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My research covers some of the basic properties of attention, learning, memory, and decision-making. Much of my work involves the development and testing of formal mathematical models of human cognition.

Dr Jessica Sexton (PhD, MAS, MPH) is a clinical epidemiologist and researcher with over eleven years of field experience and training in healthcare systems, public health, epidemiology, and biostatistics with a special focus on maternal, child, and population health. Dr Sexton is a Senior Research Fellow at the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth (CRE), program lead for Data to Drive Change, and the Principal Investigator for a national perinatal data project. Dr Sexton’s expertise in epidemiology is internationally recognized through thirteen peer-reviewed publications, six conference posters, and gave fifteen oral presentations. Dr Sexton is actively engaged in professional networks including the Australasian Epidemiological Association, Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand, Australian Society for Medical Research, and Statistical Society of Australia. As a senior researcher at the CRE, Dr Sexton leads data capture and research and risk prediction and prevention while contributing to improving parent experiences and Safer Baby Bundle expansion.

As a biostatistician with expertise in dental public health, Christopher is interested in updating the evidence on the impact of policies on oral health and promoting evidence-based dentistry. His research has focused on the effectiveness of water fluoridation in Queensland and its impact on oral epidemiology. Christopher has extensive experience in the application of statistical methods, including designing sampling methods, quantitative data analysis methods, geospatial analysis, statistical programming, data visualization, and multi-level data analysis.

Christopher's research themes are centred around water fluoridation policy in Queensland and oral epidemiology, and dental initiatives such as the Child Dental Benefits Schedule. He is committed to advancing the field of dental public health and promoting the use of evidence-based policies to improve oral health outcomes for individuals and communities.

I am an independent researcher and advisor affiliated with The University of Queensland’s Centre for Policy Futures. My work focuses on how pricing, incentives and other signals are interpreted in regulated markets, and how signalling can produce unintended economic, behavioural and policy outcomes. I apply these frameworks to areas such as alcohol and no and low alcohol (nolo) beverage markets, and technology-affected markets more generally. I work at the intersection of economic behaviour, public policy and communication, developing frameworks that support better regulatory design, pricing strategy and clearer decision-making.

Dr Abbas Shafiee is leading a multidisciplinary program in Regenerative Dermatology and Biofabrication. His research integrates stem cell biology, organoid technology, and bioengineering to develop advanced human models and regenerative therapies for skin repair and disease.

Dr Shafiee completed his PhD in stem cell biology, discovering a previously unknown vascular stem cell population, termed the Meso-Endothelial Bipotent Progenitor, and mapping its molecular signatures (Stem Cell Reports 2018). This seminal discovery advanced the understanding of human vascular development and regeneration.

He subsequently joined Distinguished Professor Dietmar Hutmacher’s group, where he developed humanised tissue-engineered bone and tumour models that mimic cancer metastasis and tumor–stroma interactions. These models (International Journal of Cancer (2018), Biomaterials (2018, 2020), and Bone Research (2019), Acta Biomaterialia (2020), Bone (2022)) provided unprecedented insights into human-specific cancer biology and preclinical drug testing.

Dr Shafiee joined Metro North Health (MNH) in 2020 to lead a research program and develop, implement, and evaluate the applications of 3D printing, scanning, cell therapies, and biofabrication technologies in skin wound settings, and dermatology research. His team has developed vascularised and immune-integrated skin organoids and 3D-printed bioengineered grafts that accelerate wound closure with minimal scarring (Biomaterials 2021; Advanced Healthcare Materials (2022; 2025); Small 2024; Burns & Trauma 2025). These breakthroughs underpin new patient-specific skin disease models, and drug screening platforms (Acta Biomaterialia 2025). He is the lead inventor on an international patent protecting an Optimized Method for Generating Human Skin Organoids (WO/2025/097221), which forms the foundation for emerging commercial and translational partnerships. This body of work led to the establishment of the International Consortium for Organoid Research in Dermatology, a global network accelerating discovery and translation in skin biology, rare genetic skin diseases, and regenerative dermatology.

Dr Shafiee has secured >AUD $2.4M as Chief Investigator (>AUD $1.1M as CIA) in competitive research funding from national, international, philanthropic, and industry-supported schemes. Dr Shafiee has supervised more than ten PhD, Masters, honours students and contributed to multiple professional, editorial, and scientific leadership roles. He has authored over 86 peer-reviewed publications (>5,000 citations, h-index 40) and delivered more than 50 invited, keynote, and plenary presentations internationally. He serves on multiple professional and editorial boards, including Australian Wound & Tissue Repair Society (AWTRS), Burns & Trauma, and Engineered Regeneration. In recognition of his pioneering contributions to regenerative medicine and science communication, he has received multiple honours, including the 2024 Frazer Institute Rising Star Award, the 2025 AWTRS EMCR Award, and the 2025 Queensland Young Tall Poppy Science Award, and selection as a 2026 TEDx speaker, recognising his leadership in translating complex science to global audiences.

