Centre Director; Theme Leaders; Centre Managers; Chief Investigators; Partner Investigators; Associate Investigators; Postdoctoral Researchers; Higher Degree by Research Students
CIBIT Centre Director
David ReutensThe University of Queensland Emeritus Professor David Reutens is former director of the Centre for Advanced Imaging. He is also a clinical neurologist specialising in epilepsy and is a senior staff specialist at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. |
CIBIT Theme Leaders
Kris ThurechtThe University of Queensland Professor Kris Thurecht is a group leader at The Centre for Advanced Imaging. His research focusses on the development of polymer and nanoparticle-based devices for nanomedicine. Kris is the theme leader for Theme 1 - Diagnostics, therapeutics and theranostics for Precision Medicine in cancer. |
Markus BarthThe University of Queensland Professor Markus Barth is a group leader at the School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering. His main interests are in the fields of MR method development for applications in neuroimaging with a focus on functional MRI and neurological diseases such as dementia and cancer, as well as cardiac MR. Markus is the theme leader for Theme 2 - Harnessing the digital revolution to improve diagnostic imaging cost-effectively. |
CIBIT Centre Manager
Shona Osborne
The University of Queensland
CIBIT Chief Investigators
Idriss BlakeyThe University of Queensland Associate Professor Idriss Blakey is a researcher at The Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology. |
Steffen BollmannThe University of Queensland Dr Steffen Bollmann is a postdoctoral research fellow at The Centre for Advanced Imaging. He develops methods to integrate multiple quantitative imaging modalities (magnetic susceptibility, T1, T2*) to extract hidden tissue characteristics that have the potential to be used as early biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases. Exploiting the high signal levels of ultra-high field 7 Tesla MRI and combining this with image processing driven by artificial intelligence enables investigation and quantification of disease processes at an unprecedented level of detail.
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Kai-Hsiang ChuangThe University of Queensland Associate Professor Kai-Hsiang Chuang is a group leader at the Queensland Brain Institute and Centre for Advanced Imaging. The Chuang laboratory research focus is developing functional and molecular imaging to understand the neural activity, connectivity and metabolism of the brain and to determine neural endophenotypes of diseases. |
Martijn CloosThe University of Queensland Associate Professor Martijn Cloos (PhD, 2012) is the Ultra High Field Facility Fellow at The University of Queensland’s Centre for Advanced Imaging. His area of research is focused on the intersection between physics, engineering and medicine, with the aim to develop new technology and methods to enhance the capabilities of ultra high field magnetic resonance imaging and open new windows of opportunity to study the human body. |
Ian FrazerThe University of Queensland Emeritus Professor Ian Frazer leads a research group working at the Translational Research Institute on the immunobiology of epithelial cancers. He is recognised as co-inventor of the technology enabling the HPV vaccines, currently used worldwide to help prevent cervical cancer. |
Anna JenkinsThe University of Queensland Dr Anna Jenkins is a lecturer at the UQ Business School. Anna’s primary research stream focuses on how entrepreneurs manage setbacks and failure. |
Geoffrey McLachlanThe University of Queensland Prof Geoffrey McLachlan is Professor of Statistics in the UQ School of Mathematics and Physics. His research interests include the fields of classification, cluster and discriminant analyses, image analysis, machine learning, neural networks, and pattern recognition, and in the field of statistical inference. |
Brett PatersonThe University of Queensland Dr Brett Paterson is Head of Radiochemistry at The Centre for Advanced Imaging. He is a synthetic inorganic/organic chemist with extensive experience in the design, synthesis and evaluation of radiotracers/radiopharmaceuticals for therapy and imaging applications and brings experience in multidisciplinary translational research. |
Haitham TuffahaThe University of Queensland Associate Professor Haitham Tuffaha is a Principal Research Fellow at UQ's Centre for the Business and Economics of Health. He leads the Health Technology Assessment and his research involves the economic evaluation of health interventions. He pioneers the application of Value of Information analysis in Australia as a novel approach to inform early reimbursement decisions and to design efficient and adaptive clinical trials that maximise return on research investment. |
