SPEAKING FACULTY 

CLINICAL STREAM SPEAKERS



Dr Shounak Majumder
Gastroenterologist
Associate Professor of Medicine
Associate Chair Innovation Director, Pancreas Fellowship Program
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic
Minnesota, United States

Dr. Majumder is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. He leads a clinical and translational research program focused on early detection of pancreatic cancer and directs a clinic for pancreas cancer screening in high-risk individuals.

The clinical and translational research conducted by Shounak Majumder, M.D., focuses on early detection of pancreatic cancer. Dr. Majumder's research aims to develop a blood-based liquid biopsy test for early detection of pancreatic cancer in different at-risk patient groups. In preliminary studies, Dr. Majumder's research group has identified novel methylated DNA biomarkers in pancreatic tissue that are highly associated with pancreatic cancer. His team is actively engaged in developing these diagnostic molecular biomarker tests in blood, pancreatic juice and cyst fluid, with the aim of accurately detect advanced pre-cancer and early-stage pancreatic cancer. Prospective studies to validate early results for these biomarkers are currently underway at Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Majumder is also leading a team of researchers developing artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools for early detection of pancreatic cancer.

Focus areas:
• Pancreatic cancer detection using circulating tumor markers (PREDICT study). 
• Molecular detection of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs). 
• Molecular detection of advanced neoplasia in pancreatic cysts (IN-CYST study). 
• Machine learning for accurate identification of individuals at high risk of pancreatic cancer.
• A prospective registry for patients at high-risk for pancreatic cancer.




Dr Stephen Philcox
Gastroenterologist, Senior Staff Specialist
John Hunter Hospital
President, Australasian Pancreatic Club (APC)
APC Clinical Stream Convenor
Newcastle, NSW

Dr Stephen Philcox is a clinical Gastroenterologist with a special interest in Pancreatology and Interventional Endoscopy. Stephen maintains expert skills in a range of advanced endoscopic procedures including Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS), Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), luminal stent placement, Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (EMR) and Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD), alongside general diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy. After completing his Gastroenterology training in Sydney, Stephen completed a Fellowship position in Interventional Endoscopy in Brisbane, before securing a fellowship in Advanced Endoscopy at the prestigious Duke University Medical Centre in the United States. Stephen has brought his wealth of experience to Newcastle where he holds the position of Senior Staff Specialist at John Hunter Hospital and is well regarded as a clinical leader in general and interventional endoscopy, along with other areas of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Alongside his clinical duties, Stephen holds important leadership positions amongst his colleagues as the chair for the Australasian Pancreatic Club. In this role he facilitates the collaboration of world class specialists in pancreatic disease to ensure that innovative practice is brought to us here in Australia. In conjunction with this, Stephen is passionate about teaching our future doctors taking on mentorships in Advanced Endoscopy at the John Hunter Hospital alongside many other teaching roles. Stephen, along with his wife and daughters, has called Newcastle home since 2010. An exemplary musician, having played professionally before becoming a doctor, Stephen enjoys spending time creating and making music. Alongside his passion for the arts Stephen enjoys running, preparing himself for bigger challenges each year through distance running throughout New South Wales.  




Associate Professor Andrew Metz
Gastroenterologist
Royal Melbourne Hospital
Melbourne, VIC

A/Prof Metz is the Head of Endoscopy at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, having been previously Head of Endoscopy at Cambridge University Hospital in the UK. He underwent fellowships at Westmead Hospital Sydney and Cambridge UK. He performs endoscopic ultrasound, endoscopic mucosal resection, endotherapy for Barrett’s Oesophagus and luminal stenting. Also an accredited endoscopist for the UK BCSP, involved in promotion of quality endoscopy and audit. He has a particular interest in pancreatology, running a multi-disciplinary pancreatic clinic. Research interests include novel molecular markers in pancreatico-biliary lesions, and novel endoscopic devices for diagnostics and therapeutics, including confocal endomicroscopy and EUS-RFA. He is the Inaugural Director of the Jreissati  Pancreatic Centre. The centre was established in 2021 with the aim to radically improve the diagnosis and treatment, and ultimately prognosis, of pancreatic cancer. He has raised over $15million, and now has 6 staff and runs 24 investigator led studies.