He actively engages with the media, schools, and community programs to inspire future scientists and raise public awareness of regenerative medicine and organoid technologies. His outreach has reached millions nationwide through major media coverage (e.g., The Australian, 7NEWS, ABC NEWS) .

Research areas:

• Human iPSC-derived skin organoids and skin-on-chip models
• Vascularization and immune integration in skin tissue engineering
• Rare genetic skin diseases and personalized regenerative therapies
• Translational biofabrication and wound healing technologies
• Organoid-based preclinical drug discovery platforms

Honours, Masters, and PhD opportunities are available for motivated students interested in regenerative dermatology, biofabrication, and organoid biology.

My group's research uses large-scale genomic data to address knowledge gaps in disease, with a particular focus on cardiovascular disease.

Research programme

1. Cardiovascular disease research using big-data and genomics: with the goal of improving prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. By focusing on underrepresented groups, including women, my research aims to also address inequity in cardiovascular outcomes. I am the lead of the South Asian Genes and Health in Australia (SAGHA) study, which aims to increase representation of Australian South Asians in cardiovascular and genomics research. See saghaus.org for further details.

2. Drug genomics: I'm interested in using genomic approaches to predict drug effects, including identification of drug repurposing opportunities as well as identifying unknown adverse effects of medication.

3. Liver transplant research: In this collaboration with the QLD Liver Transplant Unit, we are using genomics to understand the effect of normo-thermic perfusion (a new organ storage method) on liver function, with the long-term goal of improving our ability to predict transplant outcomes.

Career summary: I was awarded my PhD from University College London (UK) in cardiovascular genetics. I began my post-doctoral fellowship under the mentorship of Prof Peter Visscher at the Queensland Brain Institute in 2013. Between 2016-2018, I was the lead analyst for the International Heart Failure Genetics Consortium (HERMES). In 2018, I was awarded an NHMRC Early Career Researcher Fellowship to investigate the relationship between cardiovascular and brain-related disorders using large-scale genetic and genomic data, under the mentorship of Prof Naomi Wray. I currently hold a National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship.

Recognition:

2024 Australian Academy of Science Ruth Stephens Gani Medal for outstanding contribution to genetics research

2023 1 of 5 global finalists for the Nature Inspiring Women in Science (Scientific Achievement Award)

2023 Lifesciences QLD Rose-Anne Kelso Award

2023: Named in Australia's Top 25 Women in Science by Newscorp

2022 Queensland Young Tall Poppy Award

2022 UQ Foundation Research Excellence Award

2021/2022 Australian Superstar of STEM,

2020 Genetic Society of Australasia Early Career Award

2020 Women in Technology Rising Star Science Award

Dr. K. M. Shahunja is a clinical and public health researcher specializing in quantitative research on child health. He is passionate about conducting clinical research, particularly trials and intervention studies. Dr. Shahunja’s research focuses on the social determinants of health, disease epidemiology, hospital-based healthcare interventions, community-based healthcare interventions, Indigenous health, and the prevention of non-communicable diseases through life-course approaches. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine, a Postgraduate Diploma in Pediatrics and Child Health, and a PhD in Medicine. His doctoral research explored the impact of familial and neighborhood dynamics, as well as psychosocial environmental changes, on the trajectories of asthma symptoms in Australian children, following a life-course approach.

At the UQ Poche Centre, Dr. Shahunja is a member of the Implementing Life Course Interventions research team, led by NHMRC Leadership Fellow A/Professor Abdullah Mamun. He is also affiliated with the Life Course Centre at UQ and is actively involved in a collaborative project with the World Health Organization. This project examines longitudinal studies and linked data sources across Australia to explore health and well-being over different life stages, with a focus on healthy ageing. Since his postdoctoral period, Dr. Shahunja has worked extensively in Indigenous health, developing life-course interventions to improve the health of First Nations peoples in Australia. He is currently engaged in an NHMRC-GACD Non-Communicable Disease Prevention project aimed at preventing non-communicable diseases among Indigenous children and youth in major Australian cities, following a life-course approach.

Dr Qi Shao is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC), where his primary research focus is on modelling mineral separation processes using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. His recent work has applied CFD to a range of mineral separation equipment, including the Teeter Bed Separator, CrossFlow, HydroFloat, conventional mechanical flotation cells, and the Jameson Cell. By examining hydrodynamics and performance across varying operating conditions and equipment designs, his research aims to enhance separation efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and boost productivity.

Dr Shao earned his PhD in Environmental Engineering from The University of Queensland, where he developed numerical models using Cellular Automata to simulate hydrological processes in mining landforms. Following his PhD, he continued at UQ as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, investigating fluid-particle interactions in hydraulic erosion of granular structures through coupled CFD and Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations.

Prior to his current role, Dr Shao conducted research at the University of Melbourne, focusing on numerical simulations of solute transport and multiphase flows in heterogeneous porous media. His work addressed critical environmental and engineering challenges, including contaminant transport, geological CO₂ sequestration, and groundwater flow dynamics.

