2026 Speakers

Amsterdam University Medical Center

READ BIO

Joost Verhoeff MD PhD is Professor and Head of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Amsterdam UMC—one of Europe’s largest radiotherapy centers where he leads a multidisciplinary team advancing precision cancer care. He also serves on the executive board of Cancer Center Amsterdam, the Supervisory Board of Radiotherapiegroep, and he chairs the Radiation Oncology Science Council (ROSC) of the EORTC.

His clinical and research work focuses on brain tumors, lung cancer, and cardiac arrhythmias (STOPSTORM.eu), leveraging high-precision radiotherapy and MR-Linac innovation to deliver personalized, quality-of-life-centered treatments.

Professor Verhoeff’s leadership in redefining radiotherapy standards aligns closely with TROG 2026’s theme, “Driving Intelligent Trials”, particularly the Precision & Performance sub-theme on AI-enabled and efficient trial designs. His EORTC collaborations underscore the importance of international synergy—fittingly resonating with the new TROG–EORTC MOU and the shared ambition to co-develop smarter, globally connected clinical research.

Western Sydney Local Health District

Read Bio

Verity is the Director of Radiation Oncology Network in WSLHD. Her clinical practice is in breast and paediatric radiation oncology. Over the last few years, she has worked to bring particle therapy to Australia. She was the inaugural Chair of the RANZCR Particle Therapy Special Interest Group and has been involved in various national committees for particle therapy.

Princess Alexandra Hospital

Read More

Dr Revadhi (Rev) Chelvarajah is a Radiation Oncologist at Princess Alexandra Hospital QLD, with clinical interests in head and neck cancers, haematological malignancies, and palliative radiation. Following completion of training in 2023, she undertook three subspecialty clinical fellowships; Gamma Knife Fellowship at the Princess Alexandra Hospital QLD (2023), Head and Neck Radiation Oncology (2024) and Oligometastatic Stereotactic and Palliative Radiation (2025) at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Canada. She is an active member of TROG Head and Neck Working Group. Her research interests include clinical head and neck research, medical education, and implementation science including knowledge translation in oncology care.

UNSW Sydney & Prince of Wales Hospital

READ BIO

Dr Boon H Chua is Professor of Medicine at UNSW Sydney, and Consultant Radiation Oncologist and Director of Cancer and Hematology Services at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, Australia.

With clinical and academic sub-specialization in breast cancer, Dr Chua leads an expanding program of academic oncology research in collaboration with cooperative clinical trials groups worldwide. She is International Study Chair of EXPERT, a 1176-patient randomized trial examining biomarker-directed, personalized radiotherapy for patients with molecularly characterized luminal-A breast cancer in partnership with Breast Cancer Trials-Australia and New Zealand and eight major cooperative clinical trials groups in Europe, Asia and South America. Dr Chua is also International Study Chair of a 1608-patient, randomized trial evaluating radiation dose-fractionation in patients with high-risk ductal carcinoma in-situ of the breast in collaboration with the Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG), Breast International Group (BIG), Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG), European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), Scottish Cancer Trials Breast Group, International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG), and Cancer Trials Ireland (CTI). She is International Study Co-Chair of the 1832-patient, randomized trial of regional nodal RT in early breast cancer (MA.20) in collaboration with CCTG and US National Cancer Institute, and Australian Study Chair of the 1607-patient, randomized trial of post-mastectomy radiotherapy in women with intermediate-risk early breast cancer (SUPREMO) in collaboration with the UK Medical Research Council and EORTC.

Dr Chua holds leadership positions in a range of national and international research and professional organizations. She has been elected Executive Board member of the Breast International Group (BIG); European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Education Faculty member; Scientific Advisory Committee member of Breast Cancer Trials-Australia and New Zealand; and immediate past co-Chair of the BIG–US National Cancer Institute’s National Clinical Trials Network Alliance meetings, and ESMO Congress Scientific Committee member.

La Trobe University

READ BIO

Dr Thu Ha Dang is a Research Fellow at La Trobe University with a background in medicine, public health, and digital health. Her research focuses on applying digital technologies to improve chronic disease management, with a strong emphasis on cancer. She has led and contributed to multiple cancer research projects, including studies on oral anti-cancer medication adherence and supportive care needs across the cancer continuum. She has extensive experience in qualitative and mixed-methods research, as well as co-design and evaluation of digital health interventions. She has authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications and contributed to nearly AU$8.5 million in research funding.