 
Associate Professor Saurabh Gupta
Clinical Senior Lecturer
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
Director Sydney Gastroenterology and Liver Group
Interventional Endoscopist Sydney Adventist Hospital
Sydney, NSW

Dr Saurabh Gupta is an Interventional Gastroenterologist, specialising in advanced diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures with a special interest in pancreatic and biliary disease including therapeutic EUS and ERCP, as well as endoscopic resection of advanced neoplasia, obesity endotherapy and assessment of small bowel disorders. He is strongly committed to teaching and training for advanced endoscopy, and passionate about optimising patient outcomes using minimally invasive techniques. Dr Gupta graduated with Honours from UNSW. After his FRACP, Dr Gupta completed Advanced Endoscopy Fellowships in Brisbane and at Duke University, North Carolina USA. In 2018, Dr Gupta convened the Inaugural Bariatric and Metabolic Endoscopy Symposium at the Sydney Adventist Hospital, and continues to further study endoscopic options for patients suffering from overweight and obesity. Dr Gupta is a member of the EUS taskforce Asia-Pacific. He was past Chairperson of the EUS Special Interest Group and is the inaugural Chairperson for the Bariatric Special Interest Group with the GE Society of Australia.



 
Associate Professor Shamasunder Acharya
Endocrinologist
Associate Professor, University of Newcastle
Director, Greater Newcastle Diabetes Services
Newcastle, NSW

Associate Professor Shamasunder Acharya graduated from India and completed advanced training in Endocrinology and General Medicine in the UK. After serving the National Health Service UK for 10 years, Sham moved to Newcastle in 2009. He is currently the Director of Greater Newcastle Diabetes services and the clinical lead for Diabetes Alliance, Hunter New England Health. He works as a senior staff specialist at John Hunter hospital. He holds a conjoint Associate Professor appointment with the University of Newcastle. Sham is a dedicated endocrinologist whose work has led to significantly improved outcomes for people with diabetes. In the Alliance Diabetes Integration Project, Sham and his team are integrating specialist teams with GPs through patient case conferences to educate GPs about diabetes management. This has been a huge success and team has already integrated 115 out of 314 practices in our health district. In addition, diabetes master classes developed and delivered by Sham and his team have been very popular and more than 30% of GP work force have participated in the educational series. Sham has also set up an integrated diabetes and endocrine certificate course in India in conjunction with overseas faculty. For his efforts, he received the ‘staff member of the year 2016’ at HNE LHD and the same year he received the excellence award from NSW Premier for Diabetes Alliance integration work. He has supervised many research projects and has over 60 national and international publications.




Associate Professor Vipul Aggarwal
Director, Gastroenterology & Hepatology Unit Director, Gastroenterology & Hepatology Unit
The Canberra Hospital
Canberra, ACT
Consultant Gastroenterologist & Interventional Endoscopist, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, St George Hospital and
Royal North Shore Hospital
Sydney, NSW

Dr Vipul Aggarwal trained in general gastroenterology and advanced endoscopy at Sydney at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, St George Hospital and Royal North Shore Hospital. He then secured a prestigious Fellowship in Advanced Interventional Endoscopy in North Carolina, USA where he had the opportunity to learn from a faculty of International experts in the field of advanced interventional endoscopy. A Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Dr Aggarwal is a member of Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA) and the American Society of Gastroenterological Endoscopy (ASGE). He is a member of the Special Interest Group for EUS, ERCP and Bariatric Endoscopy for GESA and ASG. In 2014 Dr Aggarwal relocated from Sydney to Canberra to set up and expand the interventional endoscopy services in the ACT and surrounding region. He joined Canberra Hospital as a Consultant Interventional Gastroenterologist and began practice at Canberra Gastroenterology. He is now the Director and Principal at Canberra Gastroenterology. Dr Aggarwal is the Director of the Gastroenterology and Hepatology department at The Canberra Hospital. He is the Chairperson and an executive committee member of the Endoscopy Faculty with the Gastroenterology Society of Australia (GESA). Dr Aggarwal actively presents and publishes his research through the year and actively collaborates with other institutions within Australia and overseas. He is a frequent invited speaker to national and international meetings and conferences worldwide. He is also actively involved in teaching and training Gastroenterology Advanced trainees and Advanced Endoscopy Fellows at The Canberra Hospital.




