Chief Executive Officer : Jeff Dunn

General Manager, Research: Suzanne Chambers

Director, Cancer Registries: Joanne Aitken

Executive Manager, Research: Phillippa Youl

Biostatistician,

Senior Research Fellow:

Project Managers:

Qualifications: PhD
Job title: Director, Cancer Registries

Background: Associate Professor Joanne Aitken is the Director of the Queensland Cancer Registry. Joanne holds a joint appointment with the University of Queensland as Associate Professor in the School of Population Health and an adjunct appointment with the School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology. Joanne is a distinguished research scientist who has worked in the field of cancer epidemiology for the past 15 years. She completed her PhD at the University of Queensland in 1991, a Master of Science in Epidemiology at Harvard University in the same year, and moved to Cancer Council Queensland in 1997 to lead a world-first investigation of early detection of melanoma. Joanne now leads a diverse research program in cancer control.

Research interests: Large-scale population-based studies of the genetic and environmental causes of cancer; to improve our understanding of the prevention of cancer; and to improve methods of early detection of cancer.

Current research projects: Skin clinics and the diagnosis and management of skin cancer in Queensland; Melanoma diagnosis and skin screening in Queensland; Patterns of  melanoma in Queensland; Colorectal cancer and quality of life; Evaluating patterns of cancer care in Queensland; Geographical differentials in cancer incidence and survival in Queensland;  The Australian Paediatric Cancer Registry; The ProsCan Program; Patterns of care and health-related outcomes for men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer in Queensland.

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Qualifications: BSc, MSc in Genetic Counselling (Hons)

Job title: Project Officer

:Background: After completing her honours research project, which looked at the socio-demographic disparities in the uptake of prenatal screening tests, Rachel worked briefly as a Research Assistant at Griffith University for the same study.

Rachel has been with Cancer Council Queensland since February 2007.

Research interests:

Socio-demographic inequalities in health care, cancer epidemiology 

Current research projects:  Melanoma Survivor study; Colorectal Cancer and Quality of Life study (CRCQOL)

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Qualifications: BSc, BApplSc(Hons), MmedSc, PhD, AStat
Job title: Biostatistician, Senior Research Fellow

Background: Peter Baade has a PhD in the area of Social and Preventive Medicine from the University of Queensland. He is responsible for providing statistical and methodological support for the Centre’s research programs, and also to conduct independent research in cancer epidemiology, with a particular focus on descriptive analyses of population-based cancer data. He previously worked for seven years in a government health department as a senior statistician, where he was the lead author on several population-based cancer reports. He also has published a number of peer-reviewed journal articles, both as lead author and co-author, looking at skin cancer, prostate cancer and smoking, as well as methodological issues. Peter is an accredited statistician (Astat) with the Statistical Society of Queensland.

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Qualifications: BSc, MSc

Job title: Project Manager

Background: Tanuja joined Cancer Council Queensland in 2008.  She has a multi-disciplinary background in socio-cultural research and currently manages the Sun Exposure, Vitamin D and Outcome of Prostate Cancer Study.    

Research interests: Tanuja has wide ranging research interests, including disease prevention; improving the understanding of the psycho-social experiences and care of cancer patients and their families. 

Current research projects: Prostate Cancer Research Program (ProsCan)

Job Title: Health Coach, CanChange

Background:  Sue worked for many years as an RN in oncology before joining Cancer Council Queensland in 2003. Sue worked on the Cancer Helpline providing cancer information and support  for 5 years before joining the CanChange team as a Health Coach in 2007.

Research Interests:  Education and support of people diagnosed with cancer; program planning and evaluation; and use of psychotherapies in behavioural change interventions.

Current research projects: CanChange

Qualifications: Dr Med (France),  M Hum Serv (Rehab)

Job title: Health Coach

Background: Dominique started working as a health coach on the ProActive Heart Project in February 2007. Dominique has worked in diabetes clinical research at Princess Alexandra Hospital, in the tertiary rehabilitation sector and more recently at Queensland University of Technology and Monash University on research projects investigating innovative ways to support chronic disease self-management and promote healthy behaviours.

Research interests: Behaviour change and chronic disease self-management.

