Program & Speakers
*Program is preliminary and subject to change
Speakers
Alice Chynoweth
Alice Chynoweth is a Medical Laboratory Scientist within the Testing Services at the National Serology Reference Laboratory (NRL). She obtained a Bachelor of Science from Deakin University in 2018. Alice routinely performs diagnostic and donor screening infectious diseases testing within the testing team. Previously she has worked in a biochemistry laboratory and has a keen interest serology, molecular and biochemical testing.
Bernadette Portelli
Bernadette Portelli is a Scientist for NRL EQAS. She obtained a Bachelor of Biological Science, majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology at Deakin University. She has worked in private pathology laboratories for almost a decade specialising in infectious disease serology and molecular diagnostics for both human and veterinary pathology. Ms Portelli’s professional interests include serology and molecular quality assurance and diagnostics. Her achievements include the validation and implementation of new molecular diagnostic tests for human and veterinary pathology, and the expansion and development of respiratory and other molecular EQA programs at NRL.
Deane Byers
Deane Byers is a Senior Scientist in Molecular Infectious Diseases, at the Royal College of Pathologists Quality Assurance Programs (RCPAQAP), providing external quality assessment (EQA) programs to pathology laboratories around the world. She has studied and worked as a laboratory scientist in public and private pathology in microbiology, serology and molecular diagnostics before further honing those skills to lead the development and management of EQA programs in Molecular Infectious Diseases. Deane is passionate about ensuring excellence in pathology testing using quality assurance, and most recently has been responsible for the rapid development of EQA for coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), including both serology and molecular based programs to support laboratory testing in a worldwide pandemic.
Emma Zalcam
Emma is an epidemiologist and veterinarian with extensive experience in animal health research for development, communication and strategic management of agricultural research and applied veterinary epidemiology in both low and high income countries. During her time with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), Emma travelled extensively in Asia, Africa and the Pacific, evaluating the progress of projects supported by the Australian aid program.
Emma now works as a Senior Consultant at Ausvet where she identifies, designs, implements and manages projects related to veterinary epidemiology. She is currently leading a team of Australian and Indonesian veterinarians implementing an MLA-funded project on improving biosecurity in Indonesian feedlots.
Fabian Busby
Fabian Busby joined the NRL in 2019 and now serves as a Research Assistant for the NRL Research and Development team. He holds a Bachelor of Biomedical Science from Deakin University and a Master of Biomedical Science from the University of Melbourne, where his research project focused on leukocyte molecular biology. Currently, he uses his experience in specimen handling / biobanking process development, cell culture and molecular biology techniques to support multiple research projects and clinical trials across the NRL and the SVI Biobank.
Dr Iftizar Haron
Prof Jill Carr
Jill completed her undergraduate degree in Science, then worked in Plant Virology before completing her PhD with Prof John Wallace, University of Adelaide. She worked as a post-doc with Professor Chris Burrell at the IMVS/SA Pathology from 1996-2008, studying the basic mechanisms of replication of HIV and virus-host interactions. From 2008-2011, Jill was also involved in the diagnostic management of clinical HIV drug resistance and developed her own research interests in HIV and dengue virus research. Jill has research interests broadly in Medical Virology, in particular dengue virus, zika virus and enteric viruses and the interaction with the host cell that is associated with pathogenesis.
Jingjing Cai
Jingjing Cai is a scientist and integral member of NRL Evaluations. She is working on pre- and post-market IVD assessment with WHO, TGA, other regulatory and non-government organisations, and commercial manufacturers; providing well-characterised sample panels for validation of IVDs; and producing scientific reports and publications. Previously, Jing had over a decade experience in infectious disease tertiary reference testing and clinical diagnosis, validation and verification of in-house testing and commercial test kits, and conducting training in NRL Testing, and as Equipment Maintenance Coordinator at NRL. She obtained a BSc; an MBiotech; and professional memberships of the Australian Society for Microbiology and ACCMLSW.
Jiun Yee Lai
Jiun Yee joins ZeptoMetrix in early 2023 to serve as Business Development Manager. With the background of Bachelor’s in Biomedical Sciences and Master’s in Science (Molecular Medicine), he gained experience from different functional roles across various departments during career development. In the current role, he specialised in advocating the importance to include external quality controls and verification materials during diagnostic testing for infectious disease and oncology testing within ANZ and East Asia region.
