College of Medicine & Dentistry
Val Wallace
- Research Officer, Healthy Ageing Research Team
- valda.wallace@my.jcu.edu.au
Pim Kuipers
- Adjunct Associate Professor
- pim.kuipers@jcu.edu.au
Louise Young
- JCU Associate Professor
- louise.young1@jcu.edu.au
Jessica Muller
- Doctor of Philosophy (Health)
- jessica.muller@jcu.edu.au
Andrew Mallett
- Conjoint Professor
- andrew.mallett@jcu.edu.au
Ann Carrington
- Adjunct Senior Lecturer
- ann.carrington@jcu.edu.au
Michelle Krahe
- Principal Research Fellow, Digital Health Implementation
- michelle.krahe@jcu.edu.au
Helen Anscomb
- Adjunct Professor
- helen.anscomb@jcu.edu.au
Danica Vojisavljevic
- Senior Lecturer, Physiology
- danica.vojisavljevic@jcu.edu.au
Vinnitta Mosby
- Senior Research Officer, Health Equity Co-Design
- vinnitta.mosby@jcu.edu.au
Assessment of cytotoxicity induced by novel pMHC bi-specific antibodies in vitro (Old ID 27757)
Hillary Vanderven
14 Jul 2022 - 25 Jul 2023
Optimisation and performance of in vitro cell-binding and cytotoxicity assays to assess the capacity of novel bi-specific peptide-MHC (pMHC) antibodies to bind and/or cause killing of peptide-pulsed and influenza-infected cells in vitro.
Rural Generalists Perspectives on the Utility of Advanced Specialist Training
Abdul-Aziz Seidu
01 Feb 2023 - 29 Feb 2024
Rural Generalists Perspectives on the Utility of Advanced Specialist Training
Retention of JCU basic medical sciences influence on entry knowledge testing and need for early educational intervention of post graduate GP registrars
Abdul-Aziz Seidu
01 Feb 2023 - 29 Feb 2024
Retention of JCU basic medical sciences influence on entry knowledge testing and need for early educational intervention of post graduate GP registrars
Veterinary Science Curriculum & Student Experience Survey
Abdul-Aziz Seidu
01 Sep 2024 - 31 Oct 2024
Veterinary Science Curriculum & Student Experience Survey, 2024
Community-led Health Promotion in the Torres Strait
Karla Canuto
01 Jan 2026 - 31 Dec 2030
Throughout the isolated communities of the Torres Strait (Zenadh) the rates of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and
chronic renal failure are skyrocketing. During invited community visits in 2023, we confirmed that health restoration is an
urgent priority for Maluilgal (the tribal people of the Maluilgau region – Badu, Mabuiag and Moa Islands). Tribal leads have
initiated a movement called Kikirriu dan Walmai (KDW), which means “our health is resurrected”. KDW will be led by a team
chosen by the Tribal leads and who will honour and respect the cultural governance and protection required to meet the
KDW objectives. As a Torres Strait Islander researcher and recognised national leader in Indigenous health promotion and
building Indigenous research capacity, I have been endorsed by Tribal leads of KDW to work with stakeholders and Maluilgal
to lead a program of work to restore wellness. My Investigator research program will reduce chronic disease risk factors
through community-led evidence-based health restoration initiatives in the extremely remote and under resourced
communities. This will be achieved by identifying health promoting priorities for each community, building the capacity of
local community-based researchers, collaborative co-design health promoting initiatives, implement and evaluate the
initiatives and the translation of knowledge.
The evaluation of restorative health initiatives will include anthropometric and metabolic risk markers, such as weight, blood
pressure and cholesterol and measures of social, cultural and emotional wellbeing. These initiatives will provide evidence to
support the upscaling and transfer of the processes to other communities of Zenadh and beyond. Anticipated outcomes will
be the research activity training and upskilling of local Maluilgal community members and the implementation and evaluation
of sustainable effective health initiatives that will restore well-being to their communities.
Revealing the hidden knowledge in pathology big data: Machine learning to support clinical decision making for unknown infectious diseases and recognise biosecurity incursions in tropical Australia (Old ID 26978)
Jeffrey Warner
20 Aug 2020 - 30 Sep 2023
Pathology departments generate massive data from the results of routine and targeted tests conducted to serve community health needs. With the availability of large pathology data collections, the application of sophisticated machine learning (ML) algorithms allows the detection of novel data patterns to characterise disease processes and monitor population health. We will apply recursive partitioning (trees and forests) and support vector machines (SVM) to large pathology data sets to: (a) investigate the biosecurity potential of linked community data, and; (b) assist early decision support for patients presenting with a tropical pyrexia of unknown origin (PUOs).
Causes of Multiple Sclerosis: a functional genomics approach (Old ID 20272)
Margaret Jordan
01 Jan 2013 - 31 Dec 2016
The locations of genes causing Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have been recently identified. The remaining challenge is to determine how these genetic locations contribute to risk. We have adopted a strategy to identify candidate genes (protein coding units) based on their differential expression in relevant immunocyte subsets. This project tests the candidate genes RGS1, HHEX and THEMIS.