Current research projects:  Proactive Heart

Job title: Research Support Officer

Background: Lorraine joined Cancer Council Queensland in November 2003 as a telephone interviewer and initially worked on the pilot of the Queensland Cancer Risk Study. Since this time, Lorraine has worked on a number of cancer-related projects as a telephone interviewer and Research Support Officer. In Lorraine’s current role as Research Support Officer she assists with interviewing and data collection for the Prostate Cancer Research Program.

Research interests: Understanding the experiences of cancer survivors, in particular men with prostate cancer.

Current research projects: Prostate Cancer Research Program (ProsCan)

Qualifications: RN, BA, BBehSci (Hons), PhD
Job Title: General Manager, Research

Background:  Professor Suzanne Chambers is the General Manager of Research at Cancer Council Queensland. Suzanne has worked at Cancer Council Queensland since 1989 and over that time has undertaken the development of a broad range of cancer support services and led research in adjustment to breast, gynaecological and prostate cancer, cancer nursing and physician education, peer support in cancer, supportive care interventions, patient decision making and patient education.  

Research interests: Delivering decision-related and psychosocial support services to cancer patient and their families.

Current research projects:

• The ProsCan Program: Patterns of care and health-related outcomes for men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer in Queensland
• The ProsCan Program: Development and evaluation of a new support program for men diagnosed with prostate cancer
• Proscan for CouplesTM : a supportive care intervention that targets the specific challenges couples experience at diagnosis of localised prostate cancer and after radical prostatectomy
• Attitudes to help seeking: predicting use of psychosocial care services

Qualifications:BAppSc(Med Sci), MPH&TM, Grad Cert Sc(Biostats)
Job title: Assistant Data Analyst

Background:

Susanna joined the Cancer Council Queensland in June 2007. She has a background in epidemiology and research. Her role includes assisting with statistical analyses of population-based data and maintaining Queensland Cancer Statistics On-Line (QCSOL).

Research interests: Cancer epidemiology and trends, obesity, small area analysis

Current research projects:

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Job title: QCOG Professional Officer

Background: Heather joined Cancer Council Queensland in 2002 having worked previously in the pharmaceutical industry and business administration.  Providing secretariat support for the Queensland Co-operative Oncology Group (QCOG) and the various Special Interest Groups in breast, colorectal and lung cancer, Heather works with oncologists, surgeons and other specialist physicians to facilitate and promote participation in multicentre collaborative cancer clinical trials in Queensland.   

Current research projects: Cancer Clinical Trial Data Manager Grant Scheme; Lung Cancer Clinical Practice Survey 

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Qualifications: PhD
Job title: Chief Executive Officer

Background: Professor Jeff Dunn is the Chief Executive Officer of Cancer Council Queensland, a long standing and high profile not for profit organisation in Australia.  He holds Professorial appointments with the University of Queensland’s Faculty of Social and Behavioural Science, James Cook University’s Faculty of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences and Griffith University’s School of Public Health.  Jeff maintains a particular interest in supportive care for cancer patients and is actively involved in research in this field. Jeff has published widely and is frequently invited as a speaker to national and international events, and meetings and conferences.

Jeff continues to serve on numerous advisory and planning committees to Cancer Council Australia and the International Union Against Cancer (UICC).  He currently serves, among other things, as the UICC’s Strategic Leader for Capacity Building and Supportive Care and as an Adviser to the Reach to Recovery International Breast Cancer Support Service.  Jeff is also the Chair of the UICC’s Asia Pacific Cancer Society Training Grants Programme (APCASOT) and is one of nine representatives to serve on the Lance Armstrong  Global Campaign Advisory Committee.

Current research projects:

• Peer support and prostate cancer: A three-phase study
• Investigating the unmet supportive care needs of people with brain tumours and their families in Queensland
• Community attitudes to passive smoking in private places
• Documenting the experiences of women in the Amazon Heart Changing Gears motorcycle ride
• The translation of clinical practice guidelines for the psychosocial care of adults with cancer into practice

Qualifications: BSc (Hons)
Job title: Project Manager

Background: Kathy is a psychologist who has being working in research for 15 years. Kathy has worked in couples, health and predominantly mental health research. Kathy currently manages the ProActive Heart project, a telephone based secondary prevention program for patients who have experienced a myocardial-infarction (heart attack).