Dr David Burnett
Laparoscopic, liver and pancreas surgeon
John Hunter Hospital
Newcastle, NSW

David is a general surgeon working at John Hunter Hospital, Lake Macquarie Private Hospital and other public and private hospitals in the region. For the last 3 years after becoming a general surgeon David undertook additional sub-specialist training with some of the best surgeons in Melbourne and Sydney, through the ANZHPA training program. He graduated from this program first in Australasia with the Robert Padbury medal. Although he completed medical school in Sydney at UNSW and early training at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, he, his wife and two beautiful daughters fell in love with Newcastle during 5 years of general surgical training and chose to return. He trained at the Austin hospital in Melbourne, home to the country’s most prestigious liver transplant unit. He learnt liver transplant and liver resection from Professor Robert Jones OAM (Director) and Professor Chris Christophi OAM (President of the Asia-Pacific HPB Association). He trained in pancreatic surgery with A/Prof Mehrdad Nikfarjam (Victoria’s leading pancreas surgeon). At Westmead Hospital he then trained under Professor Arthur Richardson (President of the Australian and NZ HPB Association). Outside of liver transplant, in the past 3 years he has performed approximately 90 Whipples procedures, 160 major liver resections including extended resections and vena cava resections. He has been involved in ALPPS procedures (extended liver resections), major vascular resections and Australia’s 6th multivisceral transplant. He strongly believes that patients in Newcastle deserve the same world class cancer care that they would receive in Sydney or Melbourne. In the past 12 months he has written a book chapter on pancreatic cancer and started a major multi-centre randomised controlled trial in Newcastle. The trial is in collaboration with experts from Peter Macallum Cancer Centre, Westmead and John Hunter Hospital. The trial aims to improve perioperative health outcomes in cancer patients through prehabilitation (the process of enhancing an individual’s functional capacity to enable him or her to withstand a forthcoming stressor, e.g. major surgery). He is driving a collaboration with the CSIRO and experts from Monash Health, Austin Health and influential Australian business executives to help improve cancer outcomes for patients well into the future.




Professor Jaswinder Samra
General Surgery, Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery
North Shore Private Hospital
Sydney, NSW

Dr Jas Samra is a general surgeon with an interest in liver, pancreas and biliary surgery. He offers services in pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma and undertakes a broad range of laparoscopic surgery.



 
Dr Brett Knowles
Hepatobiliary & Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon 
St Vincent’s Hospital, Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Melbourne, VIC

Mr Brett Knowles completed his training in General Surgery at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in 2007. He then completed a year long Australian fellowship in Upper Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary surgery at Box Hill Hospital before heading to the United Kingdom for two years. The first year was spent as a clinical fellow in Hepatobiliary and Transplantation Surgery at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh working for Regius Professor James Garden. The second year was spent as a clinical and research fellow in the Hepatobiliary unit at Basingstoke NHS working for Mr Myrddin Rees. Basingstoke NHS is one of the leading European centres for liver and cytoreduction surgery in Europe. Upon returning to Australia in late 2010, Brett commenced specialist practice in Melbourne with public appointments at St Vincent’s Hospital, Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Brett has an active involvement in teaching, surgical training and research and is committed to providing the highest standards of patient care.



 
Dr Daniel Croagh
Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgeon
Monash Medical Centre and Jessie Macpherson Private Hospital
Melbourne, VIC

Dan Croagh is a hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeon working predominantly at Monash Medical Centre and Jessie Macpherson Private Hospital. He undertook surgical training St Vincent’s Hospital during which time he also obtained a PhD in stem cell biology at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. His Fellowship training was at Monash Medical Centre and the Liver Transplant Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, UK. Mr Croagh’s areas of special interest include hepatobiliary endoscopy (endoscopic ultrasound and ERCP), complex liver and pancreatic surgery for benign and malignant conditions, gall stone disease and severe pancreatitis. Mr Croagh strives to provide optimal care for patients with these complex surgical problems by tailoring the surgical and endoscopic interventions to the individual needs of the patient. He is also active in clinical and basic science research in his roles as a Senior Lecturer at Monash University and Director of Research for the department of upper gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary surgery at Monash Medical Centre.



 
Dr Sarah Maloney
Oncologist
Department of Medical Oncology
Royal North Shore Hospital
Sydney, NSW

Dr Sarah Maloney is an up-and-coming researcher and the co-chair of the NEO-IMPACT pancreatic cancer clinical trial. She was part of the Early Career Researcher consultation group at the AGITG Strategic Review Workshop.