Improving quality of life in adults with severe mental illness
Lisa Simmons
01 Jan 2024
PROBLEM: People with SMI have low HRQoL, and a 2-3 times higher risk of preventable
chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, than the general population. Contributors to this
heightened risk include lifestyle factors such as low exercise, and metabolic side-effects of
medications prescribed to treat SMI. Exercise intervention can improve HRQoL and metabolic
health in people with SMI; however, mental health services have limited capacity to provide
exercise services, and functional and psychosocial difficulties associated with SMI hinders access
to such services in the community. National policy urges governments and services to implement
integrated models of care to improve health outcomes for people with SMI.
RESEARCH GAP: Exercise can improve HRQoL in people with SMI; however, routine mental
health care is suboptimal for improving health-related lifestyle factors: Clinicians report low
capability in addressing physical health with patients, resulting in low rates of monitoring and
intervention. Improving workforce capability in addressing lifestyle factors may improve practice
(quality-enhanced usual care), but it is unknown whether this will effectively improve HRQoL or
reduce metabolic risk. Additional capacity to provide evidence-based exercise interventions may
improve HRQoL and metabolic health of patients; however, there is a lack of translational evidence
to inform effective and cost-effective implementation of such models of care. This project will
address the question: How much benefit does an exercise service add to quality-enhanced usual
care for improving health outcomes in people with SMI?
PROPOSAL: This will be an effectiveness-implementation Hybrid Type 1 design with five mental
health service sites in Queensland, conducted over four years. All five sites will receive a quality
improvement package designed to improve usual care in addressing health-related lifestyle factors
(which we have piloted), and additional capacity of a full-time Accredited Exercise Physiologist
(AEP). A best-practice referral algorithm for addressing metabolic risk will be implemented, and
patients will have direct access to an exercise intervention pathway. The AEP will provide an
exercise service that we have developed and piloted over 6-years of iterative development with
consumers and project partners. An implementation science framework will be used to evaluate
the barriers and enablers of implementation, with the primary outcome of HRQoL, and secondary
outcomes of cost-effectiveness and metabolic health.
SIGNIFICANCE: Exercise is an evidence-based therapy for improving HRQoL in people with
SMI. Findings from the 2022 QLD Parliamentary Inquiry into Mental Health recommend
embedding exercise physiology into mental health services. In line with this recommendation, this
trial will generate evidence on the implementation effectiveness and cost-effectiveness an AEP
service embedded in clinical practice. Leveraging our long-standing partnerships with health
services, community organisations and national advocacy bodies, findings will be broadly
disseminated to maximise uptake and translation into practice.
Building Research Confidence and Capability in Health Professional Educators: Evaluating Discussion Boards as a Community-of-Practice
Lisa Simmons
25 Jan 2026 - 31 Dec 2028
This project evaluates the effectiveness of structured online discussion boards, designed as a community of practice, in developing research confidence and capability among postgraduate Health Professional Education students. Embedded within the HS5410 subject at James Cook University, the study adopts an explanatory mixed-methods design, combining pre–post survey data, learning analytics, and thematic analysis of reflective assessments. The project aims to determine whether participation in structured peer discussion and reflection supports the development of research skills, confidence, and scholarly identity. Findings will inform curriculum design and contribute to evidence-based strategies for research capacity building in health professional education, particularly in distributed and online learning environments.
Ageing in place in rural Australia - An Embedded Collective Case Study (Old ID 24777)
Emma Anderson
01 Jan 2018 - 31 Dec 2018
This study aims to explore the perceptions of rural Australians and members of their social networks with regards to their expectations and strategies for preparing for healthy ageing in rural Australia. Previous studies on this topic in rural Canada have shown the importance of community feedback and the need for alignment with Government policies Herron and Skinner 2013). Relationships between family, friends and neighbours will be explored in this study as the importance of these informal networks in healthy ageing and their protective health effect are well documented. These relationships are the building blocks of the government's expectations of informal care, which it has used to inform its new policy "healthy life better ageing agreement" (currently informal care by elders is calculated to equivalent to 8 billion dollars) (ARC Centre of Excellence in population ageing research).
Regenerating lizard tails: A new model for investigating lymphangiogenesis
- 2003
- Researchers:Suzy Munns
Association of osteoprotegerin with human abdominal aortic aneurysm progression
- 2005
- American Heart Association
- Researchers:Jonathan Golledge
A simple plan: cnidarians and the origins of developmental mechanisms
- 2004
- Nature Publishing
- Researchers:David Miller
Title:
Men are shaving off their eyelashes on TikTok, here's why that might be a bad idea, The Conversation
Start Date:
14 May 2025
Start Date:
15 May 2025
Start Date:
03 Jun 2025
Start Date:
01 Jan 2012
Title:
Grants Review
Start Date:
01 Jan 2024
End Date:
01 Jan 2024
Title:
Public Health Advocacy
Start Date:
01 Jan 2024
End Date:
01 Jan 2024
Start Date:
16 Jun 2025