Professor in Biostatistics & Epidemiology
Flinders Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics
I have expertise in the design and analysis of randomised controlled trials and observational studies and a broad range of biostatistical techniques. My current interests include the use of supervised machine learning algorithms in Python and latent class analysis using Mplus and Stata software, and my current epidemiological focuses include nutrition and hospital mortality. I have published more than 250 papers in high ranking journals, including 150 peer reviewed articles in the past 5 years. My articles have over 8,000 citations and I have contributed to externally funded grants worth a total of AUS$15.2M including AUD$8.4M since 2016. I have provided published expert commentary on numerous topics including Bland-Altman analysis, 2-sided confidence intervals, propensity score matching, least-squares regression and pitfalls of allometric scaling. My international standing is highlighted by a consistent record of publication in leading medical journals with high impact factors including JAMA (45.5), Annals of Internal Med (21.3), Thorax (10.3), Chest (9.7), Clin Gastro Hepatology (8.5), Am J Clin Nutr (6.8), Stoke (6.0), Br J Cancer (5.7), and Sleep (5.1). Within Australia, I am a recognised expert in the reporting of indicators of patient safety including Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratios (HSMR’s) and am a member of the ACSQHC Patient Safety Reporting Committee tasked with defining KPI’s for patient safety. I am a past president of the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA) in South Australia and was a Council member for 5 years. In collaboration with the SSA I have organised methodology workshops with internationally renowned statisticians in Causal Inference, Spatial epidemiology, and Data Linkage. I have successfully supervised 10 PhD students, 2 Masters students, 3 Honours students and 5 MD students to completion, participate as a mentor in the Flinders University mentoring program and have created and taught Advanced MPH topics in Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Machine Learning.
PhD (Medicine) (UWA)
M.Biostats (Sydney)M.Med.Sci (Sport and Exercise Science) (Sheffield)
B.Sc. (Maths and Physics) (Exeter)
2013
Co-first author of Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease publication selected for media release by the editor: “Lifestyle holds key to predicting women’s brain health” in IOS Press, Dec 19th 2013. [Link].
Publication: AHY Lo, RJ Woodman, NA Pachana, GJ Byrne, PS Sachdev. Associations between lifestyle and cognitive function over time in women aged 40-79 years. J Alzheimers Dis 2014; 39 (2): 371-83. DOI 10.3233/JAD-130971.
2010
Co-author on Australian Diabetes Society “Best Clinical Poster” at Australian Diabetes Society and Australian Diabetes Educators Association Annual Scientific Meeting. 1st – 3rd September, 2010, Sydney
2005
Pfizer-Biostatistics Collaboration of Australia (BCA) 2005 Annual Award for Excellence
2003
Royal Perth Hospital, Young Investigator of the Year Oral Presentation, runner-up.
1999
Royal Perth Hospital, Young Investigator of the Year Oral Presentation, runner-up.
High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia (HBPRCA), Melbourne
Robert Vandongen Travel Award: Best Young Investigator presentation from Western Australia.
PhD publication selected for media release by J Alzheimers Dis - DEC 2013
Vice Chancellor’s Prize for Doctoral Thesis Excellence - APR 2018
Vice Chancellor’s Prize for Doctoral Thesis Excellence - APR 2014
Professional Society roles
Council member of Statistical Society of Australia (South Australia) 2014 - present
Principal Research Fellow of the South Australian Health and Medical Resarch Institute (SAHMRI) (2015 - present)
President of Statistical Society of Australia (South Australia) 2012 and 2013
Member Australian Clinical Trial Alliance (The George Institute, Sydney)
Editorial roles
Statistical editor for the British Journal of Nutrition 2016 - present
Statistical editor for the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2018 - present
Member of the editorial board of Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety 2010 - present
Member of the editorial board of Clinical Science Journal 2004 - present
Reviewer roles
Reviewer and Panel spokesperson for the NHMRC Clinical Excellence CRE 2015-2017
Reviewer for the NHMRC Clinical Excellence CRE 2018
Statistical reviewer of NHMRC project grants (2011 x 1 and 2014 x 4).
Statistical reviewer for Southern Adeliade Clinical Research Ethics Committee 2007-Present
Statistical reviewer for more than 250 articles across 48 different Journals since 2010 including:
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