Professor Michael Sorich

Professor in Clinical Pharmacology

College of Medicine and Public Health

+61 8 82013217

michael.sorich@flinders.edu.au

Flinders Medical Centre (5E:315)

GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, South Australia

I am a clinical epidemiologist, biostatistician, and pharmacist with a primary research interest in the use of biological, chemical, and clinical markers to guide decisions regarding the most appropriate use of medicines (precision medicine). My research focuses on the use of machine learning and advanced biostatistical methods to predict treatment efficacy and toxicity - particularly in the area of anti-cancer medicines. This research involves analysis of big data - in particular, pooling of data across multiple clinical trials. Additionally, I research novel biomarkers to predict drug exposure which will enable personalisation of medicine dosing.

I have deep expertise in many areas of data science, including machine learning (prediction models), survival analysis, evaluation of treatment heterogeneity, clinical trial analysis, and meta-analysis. I have a high degree of proficiency in both R and python programming languages.

Qualifications

PhD
Graduate Diploma in Medical Statistics
Bachelor of Pharmacy Honours (1A)
Bachelor of Pharmacy

Honours, awards and grants

Selected Awards

2019: Principal Cancer Research Fellowship, Beat Cancer Project
2008: South Australian Tall Poppy Award, Australian Institute of Policy and Science
2006: Denis Wade Johnson & Johnson New Investigator Award, Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists
2004: CJ Martin Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia
2003: New Investigator Award, Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association
2002: Scholarship, Machine Learning Summer School, Australian National University

Selected Research Grants

Machine learning of randomised controlled trials. Sorich MJ, Kichenadasse G. NHMRC Ideas Grant. (2012-2024)
From Big Data to Precision Medicine: Integrated analysis of clinical trial and electronic health record data in lung cancer. Sorich MJ. Cancer Council SA / Beat Cancer (2019-2023).
ADMExosomes: A new paradigm for tracking variability in drug exposure. Rowland A, Sorich MJ, Makenzie P. NHMRC Project Grant (2019-2021)
Improving the evaluation of new cancer therapies to expedite patient access. Karnon J, Sorich MJ, Ward R, Latimer N, Coory M. Project grant. NHMRC Project Grant (2017-2019)
Dynamic Prediction of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Response and Toxicity. Sorich MJ, Gurney H, Kichenadasse G, McKinnon RA, Wiese MD, Rowland A. Cancer Council SA Project Grant (2017-2018)
Optimisation of the safety and efficacy of protein kinase inhibitors using endogenous and dietary biomarkers. Sorich MJ, Rowland A, Wiese M, Miners J, Gurney H. NHMRC Project Grant. (2016-2018)
Personalised medicine markers of anti-EGFR antibody therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer. Karapetis, C, Sorich MJ, McKinnon RA, Buyse M. NHMRC Project Grant. NHMRC (2015-2018)
Flinders Centre for Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention. Watson D, Karapetis C, Young G, Wilson C, Fraser R, Reed R, Sorich M, Ratcliffe J, Woodman R, McKinnon R. Beat Cancer Hospital Research Package. (2014-2018).

Key responsibilities

Member, NHMRC Grant Review Panel Working Committee
Member, Editorial Board of Translational Lung Cancer Research
Member, Editorial Board of Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety
Member, Editorial Board of Translational Cancer Research
Member, Editorial Board of Clinical Pharmacology & Translational Medicine
Member, Executive Committee, FHMRI Cancer
Topic Coordinator, Principles of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (MMED9110), Flinders University
Topic Coordinator, Pharmacology for Advanced Professional Practice (MMED9111), Flinders University
Member, Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) Course Committee, Flinders University