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I am a Professor Emeritus in Sports Physiotherapy in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences where I am the Director of the Master of Physiotherapy (Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapy Majors) and co-Director of the Sports Injury Rehabilitation and Prevention for Health Research unit. My research is mainly focussed on non-surgical management of persistent musculoskeletal problems like tendon related pain/disability (tendinopathy) and knee cap pain (patellofemoral pain). I also delve into the underlying mechanisms of these conditions and other common sporting injuries (e.g., ankle sprains) – a leading cause of ankle osteoarthritis.

Since gaining my PhD in 2000, I have been awarded over $30million in competitive research funding as a chief investigator to study these conditions – 5 NHMRC project grants, 2 NHMRC CRE, 2 NHMRC program grants, 2 NHMRC MRFF grants and an ARC Linkage grant. I have also conducted over half a million dollars of commercially sponsored research.

I have authored 2 books, 26 book chapters and over 382 peer reviewed publications (h-index 68). My top tendinopathy papers are cited over 10 times more than average for the field – most are published in the top sports/general medicine and physiotherapy journals . I have 2 highly cited papers – in the top 1% of the academic field of Clinical Medicine 2022. I have presented my work world wide in over 300 workshops, seminars and keynote presentations.

I enjoy my role in mentoring early/mid career academics and supervising researh higher degree students – having supervised 40 PhD and 2 MPhil candidates to completion. In this capacity I lead the physiotherapy research higher degree seminar series where our students engage in presenting their work and hearing from top international researchers on a range of relevant topics. One reason why my work was recently recognised by the school award for research mentoring.

Dwan is an environmental epidemiologist, with a particular interest in children's environmental health. Her current research explores the following:

• Environmentally persistent free radicals, air pollution, and children's lung outcomes
• Maternal exposure to green space, ambient temperature and air pollution and the association with neonatal and child outcomes
• The knowledge of GPs and naturopaths on environmental health issues for preconception care
• Exposures to phthalates and allergic disease

Dwan has a background in public health and nutrition. She is a founder and co-host of the R Peer Group at UQ/QIMR

Visscher joined the University of Queensland in 2011, where he is Professor of Quantitative Genetics. He is a Laureate Fellow of the Australian Research Council. Visscher was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2010, a Fellow of the Royal Society (London) in 2018 and a Foreign Member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2018.

Visscher’s research is about genetic variation for complex traits (including quantitative traits and disease) in populations, with the broad aim to understand and quantify the causes and consequences of human trait variation.

Prof Peter Visscher, Prof Naomi Wray and Prof Jian Yang together comprise the Executive Team of the Program in Complex Trait Genomics (PCTG). PCTG comprises a critical mass of more than 30 post-doctoral researchers plus research assistants and students, all supported by external grant funding. Their skills lie in the ability to develop and apply statistical methods within the framework of quantitative, population and statistical genetics and to use theory to understand and predict results from data analyses. They play leading roles in the international research consortia. The focus of current research activities is in the detection and fine-mapping of loci underlying complex traits (including common disease), based upon theoretical studies and applications of methods to large datasets, in population genetics studies using theoretical approaches and high-density genetic marker data, and in systems genomics studies.

BSc, MBBS, MPH, PhD, FRACGP, FACD

Dr Lena von Schuckmann is a clinician researcher, with dual medical specialist training in dermatology and general practice. Her research is focused on skin cancer prevention, early detection, and optimising skin cancer treatment. She is passionate about improving the cancer journey for patients.

She works as a consultant dermatologist at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Sunshine Coast University Hospital and private clinics in Spring Hill and the Samford Valley.

The Vukovic laboratory investigates how brain function is sculpted and influenced by the immune system. Specifically, we examine the role of brain’s main resident immune cell population (i.e. microglia), as well as various peripheral immune cells, on learning and memory in mice. We are interested in defining the contribution of immune cells to such higher cognitive tasks, including for neuroinflammatory conditions where learning and memory deficits can occur, e.g. following traumatic brain injury, cancer treatment, and ageing. We have established an array of genetic and pharmacological tools alongside robust behavioural assays to directly probe the function of these immune cells in both the healthy and diseased brain. The ultimate goal of our work is to link cellular and molecular events to altered behaviour, and to harness the brain’s intrinsic regenerative potential for stimulating optimal cognitive function.

A neuroimmunologist, Dr Vukovic received her PhD in 2008 from The University of Western Australia after working on the repair of injured nerve cell connections. She joined QBI in 2009 to work in Professor Perry Bartlett’s laboratory as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, before being awarded a Queensland Government Smart Futures Fellowship to continue her research into the importance of adult neurogenesis for behaviour and how microglia influence this process in ageing. Dr Vukovic demonstrated that microglia can exert a dual and opposing influence over adult neurogenesis (the birth of new neurons) in the hippocampus under different physiological conditions, namely exercise and ageing, and that signalling through the chemokine receptor, CX3CR1, critically contributes towards this (Vukovic et al., 2012, J Neurosci). Dr Vukovic also generated novel evidence that ongoing neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus is critical for new learning but does not play a role in memory recall (Vukovic et al., 2013, J Neurosci).

