presenters
This Years Presenters
We are thrilled to present the esteemed speakers for our 2024 NRL workshop. These experts bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in their respective fields, and we are excited for the insights and innovations they will share.
INTERNATIONAL
Prof Goedele N. Maertens - Imperial College London
Goedele Maertens is a Professor in Retrovirology at Imperial College London, UK. She received her BSc in Chemistry and MSc in Biochemistry from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL, Belgium). During her PhD in Biochemistry at the KUL, with two years training in the Engelman lab at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School (Boston, MA), she investigated the interactions between HIV-1 integrase and its host factor LEDGF/p75. Following a four-year postdoctoral fellowship in Molecular Oncology at Cancer Research UK (London, UK) she joined the Cherepanov lab at Imperial College London where she trained in structural virology. Since 2011, Maertens runs her laboratory at Imperial College London. Her research interests include mechanisms and inhibition of retroviral integration with a particular focus on human T-cell lymphotropic virus. Since 2020 she is the Deputy Head of Section of Virology within the Department of Infectious Disease.
Goedele Maertens is a Professor in Retrovirology at Imperial College London, UK. She received her BSc in Chemistry and MSc in Biochemistry from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL, Belgium). During her PhD in Biochemistry at the KUL, with two years training in the Engelman lab at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School (Boston, MA), she investigated the interactions between HIV-1 integrase and its host factor LEDGF/p75. Following a four-year postdoctoral fellowship in Molecular Oncology at Cancer Research UK (London, UK) she joined the Cherepanov lab at Imperial College London where she trained in structural virology. Since 2011, Maertens runs her laboratory at Imperial College London. Her research interests include mechanisms and inhibition of retroviral integration with a particular focus on human T-cell lymphotropic virus. Since 2020 she is the Deputy Head of Section of Virology within the Department of Infectious Disease.
Dr David Persing - Cepheid
Dr David Persing, MD, Ph.D., is EVP/Chief Medical and Scientific Officer at Cepheid, where he drives advancements in molecular diagnostics for infectious diseases and oncology. With a career spanning over 30 years, Dave has been a key player in biomarker discovery and diagnostic innovation. He began with pioneering PCR technology at the Mayo Clinic and has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles. His work includes five influential textbooks on PCR protocols. Recognized for his impact on COVID-19 diagnostics, Dave was named one of the top 22 scientists by Fierce Pharma in 2020. He obtained his MD and Ph.D. from UCSF, where he trained with Don Ganem and Harold Varmus, and currently serves as a Consulting Professor of Pathology at Stanford University.
Dr Jessica Markby - Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND)
Dr Jessica Markby currently holds the position of Manager of Regional Programs (Asia Pacific) with FIND, the global alliance for Diagnostics, overseeing a portfolio of projects in the Asia Pacific region. Her areas of interest include development and capacity building of diagnostic programs in resource constrained countries and translational research and access of appropriate diagnostics technologies. Dr Markby finished her PhD in Immunology and Pathology at Monash University, Australia in 2005, and subsequently obtained her Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Dr Markby has 18 years of post-doctoral work experience most of which has been largely spent living in the field in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Cambodia, with extensive experience in the African and Asia Pacific region working with various NGOs and UN organizations in country, regional and global roles.
Prof Jhunel Vinarao - Research Institute For Tropical Medicine
Jhunel G. Vinarao is a cum laude graduate of Bachelor of Science in Biology specializing in Zoology at Isabela State University. He finished a Master of Science in Genetics cognate in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, and currently taking Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biology & Biotechnology at the same university. He is currently working as Science Research Specialist II at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and an Associate Professorial Lecturer IV at the Graduate School, Polytechnic University of the Philippines. He was a former University Research Associate II at the Philippine Genome Center where his work was on the development of Point of Care Testing using Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification.
Rubby Leiwia Dick - Ministry Of Health
Rubby is a Medical Laboratory Officer at Vila Central Hospital in Port Vila, Vanuatu, and is currently pursuing studies at RMIT. She is passionate about improving public health through her work in laboratory sciences, particularly in maternal health. With a focus on increasing healthcare access and quality, Rubby is dedicated to contributing to positive health outcomes for diverse populations across Vanuatu.
Dr Jessica Markby - Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND)
Dr Jessica Markby currently holds the position of Manager of Regional Programs (Asia Pacific) with FIND, the global alliance for Diagnostics, overseeing a portfolio of projects in the Asia Pacific region. Her areas of interest include development and capacity building of diagnostic programs in resource constrained countries and translational research and access of appropriate diagnostics technologies. Dr Markby finished her PhD in Immunology and Pathology at Monash University, Australia in 2005, and subsequently obtained her Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Dr Markby has 18 years of post-doctoral work experience most of which has been largely spent living in the field in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Cambodia, with extensive experience in the African and Asia Pacific region working with various NGOs and UN organizations in country, regional and global roles.