Jodie D’Costa
Jodie is a medical scientist working at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. She completed a BSc(Biomedical)(Honors) from Monash University and has over 20 years’ experience working in molecular diagnostics. Jodie works in the Blood Borne Viruses Laboratory primarily focusing on HIV monitoring and drug resistance genotyping and is now expanding her knowledge into hepatitis and transplant-associated viruses.
Joe Vincini
Joe Vincini, BAppSci MSc, is the Quality Control Services Manager at the National Serology Reference Laboratory (NRL), St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research (Melbourne, Australia). Having also worked over the past 25+ years in virology and quality assurance at the Health Protection Agency – now UK HSA (London, UK), National Health Service – Blood and Transplant (London, UK) and the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (Melbourne), Joe has developed a broad knowledge and understanding of clinical diagnostics, specialist and reference testing, and transfusiontransmissible viral infections.
Dr Janet Towns
Dr Janet Towns is a Sexual Health Physician at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre. She has recently graduated after completing her PhD. Her doctoral thesis entitled “Modern Ethical Syphilology” comprised several research studies on early infectious syphilis. Her major PhD project, the SOS or “Shedding of Spirochaetes” study was published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal and highlights high rates of oral and anal detection of Treponema pallidum in early syphilis infection. She continues her post-doctoral research on syphilis through the Central Clinical School, Monash University and has just launched the SOS2 project, recruiting from 5 states in Australia to further elucidate aspects of syphilis transmission in individuals with secondary syphilis.
Dr Jessica Markby
Dr Jessica Markby currently holds the position of Manager of Regional Programs (Asia Pacific) with FIND, the global alliance for Diagnostics, overseeing a portfolio of projects in the Asia Pacific region. Her areas of interest include development and capacity building of diagnostic programs in resource constrained countries and translational research and access of appropriate diagnostics technologies. Dr Markby finished her PhD in Immunology and Pathology at Monash University, Australia in 2005, and subsequently obtained her Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Dr Markby has 18 years of post-doctoral work experience most of which has been largely spent living in the field in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Cambodia, with extensive experience in the African and Asia Pacific region working with various NGOs and UN organizations in country, regional and global roles.
Dr Louise Causer
Louise is a medical epidemiologist and Senior Lecturer at the Kirby Institute. Her research focuses on the implementation and evaluation of infectious diseases point-of-care diagnostics. Louise is involved in both STI (co-lead TTANGO3) and Respiratory Infections POC testing in rural and remote health services in Australia.
Prof James Ward
Professor James Ward is a Pitjantjatjara and Nukunu man, an infectious diseases epidemiologist and a national leader in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research, with over 25 years of experience in Aboriginal public health policy and research. In his current role as Director of the UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health he leads research aimed at impacting health and wellbeing outcomes for First Nations peoples, including a program of research to reduce incidence and prevalence of infectious diseases in Indigenous communities; a program of urban Indigenous health research and a global Indigenous health research program. James’ involvement in the COVID-19 pandemic has been integral to Australia’s efforts, including as a member of the Communicable Diseases Network of Australia (CDNA), the CDNA COVID-19 Working Group, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group on COVID-19 and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritisation Group.
Madeline O’Donoghue
Madeline leads Communications and Government Affairs for Pathology Technology Australia – the peak industry body representing manufacturers and importers of the diagnostic tests and technology used in Australia’s health system. A trained molecular biologist, she has spent the bulk of her career in a range of technical training, product development, marketing, and communication positions for a mixture of multinational corporations and start-up innovators in clinical diagnostics and life science, in Australia and the US. Madeline applies her knowledge of research and clinical pathology laboratory environments, communication and education skills, and her passion for solving puzzles to champion innovative technology-driven solutions in health.
Assoc Prof David Hawkes
Associate Professor Dave Hawkes has a PhD in virology and is the Director of Molecular Microbiology, at the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer which includes the Australian HPV Reference Laboratory. His role focuses on pragmatic application of research and commercial technologies to facilitate the elimination of cervical cancer within Australia and in the wider Asia-Pacific region.
