Director, Department of Medical Oncology, RBWH

Qualifications: MBBS (Hons), University of Qld, 1987; RACP Advanced Training in Medical Oncology, 1996; Fellowship of Royal Australian College of Physicians (FRACP), 1996.

Current Appointments:

• Associate Professor, School of Medicine, University of Queensland (UQ)
• Adjunct Associate Professor, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
• Affiliate, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

A/Prof Wyld is a Medical Oncologist who has practiced as a staff specialist (currently Eminent status) at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) for over 20 years, after having undertaken an ICRF Cancer Research Fellowship in Leeds, UK, in 1996-97. He has been the Director of Medical Oncology at RBWH for 20 years, during which time he has overseen the development of the large, highly regarded Medical Oncology clinical trials unit at RBWH, and has managed the unit continuously for almost 20 years. Over the last 20 years as a full-time practicing cancer clinician at RBWH, A/Prof Wyld has maintained an active research focus, predominantly in the area of clinical research, including a major focus on clinical trials (see below). A/Prof Wyld’s research involvement over 20 years has been broad, but with a particular focus on gastrointestinal cancers, gynaecologic malignancies and qualitative patient-focused research. His current major research interests are in the area of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs), pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer and the area of supportive care, survivorship and qualitative patient focused research. He also has a long history of mentoring staff in clinical research and a proven track record of research collaboration.

Executive Director, Cancer Care Services, RBWH Senior Staff Specialist, Department of Haematology, RBWH

A/Prof Glen Kennedy is a Haematologist who specialises in the treatment of malignant haematological disorders including bone marrow / stem cell transplantation.

A/Prof Kennedy began his specialty training in combined clinical haematology and haematology pathology in 1999, and was admitted to the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in late 2002 and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia in early 2003.

In 2003 A/Prof Kennedy undertook a Clinical Fellowship at the Peter McCallum Cancer Institute in Melbourne, Victoria, in areas of malignant and transplant haematology. To date, A/Prof Kennedy has authored or co-authored over 60 peer reviewed publications, over 100 abstracts at national and international meetings, and developed and managed several local investigator initiated studies in haematology and bone marrow transplantation.

In late 2003 A/Prof Kennedy returned to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and was appointed Deputy Director of the Department of Haematology in 2007. Since 2004 he has conducted regional services in haematology at the Rockhampton Hospital and gained his academic title via the University of Queensland School of Medicine in 2010.

Principal Research Fellow, Queensland University of Technology

Natalie is a Principal Research Fellow with QUT based at the Centre for Children’s Health Research. She has a clinical background as nurse specialising in paediatric oncology and palliative care. Natalie completed her PhD thesis on investigating the use of home telehealth to connect specialist teams with children needing palliative care, their families and local healthcare providers.  Her current program of work includes collaborative projects exploring the use of technology in communication and symptom management for children and adolescent cancer and palliative care. In 2019 Natalie was awarded an NHMRC Investigator Fellowship.

Projects

• The effects of bundled interventions on clinical practice for fertility preservation amongst young cancer patients

Gynecological Cancers Group Leader, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Prof Penelope Webb‘s research interests cover all aspects of the epidemiology of ovarian and endometrial cancer from aetiology and prevention, to diagnosis, patterns of care, quality of life and survival. A particular focus is on the role of environmental (non-genetic) factors in the causation of cancer and also the development of sequelae and survival after a diagnosis of cancer.

Much of this work is conducted within two national population-based studies, the Australian Ovarian Cancer Study (AOCS, 2002-6) and Australian National Endometrial Cancer Study (ANECS, 2007-9), and within two international consortia, the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC) and Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium (E2C2). A 24-month follow-up for the Ovarian Cancer Prognosis and Lifestyle (OPAL) Study was recently completed in which we are investigating whether modifiable aspects of lifestyle are associated with outcomes following a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. As well as this, approval has been obtained for a new project using data-linkage to assess the relation between medication use and cancer risk and outcomes.

Behavioural Scientist, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

A/Prof Vanessa Beesley has dedicated over a decade to working in the specialised field of patient-reported outcomes in cancer research. A/Prof Beesley is passionate about person-centred care, based on these outcomes. A/Prof Beesley’s work spans across many tumour streams including patients and carers affected by ovarian, endometrial, pancreatic, colorectal cancer, neuroendocrine tumours and melanoma. A/Prof Beesley has been a chief investigator of nine patient-reported outcome studies funded through major national schemes or specialist agencies, published over 50 scientific articles, held multiple Cancer Australia contracts to provide recommendations to government. A/Prof Beesley has substantive expertise in analysis of patient-reported outcome data and have co-written a manual on this topic. A/Prof Beesley has personally led both observational studies and clinical trials to provide evidence about ways to improve the management and outcomes for people affected by cancer.