OBSERVATIONS IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF ORAL CANCER OVER THE PAST 45 YEARS Lessons remain in identifying malignant disorders and prevention across health settings
With
Professor Peter Thomson,
Head of Dentistry and Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences
James Cook University, Cairns
SEGMENT
Filmed in the Gold Coast | May 2026
Peter Thomson is Academic Head of Dentistry and Professor of Oral & Maxillofacial Sciences in the College of Medicine & Dentistry at James Cook University, Australia. A UK and Australian specialist in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Oral Medicine, he qualified BDS from Manchester University and MBBS from Newcastle upon Tyne, gaining Fellowships in Dental Surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, Ireland and Glasgow and a Fellowship in Surgery from Edinburgh, specializing in Head & Neck Oncology.
He completed MSc and PhD degrees in epithelial biology and cancer research at Manchester University, where he was Lecturer, before returning to Newcastle in 1996 as Professor of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. In 2009, he was appointed Hunterian Professor at the Royal College of Surgeons of England and in 2011 King James IV Professor at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. In 2014, he gained a Manchester Higher Doctorate (DDSc) for oral oncology research, and in 2016 an MD from the University of Bath for his thesis on interventional management of potentially malignant disorders.
Developing an extensive international profile, Peter was appointed Visiting Professor at the National University of Singapore in 2014 before joining the University of Queensland’s School of Dentistry as Professor of Maxillofacial Surgery & Academic Clinical Director in 2016. He was recruited to The University of Hong Kong in October 2017 to become Associate Dean at the Faculty of Dentistry and Director of the Prince Philip Dental Hospital. He has also held Academic Head and Dean of Dentistry positions at the University of Central Lancashire, UK and Griffith University in Australia. He was invited to join James Cook University as Head of Dentistry in 2021.
Author of more than 350 research papers and 2 oral cancer textbooks, Peter is an internationally recognised authority in oncology, population health and dental education. His research emphasis encompasses oral carcinogenesis, epithelial cell biology, and the early diagnosis and interventional management of cancer.
Source: James Cook University website
Media access credit: Oral Health Association of Australia (OHAA)
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Addressing Wound Management
The cost of chronic wounds in Australia is estimated to be $3 Billion per year, impacting 420,000 Australians. Not only is this a national economic concern, but more importantly, is the suffering the person may be going through.
Australian Health Journal met with Hayley Ryan, Board Director and Chair at Wounds Australia and Director at WoundRescue to hear her work in chronic wound management, palliative wounds and pressure injury prevention to comfort those living with a wound.
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Developing the nation’s first Health and Medical Research Strategy
Professor Steve Wesselingh serves as the CEO of NHMRC, having initially trained as an infectious diseases doctor. His career includes prominent roles such as Head of the Infectious Diseases Unit at the Alfred Hospital, Director of the Burnett, Dean of Medicine at Monash University, and the inaugural Director of SAHMRI. Under his leadership, NHMRC plays a critical role in funding health and medical research, allocating approximately a billion dollars annually to investigator-led projects, clinical trials, and various strategic initiatives. NHMRC also collaborates internationally with organisations such as the MRC and the EU, and manages grant allocation for the MRFF, which distributes $650 million each year.
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Belonging in a medical device company
Edith de Boer is the HR Director for Zimmer Biomet in Australia and New Zealand. Her career originally was in telecommunications and consulting in Europe. After leaving The Netherlands, Edith worked into the Australian medical research industry, before moving into a human resources role at Zimmer Biomet. Edith spoke to Australian Health Journal about her role and the organisation.