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

READ BIO

Professor Peter Gibbs is a laboratory head at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and medical oncologist at Western Health. His research leverages clinical registry data and patient samples to enable broad range of data related and translational research. His personal focus is on colorectal cancer, including co-leading large studies of ctDNA informed therapy for early-stage colorectal cancer. Other clinicians in his laboratory lead data and translational research across multiple tumour types.

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

READ BIO

Dr Neda Haghighi graduated from the faculty of health sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. After gaining the FRANZCR, she completed an extended fellowship in intra-cranial and extra-cranial Stereotactic Radiotherapy at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.

She leads the Victorian Gamma Knife service and the neuro-oncology unit at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and holds a position as a senior Radiation Oncologist at Icon Cancer Centre since 2013. Dr Haghighi is a primary investigator and co-investigator of international and local clinical trials, relating to radiation treatment and radiosurgery for primary and secondary brain tumors. Dr Haghighi has published several peer reviewed journal articles in high impact neuro-oncology journals. She is an active member of International Society of Radiosurgery (ISRS), International Radiosurgery Research Foundation (IRRF), Trans Tasmanian Radiation Oncology Group (TROG), and Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology (COGNO). Dr Haghighi chairs the Stereotactic Interest Group of Australasia (SIGA) and is a committee member on CNS disease specific interest groups. She possesses superior knowledge in management of tumors of the brain and spine with special interest in radiosurgery for the treatment of skull base tumors as well as functional neurological disorders.

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

READ BIO

A/Prof. Hardcastle is a medical physicist and Physical Sciences Research Lead at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. A/Prof. Hardcastle’s research interests include stereotactic ablative body radiation therapy and use of artificial intelligence in cancer imaging and treatment. He currently chairs the TROG New Techniques and Technologies Committee, and has extensive experience in evaluating novel technologies through clinical trials.

Westmead and Blacktown Hospitals

READ BIO

Eric Hau is a radiation oncologist at Westmead and Blacktown Hospitals with an interest in lung and brain cancer.

GenesisCare

READ BIO

Dr Michael Jameson is the Head of Innovations for GenesisCare, adjunct associate professor at University of New South Wales and honorary associate professor at University of Wollongong.

Image X Institute, University of Sydney

READ BIO

Professor Paul Keall is an NHMRC Leadership Fellow and Director of the Image X Institute, a centre for innovation in radiation therapy and cancer imaging technologies at the University of Sydney. Technologies developed at the Image X Institute have been assessed in clinical trials such as the TROG 15.01 Stereotactic Prostate Adaptive Radiotherapy utilising KIM (Kilovoltage Intrafraction Monitoring) SPARK and TROG 17.03 Liver Ablative Radiotherapy utilizing Kilovoltage intrafraction monitoring (KIM) trials. Professor Keall works closely with industry partners to broadly apply research discoveries to have a real-world impact on the lives and livelihoods of cancer patients.

Royal North Shore Hospital

READ BIO

A/Prof Gillian Lamoury is a Senior Staff Specialist, Radiation Oncologist at Royal North Shore Hospital, and a VMO at GenesisCare, the Mater Hospital, Frenchs Forest, and North Shore Health Hub with a subspecialty interest in the treatment of breast cancer.

Gillian is Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Sydney, keenly involved in education, teaching, and research. She is Principal Investigator on several international, national, and investigator-led trials at Royal North Shore Hospital and the Mater Hospital.

She is passionate about patient-centred and evidence-based care, including the delivery of high-quality treatments through advanced radiation therapy techniques for breast cancer.

Her philanthropic interests and passion for equitable access to high-quality cancer treatments led her to accept a Board position on the GenesisCare Foundation in 2020.

In 2025, she was appointed to the Board of Pratham Australia, a volunteer run, non-profit, charitable organisation whose vision is to end the cycle of poverty in India by providing access to education.

Gillian advocates for better patient care through her work with several important strategic groups. She was the inaugural Chair of the Breast Interest Group - Faculty of Radiation Oncology (BIG-FRO), which aims to promote best practice for breast cancer management, and to enhance the profile of radiation oncology for treating breast cancer. She is the recent past Chair of the Breast Cancer Advisory Group (Cancer Australia 2018 -2020) and is a member of the Clinical Advisory Group for Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA).

Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital

READ BIO

A/Prof Penny Mackenzie is the Director of Radiation Oncology at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital and is a Head and Neck, Breast and Haematologic Radiation Oncologist. Penny has also completed a PhD on Geriatric Oncology and Radiotherapy Utilisation. Penny is the Chair of the Geriatric Oncology Subcommittee at the Cancer Alliance Queensland and is a previous Chair of the EviQ Radiation Oncology Reference Committee.

The University of Melbourne

READ BIO

Bruce Mann is Professor of Surgery at the University of Melbourne, and Director of the Breast Surgery Research at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. He is also Director of Research at Breast Cancer Trials – Australia and New Zealand’s cooperative breast cancer clinical trials organisation.  His interests relate to systems for optimal breast cancer care and research to improve early diagnosis and tailor the extent of breast cancer treatment to the individual patient.

Cancer Voices NSW

READ BIO

Murray is Deputy Chair and Secretary of Cancer Voices NSW and a board member of Health Consumers NSW (the state’s peak health consumer organisation). Previously, he worked voluntarily for Cancer Council NSW, focusing on policy and advocacy on the NSW Central Coast.

He is also a consumer representative on the Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology (TROG) Cancer Research Board, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) Faculty of Radiation Oncology Council and Artificial Intelligence Committee, the Australian Cancer Data Network Translational Panel and the Sydney Health Partners Consumer Advisory Panel.

His personal cancer experiences include the death of his long-term partner from pancreatic cancer in 2007, and successful surgical intervention for prostate cancer in 2009.

Murray’s particular interests build on his career in the NSW public sector, focussing on working with decision makers and on policy development and implementation in the education and work health and safety environments, and his involvement over many years with Sydney’s LGBTQ+ communities, including as president of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and chair of the board of the Sydney Star Observer media company.

He has a Bachelor of Arts, Diploma of Education, and Master of Public Policy.

Austin Health

READ BIO

A/Prof Sweet Ping Ng is Director of Radiation Oncology Research and a consultant radiation oncologist at Austin Health, Melbourne. An early-career academic radiation oncologist, A/Prof Ng specialises in head and neck, brain, and upper gastrointestinal cancers.

She completed her PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2021, where she evaluated imaging biomarkers to enhance personalised radiotherapy, and was nominated for the Chancellor’s Prize. Her research program is centred on precision radiation oncology, integrating advanced quantitative imaging biomarkers, MR-guided and adaptive radiotherapy, and novel technologies to optimise dose delivery, refine risk stratification, and improve patient outcomes. She is the global lead for the MR-Linac Consortium Head and Neck Group and led the clinical implementation of the Victorian statewide MR-Linac service, treating the first head and neck and glioblastoma patients in the Asia–Pacific region.

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

READ BIO

Allison Ogden is the Research Consumer Engagement Manager at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. She connects Peter Mac’s researchers with people who have lived experience of cancer, enabling them to contribute as Lived Experience Advisers on research projects.

Each year, Allison responds to more than 90 requests from researchers seeking consumer involvement, often drawing on Peter Mac’s Consumer Register of over 350 members. Her role focuses on education, building trust, and strengthening partnerships between researchers and the community.

Alfred Health

READ BIO

Prof Wee Loon Ong is a Radiation Oncologist subspecialising in prostate cancer care at the Alfred Health, Latrobe Regional Health and Barwon Health. He is an Adjunct Clinical Professor at Monash University School of Translational Medicine. Following radiation oncology training in Melbourne, he completed a prostate fellowship at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto and is highly trained in all aspects of prostate radiation therapy including brachytherapy and stereotactic ablative body radiation therapy (SABR). He is currently the Prostate SABR Lead and co-PI for multiple phase 2 prostate SABR trials at the Alfred Health. He is the current Chair of the Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology (TROG) Genitourinary Working Party, and the Australian PI of the MRFF-funded NRG-Oncology GU013/ HIGH-FIVE trial. He is an executive committee member of the RANZCR Faculty of Radiation Oncology Genitourinary Group (FROGG).