Dr Vukovic was awarded an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (2015-2018) and was jointly appointed as a group leader by the UQ School of Biomedical Sciences (SBMS) and QBI in 2015. She heads the Neuroimmunology and Cognition team investigating the interactions between the brain and the immune system in health and disease.

Currently, the group is working on three main projects:

1. Identification of microglia-derived molecules that support neuronal survival and stimulate neural stem/progenitor cell expansion
2. Characterisation of immune cell contribution to changes in neuronal connectivity
3. Immune cell responses to cancer treatment, and their effect on learning and memory

Dr Viana Vuvan is a titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist and Lecturer in Physiotherapy at The University of Queensland. Viana has a strong clinical background in musculoskeletal physiotherapy, with experience in managing a wide range of musculoskeletal and sports-related injuries. Viana has a special interest in the management of upper limb musculoskeletal disorders and enjoys sharing her experience with students in the undergraduate and postgraduate physiotherapy programs. Viana is an active member of the Sports Injury Rehabilitation and Prevention for Health (SIRPH) research unit and the Neck and Head Research Unit (NAHRU) at the University of Queensland.

Viana’s research is focused on improving the management of persistent musculoskeletal pain conditions, such as tendinopathies, and better understanding the mechanisms underlying their chronicity. Viana’s PhD research focused on lateral elbow tendinopathy and explored the factors contributing to pain, disability and chronicity within this group. Additionally, Viana has explored similar mechanisms in other tendinopathies, including Achilles, patellar tendinopathy, plantar fasciopathy, as well as in whiplash associated disorders. She has shared her research at numerous state-wide, national and international conferences, and has been awarded for her presentations at several conferences.

Dr David Wadley's research interests are in: Philosophy of Planning and Development, Industrial and Retail Planning, Economic Geography and Futurology.

David Wadley received his PhD from the Australian National University in 1975.

His current research projects are in the fields of:

• Visual Impact Assessment in Planning
• Effectiveness, Efficiency and Equity in Retail Planning
• Trust in Business
• Social and Work Experience in the Future

Professor Brandon Wainwright AM is Co-Director of the Children’s Brain Cancer Centre and leads a laboratory within the UQ Diamantina Institute focused on understanding the genetic pathways behind medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumour that occurs predominantly in children. He is Chair of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Australia, Chair of the Advisory Board of the Robinson Research Institute and Chair of the Board of the South Australian Immunogenomics Cancer Institute (SAIGENCI), and serves on the boards the Australian Genome Research Facility as well as several national and international scientific review committees, including the MRFF Brain Tumour Roadmap Committee.

Professor Wainwright completed his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at The University of Adelaide, after which he secured a postdoctoral fellowship with St Mary's Hospital at Imperial College London. During his six years at Imperial he worked on the first human genome project and also became a Medical Research Council Senior Research Fellow. He returned to Australia in 1990 to join UQ's Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology (now IMB) and led the Institute for Molecular Biology until 2019.

Professor Wainwright is a geneticist, renowned for discovering the genetic pathway that causes most human cancer. He is skilled in molecular genetics, where he is using genetic approaches to dig through DNA and find the genes that cause disease. He commenced using these skills to locate the cystic fibrosis gene, but it was when isolating a gene responsible for a rare form of brain cancer called Medulloblastoma, that he discovered the role of the ‘Hedgehog Pathway' in common human cancer.

Dr Jacqueline Walker joined the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences in November 2015 and is working as a Senior Lecturer. She completed her doctoral degree in paediatric nutrition at The University of Queensland in March 2013, focusing on energy balance and body composition in children with cerebral palsy. Prior to this, she completed her undergraduate studies in exercise science and nutrition and dietetics at The University of Sydney. Jacqueline has worked as a dietitian for a number of years in acute hospital settings, community clinical settings and private practice, specialising in paediatric dietetics.

Dr Adam Walker received his BSc(Hons) in Biochemistry from the University of Tasmania, and PhD in Neuroscience from the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of motor neuron disease (MND). He undertook a postdoctoral fellowship with Professor Virginia Lee at the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania (2011-2015), developing new transgenic TDP-43 mouse models of disease. Dr Walker was previously an NHMRC CJ Martin Overseas Biomedical Research Fellow and was awarded an NHMRC RD Wright Career Development Fellowship (2018-2022), to continue his research on neurodegenerative diseases. His research has been supported by fellowships and project grants from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation, Dementia Australia, Motor Neuron Disease Research Institute of Australia, MonSTaR Foundation and the Cure for MND Foundation.

My research interests are centred around the structure and function of venom and silk polypeptides produced by arthropods, and their use in biotechnology and medicine. I am a Postdoctoral Fellow in the King laboratory in the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, the University of Queensland, Australia. Currently, I am investigating the composition, function and evolution of neglected insect venoms produced by assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae) and nettle caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae).

Dr Michael Waller: is a biostatistician working on the Australian Longitudinal Study of Womens Health (ALSWH). He has previous experience working on cancer screening, and military health studies. His current research focus is using linked data sources to assess dementia rates and risk factors.