Marina López Lorigados
Marina joined Vircell in August 2021 as part of the Marketing Department. She has previously worked at Mettler-Toledo in Zurich (Switzerland) as Product Manager as well. Likewise, she carried out scientific stays at the Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Center in Madrid and at the Institute of Neurosciences in Alicante. Marina has a BSc in Biotechnology from Miguel Hernández University and a MSc in Pharmacological Research from Autonomous University of Madrid.
Prof Maxine Whittaker
Maxine Whittaker, a public health physician, academic, advocate and health systems researcher focuses on improving health systems and services to increase accessibility and acceptability of quality services and implementation of One Health. She is the Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Vector Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases at James Cook University, on several national and international committees and editorial roles for several One Health/public health journals. Maxine Whittaker has lived/worked in several Asian, African and Pacific countries, published 110+ papers and awarded the Royal Australasian College of Physicians International Medal in recognition of outstanding service in developing countries (2017).
Todd Pryce
Senior Medical Scientist In-Charge of Molecular Diagnostics, Serology and Typing at the Department of Clinical Microbiology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA.
Interests include qualitative and quantitative molecular methods in virology, bacteriology and mycology, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, novel multi-marker approaches for clinical laboratory testing, and detection of antimicrobial resistant markers. Published over 25 research articles with a number of textbook chapters within the field of molecular diagnostics for clinical microbiology and infectious diseases.
Tsz Ying Yau
Tsz Ying is a technical officer in the Serology and Virology Division (SAViD) of Microbiology at NSW Health Pathology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick. She completed a BSc, majoring in Microbiology and Biology, from The University of Sydney and has since worked in both private and public laboratories in serology, bacteriology and virology/molecular diagnostics, giving her a multidisciplinary view of Microbiology as a whole. She is passionate about quality control and quality assurance, and the verification and validation of new assays in the laboratory.
Warren Fransman
Warren is the Biobanking Lead at FIND. He started his professional career as a Clinical Trial Scientist at Synexa Life Science performing validation and production runs for sponsor companies and clinical research organization. At AERAS, a TB vaccine development partner, he was responsible for all immunology quality oversight activities, managing the multi-cantered Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells proficiency program in addition to developing lab capacity in South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Mozambique. He then moved to QIAGEN, a manufacturer of various diagnostic kits, where he was responsible for training and supporting laboratories in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa on the TB QuantiFERON assay. He holds postgraduate degrees in Medical Biosciences, Pharmaceutical Medicine, and Business Administration.
Dr Wayne Dimech
Dr Wayne Dimech is Executive Manager, Scientific and Business Relation of the NRL, a WHO Collaborating Centre. Dr Dimech obtained a B.App. Sci; a PhD; an MBA and is a Fellowship at the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists and the Faculty of Science (Research) of the Royal College of Pathologists Australasia. He has worked in private and public pathology laboratories and specialised in infectious disease serology. Dr Dimech’s research interests include the control and standardisation of assays that detect and monitor infectious diseases. Dr Dimech is an advisor for numerous national and international working groups, including European Medicines Agency expert panels in the field of medical devices; ISO TC/212 WG5 Biorisk and BioSafety; Joint Committee for Traceability in Laboratory Medicine (JCTLM) – Nucleic Acid Testing and consultancies under the auspice of WHO, International Health Regulations, and UNDP. He has authored or co-authored about 60 articles in international peer-reviewed journals and contributed to three book chapters and is on the editorial board for J Lab Prec Med.
Katrina Smith
Katrina Smith, Department Manager of Molecular Biology department at Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology, Sydney NSW.
Katrina is the Manager of Molecular Biology Department at Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology in Sydney, the largest pathology laboratory in Australia, and is a molecular biologist with over 20 years’ experience. As supervisor and now manager, Katrina has been instrumental in the development of Molecular Biology at DHM, implementing numerous new PCR assays and fostering the growth and development of the department, including its rapid expansion to respond to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the future of Sonic Healthcare in whole genome sequencing and the gut microbiome.
