About me

I’m the Foundation Chair in Neurology, a joint position between Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch University and Notre Dame University Australia, and Head of Neuromuscular Clinic, Neuromuscular and Myositis research at the Perron Institute, Western Australia. In July 2025, I was also appointed Medical Director at the Perron Institute.

From 2014 - 2019 I was the Head of Neurology Department at the new Fiona Stanley Hospital (FSH) until I became the Research Director for the South Metropolitan Health Service.

As a clinical neurologist, I’m passionate about helping people with neuromuscular conditions, with a particular interest in Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM). A vital part of providing the best care possible is partnering with her patients in a research programme to understand their diseases better, identify treatment targets and facilitate participation in clinical trials. I established a translational and experimental research programme, diagnosing and managing patients over time as well as biobanking them. The laboratory programme is performing immunological studies to better understand the role of the immune system in IBM and other forms of myositis, how inflammation links to the ultimate degeneration of muscle and identify new treatment targets.

I have extensive experience with leadership of clinical trials, within the last 5 years I’ve led over 8 clinical trials within Western Australia, supporting both industry-sponsored trials as well as leading investigator-initiated studies (e.g including Bimagrumab in IBM, Abatacept in Myositis, Tecfidera in ALS, Testosterone in IBM).

Links

Awards

Educator of the Year - Notre Dame School of Medicine
Notre Dame University, 2021
Consultant of the Year Award
Fiona Stanley Hospital (Australia, Perth), 2019

Organisational Affiliations

Professor, Personalised Medicine Centre, Murdoch University

Foundation Chair in Neurology, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University

Consultant Neurologist, Fiona Stanley Hospital (Australia, Perth)

Head of Neuromuscular Clinic, Neuromuscular and Myositis Research, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science (Australia, Nedlands) - WANRI

Medical Director, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science

CLINICAL LEAD MEDICAL SPECIALITIES, South Metropolitan Health Services

Past Affiliations

Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University

Director of Research, South Metropolitan Health Service (Australia, Perth) - SMHS

Education

MBBS
1999, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, University of Sydney (Australia, Sydney) - USYD
FRACP
2006, Fellow of Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Royal Australasian College of Physicians (Australia, Sydney) - RACP
PhD
2009, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Western Australia (Australia, Perth) - UWA