Professor Katharine Wallis MBChB, PhD, MBHL, Dip Obst, FRNZCGP, FACRRM, GAICD is Mayne Professor and Head, Mayne Academy of General Practice and Head, General Practice Clinical Unit at the University of Queensland Medical School and lead of the RELEASE program of research. Professor Wallis is a clinically active general practitioner and Fellow of both the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners.

Professor Wallis’s research centres around safer use of medicines in general practice, in particular developing and evaluating interventions designed to support people to stop antidepressants safely. Current projects include the RELEASE (REdressing Long-tErm Antidepressant uSE) effectiveness-implementation trial in general practice funded by a Medical Research Future Fund 2020 Clinician Researchers: Applied Research in Health grant and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.

Professor Wallis also leads a project funded by the Motor Accident Insurance Commission and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Foundation in the Princess Alexandra Hospital Occupational Therapy Driving Assessment & Rehabilitation Service developing and testing the 3-Domains screening toolkit for older driver medical assessment in general practice.

Professor Wallis is the Queensland Academic Lead for the PARTNER network, a national network of rural and remote practices established to support rural participation in clinical trials funded by the Medical Research Future Fund as part of the Australian Teletrials program, and is Founding Director of the UQGP Research practice-based research network.

Professor Wallis is a member of the Oxford International Primary Care Research Leadership Programme, University of Oxford.

Emeritius Professor Laurence J. Walsh AO is a registered specialist in special needs dentistry.

Laurence received his undergraduate education in dentistry at The University of Queensland and then undertook a PhD in immunopathology. He started his postdoctoral education at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, and undertook his executive education at the Stanford University Graduate School of Management and at Harvard University.

His research interests are in advanced technologies such as lasers and biomaterials, and in dental microbiology. Laurence was Professor of Dental Science and the research grouip leader for advanced materials and technologies in the UQ School of Dentistry from January 2000 until his retirement in December 2020. During his retirement he remains active in hands-on research work and in supervision of research students.

Dr Walweel is an electrophysiologist specializing in calcium-released channels (RyR2) regulation in heart. Walweel's research project is to understand how RyR2 regulates heart contraction and rhythm, how their dysregulation leads to cardiac arrhythmias, and how pharmacological interventions targeting RyR2 restore normal heart rhythm. She is expert in bilayer work, single channel recording and biochemistry. Walweel's discoveries are clinically important for understanding arrhythmia generation in patients with heart failure and CPVT. Dr Walweel works with the purpose to promote human heart research and health. She aims to reduce heart failure burden and death by advancing pathophysiological research and discovering suitable medication to prevent arrhythmias. Over a relatively short time, Dr Walweel's research resulted in notable and meritorious publications in high quality journals (JACC, Circ Res, Mol Pharmacol, J Gen Physiol, J Mol Cell Cardiol and J Biomed Sciences).

Dr Haolu Wang currently is a Medical Registrar and Basic Physician Trainee with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians - The Prince Charles Hospital and Redcliffe Hospital (Northside) Rotation. He is also an Honorary Research Fellow in the joint liver cancer research program of Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland and Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation. Dr Wang received his Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery qualifications from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. He was awarded his PhD in Clinical Medicine from The University of Queensland. Dr Wang has worked as a Medical Officer at Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and as a Researcher Officer at Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland.

Dr Wang has authored over 30 publications of clinical and translational research in liver diseases, including Hepatology, Theranostics, Int J Cancer, J Exp Clin Cancer Res and Pharmacol Ther. His standing in this field is reflected by awards from Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, United European Gastroenterology, European Microscopy Congress, The University of Queensland, Frazer Family Foundation and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Dr Ran Wang graduated with her PhD in 2015, and after undertaking a postdoc position in Scripps Research, USA returned to Australia in 2017. She is now a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher supported by the prestigious Bushell Postdoctoral Research Fellowship from the Gastroenterology Society of Australia. Dr Wang is interested to understand the nature of inflammation in gut and lung and investigate the local and systemic impacts of chronic gut inflammation. In addition to a growing track-record in the mucosal immunology field, she is also building an inter-disciplinary research profile in material science and nanotechnology for drug delivery and immune modulation. She is the Associate Editor of Frontier of Cellular and Infection Microbiology Journal since 2018.

Dr Sen Wang is an ARC DECRA Senior Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer in computer science and data science at the School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at UQ. He is also a CI on several health data analytics research grants. Sen has an interest in ICU data and has clinical collaborations with RBWH and Children’s Hospital. Dr Wang received his PhD degree in 2014 and his research interest includes various topics on Feature Selection, Semi-supervised Learning, Deep Learning, Pattern Recognition, Data Mining, and Health Informatics. Since 2010, Dr Wang has published 80+ academic papers in top conferences and journals. Most were published in internationally renowned journals and conferences in the fields of data science, data mining, and machine learning, such as Algorithmica, TNNLS, TMC, TKDE, TCYB, TMM, WWWJ, Signal Processing, ACM TOMM, ACM MM, IJCAI, AAAI, SDM, CIKM, CVPR, ICCV, ICDM, ISWC, ECML-PKDD, PAKDD, ICONIP, ICPADS, and WISE, all CORE A/A* journals and conferences.