Sydney Health Partners believes that improving the translation of research evidence into sustained clinical practice requires more effective collaborations between researchers and clinicians. In 2021, we established the first six Sydney Health Partners Clinical Academic Groups (CAGs) and added a further five CAGs in 2022.

While each of our CAGs are unique, all are primarily focused on building capacity and capability, ensuring community and consumer involvement in research, fostering collaboration, and improving impact and competitiveness in research translation. Each CAG is united around a clinical problem or population group, and is working towards a key collaborative project.

Cardiovascular

Chairs: Professor Clara Chow & Professor Gemma Figtree

Working across SHP and the Cardiovascular Initiative (CVI) to provide a health system linked platform that brings together pre-clinical and clinical research hubs to facilitate outstanding researchers and clinicians.

Leadership Team

  • Prof David Brieger
  • Prof David Celermajer
  • Prof Robyn Gallagher
  • Dr Sean Lal
  • Dr Rebecca Kozor
  • Prof Leonard Kritharides
  • A/Prof Saurabh Kumar
  • Dr Sanjay Patel
  • Prof Julie Redfern
  • Prof Chris Semsarian

Disciplines represented in leadership team: Cardiology, Physiotherapy, Nursing

SHP Organisations: Centenary Institute, Heart Research Institute, Kolling Institute, NSLHD, SLHD, WSLHD, University of Sydney

Child and Adolescent Health

Chairs: Profesor Russell Dale & Clinical Professor Sue Woolfenden

Delivering a translational research strategy that addresses implementation gaps, leverages funding opportunities, and allows scale-up through a strength-based and culturally capable approach.

Leadership Team

  • Clin/Prof Sameer Bhole
  • A/Prof Philip Britton
  • Prof Elizabeth Elliott
  • A/Prof Jennifer Fraser
  • Dr Joanne Ging
  • A/ Prof Hasantha Gunasekera
  • Dr Anthony Liu
  • Prof Natasha Nassar
  • Dr Sarah Reedman
  • Ms Victoria Sinka
  • Prof Rachel Skinner

Disciplines represented in leadership team: Paediatrics, Neuroscience, Nursing and Midwifery, Allied Health, Aboriginal Health, Oral Health, Public Health, Health Economics, Data Science, Implementation Research

SHP Organisations: Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, SLHD, University of Sydney

Diabetes and Obesity

Chairs: Professor Stephen Twigg & Professor Louise Baur

Exploring research gaps in obesity, prediabetes and diabetes treatment and investigating research and outcome priorities for consumers.

Leadership Team

  • Clin/Prof Jencia Wong
  • Clin A/ Prof Wah Cheung
  • Prof Maria Craig
  • A/Prof Sarah Garnett
  • A/ Prof Sarah Glastras
  • A/ Prof Samantha Hocking
  • A/Prof Nathan Johnson
  • Clin/Prof Glen Maberly
  • Adj A/Prof Margaret McGill
  • Dr Arianne Sweeting

Disciplines represented in leadership team: Endocrinology, Paediatrics, Reproductive and Perinatal Medicine Nursing, Allied Health, Public Health, Nutrition, Dietetics, Digital Healthcare, Exercise Physiology

SHP Organisations: NSLHD, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, SLHD, WSLHD, University of Sydney

 

Genomics and Precision Medicine Partnerships

Chairs: Professor Robyn Jamieson & Associate Professor Yemima Berman

Developing a translational research project focusing on genomic multidisciplinary models of care, genomic upskilling and ‘mainstreaming’ into non-genetics specialties.

Leadership Team

  • Clin/ Prof Bruce Bennetts
  • Prof John Grigg
  • Clin A/ Prof Kristi Jones
  • Dr Alan Ma
  • Dr Hugh McCarthy
  • Dr Amali Mallawaarachchi
  • Ms Jan Mumford
  • Dr Rosie O’Shea
  • Clin A/ Prof Natalie Silove
  • Dr Michael Tchan

Disciplines represented in leadership team: Ophthalmology, Paediatrics, Women's Health and Family Medicine, Nephrology, Metabolic Medicine and Neurogenetics, Implementation Science, Diagnostic Genomics

SHP Organisations: NSLHD, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, SLHD, WSLHD, University of Sydney

Geriatric Medicine

Chair: Professor Sarah Hilmer

Building capacity to provide research informed care for older people in hospital, at transitions of care and in the community (including residential aged care).

Leadership Team

  • A/Prof Melissa Baysari
  • Prof Fiona Blyth
  • A/Prof Danijela Gnjidic
  • Prof Susan Kurrle
  • Prof Richard Lindley
  • Prof Vasi Naganathan
  • Dr Lisa Kouladjian O’Donnell
  • Dr Janani Thillainadesan

Disciplines represented in leadership team: Geriatric Medicine, Pharmacology, Public Health, Digital Health, Allied Health

SHP Organisations: Kolling Institute, NSLHD, SLHD, WSLHD, University of Sydney

Perioperative Care of Surgical Patients

Chair: Dr Sarah Joy Aitken

Facilitating patient-focused, equitable, and value-based surgical care through critical evaluation of current perioperative practices and implementation of evidence-based models of care to prevent adverse surgical outcomes in at-risk patient populations.