Prof Jhunel Vinarao - Research Institute For Tropical Medicine
Jhunel G. Vinarao is a cum laude graduate of Bachelor of Science in Biology specializing in Zoology at Isabela State University. He finished a Master of Science in Genetics cognate in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, and currently taking Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biology & Biotechnology at the same university. He is currently working as Science Research Specialist II at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and an Associate Professorial Lecturer IV at the Graduate School, Polytechnic University of the Philippines. He was a former University Research Associate II at the Philippine Genome Center where his work was on the development of Point of Care Testing using Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification.
Rubby Leiwia Dick - Ministry Of Health
Rubby is a Medical Laboratory Officer at Vila Central Hospital in Port Vila, Vanuatu, and is currently pursuing studies at RMIT. She is passionate about improving public health through her work in laboratory sciences, particularly in maternal health. With a focus on increasing healthcare access and quality, Rubby is dedicated to contributing to positive health outcomes for diverse populations across Vanuatu.
LOCAL
Prof Alexander Thompson is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne and a gastroenterologist at St Vincent's Hospital. Specialising in health economics and policy, his research focuses on economic evaluation and health services research, particularly regarding gastrointestinal diseases. As a former President of the Australian Health Economics Society, Prof Thompson investigates the cost-effectiveness of healthcare interventions to guide policy decisions. He is dedicated to developing evidence-based policies that enhance health service efficiency and improve patient outcomes.
Claire Moore - Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology
Claire has worked at Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology within the Molecular Pathology Department for over 15 years. She has been a Principal Scientist in the Infectious Diseases Section of the Molecular Pathology Department since 2011.
Daniel Sijmons - Melbourne Health
Daniel Sijmons is currently an outbreak scientist at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory working primarily in Infectious Diseases Serology where he has been for the previous 8 years. He recently finished his PhD in microbiology and applied immunology at RMIT University.
Darren Hewson - Melbourne Pathology
Darren Hewson is Senior Scientist and Department Manager of the Molecular Biology/Immunoserology Department at Melbourne Pathology. Since graduating with a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science at Otago University in New Zealand he has worked at a variety of Public Hospital and Community Pathology labs in NZ, the UK, and Australia as a Microbiology Scientist, before shifting to Molecular Biology just in time to do some COVID 19 testing.
A/Prof Dave Hawkes - Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer
A/Prof Hawkes is the Director of Medical Microbiology at the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer. He has extensive knowledge of clinical and scientific research techniques, specifically HPV NAAT and cervical screening, and has led the Australian validation studies of self-collection for cervical screening. A/Prof Hawkes has substantial experience in supporting clinicians and health services in delivering cervical screening in low- and middle-income countries in our region. A/Prof Hawkes has over 60 scientific publications. A/Prof Hawkes is a member of the NCSP Clinical Advisory Group and of the HPV Surveillance Working Group of the Communicable Diseases Network Australia.
Dr Diana Wong - National Measurement Institute
Dr Diana Wong is a molecular virologist at the National Measurement Institute (NMI). She was awarded a PhD in 2022 at the University of New South Wales where she studied clinical pharmacokinetics and drug resistance during antiviral therapy for cytomegalovirus infection in transplant recipients. Diana has 18 years of professional experience in microbiology research in academic and diagnostic laboratories, including several years overseas in Hong Kong for influenza virus research. Since joining NMI, Diana’s work has focused on building capabilities in digital PCR assay development for pandemic preparedness, including participating in an international pilot study for influenza RNA quantification, and representing the bioanalysis section for a metrology initiative organised by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.
Diane Price - Pathwest Laboratory Medicine
Diane began her career as a Medical Scientist with the Department of Microbiology at Royal Perth Hospital in 2001. She is currently Medical Scientist in Charge of the Molecular Microbiology and Serology Laboratories for PathWest Laboratory Medicine, at Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Dr Eloise Williams - Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory
Dr Eloise Williams is a clinical microbiologist and infectious diseases physician at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, currently undertaking a PhD at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. Her primary interests are sexually transmitted infections, blood borne viruses and public health.
