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Professor Kevin Thomas is Director of the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS). Kevin is an environmental health scientist with a particular interest in understanding the environmental exposures associated with contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) with the goal of protecting environmental and human health. Kevin also leads the Minderoo Centre- Plastics and Human Health at UQ and is Deputy-Director of the Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Hyphenated Analytical Separation Technologies (HyTech).

His current research is focused on understanding human exposure to plastics pollution and developing mass spectrometric analytical methods for characterizing plastics and other CECs, assessing community-wide health status through analysing wastewater (wastewater-based epidemiology) and establishing alternative approaches to exposure monitoring, for example explanted silicone prostheses and wristbands.

Author of over 300 peer-reviewed papers and Associate Editor for the journal Science of the Total Environment, Kevin is a strong collaborative researcher having founded the international SCORE network on sewer biomarker analysis for community health assessment (see www.score-network.eu) and together with colleagues has recently launched InSpectra- A platform for identifying emerging chemical threats.

Dr Hannah Thomas is a Research Fellow and Clinical Psychologist at the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research and has academic affiliations with both The University of Queensland and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. She completed a PhD on adolescent bullying and cyberbullying, which was recognised by the Australian Psychological Society as the best original contribution to knowledge. As a psychologist she has experience in the delivery of evidence-based treatments for mental health and social difficulties with children and adolescents and their families. Dr Thomas developed and validated the Bullying and Cyberbullying Scale for Adolescents [BCS-A] and co-led the work to have bullying victimisation included as a risk factor for mental disorders in the Global Burden of Disease Study. She is also a co-investigator on the Australian Child Maltreatment Prevalence Study, which is the most comprehensive study the prevalence, health, and economic burden of child maltreatment in Australia. Her ongoing research is focused on the prevention of adverse childhood experiences and mental illness in the population.

Emma is a Research Fellow, NHMRC Emerging Leader and prior Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow within the Centre for Online Health (Centre for Health Services Research) at the University of Queensland. She provides input into a range of telehealth projects across the centre. She has a particular interest in using telehealth within the care and management of people with cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases to enhance self-management and reduce barriers to access. Underpinning her work more broadly is an interest in scaling-up effective interventions, monitoring the quality of their delivery and ensuring equitable provision of health services.

Emma completed her PhD (2019) at the University of Melbourne in the School of Population and Global Health as an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholar. Her thesis aimed to understand how the evidence-practice gap in cardiac rehabilitation can be reduced in Australian through enhanced monitoring and evaluation. Emma has also worked across various other research groups including at the University of Oxford at a WHO Collaborating Centre focused on population approaches for non-communicable disease prevention, the Non-Communicable Disease Unit at the University of Melbourne, and a Centre of Research Excellence in Aphasia Rehabilitation (University of Queensland). She has also worked for the Heart Foundation as an academic advisor and also a senior project manager.

Emma has a strong interest in implementation science and sits on the Editorial Board for the journal Implementation Science Communications. She is also part of the Emerging Leaders Committee for the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance (ACvA), and a committee member of the Australian Cardiovascular health and Rehabilitation Association (QLD branch).

Professor Rachel Thomson is a Head of the Greenslopes Clinical Unit, Thoracic Physician and clinical researcher working at Greenslopes Private Hospital.

She has an international reputation in the area of Pulmonary Nontuberculous mycobacterial disease. She has published widely in the area and is regularly invited to speak at international and national meetings.https://medical-school.uq.edu.au/research/ntm-research-group

Her current research focuses on immunological and environmental aspects of susceptibility to NTM infection, characteristics of the lung and gut microbiome in NTM, and improving treatment outcomes.

In a clinical capacity, Professor Thomson is able to offer patients expert management of their disease at Pulmedica, Greenslopes Private Hospital, at public clinics at The Prince Charles Hospital and the MetroSouth Clinical TB service of the Princess Alexandra Hospital and via telehealth for patients across Australia. Patients can also access novel treatments through clinical trials in both the private and public sector.

Prof Thomson also has a special interest in respiratory problems of the elite athlete. This includes asthma management, vocal cord dysfunction, and the requirements of national and international doping organisations for asthma medications.