Dr Alireza Khani
Pathologist
Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology
Sydney, NSW



 
Dr Tarun Jain
Radiologist
ACT Health
Canberra, ACT

Dr Tarun Jain moved to Australia after training in Radiology in India, including an appointment at the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. He has been involved with Qscan clinics in Canberra since 2012. He also works as a Senior Staff Specialist at ACT Health. He is a general Radiologist with subspeciality interest in abdominal imaging and MRI. Other areas of interest include musculoskeletal radiology and imaging-guided procedures. Having worked with BreastScreen since 2008, he currently holds the position of Designated Radiologist at ACT BreastScreen. Tarun has a strong academic grounding with published articles in several peer-reviewed journals and is regularly involved in research projects. He is also a member of multiple multi-disciplinary teams in Canberra.


BASIC SCIENCE STREAM SPEAKERS



Professor Minoti Apte OAM
Professor of Medicine and Director, Pancreatic Research Group
UNSW Sydney
Sydney, NSW

Professor Apte is internationally acknowledged as a leading researcher in the fields of alcohol-induced pancreatic injury, pancreatic fibrogenesis and stromal-tumour interactions in pancreatic cancer. Professor of Medicine and Director, Pancreatic Research Group, UNSW Sydney. An internationally renowned medical researcher into pancreatic disease, Professor Minoti Apte’s contribution to the University of New South Wales and the wider community extends well beyond her laboratory. In 2014, she was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia and she received the 2015 NSW Premier’s Award for Woman of the Year, in recognition of her contribution to medical research, tertiary education and the community. Most recently, her work in pancreatic cancer research was recognised with the Professor Rob Sutherland Make a Difference Award presented at part of the Cancer Institute NSW 2016 Premier’s Awards for Outstanding Cancer Research. In 2017, she was awarded the Lady Mary Fairfax Distinguished researcher Award by the Ingham Institute. A Professor of Medicine and Director of the Pancreatic Research Group at UNSW, Prof Apte is internationally acknowledged as a leading researcher in the field of pancreatic injury and is particularly recognised for her pioneering work in pancreatic fibrogenesis, having been the first in the world to develop a method to isolate and culture pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). Her Group was the first in the world to establish the role of these cells in the scar tissue of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. This scar tissue is responsible for significant pancreatic dysfunction and for cancer progression. Her group was also the first in the world to show that the pancreatic stellate cell helped pancreatic cancers grow and spread, and she is currently leading pre-clinical studies of a new combination therapy to help improve treatment outcomes. Professor has published over 120 research papers, and her work has received over 6400 citations. She is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Pancreatology, one of the two leading specialist journals in the field. Professor Apte served as postgraduate coordinator within the South Western Sydney Clinical School from 2001-2016, where she nurtured the talent of our PhD, Masters and Honours students, in addition to direct supervision of her own higher degree students. She has served/serves at senior levels on several key committees within the University as well as on committees of national and international organisations relevant to her Discipline, including the GESA Research Committee. In addition to her role within UNSW Medicine and the wider discipline of Pancreatology, Professor Apte is an active member of the Marathi Association of Sydney, which serves Sydney’s large Indian population. She is an accomplished Indian classical dancer and choreographer, and has served on the Association’s organising committee, provided programs for community radio, plays an active role organising and performing in cultural events and provides mentorship and career advice to new migrants in her community.




Dr Chamini Perera
Senior Lecturer
UNSW
Sydney, NSW

Dr Perera is a Research-Focused Academic in the field of Pancreatic Research. The aim of her research is to identify a biomarker for early detection of pancreatic cancer for improved survival outcomes. Dr Perera investigates the mechanisms and factors underpinning pancreatic cancer-related diabetes (PCRD) by using cell culture and animal models. This involves isolation of extracellular vesicles from cell secretions and mouse/human plasma and characterisation of the vesicle cargo to identify potential mediators of PCRD. Dr Perera envisions that the findings of this study will be a game changer in pancreatic cancer research.




Dr Zhihong Xu
Pancreatic Cancer Researcher
UNSW
Sydney, NSW

Dr Xu obtained his PhD degree at UNSW Sydney. His research interests focus on pancreatic cancer, chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic stellate cells. Dr Xu has published more than 20 peer-reviewed publications with total citations over 1500 and one book chapter, 10 publications and over 1200 citations in the past five years, and an H-index of 17. Dr Xu is a co-investigator of an Ideas Grant (2020-2023) funded by Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, the chief investigator of a project founded by Tour de Cure in 2019 and a co-investigator of a 3-year project (2018-2020) funded by Avner Pancreatic Cancer Foundation.




