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Clinical research staff

Professor Robert Booy MBBS (Hons), MSc, MD, FRACP, FRCPCH

Professor Robert Booy

Robert Booy is Head of Clinical Research at NCIRS where he joined in March, 2005. He is a medical graduate of the University of Queensland (1984), trained in Paediatrics at the Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane, and has held a range of positions in the UK.

Professor Booy has interests in influenza, varicella, HPV, Hib, pneumococcal and meningococcal disease. His research interests extend from understanding the genetic basis of susceptibility to, and severity of, infectious diseases, especially influenza and invasive disease caused by encapsulated organisms; the clinical, public health, social and economic burden of these diseases; and means by which to prevent or control serious infections through vaccines, drugs and non-pharmaceutical measures.

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Dr Leon Heron MBChB, FRCPA, FAFPHM

Dr Leon Heron

Leon Heron joined NCIRS in November 2006 to manage clinical research undertaken at NCIRS. He is a medical graduate of the University of Otago, New Zealand (1979) and trained in Medical Microbiology (FRCPA, 1992) and Public Health (FAFPHM, 2002).

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Dr Gulam Khandaker MBBS, MPH, DCH

Dr Gulam Khandaker

Gulam Khandaker joined NCIRS in March 2009, working with the clinical research team on clinical trials including the ARC funded influenza child care study. He is also training as a paediatric physician. He graduated in medicine (MBBS) in 2003 and worked on the first national childhood blindness survey in Bangladesh. In 2005, he completed a Master of Public Health from the University of Wollongong with distinction. Dr Khandaker trained clinically at the Rockhampton Base Hospital and Sydney Children’s Hospital. In 2008, he completed a Diploma in Child Health from The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. His research interests include clinical epidemiology, paediatric infectious disease, and disease surveillance.

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Dr Iman Ridda MBBS, BHSc, MPH, PHD

Dr Iman Ridda

Dr Iman Ridda joined NCIRS in April 2004, after completing her medical degree she completed a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Sydney. Her PhD studies focused on pneumococcal vaccine and barriers to vaccination in geriatric patients. Dr Ridda hols a position as a immunisation research coordinator and manages clinical trials at NCIRS, and has significant experience in the area of clinical trials.

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Dr Kevin Jiehui Yin MBBS, MPH (Hons)

Dr Kevin Jiehui Yin

Kevin Jiehui Yin is a medical doctor (MBBS 2006) and currently enrolled in a PhD (Med) on “Epidemiological and economic outcomes of health care interventions to control influenza in institutions” through the University of Sydney, supervised by Professor Robert Booy, Professor Glenn Salkeld and Professor Kathryn North. His PhD projects include two ARC Linkage grants, oseltamivir use in aged care facilities and influenza vaccination among young children. He was also awarded a Master of Public Health (Hons) in 2008 (USyd).

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Swati Ghotane BHMS (India)

Swati Ghotane joined NCIRS in May 2008 as a Research Assistant and she is conducting one of the clinical trials, “the burden of influenza in patients with recurrent ischaemic heart disease”, that is running within the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Swati is interested in clinical research and clinical trials. Her past experience as a research assistant at the Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology (CIDM) at Westmead Hospital has provided her with greater understanding of research methods and methodologies. Swati completed her medical degree in India and is currently enrolled in a Master of Public Health through the University of Sydney.

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Ms Edwina Jacobs RN

Edwina Jacobs is a registered nurse who completed her training at the University of Sydney. She has worked in operating theatres at the Mater Hospital for over 13 years and at various other institutions, and joined NCIRS in March 2008 working on clinical vaccine trials as a Research Nurse.

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Ms Rosemary Joyce RN

Ms Rosemary Joyce

Rosemary Joyce is a registered nurse and midwife with postgraduate certification in immunisation and neonatal intensive care and has also worked as a Rehabilitation Consultant Case Manager. She joined NCIRS in 2006 and is working as a clinical trials nurse investigating both paediatric and adult vaccines. Rosemary is currently working on studies investigating the pertussis vaccine, combination 12-month HibMenC and influenza vaccines.

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Ms Laura Rost RN

Ms Laura Rost

Laura Rost is a registered nurse having worked at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead for 25 years within the Grace Centre for Newborn Care (Neonatal ICU – senior nurse). She has also taught Certificate 3 (Assistants in Nursing) for the last two years at TAFE and facilitated 2nd year students at the Foundation of Childrens Nursing at UTS. She transferred to NCIRS to work on the burden of flu trial in children less than 5 years of age admitted to the Children's Hospital and is now working on various clinical trials.

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Ms Pamela Cheung RN

Pamela Cheung is a registered nurse who completed her training in London. She has worked at Westmead Hospital and at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead for 22 years, mainly in the burns and trauma intensive care unit. She joined NCIRS in March 2007 and is working on various clinical and vaccine trials as a Research Nurse.

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Ms Jennifer Murphy RN

Jenny Murphy completed her nursing degree at the University of Sydney and worked in the paediatric surgical ward at Westmead Hospital for several years before moving to the Burns Unit at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead where she was a Clinical Nurse Specialist for 12 years. During this time she also ran a Pre-admission Clinic, taught AINs and ENs at TAFE, and ran an outpatient burn clinic. She has been a Research Nurse for NCIRS since 2008 working on various clinical and vaccine trials.

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Ms Elizabeth Clarke RN, CM

Ms Elizabeth Clarke

Elizabeth Clarke is a registered nurse and midwife with qualifications in occupational health and safety and immunisation. She has been involved in vaccine trials since 2004. Currently she is working on two studies, one funded by the Australian Research Council that examines the prevention and treatment of influenza in aged care facilities using the anti-viral drug oseltamivir, and the other a follow-up of a vaccine trial for hepatitis B.

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Ms Camille Lang RN

Ms Camille Lang

Camille Lang is a registered nurse who gained her registration in 1984 after commencing nursing in 1981. Camille is currently working with NCIRS as part of the clinical trials team as a registered nurse.

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Elizabeth Deegan RN

Liz Deegan is a registered nurse who worked in the ICU at Westmead Hospital for 12 years and PICU at Children’s Hospital Westmead for five years. She gained CNS status in both the adult and paediatric units and was actively involved with data collection for clinical trials and research projects.

She has worked in immunisation since 2001, including TB co-ordinator at Children’s Hospital at Westmead and in administering flu vaccines to the corporate sector.

Liz commenced work with the clinical trials team at NCIRS in April 2009.

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Carol Shineberg RN

Carol Shineberg

Carol Shineberg is a registered nurse who, after many years of nursing in an emergency department, commenced with the school vaccination programme in 2004. Her interest in vaccine trials also began at this time. She joined NCIRS in June 2006 and has worked primarily on influenza trials.