BSc in Biology (1988) Umea University, Sweden

PhD in Molecular Biology (1994), Umea University, Sweden. Supervisor: Thomas Edlund

Postdoc, Molecular Neurobiology (1994-1999) Salk Institute, La Jolla, USA. Mentor: John B. Thomas

Assistant Professor (1999-2004), Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA

Professor of Developmental Biology (2004-2019), Linkoping University, Sweden

Professor of Developmental Biology (2019-), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (2013-)

Member of ARC Collegeof Experts (2025-2027)

Karen Thorpe is Australian Research Council, Laureate Professor and Group Leader in Child Development, Education and Care at the Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland. Her research is grounded in the understanding that early learning experiences shape brain development and are critical in establishing trajectories of health, social inclusion and learning across the lifespan. A particular focus of her work is early care and education environments including parenting, parent work, quality of care and education, and the early years workforce.

Karen leads a multi-disciplinary team of developmental scientists undertaking large scale longitudinal studies with embedded studies to explicate mechanisms that enable or limit children’s life chances. She was Foundation Psychologist on the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children at the University of Bristol, UK; led the evaluation of the Preparing School Trial for Queensland Government; led the Queensland team of the E4Kids study of quality in Australian Early Education and Care and a recent data linkage project with Queensland Government to track participants through their school journey. In partnership with Queensland Government, Goodstart Early Learning and the Creche and Kindergarten Association she led a large population study of the Australian ECEC workforce (ARC Linkage). Her current research, as a chief investigator on the ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families across the life course, and through an ARC Laureate fellowship, is to examine barriers to providing high quality early learning services in developmentally vulnerable communities.

In 2013 and again in 2019 Karen was named by the Australian Financial Review as among Australia's 100 Women of Influence for the impacts of her research on educational and family policy. In 2020 she was recognised by Australian Government, Advance Global Awards for her international contribution to education. Karen chairs the Australian Early Years Reference Council for Evidence for Learning, Australia whose remit is to build a strong evidence-base in early childhood education and care with focus on translation into policy and practice. She is also director on the board of the Australian Research Council for Children and Youth and advisor to the national board of Beyond Blue – Be You.

Jacob is an Honorary Research Fellow within the School of Biomedical Sciences at The University of Queensland and is looking to recruit prospective honours and RHD students interested in studying the neurophysiology of human movement. Potential students can send him an email (j.thorstensen@uq.edu.au) to chat about projects on offer, or to suggest an idea for a project.

Jacob’s PhD was in human neurophysiology (Griffith University, Australia), where he studied how endogenously released neuromodulators (e.g., monoamines such as serotonin and dopamine) control the excitability of cortico-motoneuronal pathways and muscle activation in healthy human subjects. Jacob also has postdoctoral training in clinical neuroscience (The University of Queensland, Australia), where he further developed his expertise in neuromodulation by investigating the use of non-invasive neurostimulation techniques (e.g., repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, rTMS) as a clinical intervention after nervous system injury.

Overall, Jacob’s research involves direct electrophysiological data collection from awake human participants, and his work spans across basic and clinical neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, and exercise science. He has a strong background in mechanistic human neurophysiology experiments, and extensive experience with non-invasive brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation techniques that quantify or modulate the output of the human nervous system and muscles.

Professor Kris Thurecht has appointments at AIBN and UQ’s Centre for Advanced Imaging where he is the Deputy Director of Imaging Technologies. Professor Thurecht has been recognised for scientific excellence with a 2012 Queensland Young Tall Poppy Science Award and a 2010 UQ Foundation Research Excellence Award for his work in developing polymer ‘theranostics’. In 2015 he was recognised by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute Polymer Division through award of the David Sangster Polymer Science and Technology Award for scientific excellence for a mid-career researcher. Since obtaining his PhD in 2005, he has been the recipient of five competitive national and international fellowships, the latest being an NHMRC CDF, and prior to that award an ARC Future Fellowship. He has contributed scientific and review articles to various leading journals in his field, including invited articles in the Emerging Young Investigator issue of Chemical Communications and a Young Talent article in Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics. Professor Thurecht has been chief investigator on grants from various funding bodies, including ARC Discovery grants; ARC Linkage Grants, with both national and international companies; National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants; and funding from various cancer foundations. He is co-inventor on 8 patents. He is CI on the ARC Training Centre for Innovation in BioMedical Imaging Technology in which he is theme leader, and is Director of the ARC Research Hub for Advanced Manufacture of Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals.

Moe Thuzar (MBBS, FRCP UK, FRACP, PhD) is an Endocrinologist at the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) and a Research Fellow at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane. She is the clinical & research Lead in Adrenal Endocrinology in the Endocrinology Department at the PAH, and has a strong research interest in the Neuroendocrine Regulation of Metabolism and Cardiovascular Health in Humans, particularly the Adrenal Endocrine System and Primary Aldosteronsim.