Dr George Sharbeen
Post-Doctoral Researcher
UNSW
Sydney, NSW

Raised and schooled in Western Sydney, Dr George Sharbeen focuses his work at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) on identifying new therapeutic targets for treating pancreatic cancer. Once a target is identified, George and his team use a novel nanoparticle – developed in the lab of well-known researcher Associate Professor Phoebe Phillips (supported by the Can Too Foundation for the fith time in 2017) in collaboration with the Australian Centre for Nanomedicine – to inhibit it in models of pancreatic cancer and stop tumours from spreading. “Our achievements to date include the identification of proteins in cell walls as therapeutic targets, and the development of a nanoparticle that can travel through the blood stream, enter pancreatic tumour cells and inhibit any target of interest,” says 32-year-old George. His successes have been acknowledged by awards and competitive funding, including a Cancer Institute NSW Early Career Researcher Fellowship and an Avner Foundation “Woolies on Wheels” Innovation Grant. “Our findings represent a larger body of work which has the potential to lead to more effective treatments for tumours in pancreatic and other types of cancer, and improve survival rates,” George says. George is very aware that such breakthroughs are needed, soon. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth-leading cause of cancer-related death, but is expected to become number two by 2030. It’s hard to treat because of its highly chemo-resistant and metastatic nature, which is a result of the fibrosis that characterises the disease. “It’s the most fibrotic of all cancers,” says George.During the course of his PhD on the topic of cell cycle and DNA repair under the supervision of Dr Chris Jolly at the University of Sydney, George helped advance understanding of the relationship between the growth and reproduction of cells and DNA repair. In that time, he also gained specialised expertise in recombinant DNA technology and tests to measure DNA repair. “It was during my university education that I really gained an interest in medical research,” George says. “After my PhD I was eager to apply what I’d learned to pancreatic cancer research. Errors in DNA repair and uncontrolled cell division underlie all cancers.” George joined Phoebe Phillips’ laboratory in mid-2012, and she and the lab’s collaborating consumer (an informed community member who contributes to research) Gino Iori remain his greatest sources of inspiration. “I’ve lost two uncles to leukemia and Mr Iori lost his brother to pancreatic cancer. It’s a constant reminder of the struggles patients and their families face. I believe it’s my responsibility to ensure my work is always focused on improving patient survival and quality of life.” George has this message for donors and fundraisers: your contributions are invaluable. “Your time, effort and donations not only give hope in the fight, they help fund future generations of research leaders who’d otherwise not get a chance to develop the track record they need.” When he does find time, George, one of three siblings, likes indoor rock climbing but admits that the problem-solving skills it requires are as much an attraction as the physical exertion. Dr George Sharbeen was a 2017 Cure Cancer Australia grant recipient supported by the Can Too Foundation.




Dr Sumit Sahni
Senior Cancer Research Fellow
Northern Clinical School
Kolling Institute of Medical Research
The University of Sydney
Sydney, NSW

Born and raised in New Delhi, India, Sumit completed his PhD in Chicago in 2011, and migrated to Australia to join the Sydney University team in 2012. During his high school years in India, his grandmother had had a paralytic attack, and the traumatic event motivated Sumit to pursue a career in medical research. In particular, in his graduate studies, he actively sought to investigate what he refers to as “a challenging research question,” and in the process became fascinated by the mechanisms by which cancer progressed and spread. More recently Sumit has had more inspiration from being able to interact with pancreatic cancer survivors. “Talking with them has provided me with immense motivation to fight against this devastating clinical problem,” he says. For people diagnosed with the disease he has a simple message – “keep hope alive, because new, ‘clinically relevant’ research options are in the pipeline. To ensure they keep coming, the Cure Cancer Australia grants are extremely valuable”, Sumit says. Not only will his own grant help him in his professional development, it gives him great personal satisfaction because it’s allowing him to pursue what he’s really interested in – with appropriate resources in place. “It’s getting very hard to get an early-career grant,” he says. “As the scientific assessment is done by the National Health and Medical Research Council, it’s difficult to make reviewers understand that this is an early-career grant and should be assessed relative to opportunity.” Like many of his peers, he laments the fact he must constantly invest significant time writing grant applications rather than doing the work that matters. Married with a young son, when not engaged with his work Sumit is interested in politics and current affairs, and whenever he gets a chance he loves to play table tennis. Meanwhile everything happens for a reason, he believes, and is “always good for you in the long run.”