Viktor VeghThe University of Queensland Associate Professor Viktor Vegh is a group leader at The Centre for Advanced Imaging. His research focusses on the the research and development of magnetic resonance imaging methods to help with the diagnosis and monitoring of neurological diseases and disorders. |
CIBIT Partner Investigators
Michael AgrezInter-K Pty Ltd Dr Michael Agrez is CEO and Chief Scientific Officer at InterK Peptide Therapeutics, a preclinical virtual biotechnology company developing peptide-based immunotherapeutic candidates to treat a range of diseases and conditions such as cancer and chronic infections that require immune boosting. |
Jan Henrik Ardenkjaer-LarsenPolarize Prof Jan Henrik Ardenkjaer-Larsen is CEO and Founder of Polarize, a start-up company from the Technical University of Denmark t(DTU) hat develops and commercialises a pre-clinical polarizer for MRI. Jan-Henrik Ardenkjær-Larsen is Professor at the Department of Health Technology and Leader of the HYPERMAG Center of Excellence at DTU. |
Miguel FuentesIntellidesign Miguel Fuentes is Senior Electronics Design Engineer at IntelliDesign. Miguel has extensive experience in all aspects of hardware and firmware design in a wide variety of projects including biomedical, photonics, RF, and communications instruments for industry and research. He has been leading engineer in the development of the LF-MRI prototype device. |
Amanda HammondSiemens Healthineers Amanda Hammond is Product Manager Molecular Imaging and Collaborations Manager for Siemens Healthineers. Her research interests are focused on PET and SPECT imaging including quantification and theranostics. |
Matthew HarrisClarity Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd Dr Matthew Harris is Director of Technology at Clarity Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd. He manages research and development with the goal of bringing new clinically-relevant radiopharmaceuticals to market. |
Yong HouBeijing Genomics Institute Dr Yong Hou is Deputy Director of BGI Shenzhen. Dr Hou has a strong background of next-generation sequencing (NGS) study design, data analysis and interpretation, and experience on R&D team management. He is interested in translational research applying NGS to cancer precision medicine.
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Jin JinSiemens Healthineers Dr Jin Jin is a Senior Scientist, Magnetic Resonance at Siemens Healthcare Pty Ltd. His research interests include improved image quality and robustness of ultra-high field (7 Tesla and above) imaging applications. |
Melissa LatterQ-TRaCE, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Dr. Melissa Latter is Principal Radiochemist at Q-TRaCE, Nuclear Medicine at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and an Honorary Fellow at the UQ Faculty of Medicine (School of Clinical Medicine – Royal Brisbane Clinical Unit). Dr Latter is a research scientist with advanced radiochemistry expertise working towards translational radiopharmaceutical science. |
Nat LenzoGenesisCare, The University of Western Australia Nat Lenzo is Clinical Director (Theranostics) at GenesisCare. Nat established Theranostics Australia in May 2015 with the aim of providing patients with contemporary cancer treatment options through development of targeted molecular diagnostic imaging and radiotherapeutic agents for the diagnosis and treatment of cancers, focusing particularly on cancers which are difficult to treat or are becoming resistant to conventional therapies. In July 2018 Theranostics Australia became a fully owned business division of GenesisCare, a global leading healthcare organisation specialising in oncology and cardiology. |
Kieran O'BrienSiemens Healthineers Dr Kieran O'Brien is Head of Collaborations & Research for Australia/New Zealand at Siemens Healthcare Pty Ltd and Adjunct Research Fellow at the Centre for Advanced Imaging. His research interests are focused on translating research ideas into commercial products. |
Benjamin SchmittSiemens Healthineers Dr Ben Schmitt is the Head of Collaborations & Research for Siemens Healthineers in Australia and New Zealand. His areas of expertise and professional experience are in the management of academic/industry research partnerships in medical imaging and AI, and method development in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). He graduated with a PhD in Physics/Biophysics at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) in Heidelberg in 2011. In 2012, Benjamin Schmitt was awarded the Merit Award for Scientific Contributions at the Medical University of Vienna. |
Rod StrawAustralian Animal Cancer Foundation, Brisbane Veterinary Specialist Centre Dr Rod Straw is Director of the Brisbane Veterinary Specialist Centre and executive director of The Australian Animal Cancer Foundation. |
