiency. Evidence-informed and aligned with HealthQ32, Metro North Innovation Strategy 2024-2026, and the Metro North Health Research Strategy 2023-2027, HELIX4Implementation has transformed healthcare delivery by offering:

• Training through the HELIX Implementation and Better Value Care (De-Implementation) Academies.
• Group-based telementoring (Implementation Support Groups) with a multidisciplinary expert panel.
• Tailored coaching from an Implementation Support Specialist.
• Funding for backfill to advance projects.
• Access to the online HELIX Hub, professional development, and community of practice.

HELIX4Implementation has trained over 80 healthcare professionals and supported 30 projects, demonstrating significant improvements in implementation capabilities. HELIX4Implementation has provided a platform for scaling programs like Better Value Care. By promoting a continuous learning culture and robust implementation methodologies, HELIX4Implementation catalyses sustainable improvements, reduces research and improvement ‘waste’, and optimises return on investment by enhancing individual competencies and driving organisational excellence. Our team has positioned Metro North as a healthcare implementation and innovation leader.

Winner: RBWH Enhancing impactful research and QUality improvement In Physiotherapy (EQUIP) team

Winner: RBWH Enhancing impactful research and QUality improvement In Physiotherapy (EQUIP) team

The Enhancing impactful research and QUality improvement In Physiotherapy (EQUIP) team at RBWH have adopted a whole-of-department approach to implement a multi-level program of research. Established in 2019, and currently consisting of research coordinators Drs Cottrell and Window, and research conjoints Dr Bunzli, A/Prof O’Leary) the team have utilised best-practice frameworks for embedding research culture (1) enhancing research impact (2) and continue to refine research support using an iterative continuous quality improvement approach (3).

The EQUIP team have encouraged, mentored and inspired departmental research through multi-level activities:

• Supporting all 12 clinical teams’ (total 105FTE) engagement in research activities with protected research time
• Clinician-led research projects funded through the Physiotherapy Trust Fund (4 projects/year)
• Clinician-researcher pathway through RHDs (nine staff completed or undertaking RHDs)
• Support for clinician involvement in clinical trials conducted in the department
• Annual symposium showcasing departmental research activities
• Contribution to Metro North strategic research committees

In 2023, the EQUIP team oversaw over 14.8M awarded in grant funding, 43 publications (27 physiotherapy staff as co-authors), 36 conference presentations, and four research awards. The department research has received international recognition and has been adopted in WHO guidelines.

Winner: Jennifer Muller

Winner: Jennifer Muller

Jennifer’s involvement and contributions to research as a consumer advocate, mentor, and co-facilitator in research projects and initiatives across Metro North and beyond has led to high quality outputs with demonstrable impact on the lives of people with a range of health conditions. Jennifer has contributed (e.g. named consumer investigator) to shaping successful RBWH Foundation, NHMRC, and MRFF grant applications resulting in over $3.7 million dollars in research grant funding for stroke, brain injury, and enhancing consumer involvement research across Metro North. She has contributed journal publications in the fields of breast cancer, bowel and cervical cancer screening, stroke, including a publication in the Lancet in 2011, and as an invited key-note speaker on consumer involvement in research. Some of the impacts of the work Jennifer has contributed to has been: development of the Australian Stroke Living Guidelines (used by stroke clinicians to inform evidence-based stroke care); development of a National Strategic Action Plan for Heart Disease and Stroke (2020); development of the STARS Research Consumer network (n=32 members); co-designing procedures and policies for engaging with consumers at STARS; co-design of critically appraised topic groups at STARS; and evaluating consumer involvement in research across the Herston precinct.

Winner: Associate Professor Teresa Brown

Winner: Associate Professor Matthew Roberts

A/Professor Roberts’ interdisciplinary urology research focuses on innovative imaging, biomarkers, and theranostics validated in clinical trials, demonstrating the superior efficacy of PSMA PET scans over MRI for detecting primary prostate cancer and introduced PSMA PET-guided biopsy. This work has catalyzed trials towards ideal prostate cancer detection and biopsy outcomes.