After completing her specialist training and receiving FRACP (Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians) in early 2014, she undertook her PhD study (2014-2018, UQ) investigating the role of adrenal neuroendocrine system in the regulation of human brown adipose tissue and energy metabolism under the primary supervision of Professor Ken Ho. Moe then joined the Endocrine Hypertension Unit of Professor Michael Stowasser, pursuing further research in Cardiovascular Endocrinology, in particular, elucidating the role of the mineralocorticoid system in the regulation of cardiometabolic health and its interplay with other systems in humans, and investigating optimal diagnostic and management strategies for primary aldosteronism.

She has received numerous awards for her work including US Endocrine Society’s Outstanding Abstract Award (2016) and Presidential Awards for Excellence in Cardiovascular Endocrinology Research (2017) and in Adipocyte Biology Research (2017), Early Career Researcher Award from the Australian & New Zealand Obesity Society (2016), Australasian Women in Endocrinology Young Investigator Award (2017), Queensland Health & Medical Research Award (Previously “Premier’s award”, finalist, 2017), Young Investigator Award, International Aldosterone Conference (runner-up, 2019). She is a Principal Investigator (PI) or Chief Investigator (CI) of a number of successful competitive grants, totalling ~4 millions to date, which include Royal Australasian College of Physicians-Australian Diabetes Society Research Establishment Fellowship (2023), MRFF Clinician Researchers Project Grant (CI, 2022-2025), Metro South Research Support Scheme Program Grant (PI, 2021-2023), Diabetes Australia Project Grant (PI, 2019-2021), Metro South Research Support Scheme Early Career Researcher Grant (PI, 2019-2022), High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia International Travel Grant (2021), Endocrine Society of Australia Postdoctoral Fellowship (2019). She has served as an expert reviewer for Grant review panels including UK Research & Innovation Grants Scheme, NHMRC Project Grants Scheme and for top journals in the field, and held editorial roles for a number of journals including the Frontiers in Endocrinology, Metabolites.

I graduated in 2013 with a MBBS from the University of Queensland. Currently, I work as a Junior Registrar in General Surgery (Pre-training position) at the Logan Hospital in Queensland, Australia. I love teaching medical students and involve myself in meaningful research during my spare time. I am committed to practicing evidence based, safe and honest medicine in the field of Surgery.

I grew up on the Devon coast hunting among the fucoids for crabs and shrimp. I undertook research while at school on the diet of blennies. At university in Swansea, south Wales, and as a marine Biology student I investigated informally the behaviour of intertidal pool dwelling organisms andmore formally (Hons) the ecology of benthic invertebrates. My PhD at the University of Queensland delved into the ecology and evolution of halfbeaks (Hemiramphidae) . My research track-record since reflects both my early interests and those developed subsequent to my PhD. I have published in diverse fields reflecting my general curiosity about marine life, and in particular the dynamic between evolution and action addressing challenges to extant paradigms that my extensive time in the field have prompted.

Professor Alan Tilbrook is nationally and internationally recognised for leading scientific research in animal science and biomedical science (endocrinology, neuroendocrinology, behaviour, stress, and reproduction). He is a global leader in animal welfare science. Professor Tilbrook has an outstanding balanced portfolio in leadership, strategic planning, research, academia, education and government. He is Professor of Animal Welfare in the School of Veterinary Science and has an affiliate appointment in the Centre for Animal Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation at The University of Queensland. Professor Tilbrook is one of three expert members of a Strategy Advisory Group to provide expert strategic advice to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to assist the development of the renewed Australian Animal Welfare Strategy. He represents Universities Australia on the Board of the Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching, represents The University of Queensland on the World Organisation for Animal Health and is a member of the Australian Government’s Live Export Animal Welfare Advisory Group. Professor Tilbrook was Chair and Research Champion of the National Primary Industries Animal Welfare Research, Development and Extension Strategy from 2013 to 2025. He established The Animal Welfare Collaborative, a university-facilitated network of individuals, companies, and organisations working together to make evidence-based improvements in animal welfare. This was a collaborative venture with The University of Newcastle, The University of Western Australia and The University of Adelaide. He was a founder, Deputy Director and Co-Director of the Animal Welfare Science Centre, was the Research Chief of Livestock and Farming Systems at the South Australian Research and Development Institute and was Deputy Head of the Department of Physiology at Monash University. He has held numerous national and local leadership roles. Professor Tilbrook's research is conceptually driven with a multidisciplinary and integrative approach. He has developed cutting edge research programs across a range of species including sheep, pigs, poultry, cattle, goats, rodents, horses, buffalo and humans. Professor Tilbrook places a huge emphasis on collaboration, training and professional development.