RESEARCHER PROFILE
Dr Rikki Jones (Filmed July 2024)
Senior Lecturer in Nursing
University of New England,
New South Wales, Australia
Dr Rikki Jones completed her Bachelor of Nursing degree at the University of New England (UNE) in 2000 and a Ph.D in Nursing at UNE in 2021. She has over 17 years of clinical nursing experience in emergency nursing, community health, rural and remote nursing, and theatre nursing. Since undertaking her role at UNE in 2017, Dr Jones has gained extensive experience in curriculum development/design, unit coordination, and is passionate quality meaningful research and student support.
At UNE, Dr Jones has been actively involved in and undertaking leadership roles in research, teaching and student support. Dr Jones is the HDR (higher degree research) coordinator for the School of Health (SOH), and the Chair of Research Committee SOH. Recently she has been awarded an MRFF (Medical Research Future Funds)- Early to Mid-Career Researcher Initiative 2023 for her research focusing on regional, rural and remote first responders’ mental health.
Dr Jones has been awarded to date a total of over AUD$430,000 in research funding. She is currently leading four large national research teams focusing on rural health and sustainable rural health workforce (include mental health of first responders, sexual violence in rural Australia, virtual simulated nursing placements, and nursing students experience with online learning, connection and transitioning to practice).
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Liver cancer biomarkers, risk prediction & progression
Dr. Rodrigo Carlessi is an expert in Cancer Genomics and Molecular Biology, with an extensive track record in liver cancer research. He leads the Cancer Genomics Group within the Liver Disease and Regeneration Laboratory at the Curtin Medical Research Institute. He has an impressive publication record, with 43 manuscripts that have collectively garnered over 2,680 citations. His research leverages cutting-edge genomics and transcriptomics technologies, as well as long-read DNA sequencing, to explore mechanisms, identify biomarkers, and develop therapeutic targets in liver disease and cancer.
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Exercise therapy for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease
Dr Shelley Keating is a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology and Accredited Exercise Physiologist from the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland. With a strong grounding in exercise metabolism and body composition, Dr Keating’s research centres on the utility of exercise as a therapy for obesity and related cardiometabolic conditions, notably metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
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At the frontier of human cellular neuroscience research
Associate Professor Cedric Bardy is the Director of The Laboratory for Human Neurophysiology, Genetics & Stem Cells, located at SAHMRI. South Australia.
His current research uses preclinical, patient-derived cell models to test innovative therapeutic strategies, with a current focus on Parkinson’s disease, brain cancer and childhood dementia (Sanfilippo syndrome).
His work has established a platform to facilitate the discovery and validation of treatments for brain disorders. Their research is at the frontier of human cellular neuroscience research and translational applications that benefit global public health.