Research interests : Psychotic disorders and other severe psychiatric disorders, chronic disease management

Current research projects: ProActive Heart

Qualifications: BSc (Hons)
Job title: Senior Research Officer

Background: Megan has more than 14 years experience in psychological and psychosocial research. She joined Cancer Council Queensland in September 2000 after five years in the academic sector. Megan was initially employed by Cancer Council Queensland to manage the Queensland arm of the Australian Melanoma Family Study. In March 2004, she became the Project Manager of the prostate cancer supportive care and patient outcomes (ProsCan) study, a project focusing on both the psychosocial experiences and outcomes of men with prostate cancer and ways to improve their psychosocial care.  In 2006, Megan was promoted to the position of Senior Research Officer and has overseen the development and management of the expanding range of projects in the prostate cancer research program, such as the ProsCan for Couples, ProsCan Partners and Living with Advanced Prostate Cancer (LAPC) projects.      

Research interests: Understanding and predicting psychological and psychosocial distress following a cancer diagnosis. Improving the psychological and psychosocial care of cancer survivors and their families. Cancer support, particularly in relation to prostate cancer.

Current research projects:  Prostate Cancer Research Program; Beating the Blues after Cancer; Psychosocial Care Needs of People with Cancer in The Townsville Hospital

Academic qualifications: Bachelor Degree - Teaching / Certificate IV Assessment and Training in the Workplace 

Job title: Research Support Officer

Background: Julieta joined Cancer Council Queensland in 2008, and has a teaching background. Julieta was a language teacher at the Institute of Modern Languages (UQ) for 12 years, and a High School teacher in Portugal for 6 years. She has worked in different community based organisations, assisting and supporting migrants and refugees within the Child Care Sector.

Research interests Diversity and Cultural Awareness,  Social Behaviour, and Chronic disease management

Current research projects: ProActive Heart; CanChange

Qualifications: BHlthSci (Public Health) (Hons), )PhD

Job title: Project Manager

Background: Sara joined Cancer Council Queensland in early 2007.  She has a PhD from the Queensland University of Technology in public health. Her previous research experience includes profiling the alternative therapies used by menopausal women, assessing the needs of diabetes patients and managing an exercise intervention with breast cancer survivors.

Research interests:  colorectal cancer, development of psychosocial support services

Current research projects: CanChange

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Qualifications: BPsySc

Job title: Research Assistant

Background: Sam has a degree in Psychology from Queensland University of Technology and has just begun his research career. Sam also teaches English as a second language.

Research interests: Measurement, psychometrics, skin cancer prevention and early detection.

Current research projects: Melanoma Case Control Study, Melanoma Survivors Study

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Job title: Nurse Counsellor; Cancer Council Helpline Co-ordinator

Background: Brigid joined Cancer Council Queensland in 1993. She has experience in the delivery of psycho education programs, resource development, and management of the Cancer Helpline.

Brigid is a Nurse Counsellor on the Prostate Cancer Supportive Care and Patient Outcome Project (ProsCan providing a telephone-based psychological intervention to men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer). Brigid also works as a Health Coach on the ProActive Heart project supporting heart attack patients to improve their lifestyle behaviours.

Research interests : Delivery of telephone-based psychosocial and lifestyle interventions

Current research projects: Helping men with prostate cancer make informed choices about their treatment (ProsCan); ProActive Heart; Beating the Blues after Cancer

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Academic qualifications: BSc(Hons), MPH, PhD, Health Coach
Job title: Senior Research Fellow

Background: Anna has a background in public health research and is a qualified Health Coach. She has been researching and working in chronic disease prevention and management for many years for non-government, government and academic organisations. Anna currently leads the Lifestyle and Cancer Research Program in the Viertel Centre for Research in Cancer Control, Cancer Council Queensland. Anna collaborates on a number of research projects within Cancer Council and with external inter/national research organisations.

Research interests: Anna has an interest in translational research for disadvantaged groups, including those disadvantaged by geography or socio-economic status. Anna is particularly interested in developing and trialling innovative models of service delivery, including tele- and web-based delivery, for the management of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Current research projects:

• CanChange
• ProActive Heart
• Colorectal Cancer and Quality of Life Study
•  ‘You can still be hot in the shade: The development and piloting of an educational program to improve sun protective behaviour of young Queenslanders’
• HELP Study: An evaluation of the Cancer Council Queensland Cancer Helpline
• Cognitive and psychosocial functioning, and support needs of those affected by brain tumours
• Closing the divide: Assessing & Navigating the Unmet Supportive Care Needs of Indigenous Cancer Patients.