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

READ BIO

Vanessa Panettieri PhD is an accredited Senior Medical Physicist currently working at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre with 20 years of experience in Radiation Oncology, and Adjunct Associate Professor at Monash University and Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne (Australia). Prior to moving to Australia in 2010 Vanessa has worked as Research Medical Physicist at the Karolinska Hospital in Sweden and Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in the UK, focusing on treatment planning calculations in the context of SBRT and biologically-based clinical trials. Vanessa has contributed to more than 45 publications in peer-reviewed journals, and her current research interests are in predictive modelling, automated planning and advanced imaging for treatment individualisation.

Caledonian Clinical Training

READ BIO

Following graduation from the University of Aberdeen with an honours degree in Microbiology, Eleanor commenced work in the pharmaceutical industry and has worked in both pre-clinical drug development and clinical research roles since 1986. For the past 29 years she has specialised in quality management activities including clinical research training, clinical trials auditing, and process improvement activities such as gap analyses and process development. Eleanor has run her own quality management and training consultancy, Caledonian Clinical Training, since October 2000 and has worked with diverse groups including pharmaceutical and biotechnology sponsors, universities, collaborative research groups, medical institutes, and ethics committees/research governance offices to support their process improvements.

St George Hospital Cancer Care Centre, Sydney

READ BIO

A/Prof. Poder is a clinical medical physicist specializing in radiation oncology at St George Hospital Cancer Care Centre in Sydney, Australia. He leads multiple initiatives advancing prostate brachytherapy quality assurance, imaging integration, and global practice benchmarking. Joel’s research spans brachytherapy source tracking, PSMA PET radiomics, and clinical implementation studies, with active collaborations across Australia, Europe, and North America. He holds academic appointments with UNSW, the University of Sydney, and the University of Wollongong, where he supervises graduate research in applied medical physics. Joel contributes to international professional societies and task groups, including the Australasian Brachytherapy Group and the AAPM.

Mātai

READ BIO

Leigh Potter (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu) is Chief Operations Officer and co-founder of Mātai, a not-for-profit medical research institute based in Tairāwhiti - Gisborne, New Zealand.

With nearly 30 years’ experience in medical imaging, Leigh works at the intersection of clinical practice, research, and operational leadership. She has played a central role in building Mātai Institute’s MRI clinical and research capability, supporting work that brings together imaging and computational modelling with engineering, data science, and artificial intelligence to uplift health outcomes.

Leigh is deeply committed to advancing health equity, particularly for Māori (indigenous peoples), and to ensuring that research and innovation are culturally grounded, community-led, and translate into real-world benefit for whānau. She brings a practical, systems-focused perspective to leadership, shaped by decades of clinical experience and a strong belief in collaboration and capability-building.

Mātai

READ BIO

Daniel has an AB in Physics from Princeton University and a Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Maryland, both with High Honors.  He completed his medical internship at the University of California, San DIego; his residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston (a Harvard Hospital) , and an imaging fellowship in Body MRI at Yale-New Haven Hospital. 

Prior to coming to New Zealand, Daniel was the Chief of Abdominal MRI and Associate Professor of Radiology at Yale University and specialized in body, non-invasive cardiovascular, and emergency radiology.  Since arriving in New Zealand in 2015, Daniel has introduced multiple new imaging services to Gisborne Hospital (including Cardiac CTA/MRI, stroke perfusion, and prostate MRI). Daniel has considerable experience teaching, testing new imaging tools and experiment design, and in evaluating new imaging technologies.

University of Auckland

READ BIO

Dr Reynolds is a Senior Research Fellow at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute at the University of Auckland (UoA) in New Zealand. She established a Cancer Imaging Research Group at the ABI in 2019, which focuses on developing bioengineering tools and technologies to enable precision oncology. She has carried out multidisciplinary research into cancers of the skin, breast, prostate, and kidney, and has led projects developing novel imaging devices for lymphoedema and computational fluid dynamic models of the lymphatic system. She obtained her PhD in Bioengineering at UoA in 2009, followed by a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship position at the ABI and then seven years (2011-2018) as a Research Fellow at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne. She is the New Zealand lead of the Biologically targeted Radiation Therapy (BiRT) project, and Chief Investigator on the SI-BiRT clinical trial being run at Auckland City Hospital, which is developing MRI-based biomarkers to assess treatment response to prostate SABR. She has supervised multiple PhD and Masters students and has been awarded over $4 million in external research funding as principal investigator.

