Academic Status
College of Medicine and Public Health
I am the Catherine Marie Enright Kelly research fellow, leading the SoutH Australian Breath Analysis Research (SABAR) laboratory within the Department of Surgery at Flinders University. My team is developing and validating breath analysis tools that can be translated into point of care devices, offering new opportunities for early detection of cancer and inflammatory disease that will lead to improved clinical management.
I have received numerous awards in recognition of my work, including a 2013 SA Tally Poppy Award and my research has regularly featured on local and national media. I am also an active member of the Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR), and was President of the ASMR in 2014, advocating directly to Government on behalf of Australian health and medical researchers.
I lead and manage a cutting edge research team, whose primary aim is to develop new breath analytic tools for the non-invasive detection and monitoring of health and disease. I currently supervise three PhD students, and encourage future students who are interested in joining our group to contact me directly
Since 2011 I have been on the board of directors for the Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR), where I have been responsible for strategic oversight and management of a range of portfolios including but not limited to media, communications and professional development. I was appointed the role of President in 2014 and have been ASMR President since 2018-current
The ASMR is the peak professional society representing Australian health and medical research. With a 57 year history of public, political and scientific advocacy, the ASMR prides itself on generating critical evidence needed to inform and guide health and medical research policy.
I am passionate about communicating my research to the community. My research has featured regularly on local and national print, radio and TV media. Additionally, I have given presentations to the University of the Third Age, Mitcham Rotary Club, and tour groups at the Basil Hetzel Institute.
I participated in and organised several community events through my involvement with the Australian Society for Medical Research, which have focussed on engaging with the community and communicating the outcomes and importance of medical research. I have also written articles for the Australian Financial Review and AIPS Australian Quarterly Magazine on the value of Australian health and medical research.