Past Research

Ivana Kihas began working as a Research Assistant at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) in May 2013. She has worked across three research projects: a post-marketing surveillance study of Suboxone-film, an opioid substitution treatment; a prospective cohort study examining non-medical use of pharmaceutical opioids and related harms; and on a randomised control trial investigating the efficacy of a Behavioural Activation Treatment for co-occurring depression and substance use disorder.

Ivana completed a B.Sc. Psychology (Honours) in 2012 at Macquarie University. Her thesis explored the effects of letter confusability on visual word recognition. Between 2012 and 2014, Ivana also worked at the Emotional Health Clinic (Macquarie University) as a Research Assistant on the Cool Kids Stepped Care Program study, working with children, adolescents and their parents to help them overcome anxiety.

My name is Mikhail Dias, I recently completed an honours year at Monash University where I researched an in silico approach to studying synthetic lethality in cancer to identify novel gene targets.

I am become passionate about cancer biology during my undergraduate studies at RMIT university, where I learned about cancer genomics and how genetic alterations can lead to devastating consequences. I pursued a pathway into research by undertaking an honours year project at Monash University. During my honour’s year, I developed sought after computational skills and experience which I will continue to use throughout my research career.

For the past several years, I have volunteered as a peer-support counsellor, workshop facilitator, and well-being support officer for various LGBTQIA+ organisations. Since completing my Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) in 2019, I have worked as a mental health and disability support worker and more recently as a research assistant within the gender research team at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

Through these roles, I have developed a passion for working with LGBTQIA+ youth who, due to stigma and lack of family support, are disproportionately at risk of developing mental health difficulties.

Dr Dennis Chan is a physician who is undertaking research to improve the management of neuroendocrine tumours. He completed his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery alongside a Master of Bioethics and Health Law at the University of Otago, New Zealand, in 2012. Since then, he has undertaken specialist training with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians as a Specialist Endocrinologist and General Physician.

In 2019, he completed a Master of Science at Barts and the London School of Medicine focusing on Cushing’s Syndrome caused by neuroendocrine tumours. This has led him to pursue a PhD in translational research at the University of Sydney focusing on neuroendocrine tumours and their management.

After completing her 4^th year Psychology thesis in 2006 on the effect of resilience and hope on adolescent academic engagement, Mandy Gibson worked with the Department of Communities Qld, and Child and Youth Mental Health Services (Qld Health). Mandy has over a decade of clinical experience as a Psychologist providing suicide risk assessments to young people following near lethal attempts and treatment to young people experiencing suicidality, complex trauma, self-harm and other mental health issues.

I have been studying and working in disciplines, pathology, biotechnology and scientific research for 10 years. I find these areas interesting because of their broad range of techniques, applications and outcomes to the community, health and science.

I am a country Australian and have travelled to study/work in Wagga Wagga, Canberra and Sydney. I wish to use my knowledge, qualifications and skills to provide an understanding of disease pathology and biology, specifically in the neurodegenerative disease, motor neuron disease. I believe that understanding disease pathology is vital to improve patient/clinician/carer support and care by determining diagnostic and prognostic techniques.

I am a first-generation Vietnamese-Australian PhD Student studying at the University of Sydney.  I am passionate about contributing to scientific and medical research, which also allows my analytical and creative side to prosper. Currently, I am in the Bosch Young Investigators Committee, which is a postgraduate student-run committee to manage events for other postgraduate research students, from academia-related such as conferences to social.

I am also a member of the Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research with other academics who specialise in stem-cell research. On the side, I love playing piano, video games, dodgeball and producing digital art.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Australia, I commenced my medical training at the University of Notre Dame. I have subsequently worked as a doctor in both the public and private health sectors, being involved in the treatment of a number of patients with colorectal cancer.

I am currently involved in medical education at the University of Notre Dame and have completed further post-graduate training in health professional education.

Sophie completed a Bachelor of Psychology with First Class Honours in 2016, and worked in the mental health sector before continuing onto postgraduate studies. Currently, Sophie is a Psychologist conducting research in a Clinical Psychology PhD at the University of Wollongong. Sophie has worked casually in research throughout her studies and is passionate about mental health.

Sophie has a particular interest in parent-child interactions and how this can influence childhood mental health and family well-being. Sophie is looking forward to the years ahead and hopes that her research will improve the mental health of children and families in Australian communities.