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

READ BIO

Dr Sinéad Cleary is the skin cancer radiation oncology fellow at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne. A graduate of Trinity College Dublin, she completed her core medical training in 2018 and subsequently completed specialist training in radiation oncology at St. Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network in Dublin and University Hospital Galway in Ireland. She became a fellow of the Faculty of Radiologists and Radiation Oncologist in Ireland in 2023. Throughout her training, she was the recipient of awards for evidence-based research in regional nodal irradiation in breast cancer and for her academic performance in the final fellowship examinations. Sinead is currently undertaking subspecialist training in Australia. Her professional interests include evidence-based oncology practice, skin cancer and breast cancer. When not working she enjoys exploring Melbourne by bike with her husband and 2-year-old daughter. 

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

READ BIO

Dr Karen Olden is an Irish-trained Radiation Oncologist currently completing fellowship training at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne. She completed specialist training in Ireland in 2024. She undertook a Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology Fellowship at Peter Mac from August 2024 to August 2025. She is currently completing a Breast Radiation Oncology Fellowship from August 2025. She is presenting at the TROG ASM to promote and support recruitment to an Australia and New Zealand practice-pattern survey examining radiotherapy decision-making after neoadjuvant systemic therapy in patients with initially node-positive breast cancer who convert to ypN0. The survey explores current practice in the context of NSABP B-51/TROG 1304.

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

READ BIO

For the last 15 years, I have worked in human research ethics and governance at the Peter Mac.  I previously worked in the areas of intellectual property, tertiary education, and laboratory research.

Human research ethics and governance has seen many changes over these 15 years: the separation of ethical review from governance review to enable the introduction of multisite ethical review; introduction and scale up of multisite ethical review, starting from clinical trials only and Victorian public hospitals only, to now encompassing any type of human research at any public hospital across Australia; and of course everchanging research protocol designs using everchanging interventions and technologies.

Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute

READ BIO

Head, Tumour Targeting Laboratory

Co-Director, Centre for Research Excellence in Brain Cancer

Director, Department Of Molecular Imaging And Therapy, Austin Health

Prof. Andrew Scott leads the Tumour Targeting Laboratory at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and co-Director, Centre for Research Excellence in Brain Cancer; is Director, Department of Molecular Imaging and Therapy, Austin Health; and is Professor, La Trobe University and The University of Melbourne.

His clinical and research interests are focused on developing innovative strategies for targeted therapy of cancer (particularly with monoclonal antibodies), molecular imaging in oncology, and global advocacy in Oncology and Nuclear Medicine. His laboratory has been involved in the preclinical development and first-in-man trials of numerous recombinant antibodies in cancer patients, and seven antibodies developed in his laboratory have been licenced to Biotech and Pharma companies, and have entered Phase I/II/III trials. He has published over 480 peer reviewed papers and 27 book chapters, is an inventor on 25 patents, and is a founder of a biotech company.

Prof Scott is actively involved in the training and mentoring of young scientists and clinicians, and is currently supervising several doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows and nuclear medicine trainees.

Another focus of his work is strategic planning for training, health care policy, and molecular imaging and nuclear medicine therapy advocacy within the US, European, South American, Asia-Oceania, and African regions, as well as with the IAEA and WHO and he also participates in policy and governance activities with the Australian Government. Prof Scott is former president of the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology, the peak global nuclear medicine organisation. In 2017 he was awarded Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia, and elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. In 2022 Prof Scott received the Saul Hertz award from SNNMI and Ajit Padhy award from WARMTH. In 2023 he received the Telix Award from ANZSNM, and in 2024 Prof Scott was elected Fellow, Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, USA

Townsville University Hospital

READ BIO

Justin is a radiation oncology registrar working in Queensland with an interest in head and neck and genitourinary cancers. His current research focuses on survivorship and quality improvement projects within these tumour streams.

The National University Cancer Institute, Singapore

READ BIO

Dr Soon is a Senior Consultant in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the National University Cancer Institute in Singapore. He graduated from the University of Sydney Medical School in 2009 and completed his Radiation Oncology residency at the National University Cancer Institute in October 2016. He also spent six months of his residency at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Australia. In May 2018, he earned a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from Harvard University. In June 2025, he completed a PhD in clinical trial methodology at the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, and in December 2025, he earned a Master's degree in Biostatistics. Dr Soon has a strong interest in lung cancer research, clinical trials, and evidence synthesis.