Dr Shao’s expertise spans a wide array of numerical methods, including Finite Element Method (FEM), Finite Volume Method (FVM), DEM, Cellular Automata, and Discrete Event Simulation, which he applies to solve complex problems across environmental and mineral engineering domains.

Dr Shapter's background was originally in Agricultural Science and higher education which evolved to the completion of her PhD in molecular genetics in 2008. Prior to her current appointments she was the senior researcher on ARC linkage, Australian Flora Foundation and RIRDC research grants looking at the genetic foundations of domestication and adaptation in Australian native grasses. She supervised two HDR students and has a strong publication record in this field. Her research interests centre on identifying and developing practical applications for gene sequencing. Fran is passionate about teaching and has worked as a facilitator commercially and trained early career researchers and PhD candidates in Project Management, IP and commercialisation and Leadership. She was a participant in the 2020 summit and was appointed to the federal advisory Rural R&D Council in 2009. Dr Shapter was also a sitting member of the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator's Ethics and Community Consultative Committee, 2016-2020.

Fran began tutoring at the UQ School of Veterinary Science in 2011, in large animal production, parasitology and microbiology. Since then she has held a variety of teaching, research and professional roles based around project management, curriculum design and blended learning design. She was the project manager for a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) grant which developed 40 vertically and horizontally integrated, online, adaptive tutorials for veterinary science students and was co-author on the manual developed by this project. She assisted with the development of a new flexible delivery laboratory animal science course in 2015 and delivers 5 weeks of online learning units into this course currently. She has been part of the SoTL research and evaluation associated with both these projects and has reported outcomes at University showcases annually since 2016.

In 2017 Fran became the new Student Clinical Skills Hub Coordinator, a purpose-built, state-of-the-art self-directed learning facility for students of veterinary science. Whilst undertaking this role student usage, resource availability and online support for the Hub has increased more than tenfold. Fran's aim is to provide a safe, authentic, self-directed learning environment where students can practice their clinical skills in accordance with individual competences, beyond the scheduled contact hours of their programs and further enhance their capacity for self-directed, lifelong learning whilst acknowledging the vast array of qualifications, previous training, life experience and cultural backgrounds each student brings with them to the Hub.In 2020 Fran recieved a UQ Teaching Excellence Award due to the demonstarted impact of the SVS Student Clinical Skills Hub.

In 2019 Fran was appointed as a Lecturer in Veterinary Science, while continuing her role as the Hub's coordinator. She continues to maintain her teaching roles into the veterinary program in animal handling, animal production, reproduction, microbiology, parasitology and plant identification. Fran has an additional role in the School with regard to asissting with the design, development and integration of blended learning resources, after working with the Science faculties blended learning design team in 2018. However her SoTL portfolio is best showcased by the development of the online learning community and training resources she has developed for the Student Clinical Skills Hub. As of June 2021, Fran has also taken on the role of the School of Veterinary Science Honours Program Coordinator.

I work on control systems and AI for renewable energy, with applications in solar farms, smart grids, and inverter-dominated power systems. My research combines theory, simulation, and field validation, with active collaborations across industry and translational research. I completed my PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2008, focusing on fault diagnosis in power systems, and have been engaged continuously in research and teaching since 2005. Following my PhD, I joined the Mechanical Engineering Department at The University of Melbourne as a research fellow to work on the control system design for a hydrogen fuelled internal combustion engine. I joined UQ in late 2011 and currently hold a Associate Professor role with responsibilities in teaching, research and service. My research spans solar farms, grid-connected inverters, distributed energy resources, and battery storage systems, combining theory, simulation, and real-world experimentation. I have led translational research efforts, most notably SolarisAI, a start-up commercialising solar farm monitoring and underperformance diagnosis.

Prospective PhD Students

I welcome motivated students interested in control systems, renewable energy, and AI-based optimisation. I am interested in projects with both theoretical and practical impact, including:

• Solar farm reliability enhancement and fault detection- AI-driven monitoring of utility-scale solar systems.

• Grid-connected inverter and battery control- advanced control strategies for stable integration of distributed energy resources.

• Demand-side management and smart grid optimisation- algorithms for efficient load and storage coordination.

• Digital twins and hybrid modelling- simulating and predicting energy system behaviour.

• End-of-life PV system management- sustainable logistics and circular economy strategies for solar panels.

Interested applicants with strong academic credentials and evidence of research experience are welcome to contact me directly via email with your CV, academic transcripts, and a short statement of research interest to me.

Nikita is a quantitative researcher with extensive experience working with large-scale surveys, longitudinal datasets, and administrative records. Her current research helps nonprofits understand their impact and informs their program design and practice to support disadvantaged people. Her work focuses on the integration of immigrants and refugees, volunteer turnover, disaster recovery, labour market inclusion, and wellbeing.