Dr Elizabeth Dax - Former NRL Director
Before retiring from NRL in 2009, Elizabeth Dax served as a Physician and Scientist. As Director of NRL (1990-2009), she led national and international programs to evaluate and ensure the quality of HIV and hepatitis test kits in Australia and abroad. Under her leadership, NRL pioneered laboratory accreditation and quality monitoring systems for bloodborne virus detection. She has held leadership roles in HIV and AIDS societies and advised governments in developing countries. In retirement, Elizabeth chairs several arts-based boards, focusing on governance, finance, and risk management for not-for-profit organizations.
Dr Emma Wilson - NRL
Following a nearly 20-year career in hospitality as a chef, Emma studied a Bachelor of Science, followed by a PhD in Nano BioPhotonics at RMIT University. Emma first joined NRL in 2014 on a summer studentship and returned in 2020 to help support NRL's work during COVID. In 2023, Emma became the NRL Sample Bank Scientist, helping the infectious disease community towards better health outcomes.
Farema Poyan - Australian Red Cross Lifeblood
Farema Ponya is a Project Manager in the Manufacturing Transformation team at Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. Graduating from Curtin University of Technology in 2006 with a Bachelor of Medical Science, majoring in Haematology/Transfusion Science, Microbiology, Medical Biotechnology, and Immunology, Farema has built a diverse career at Lifeblood. She has held roles such as Laboratory Scientist, Senior Scientist, Testing Supervisor, Scientific and Technical Services Scientist, and Project Coordinator for the largest Testing Enhancement Project, focusing on Infectious Disease Screening and Laboratory Automation. She possesses extensive knowledge of Lifeblood’s testing processes, change management, validation frameworks, and quality systems, with a strong commitment to safety and customer service.
Dr Harsha Sheorey - St. Vincents Hospital
Dr Harsha Sheorey is a Staff Specialist in Microbiology at St. Vincent’s Hospital and Royal Melbourne Hospital, with extensive experience in clinical microbiology in Australia and India. His expertise includes parasitology, ocular microbiology, mycology, and mycobacteriology. Dr Sheorey has organised workshops and is actively involved in scientific programs for RCPA and the Australian Society of Microbiology. He has authored “Clinical Parasitology” and contributed to the ASM Manual of Clinical Microbiology. He also coordinates an international parasitology e-Diagnosis expert group.
Helen Wei - Burnet Institute
Helen is a senior research scientist passionate about R&D in immunodiagnostics and novel biotherapies, with extensive experience in developing point-of-care tests for malaria, COVID-19, liver disease, and HIV. Helen contributes to the research and development of new biomarkers for diagnostic assays while performing duties under an ISO 9001 quality management system. Helen supervises staff and students, prepares reports and presentations, and participates in team leadership, contributing technical skills to multiple research and product development projects.
Imasha Amarasuriya - NRL
Imasha Amarasuriya joined NRL in mid-2022. She completed her bachelor’s in biotechnology, majoring physiology, and additionally holds a master’s in science (Biotechnology) from Swinburne University of Technology. Prior coming to NRL, she worked in CSL and in Australian Clinical Labs. Imasha is a R & D scientist at NRL, working on Quality Assurance to develop and manufacture quality materials for various Community Point of Care Testing projects.
Jacqueline Prestedge - Doherty Institute
Jacqueline Prestedge is a Research Program Manager at the Doherty Institute, with experience managing multiple public health projects and clinical trials, predominantly in diagnostics and genomics for infectious diseases. With motivations to reduce health inequity in society, Jacqueline commenced a PhD in 2022 which focuses on the ways we can embrace new approaches to diagnostics such as rapid testing, self-collection and self-testing to increase access to infectious disease diagnostic testing.
Dr Jane Goller - University of Melbourne
Dr Jane Goller is a Senior Research Fellow from the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, at the University of Melbourne. Following her PhD focusing on the epidemiology of pelvic inflammatory disease in Australia her research focuses on strengthening STI care in general practice.
A/Prof Janine Trevillyan - Austin Health
Associate Professor Janine Trevillyan is the Head of Clinical Virology and HIV services and Deputy Director of Infectious Diseases at Austin Health. She is an infectious diseases physician and clinical researcher whose work focuses on understanding and preventing the long-term complications of viral infections, in particular of HIV, along with the side effects and effectiveness of emerging vaccines. She completed her clinical training at the Alfred and Austin Hospitals (2011) and a PhD through Monash University in 2015. She then went on to a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles, Clinical AIDS Research and Education Centre.