Leadership Team

  • Prof Thomas Hugh
  • Dr Sue Monaro
  • Prof Vasi Naganathan
  • Dr Kate McBride
  • A/Prof Nicole Philips
  • Prof Henry Pleass
  • Dr Angus Richie
  • Prof Rob Sanders
  • Prof Michael Solomon
  • Dr Janani Thillainadesan

Disciplines represented in leadership team: Surgery, Nursing, Anaesthetics, Geriatric Medicine, Medical Information and Administration

SHP Organisations: NSLHD, SLHD, WSLHD, University of Sydney

Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health

Chairs: Professor Dharmintra Pasupathy & Professor Adrienne Gordon

Improving the quality of care for women and babies in NSW by measuring and understanding variations in care, and then systematically strengthening, developing, and evaluating interventions to reduce unnecessary variations.

Leadership Team

  • Prof Kirsten Black
  • Dr Bradley de Vries
  • Dr Felicity Gallimore
  • Dr Justin McNab
  • Ms Sarah Melov
  • Prof Jonathan Morris
  • Dr Danielle Muscat
  • Prof Natasha Nassar
  • A/ Prof Tanya Nippita
  • Prof Karen Walker

Disciplines represented in leadership team:
Obstetrics, Women’s Reproductive Health, Perinatal Medicine, Nursing, Health Informatics, Translational Research, Social Science, Public Health

SHP Organisations: NSLHD, SLHD, WSLHD, University of Sydney

Sleep Health

Chairs: Professor Brendon Yee & Dr Sheila Sivam

Building collaborations amongst clinicians in SHP and other academic health centres, to grow capacity through translational projects focused on improving community sleep health.

Leadership Team

  • Dr Elizabeth Cayanan
  • Clin A/ Prof Andrew Chan
  • Dr Angela D’Rozario
  • Prof Ron Grunstein
  • Clin A/ Prof Kristina Kairaitis
  • Prof Tim Lambert
  • Dr Elie Matar
  • Prof Bandana Saini
  • Dr Chris Seton
  • Clin A/ Prof Keith Wong

Disciplines represented in leadership team:
Sleep and Respiratory Medicine, Neurology, Neurobiology, Polysomnographic Technology, Paediatrics, Exercise Physiology, Nutrition, Clinical Epidemiology

SHP Organisations: NSLHD, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, SLHD, WSLHD, University of Sydney

Sydney Cancer Partners

Chair: Professor Anna DeFazio

Strengthening the focus on connections between research activity and real-world clinical service delivery.  Building capacity for research that is focused in areas with the potential for highest clinical impact and consumer need, with clear pathways to implementation of innovative therapies and improvements in practice.

Sydney Cancer Partners was established in 2021 through a $7 milllion Cancer Institute NSW Translational Cancer Research Capacity Building Grant awarded to Sydney Health Partners.

Leadership Team

  • Prof Rosemary Balleine
  • A/Prof Ilona Cunningham
  • Dr Luciano Dalla-Pozza
  • Prof Alexander Engel
  • Prof Paul Harnett
  • Prof Lisa Horvath
  • Prof Geraldine O’Neill
  • Prof Roger Reddel
  • Prof Tim Shaw

Disciplines represented in leadership team: Cancer Service Disciplines including Medical Oncology, Surgery, Haematology, Pathology and Paediatric Oncology; Translational and Basic Research, Implementation Science and Digital Health

SHP Organisations: Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, NSLHD, SLHD, WSLHD, University of Sydney, Children’s Cancer Research Unit, Children’s Medical Research Institute, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse

Sydney Musculoskeletal

Chairs: Professor Cathie Sherrington & Professor Manuela Ferreira

Facilitating research translation to improve musculoskeletal health across SHP by identifying issues of importance to health services and develop, implement and test solutions within clinical services.

Leadership Team

  • Dr Christina Abdel Shaheed
  • Prof Ian Cameron
  • A/Prof Michael Dinh
  • Dr Andrew Ellis
  • Dr Jillian Eyles
  • Dr Gustavo Machado
  • Prof Vasi Naganathan
  • Dr Bethan Richards
  • Prof Andreas Zankl

Disciplines represented in leadership team: Physiotherapy, Geriatric Medicine, Rheumatology, Rehabilitation, Orthopaedic Surgery, Genetics, Emergency Medicine, Pharmacy, Public Health

SHP Organisations: University of Sydney, Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, NSLHD, SLHD

Virtual Care

Chairs: Professor Tim Shaw & Professor Clara Chow

Identifying priority implementation research questions in virtual care to address the research gaps and support the expansion of evidence-based virtual care across SHP acute and chronic disease services.

Leadership Team

  • Prof Jennifer Allison
  • A/Prof Mel Baysari
  • Dr Paul Collett
  • Dr Rebecca Davis
  • Dr Owen Hutchings
  • Mr Aaron Jones
  • Dr Liliana Laranjo
  • Prof Meredith Makeham
  • Ms Ellie McCann
  • Dr Sarah Norris
  • Dr Angus Ritchie
  • Ms Nadine Shaw
  • Ms Miranda Shaw
  • Mr Richard Taggart

Disciplines represented in leadership team: Digital Health, Cardiology, Clinical Services, Medical Information and Administration, Evaluation, Health Economics and Policy, Consumer Engagement

SHP Organisations: Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, SLHD, NSLHD, University of Sydney

Get involved

Want to learn more? Sign up to the Virtual Care CAG mailing list here. 

Interested in collaborating? Get in touch with the CAG here.