Kate Zhang
Kate Zhang is the Manager of NRL EQAS. She obtained a Master’s Degree of Science, major in Molecular Biology and a Bachelor’s Degree of Science, major in Biochemistry. Ms Zhang has been working in pathology laboratories and specialised in infectious disease serology and molecular diagnostics in recent years. Prior to moving to the diagnostics field, she worked as a senior scientist in research and process development for animal vaccines.
Kisten Muscat
Kirsten Muscat is an EQAS scientist working at the National Serology Reference Laboratory (NRL). She completed a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in 2019 from the University of Melbourne and has since been working across different teams at NRL. She is passionate about collaborating with infectious diseases laboratories and testing sites to support the provision of scientifically robust proficiency testing panels.
Kylie Davies
Kylie Davies joined the Quality Assurance team at NRL in November 2017 after over 15 years working as a Medical Scientist in the Infections diseases and immunology areas both in Australia and in the UK. Kylie works with her Quality control team providing support, education and a world wide Quality Assurance program (QConnect and EDCNet) for over 500 laboratories and Point of Care (POC) testing sites in over 20 countries. She also enjoys working with and learning from her Senior Scientist (Joe Vincini) and the Quality Control manufacture to ensure the quality, suitability and development of current and new products for the NRLs QConnect concept and program.
Dr Lara Vojnov
Dr Lara Vojnov is the Diagnostics Advisor in the Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Program at the World Health Organization. In this role, Lara leads normative guidance development and country support for HIV, Hepatitis and STI diagnostics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was seconded to support the WHO Health Emergencies team as the Procurement and Supply Diagnostics Lead. Prior to working at the WHO, she spent several years working with Ministries of Health across sub-Saharan Africa and Asia as a Senior Scientist with the Clinton Health Access Initiative.
Lailatul Binti Mohd Yusof
Leon McNally
Leon is the Senior Supervising Scientist for the NSW State Reference Laboratory for HIV/AIDS, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney.
Leon is a Wiradjuri man and has a strong and proud link through his father to Worimi people and country of Port Stephens NSW and the Biripi people of the NSW Mid-North Coast.
For over 30 years, Leon has been working in the areas of HIV diagnosis and monitoring, blood borne virus detection/monitoring and STI testing and has been in his current role for 20 years. .Leon is currently involved in many projects including the DFAT funded IndoPacLab Laboratory Capacity Building Program for PNG, Cambodia and Laos DPR, and was recently nominated for the NSW Department of Health's Aboriginal BBV and STI Expert Panel.
Dr Mitch Batty
Mitch is a senior Medical Scientist and Scientific Project Manager at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) at the Peter Doherty Institute in Melbourne. Primarily focussed on developing and implementing translational public health programs in conjunction with the Victorian Department of Health, his interests in infectious diseases diagnostics stem from a background in academic research and assay development. With an initial focus on SARS-CoV-2, his work also concentrates on flavivirus surveillance and testing, public health genomics, as well as interests in viral vesicular diseases.
Nadika Atapattu
Nicolas Legrand
Nicolas is a PhD candidate and research officer at the Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, located on the land of the Bidjigal people. He has been integral to several key research projects at the Kirby Institute, notably in outbreak investigations of COVID-19 in correctional facilities, an expanded surveillance study of HTLV-1 in Australia, and a review on HTLV-1 commissioned by the WHO. Presently, his PhD research is centered on using testing denominator data to enhance national surveillance of infectious diseases of public health significance.
Dr Philip Radin
Dr C Philip Teomar A. Radin is a registered Medical Laboratory Scientist and a Clinical Pathologist. Philip finished his Doctor of Medicine degree at the De La Salle Health Sciences Institute in Cavite, Philippines. After which, he took formal residency training in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at the Philippine Heart Center. Currently, he is connected with the National Reference Laboratory for STD-AIDS in Manila working as a Clinical Pathologist and the deputy for Training Programs and oversees all other areas in the laboratory. Dr. C Philip Teomar is mostly interested in Microbiology and infectious diseases.
Robert Monaghan
Robert Monaghan is a descendant of the Bundjalung and Gumbaynggir Nations. He has worked within the Aboriginal community-controlled health sector with national, state and local governments for over 25 years. Robert is the Kirby Institute’s Manager of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research. He has worked as a Project Officer with the Kirby Institute’s Surveillance and Evaluation Research Program since 2014. Robert competed his Master of Public Health at UNSW Sydney in 2018 and currently completing his PhD, which is focused on identifying the barriers and enablers for Aboriginal men accessing culturally appropriate health services to enhance the testing and treatment of STIs and blood-borne viruses. Through his work, Robert is implementing Indigenous Research and evaluation methodologies such as yarning circles and men’s gatherings to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.