Since joining Metro North part-time in 2020 (~0.35 FTE), his achievements include:

• 90 publications (1758 citations), primarily in Q1 journals
• Notably, 8 publications in the top 1% most cited and 24 in the top 5%.
• H-index of 34, FWCI 3.4.
• National recognition, ranked 4th (PSMA PET) and 7th (prostate cancer).
• ANZ Representative on EAU Prostate Cancer Guidelines Committee, convenor of ANZUP ASM 2024
• Mentorship of 12 junior doctors, fostering extensive publication and presentation success.
• Secured over $2.5M in research funding.
• Influenced international treatment and policy guidelines, with extensive media coverage and global speaking engagements.

Impact – his research has advanced prostate cancer care, standardizing MRI Prostate and transperineal biopsy practices. PSMA PET imaging has revolutionized treatment decisions and diagnostic accuracy, extending to renal and bladder cancers. Establishing a UTI clinic and guiding antibiotic protocols at RBWH underscores his commitment to improving healthcare practices through mentorship and innovation.

Winner: Professor Jed Duff

Winner: Professor Jed Duff

As a clinician-researcher and nurse academic, Professor Jed Duff embodies leadership, strength and resilience of RBWH Nurses and Midwives and significantly contributes to the development of new knowledge, improvement of health outcomes, and enhancement of health systems and policies at the RBWH. Professor Duff uses a research co-production approach, working with consumers, clinicians, and decision-makers to solve real-world healthcare problems. In the past 5 years, Professor Duff’s impact has spanned various domains, including perioperative hypothermia prevention and management, prevention of occupational violence in healthcare, digital health intervention co-design and embedding, spreading and scaling evidence-based healthcare interventions.

Professor Duff is committed to evidence translation at the RBWH. He is the implementation science lead for the RBWH Research Executive and a founding member of the Metro North Helix Hub, which supports innovation, implementation, and knowledge translation across the health service. Professor Duff is currently supervising four RBWH nursing PhD candidates, and a further two PhD and three MPhil candidates.

Winner: Professor Leonie Callaway

Winner: Professor Leonie Callaway

Professor Callaway is a world leading scientist and was recently named in the top 2% of the worlds most cited researchers. In 2022 in recognition of national and international contributions she was awarded the 2022 Women’s Health Australasia Medal of Distinction for exceptional collaborative leadership and outstanding contribution to improving the health of women and babies, through research, education and service provision. Professor Callaway’s research has focussed on medical disorders of pregnancy and metabolism. She is an inspiring role model and mentor, supervising >18 research higher degree students from multi-disciplinary backgrounds. She has supervised and mentored three Metro North Clinical Research Fellows, making a major contribution to research capacity building – A/Prof Susie de Jersey, Prof Victoria Eley and A/Prof Alka Kothari. Professor Callaway currently co-leads a national consumer led research program to eliminate weight stigma in Maternity Care – the Body Positive Alliance. She has been Chief Investigator on 14 NHMRC, MRFF and ARC grants and >50 NGO grants, with >22 million dollars in research funding and >190 papers

Dr Tania Crough, Deputy Director of Metro North Research

Winner: Dr Tania Crough

Dr Tania Crough, Deputy Director of Metro North Research, exemplifies Metro North values of respect, integrity, high performance, compassion and teamwork in her dedication to research excellence.

Her PhD research into complications of cytomegalovirus (or CMV) in solid organ transplant recipients contributed to the development of a new diagnostic tool for monitoring CMV disease in transplant recipients. As an NHMRC Early Career Peter Doherty Fellowship recipient, she pursued her major research interests in viral and cancer immunology to study the linkage of CMV to the highly lethal brain tumor, glioblastoma multiforme. As an accomplished scientist and researcher, she translated her extensive knowledge and experience in conducting clinical trials to the world of research management with the highest standards of research integrity and quality. As Deputy Director of the Metro North Office of Research, Tania is the driving force that enables research across MN, in particular research governance and human ethics, research education and grant funding. She brings a lifetime of scientific research experience to the role, seamlessly navigating the complex world of research management.

This award reflects on the outstanding work of the Office of Research, a vast array of talented, dedicated and passionate researchers and research administrators who are committed to research excellence and truly proud to work alongside her.