Dr Kim Blasdell - CSIRO
Kim Blasdell is Senior Research Scientist at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong. She is an infectious disease scientist with a love for fieldwork. She started her career at the University of Liverpool (UK) studying rodent-borne zoonotic viruses. This expertise led her to Cambodia where she worked on rodent-borne pathogens in rapidly changing environments, based at the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge. Kim moved to CSIRO where she started working on arboviruses. Her current research focus is on (i) understanding the transmission routes and role of possums on the ecology of Mycobacterium ulcerans, the agent of Buruli ulcer, (ii) determining the ecology of several vector-borne diseases including a novel Borrelia sp. and (iii) investigating novel technologies for the automation of pathogen surveillance in wildlife and vectors.
Kirsten Muscat - NRL
Kirsten Muscat is an EQAS scientist working at the National Serology Reference Laboratory (NRL). She completed a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in 2019 from the University of Melbourne and has since been working across different teams at NRL. She is passionate about collaborating with infectious diseases laboratories and testing sites to support the provision of scientifically robust proficiency testing panels.
Dr Kwee Chin Liew - Australian Clinical Laboratories Geelong
Dr Kwee Chin Liew is a clinical microbiologist and Infectious Diseases physician. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Melbourne, where she was awarded MBBS/BMedSci, and is a fellow of both the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA). She has completed fellowship at Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) and Melbourne Health. Her special interests include pathogen discovery, translating metagenomic next-generation sequencing into routine clinical practice, and exploring the excitement of CRISPR tool for pathogen detection to provide safe and quality care for patients. She holds an honorary appointment with the University of Melbourne and the Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, Barwon Health.
Lisa Liolios - Alfred Health
Lisa is the Supervising Scientist in the Molecular Microbiology Department at Alfred Health, which includes Alfred, Caulfield, and Sandringham Hospitals. She was instrumental in establishing the PCR laboratory at Alfred Hospital in 1998, and led the transition from conventional to real-time PCR assays, broadening the range of tests to include syndromic and viral load monitoring. During the recent pandemic, Lisa supervised a high-pressure lab environment, ensuring rapid decision-making while maintaining top-quality testing standards across ICU, trauma, infectious diseases, and transplant services within Alfred Health.
Madeline O'Donoghue - Pathology Technology
Madeline leads Communications and Government Affairs for Pathology Technology Australia – the peak industry body representing manufacturers and importers of the diagnostic tests and technology used in Australia’s health system. A trained molecular biologist, she has spent the bulk of her career in a range of technical training, product development, marketing, and communication positions for a mixture of multinational corporations and start-up innovators in clinical diagnostics and life science, in Australia and the US. Madeline applies her knowledge of research and clinical pathology laboratory environments, communication and education skills, and her passion for solving puzzles to champion innovative technology-driven solutions in health.
Marija Tosic - NRL
Marija Tosic has been serving as a Services Technical and Administrative Support Scientist with NRL's Quality Control Team for the past three years. Before joining the QC team, she spent several years with NRL's Testing Team. With 20 years of experience in medical laboratories, Marija has worked across various departments, including Infectious Diseases and Molecular and Integrative Medicine. Her extensive background and expertise make her a valuable asset to NRL’s Quality Control operations.
Marina Karakaltsas - NRL
Marina Karakaltsas is a QC Services scientist at the National Serology Reference Laboratory (NRL). Marina is interested in assuring the quality of blood borne virus testing by supporting Australian and overseas laboratories with reviewing and troubleshooting QC data via NRL’s QConnect program.
Prof Maxine Whittaker - James Cook University
Maxine Whittaker, a public health physician, academic, advocate and health systems researcher, focuses on improving health systems and services to increase accessibility and acceptability of quality services and implementation of One Health. She is a Professor at James Cook University, a member of the One Health High Level Expert Panel of the Quadripartite (FAO< WHO< WOAH and UNEP) on several national and international committees including a Temporary advisor on reaching the Unreached for the Western Pacific Region of WHO, and editorial roles for several One Health/public health journals. Maxine has lived/worked in several Asian, African and Pacific countries, published 110+ papers and awarded the Royal Australasian College of Physicians International Medal in recognition of outstanding service in developing countries (2017).
Michelle Francis - Royal Melbourne Hospital
Michelle Francis is a dedicated healthcare professional at The Royal Melbourne Hospital. With extensive experience in clinical operations and patient care, she excels in managing healthcare teams and implementing process improvements. Michelle is passionate about enhancing patient outcomes through effective collaboration and innovative healthcare solutions, playing a pivotal role in delivering high-quality care at one of Australia's premier hospitals.
Dr Melissa John - NRL
Dr Melissa John is a Senior Scientist at NRL in Melbourne, with over eight years of experience in molecular cell biology within the drug discovery and IVD industries. She is currently developing the HTLV-1 PVL Assay for regulatory approval to enhance diagnostics and improve patient management in Australia and globally. Previously, at Schott Minifab, she worked as a Product Development Scientist, developing molecular microarray cartridges and microchips for IVD applications. Melissa is dedicated to advancing innovative diagnostics for underserved communities.