Sandra Semi
Sandra graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Information System from the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, prior to joining the laboratory Services in 2008. After 3 years of serving as a laboratory technician, she had the opportunity to study again through the Australian Development Scholarship and was graduated with a Master of Laboratory Medicine from RMIT University in Melbourne Australia. In her final year of masters, she was involved in a clinical study called “Indirect effects of vaccination by the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine-10 (PCV10) in young unvaccinated infants in Fiji”. This research was conducted by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne Royal Children Hospital; and was made to evaluate the potential herd effects on carriage of pneumococcal serotypes and other common nasopharyngeal pathogens, in young infants of low-income country settings. She is currently working as the Principal Quality Assurance Officer in the main Clinical laboratory in Samoa. Sandra is passionate about encouraging the ‘Laboratory Quality Management System’, along with building a positive dynamic workforce as the lab aims to be the first Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in the South Pacific to be accredited by International Standards.
Dr Sarah Kidd
Dr Sarah Kidd is the Scientist in Charge of the National Mycology Reference Centre at SA Pathology, and Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of Adelaide. She convenes the biennial Mycology Masterclass and is an advisor to the RCPA QAP mycology program. She has published around 90 research articles and book chapters and was recently admitted as a Fellow of the European Confederation of Medical Mycology.
Steph Howarth
Stephanie Howarth, Senior Scientist, Molecular Pathology – Infectious Diseases at Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology. Scientific interests include development and implementation of laboratory AI and automation, molecular virology and bioinformatics applications in the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance.
Imasha Amarasuriya
Imasha Amarasuriya has joined NRL in mid-2022. She completed her Bachelor’s in Biotechnology, majoring physiology and also holds a Master’s in Science (Biotechnology) from Swinburne University of Technology. Prior coming to NRL, she worked in CSL and in Australian Clinical Labs. Imasha is a R & D scientist at NRL, working on Quality Assurance to develop and manufacture quality materials for various Community Point of Care Testing projects.
Dr Innocent Mupunga
Innocent Mupunga is a Senior Scientist in the NRL Scientific Consulting and Training Team. He is an integral member of the team working on strengthening and supporting quality management systems implementation in public health and hospital laboratories in South-East Asia. Previously, Innocent spent many years managing laboratories in both public and private pathology in Africa.
He holds a PhD in Medical Sciences, MSc Life Sciences, and a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Sciences. He is also a published scientist with peer reviewed publications focusing on infectious diseases, public health, and toxicology.
Prof Iain Gosbell
Professor Gosbell is an Infectious Diseases Physician and Clinical Microbiologist. Medical Director of Donor and Product Safety Specialist with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. He oversights the Donor and Product Safety Policy Unit, which drives important initiatives to protect the Australian Blood Supply, performing risk assessments and risk mitigation strategies, and incorporating new knowledge in transfusion medicine into operational procedures for the organisation. He also oversights Lifeblood Medical Services. Professor Gosbell had previously worked at Liverpool Hospital (Sydney, Australia). He became the Foundation Professor of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology at the then new Medical School at Western Sydney University in 2009, and has continued in this role since. Professor Gosbell had a major role in the Lifeblood COVID-19 response, and in the development of several serosurveillance projects including for COVID-19 then JEV, and most recently the Lifeblood Serosurveillance initiative.
Jae Williams
Jae Williams is a scientific assistant within the Flinders University International Centre for Point-of-Care Testing (ICPOCT), joining in July 2022. Completing her BLabMed (Hons) in 2018 specialising in Flow Cytometry from the University of South Australia. Before joining the team, Jae had four years of diagnostic pathology experience, working in Biochemistry and Immunology. Her role within the ICPOCT focuses on the National Australian Hepatitis C Point-of-Care Testing Program, providing operator training, assisting with quality assurance practices and providing basic troubleshooting for the GeneXpert’s.