Dr Dannel Yeo
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
The University of Sydney
Sydney, NSW

Dr Dannel Yeo (PhD) is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in The University of Sydney's Central Clinical School (Faculty of Medicine and Health), Research Officer in Centenary Institute's Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program, and Hospital Research Scientist in Royal Prince Alfred's Department of Cell and Molecular Therapies.




Dr Parvathy Rajan
Research Assistant
UNSW
Sydney, NSW

Skilled in Molecular biology, protein biochemistry, statistical Data Analysis, scientific writing, and animal models. Research professional with an M-Res and Ph.D.




Dr Alpha Mekapogu
Postdoctoral Research Associate
The University of Sydney
Sydney, NSW

Highly motivated, results-driven researcher with outstanding research and analytical skills gained via nine years of hands-on experience in dual roles of Senior Scientist and Assistant Professor within a pharmacology and toxicology research laboratory of a leading College of Veterinary Science (notably, awarded six ‘Young Scientist Awards’ for research findings in the fields of nanobiotechnology, phytomedicine, pharmacokinetics and toxicology). Extensive expertise in diagnostic and laboratory practices and safety procedures; high-level competency in conducting accurate laboratory analysis and preparing detailed scientific reports and assessments




Dr Sarah Hancock
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
UNSW
Sydney, NSW

Sarah is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales School of Medical Sciences. She gained her PhD at the University of Wollongong in 2016. Pancreatic cancer has a notoriously low survival rate, which hasn’t improved in the past 20 years. In her research, Sarah aims to detect one or more metabolic pathways (biochemical reactions) linked to the disease that can be targeted with new drugs. This could make chemo more effective, improving survival rates. Sarah will also test if the method she is using is applicable to single cancer cells, which means that researchers may one day be able to use it as a diagnostic tool for predicting how patients respond to treatment.




Dr Zahid Hosen
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research
Sydney, NSW

Dr Hosen's research spans Translational Cancer Research, exploring tumor microenvironment dynamics, Stroma-Tumor Interaction, and ECM Remodeling for Immuno Oncology advancement. Dr Hosen specialises in Drug Target Identification, employing Genomics, Transcriptomics, Proteomics, and Clinical data for precision medicine. Dedicated to Structure-Based Small Molecule/Vaccine Design, he strives to innovate diagnostic tools and therapies in the global fight against cancer, advancing public health.




Dr David Herrmann
Conjoint Senior Lecturer
UNSW
Sydney, NSW

Dr David Herrmann completed his Diploma and PhD studies in the field of Developmental Biology in Freiburg, Germany. Due to the strong similarities between embryonic development and cancerogenesis he became interested in joining Dr Paul Timpson’s research group to work on invasion and metastasis, moving to Sydney to join the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in 2012. His top areas of expertise are Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Cerebral Hypoxia, and Breast Cancer.

DIETITIAN SPEAKERS



Dr Kate Furness
Accredited Practicing Dietitian
Lecturer in Dietetics and Human Nutrition
La Trobe University
Melbourne, VIC

Dr Kate Furness (Accredited Practicing Dietitian) is a Lecturer in Dietetics and Human Nutrition at La Trobe University. She is the Individual Case Management Lead for the Master of Dietetics, coordinating all medical nutrition therapy teaching. Kate also coordinates and teaches into subjects Nutrition Through the Lifespan and Diet, Disease Relationships in the undergraduate course Bachelor of Food and Nutrition. Kates current research interests lie in improving the quality of life through nutrition provision and symptom management of upper gastrointestinal cancer patients. She is currently the project manager for the MRFF Supplemental Jejunal feeding to Improve Quality of Life (SuperQoL) Trial ($1.7 million) in pancreatic cancer patients. She also holds an honorary position in the Voluntary Assisted Dying Research Working Group for Safer Care Victoria.




Ms Rebecca Gallo
Senior Gastroenterology Dietitian
Royal Melbourne Hospital
Melbourne, VIC

Bio pending.