Michelle Frazer - X Lab Systems
Michelle Frazer has spent her career facilitating large scale improvements to health sectors in Australia and overseas, through the delivery of digital health solutions and services. Michelle is currently the Director of the APAC region for X-Lab Systems, where she is on a mission to solve the delays and errors caused by our disconnected and disparate pathology services, to improve health outcomes and ensure Australia’s healthcare system remains sustainable for future generations. Michelle has a strong understanding of the important role pathology plays in diagnosis and treatment of health issues, having led the introduction of multi-site, single patient record Laboratory Information Management systems into the UK. She is the author of the health chapter of the Australian Information Industry Association’s 2021 Whitepaper, which lead to the federal government committing to transitioning My Health Record from a clinical document (PDF) repository to a data-rich platform.
Dr Mitch Batty - Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory
Mitch is a senior Medical Scientist and Scientific Project Manager at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) at the Peter Doherty Institute in Melbourne. Primarily focused on developing and implementing translational public health programs in conjunction with the Victorian Department of Health, his interests in infectious diseases diagnostics stem from a background in academic research and assay development. With an initial focus on SARS-CoV-2, his work also concentrates on flavivirus surveillance and testing, public health genomics, as well as interests in viral vesicular diseases.
Dr Nicola Fitzgerald - Pacific Island Cervical Cancer Screening Initiative
Dr Nicola Fitzgerald completed her Bachelor of Medical Science and Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery with Honours at the University of Tasmania. She trained in obstetrics and gynaecology at Monash Health, Eastern Health, and West Gippsland Hospital. Currently, she practices at the Mercy Hospital for Women and Empower Obstetrics & Gynaecology, offering both low- and high-risk care. Passionate about women’s health, she founded PICCSI for cervical cancer screening in the Pacific and enjoys mentoring junior doctors.
Nina Clifford - Roche
Nina Clifford is Product Manager for the molecular assays on the cobas® x800 family of instruments at Roche Diagnostics Australia. She has a Bachelor of Science (with Honours) and more than 20 years marketing, sales and business development experience in the molecular diagnostics, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries across multiple countries.
Peter Crowley - AusDiagnostics
Peter Crowley joined the AusDiagnostics Research & Development team in 2016. Since then, he has been pivotal in developing numerous product lines and successfully redesigned the laboratory space to achieve PC-2 accreditation. Peter brings over ten years of scientific expertise across the medical diagnostics industry and is currently responsible for the development of the MT-PCR product portfolio. Peter holds a Bachelor of Medical Science with Honours from the University of Sydney.
Peter Santosa - RCPAQAP
Peter Santosa is a microbiologist who graduated with a University Medal in Microbiology from the University of New South Wales in 2018. Since then, he has been with the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs, where he has honed expertise in both scientific methodologies and quality assurance processes. His work focuses on advancing standards in pathogen proficiency testing and ensuring high-quality outcomes across the industry.
Prady Choundhury - NRL
Pradyumna (Prady) Choudhury has been working in NRL as a Lab Technician (EDCNet Interfacing and Validations) for more than 3 years. He has a background in Biomedical Engineering, graduating with a Masters in Medical Engineering from Monash University. He has helped in interfacing for EDCNet, collaborating and working with multiple domestic and international NRL customers for their QC results uploads, along with validating this interface up to required standards.
Rebecca Wigan - Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
Theo Karapanagiotidis - VIDRL
Theo is the Deputy Senior Scientist of Infectious Diseases Serology at VIDRL, part of The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. With over 20 years of experience in a public health laboratory, Theo specialises in infectious diseases serology and collaborating with external stakeholders to inform public health decisions. Passionate about assay validation and laboratory quality improvement, Theo provides guidance to trainees and has participated in WHO missions and workshops for HBV and measles.
Dr Wayne Dimech - NRL
Dr. Wayne Dimech is the Executive Manager of Scientific and Business Relations at NRL, a WHO Collaborating Centre. He holds a B.App. Sci, PhD, MBA, and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists and the Royal College of Pathologists Australasia. Specializing in infectious disease serology, Dr. Dimech's research focuses on the control and standardization of diagnostic assays. He advises numerous national and international groups, including expert panels for the European Medicines Agency and ISO committees. He has published around 60 peer-reviewed articles and contributed to multiple books.
Yan Chin Tai - Abbott Laboratories
Yolanda Mullen - NRL
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