Mayo Clinic

READ BIO

Dr. Mark Waddle is an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at Mayo Clinic and a nationally recognized leader in the practical application of artificial intelligence in radiation oncology. He serves as Physician Chair of the Artificial Intelligence Task Force for the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and represents Radiation Oncology on the American Medical Association’s (AMA) AI Specialty Society Collaborative.

At Mayo Clinic, Dr. Waddle leads departmental initiatives integrating advanced machine learning, data-driven decision support, and workflow optimization into clinical cancer care. He is a key contributor to RadOncGPT and to the application of large language models to improve clinical efficiency, enable standardized data capture, and streamline documentation.

Dr. Waddle plays a pivotal role in shaping policy, safety standards, and best practices for the responsible use of AI in medicine. He is a frequent invited speaker at national and international forums on artificial intelligence in oncology.

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

READ BIO

Dr Wallace is a radiation oncologist at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and recently appointed deputy chair of the TROG lung working party. His clinical practice is at the Peter Mac Box Hill campus at Eastern Health and he has an educational role at the University of Melbourne within its Masters in Cancer Sciences programme. His current research focuses include SABR for NSCLC and lung oligometastases and optimisation of care for patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC.

University of Adelaide & South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI)

READ BIO

Connor Williams is a postdoctoral researcher in the Supportive Oncology Research Group at the University of Adelaide and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). His research focuses on improving the health and wellbeing of people living with or beyond cancer, with a particular emphasis on understanding and reducing off-target toxicities associated with radiotherapy. Using a combination of laboratory-based and clinical research approaches, his work aims to minimise the physical, emotional, and economic consequences of cancer and its treatment by developing innovative supportive care strategies.

The Grants Guy

READ BIO

‍Specialising in Funding Consultancy & Business Storytelling, Keith Whelan provides high level assistance to the University Sector, in planning for and accessing extra income streams as well as developing their own respective narrative.

‍Keith has worked in the Tertiary Education sector in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

He has consulted with and taught at a number of Universities in Australia such as ANU Canberra, University of Adelaide, University of Sydney, UTS, University of Newcastle, Macquarie University and Massey University in New Zealand. ‍ ‍

He has worked with numerous Universities in assisting get “Grants Ready”, preparing articulate grant applications by undertaking pre-emptive work.

‍He presently facilitates courses for University Research Offices, Post-Docs and Post-Grads in how to attract funding through Grants, Crowd Funding, Sponsorship, Fundraising and Bequests and assists Schools to understand the value of their product and how to sell it.

Website:  www.thegrantsguy.com.au
Twitter:   http://twitter.com/thegrantsguy
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/The-Grants-Guy
E-mail:  keith@thegrantsguy.com.au
Mobile:  0408 967481

RMIT University

READ BIO

Professor Ricky O'Brien is the Deputy Dean of Research within the school of Health and Biomedical Sciences at RMIT University. He leads large scale NHMRC grants (NHMRC Synergy, Ideas and Development grants) developing new imaging techniques and devices in radiotherapy and medical imaging. His primary research focus is on tumour segmentation, image reconstruction and imaging dynamically moving or changing anatomy.  In recent years, AI has come to the forefront in the research space. Although AI offers the ability to do things more efficiently, it also opens up the possibility of new treatment and imaging approaches that will need careful deployment and testing in clinical practice.

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

READ BIO

Sudhir is a Consumer Advisor at Peter Mac, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre and WCMICS. Drawing on his lived experience of three primary cancers along with decades-long work experience in the field of professional communication and doctoral studies on management of communication, he works to make patient care and cancer research more person centred. 

Sudhir’s advocacy includes ongoing membership in two cancer research advisory groups, peer mentoring, contributions to over 30 cancer research and educational projects, media appearances, fundraising, talks to researchers and clinicians and addressing the Victorian health minister on patients’ perspectives. He also participated in a panel discussion of BCNA during COSA 2025 at Adelaide. 

Sudhir has also founded a charity for children with cancer from slums in India and authored an eBook on his lived experience of oral cancer.