Qualifications: RN, BA (Psych/Soc), Grad Dip (Psych)

Job title: Research Support Officer

Background: Since starting with Cancer Council Queensland in 2006 Jan has worked on several studies including the Helpline Evaluation, the Townsville Hospital Psychosocial Support Project and the ProActive Heart project.

Research interests:Jan is interested in the psychosocial care and education of cancer patients before, during and after treatment.  Health Promotion; Disease Prevention; Helping support people diagnosed with acute and chronic illnesses; Interventions to improve the Quality of Life of people with acute/chronic diseases.

Current research projects: ProActive Heart, CanChange, Prostate Cancer Research Program

Qualifications:  BAppSc(H.Ed)

Job Title: Health Coach, ProActive Heart

Background:  Bernice has been working for Cancer Council Queensland as a Health Coach since 2008.  Her background is in Health Promotion and she has worked in health education and policy for government departments at both State and Commonwealth level. 

Research Interests:  Lifestyle and health outcomes; program planning and evaluation; and the use of psychotherapies in behaviour change interventions.

Current research projects: ProActive Heart; CanChange

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Qualifications: BBehSci/BCCJ, BPsychSci (Hons), PhD Candidate

Job title: Research Asisstant, Psycho-Oncology Research Unit.

Background: Melissa began working with Cancer Council Queensland in 2007 as part of her honours research project, in which she investigated the effects of peer support on psychological adjustment in a sample of recipients of the Breast Cancer Support Service. Having recently finished her honours thesis, she is currently contributing to the evaluation of this service.

Research interests: Psychological mechanisms involved in the effects of peer support on cancer sufferers, e.g. social support and social comparison processes.

Current research projects: Breast Cancer Support Service Project

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Qualifications: Dip. Tech. Social Work
Job title: Research Support Officer

Background: Helen has been a telephone interviewer for Cancer Council Queensland since 1999.

Research interests:

Current research projects: Melanoma Survivor study; ProActive Heart

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Qualifications:BPsych (Hons)

Job title: Project Manager

Background:  Michelle is currently undertaking her PhD in Psychology at Griffith University, examining how men with a family history of prostate cancer make decisions about testing for the early detection of prostate cancer.  Michelle joined Cancer Council Queensland in November 2005.

Research interests:  Decision-making and reasoning in health decisions

Current research projects: The Prostate Cancer Family Study: examining the risk perceptions and preventive health behaviours of men with a family history of prostate cancer.

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Qualifications: EN, BHlthSc(ComplMed), BHP(c)

Job title: Project Officer

Background: Sharlene has a background in nursing and is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Health Promotion through Central Queensland University. She joined Cancer Council Queensland in 2008. 

Research interests: Sharlene is interested in the psychosocial care and education of cancer patients before, during and after treatment.

Current research projects: Prostate Cancer Research Program

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Qualifications: RN
Job title: Nurse Counsellor

Background: Sylvia worked for a number of years as a Registered Nurse in Oncology and Palliative Care in Rockhampton before commencing with Cancer Council Queensland in 1997 as Community Services Co-ordinator for Central Queensland. Sylvia commenced her current role as Nurse Counsellor with the ProsCan Study in 2005. During her telephone contact she provides decision support, psycho-education and information to men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Research interests: Education and support of people diagnosed with cancer.

Current research projects: ProsCan, ProsCan for Couples, Beating the Blues after Cancer.

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Qualifications: BArts (Visual Arts), BPsych, PhD

Job Title: Senior Research Officer

Background: Bronwyn has spent the last three years undertaking her PhD and has recently submitted her thesis for examination. During her PhD Bronwyn also worked as a lecturer and tutor in undergraduate Psychology courses, particularly in the areas of Health Psychology. Prior to that she was a project co-ordinator, at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, working on large-scale twin studies investigating addictive behaviours.

Research Interest: Bronwyn is interested in psychosocial factors promoting adjustment to cancer diagnosis and treatment. She is particularly interested in posttraumatic growth, or positive life changes, that can be perceived after a diagnosis of cancer. Her research incorporates identification of factors that reduce post-diagnosis distress and promote posttraumatic growth.

