Professor Shane Thomas is a senior professor with a strong multi-disciplinary orientation and international profile in research. As Professor of Health Promotion he leads Federation’s research and engagement in this area. Shane also represents the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation in working strategically with national and international health communities.
Professor Colette Browning is a recognised national and international leader in psychology and health. Her research focuses on healthy ageing and improving quality of life for older people, chronic disease self-management and consumer involvement in health care decision-making. Her research informs policy and practice in the areas of ageing and primary health care.
Dr Amanda Young brings a wealth of expertise in the behavioural sciences, with a focus on health and rehabilitation psychology. Her diverse career spans nearly two decades as a Research Scientist in the United States, where she contributed to advancing knowledge and practice in her field. Before joining the THRIVE team, Dr Young established herself as an independent research consultant, partnering with businesses, practitioners, and governing bodies in Australia and the USA. Her extensive experience reflects a deep commitment to translating psychological research into impactful, real-world applications.
Dr Prestes is an early career researcher fellow in cardiovascular health with experience in genomic and epigenomics. She is an emerging leader in genomics of heart disease. Her research uses technologies to understand the cardiovascular system and investigate alternatives that will help prevent, diagnose, and treat cardiovascular disease.
Dr Huy Nguyen is a medical doctor, Master and PhD with expertise in statistical modelling, epidemiology, research methods, and health policy and management. He is a highly experienced biostatistician and is currently employed by HITC at Federation University. He has contributed to the success of
dozens of research projects, in which he has served as investigator, co-investigator, biostatistician and coordinator. He is highly productive in research outputs, with close to 90 peer-reviewed publications, some of which are featured in Lancet.
Dr Samuel Zhang is a Senior Lecturer in Economics and the Undergraduate Program Coordinator – Bachelor of Business at Federation University Australia, and a Fellow at the Global Labor Organization (GLO).
Xin Chen is the Research Centre Support Officer based at the Mt Helen Campus. She obtained a Masters Degree in Information Systems from Federation University and has over 10 years experience in the IT sector. Xin has been working at Federation University for over 15 years and has recently transitioned into the Research Services Portfolio.
Lisa is interested in chronic disease self-management programs that combine clinical information and patient education to provide patients with skills that assist them in dealing with the physical and psychological consequences of their condition, or multiple chronic conditions particularly with an ageing population.
Thesis Title: Optimising Motivational Interviewing training of healthcare professionals as a factor in chronic disease management.
Lauren is a registered Psychologist with a background in education. Lauren has special interests in neurodiversity and chronic health conditions, including Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), and Diabetes.
Thesis Title: Autism and Chronic Diseases: Why are Mothers of Autistics Dying Young?
Fitalew holds a Master of Science degree in Medical Biochemistry and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. He will start his PhD with the THRIVE team in 2024 using genetic risk factors to predict individual risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Coming from a biochemical background, Fitalew aspires to study chronic diseases which are preventable and treatable with appropriate healthcare responses, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. He has published more than 33 peer-reviewed articles in a variety of international journals.
Thesis Title: Genome-wide Polygenic risk score prediction of cardiovascular disease in regional Australia.
Lochie is a recent Master of Public Health graduate, and completed a thesis on men’s mental health access in regional areas as part of this degree. His research interests include mental health, healthcare access and the management of mental health dual-diagnoses. He will start his PhD in 2024 with the THRIVE team, and will primarily focus on gambling addiction and subsequent mental health problems.
Thesis Title: Interventions to reduce gambling harms in neurodivergent adults.
Amber is a registered division one nurse with over twenty-five years clinical experience, twenty of those years involving formalised clinical and tertiary teaching roles.
Arinola is a PhD candidate in the Health Innovation and Transformation Centre of Federation University Australia. Her PhD focuses on telomeres – the protective ends of chromosomes – and its role in chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Molly is in the final stages of her PhD candidature investigating the Y Chromosome, circular RNAs (an underexplored type of RNA) and coronary artery disease to explore a new perspective in men’s health.
Marks holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences from Federation University Australia and is a final year PhD candidate investigating the association of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) with the legacy effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats treated with an angiotensin receptor blocker, losartan.
Nabila’s past research focused on drug repurposing using machine learning and network pharmacology. Her PhD project uses a computational method on healthcare data to propose repurposed drugs for chronic kidney disease.
Ben is a first year PhD candidate investigating how blood pressure-lowering medication resets genetic pathways associated with the kidney. Research outcomes will reveal new therapeutic targets and elucidate genetic mechanisms behind reconditioning of the kidney and improve understanding of how benefit of treatment remains, even after the period of intervention ceases.
Rhian is a Clinical Psychologist with experience working in mental health across the lifespan. She is studying for her PhD under the supervision of Prof Britt Klein investigating psychometric properties and qualitative investigation of a youth-focused digitally-based assessment system for depression and anxiety disorders.
Fadia is a practising clinical psychologist for almost 14 years and doing her PhD research on sleep problems and trauma symptoms in people affected by bushfires. She also runs a clinical intervention to help people with sleep disorders and trauma symptoms stemming from bushfires.
Sherin is a PhD candidate supervised by Prof Britt Klein investigating asthma, steroids and avascular necrosis: experiences, markers and possible online self-help interventions.
Kewen is doing his PhD with Prof Britt Klein investigating speech biomarkers in dementia using artificial intelligence and data mining techniques.
Brooke is a clinical psychologist doing her PhD with Prof Britt Klein. She is investigating integrative mixed digital mental health therapeutic delivery models for depression and anxiety in real world settings.
Physiotherapy Student
Thesis Title: The Relationship between Physical Activity and Multimorbidity: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Physiotherapy Student
Thesis Title: Evaluating the Role of Physical Activity in a Behavioural Risk Factor Model for Hypertension:
A Cross-Sectional Study.
THRIVE is funded by the Commonwealth of Australia and conducted in collaboration with the following partners:
The THRIVE Team acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters where our bases and field stations are located and we pay our respects to Elders past and present, and extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and First Nations Peoples.
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