Research Advisory Board

Dr. John Rivers is Chair of the Research Advisory Board, non-executive director for Wesley Research Institute and Cardihab, an e-health enterprise developed by CSIRO, and Board member of Mater Misericordiae Limited.  He is an active angel investor with Brisbane Angels and is a former Executive Chair of the health system regulator (HQCC), as well being a former practicing cardiologist and founding member of Queensland Cardiovascular Group (QCG). Dr. Rivers has extensive experience in business development and governance in the healthcare industry and holds a long-term interest in clinician-driven quality systems for measuring and improving patient outcomes, including their interface with clinical governance. 

Prof Janet Hardy was the Director of Cancer Services and Palliative Care and Supportive Care at Mater Health Services until her recent transition into retirement. Prof. Hardy was also the Cancer Program Co-Leader at Mater Research Institute, Chair of Palliative Medicine at The University of Queensland and Clinical Research Program Leader at the Centre for Palliative Care Research and Education where she led the Queensland Palliative Care Research Group. She remains as a Professorial Research Fellow at Mater completing her research projects that have included the use of medicinal cannabis in symptom control, research methodology in palliative care, opioids in pain management, and the use and abuse of corticosteroids. 

Prof. Jennifer Byrne is the Director of Biobanking at NSW Health Pathology and Professor of Molecular Oncology at the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. Prof. Byrne has extensive experience in biobanking including the establishment, oversight and networking of numerous cancer biobanks. Her research interests include biobank operations and improvements in publication and research integrity through her ongoing leadership of the PRIMeR group. 

Prof. John Prins is the Executive Director of Health Translation Queensland and Chair of the Australian Health Research Alliance, the national voice for 14 Research Translation Centres. Prof. Prins has held numerous senior executive roles in health research and management including as Head of Melbourne Medical School, Director of Metro South Hospital and Health Service, Director of Mater Research Institute – UQ and having led the spin out of Adipogen Pty Ltd and Jetra Therapeutics. He is an active clinician scientist in diabetes and endocrinology having completed his postdoctoral training at the University of Cambridge. 

Prof. Steven Lane is Group Leader of the Gordon and Jessie Gilmour Leukaemia Research Laboratory at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and consultant haematologist at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and St. Vincent’s Chermside where he cares for patients with leukaemia and related blood disorders. Prof. Lane is active in clinical trials, is a Principal Investigator on prospective trials in acute leukaemia and has accredited GCP training, having trained abroad including a research fellowship at Harvard Medical School. 

Prof. Cathy Mihalopoulos is the Head of the Monash University Health Economics Group (MUHEG) where she leads Australia’s largest academic team of health economists focusing on mental health and psychosocial care. Prof. Mihalopoulos is an internationally recognised expert in the use of economic evaluation techniques with a particularly strong focus within the context of mental health. Prof. Mihalopoulos’ impact is evident through her invited positions on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), a diverse track record in Category 1-4 research funding, and high impact publications that have led to recognition such as the inaugural Australian Clinical Trials Alliance HEAT Excellence in Trial Based Health Economics Award. 

Prof. Jill Francis is a Professor of Implementation Science in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne, formerly Professor of Health Services Research at City University of London (serving as Associate Dean for Research 2013 to 2016 and Senior Strategic Research Adviser in 2019), and Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Aberdeen (2011 to 2013). Prof. Francis has internationally recognised expertise in behavioural approaches to implementation science, a field that helps identify the most effective ways to support changes in healthcare practice to improve health care and outcomes. A particular focus is Prof. Francis’ methodological approach to the development and evaluation of complex interventions that has been developed by the UK Medical Research Council since 2000.