Current Research Projects:

• Beating the Blues after Cancer – evaluating the efficacy of support options for distressed callers to the Cancer Helpline; including self-managed care and therapist-delivered care
• Amazon Heart Thunder – exploring the process of personal growth and transformation that many breast cancer survivors experience as a result of taking part in this motorcycle adventure.

Qualifications: BHSc (Public Health); GCertSexH

Job Title: Project Officer

Background: Rhianna began her career as a research assistant on the ‘Investigating Chronic Illness Care in the Community’ study at the University of Queensland. She joined Cancer Council Queensland in January 2009 to work as a project officer on the CanChange project.

Research interests: colorectal cancer, public health and health promotion.

Current Research projects:

CanChange

Qualifications: BBehSci, BPsychSci (Hons)
Job Title: Project Officer

Background: Lauren began working for Cancer Council Queensland as a research assistant on the Prostate Cancer Research Project after completing her Honours research project in psychology in 2007. Lauren is now working as a project officer on the Skin Cancer Management Study, which seeks to investigate how suspicious skin lesions are managed in primary care setting across Queensland.

Research Interests: Skin cancer,  psychological adjustment to cancer diagnosis.

Current research projects: Skin Cancer Management Study

Qualifications: BBus/BHlthSc
Job title: Project Manager

Background: Carla has been with Cancer Council Queensland since 2003 and has worked on a number of projects within the Epidemiology unit. Prior to commencing at Cancer Council Queensland, Carla worked briefly at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research providing assistance to numerous projects. Currently, Carla is working as part of the Skin Cancer Research Programs team.

Research interests: Cancer epidemiology, skin cancer detection and prevention, and cancer outcomes

Current research projects:  Melanoma Survivors Study; Skin Cancer Management Study

Qualifications: BA (Psych), BHSc, MPH
Job Title: Project Officer

Background: I began working for Cancer Council Queensland as a Research Assistant with the prostate cancer research unit and have now taken on a role as Project Officer.

Research interests: Nutrition and Cancer, Public Health and Health Promotion and Prostate cancer .
Current research projects: ProsCan

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Job Title: Research Support Officer

Background: Monica has been with Cancer Council Queensland since 1998 working as a telephone interviewer. Since this time, Monica has worked on a number of cancer-related projects. In Monica’s current role, she is the telephone interviewer and assists with data collection for the Colorectal Cancer and Quality of life Study.

Research interests:  Understanding the experiences of cancer survivors.

Current research projects: Colorectal Cancer and Quality of Life Study.

Job title: Research Programs Officer

Background: As an undergraduate, Gillian was involved in cancer and human physiology research at the National University of Singapore. She was subsequently employed as a research officer at a military physiology laboratory in Singapore for 3 years.  Gillian joined the Cancer Council Queensland in 2008 and currently manages the external research funding for Cancer Council Queensland which includes Cancer Council Queensland Project Grants, Fellowships, Scholarships, Travel Grants, and the new Strategic Research Partnership Grant.  Gillian also provides secretariat support for the Medical and Scientific Advisory Sub-committee (MSAC).

Qualifications: RN, MPH
Job title: Executive Manager, Research

Background: Pip Youl is the Executive Manager of Research at the Cancer Council Queensland. She has a background in clinical oncology and has worked in the cancer epidemiology field for the past 20 years. Pip is involved in the conception, design and analysis of a number of research projects both internally and with external research partners.

Research interests: Pip has a strong interest in skin cancer, skin screening and early detection and in cancer aetiology.

Current research projects: 

• Melanoma diagnosis and skin screening in Queensland
• Investigating the utility of primary care skin cancer clinics in Queensland
• Long-term melanoma survivors study
• Managing skin cancer in the primary care setting
• Knowledge about, and attitudes towards, vitamin D and consequences for sun protective behaviour amongst the Queensland population.
• An investigation of the increasing incidence of thyroid cancer in Queensland: a registry-based study

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Qualifications: BSc
Job title: Biostatistician

Background: Danny has been with Cancer Council Queensland since June 2005. His primary role is to analyse population-based cancer data, as well as contributing biostatistical support for other research programs within the VCRCC. He has been the lead author on several reports examining the descriptive epidemiology of cancer in Queensland.  Prior to joining Cancer Council Queensland, Danny spent 15 years working as a statistician for Queensland Health and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Research interests: Descriptive epidemiology of cancer, paediatric cancer, small area analysis.

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