Bradley WalshGlytherix Pty Ltd, Minomic International Pty Ltd, IProteome Pty Ltd Dr Brad Walsh is Chief Executive Officer of Glytherix and Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Minomic International Ltd, a Sydney-based biotechnology company specialising in immuno-oncology. He founded Minomic to bring to market an innovative biomarker for prostate cancer. Dr Walsh has led Minomic’s scientific and business development, raising A$26 million and bringing the company to a point at which its first major product, MiCheck®, has progressed through a series of clinical trials in preparation for release to the US market in early 2019. Dr Walsh has developed a pipeline of potential new therapeutics for prostate, bladder and pancreatic cancer and this has prompted the spin out of a new company, GlyTherix Ltd. |
David WongThe University of Queensland, Wesley Medical Imaging Associate Professor David Wong is Director of the Nuclear Medicine and PET Centre at Wesley Medical Imaging and Buderim Private Medical Imaging, part of the I-MED Radiology Network. He is affiliate Associate Professor at the Centre for Advanced Imaging. He has for many years been actively involved in research in the development of PET and MR technology and tracers in particular in the area of oncology imaging. |
Associate Investigators
Sam MacAulayThe University of Queensland Dr. Sam MacAulay is Senior Lecturer in Innovation at The University of Queensland Business School. His research informs and transforms how we understand the strategic organisation of innovation, most recently, by studying how digitisation is transforming the way businesses create and capture value from innovation. |
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Dr Lisette Pregelj
The University of Queensland Dr Lisette Pregelj is Lecturer at the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biology at The University of Queensland. Lisette brings expertise in health economics, precision medicine and speed to market and contributes to supervision of CIBIT HDR students. |
Postdoctoral Researchers
Craig BellThe University of Queensland Dr Craig Bell is and Advance Queensland Industry Fellow. His research focus is on the development of degradable polymer devices for imaging and tracking of disease and cellular processes by using a tool-kit of controlled polymerisation techniques along with polymer and molecular coupling methodologies. The incorporation of degradable moieties into these constructs not only allows for enzymatic and hydrolytic degradation for complete body clearance of these constructs but also allows for tracking of these devices in vivo upon degradation to help elucidate cellular processes. |
Shahrzad MoinianThe University of Queensland Dr Shahrzad Moinian has a background is in Computer Science and Software Engineering. Her PhD research at the Centre for Advanced Imaging was aimed at developing a novel in vivo method for mapping the human cerebral cortex based on the micro-structural variations between different cortical areas of the brain. She employed Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting (MRF) and feature-based machine learning classification towards developing an automated voxel-wise parcellation of the whole cortex. Shahrzad's research at CIBIT will be focused on exploring the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques in biomedical imaging. |
Giuliana Oyola LozadaThe University of Queensland Giuliana is a Biologist, Master of Policy and Management of Science, Technology and Innovation, and graduated from The University of Queensland in 2020 with a Doctor of Biotechnology. During her doctorate, she earned a Candidate Development Award to conduct an internship in regulatory affairs in California, USA. Giuliana has over ten years of professional experience in the management of STI projects, regulatory and intellectual property rights of biotechnological products. She is passionate about studying the dynamics of regulatory affairs within the pharmaceutical industry. Giuliana is originally from Lima, Peru, and has lived in Australia since 2017. |
Rhia StoneThe University of Queensland Dr Rhia Stone received her PhD from the University of Queensland in 2020, and has a background in synthetic chemistry and chemical biology. Her doctorate focused on the development of tagged antibiotics for the analysis of bacterial infection and resistance. Following her PhD, Rhia worked at Rutgers University as a Postdoctoral Researcher studying fluorogenic lipid probes for examination of cellular oxidative stress. Rhia will be working across projects in Theme 1. |
Monique TourellThe University of Queensland Dr Monique Tourell has experience in fundamental MR research and pre-clinical MRI of porous materials, including collagen-rich connective tissues, breast tissue, tumors, and hydrogels and scaffolds for tissue engineering. She also has experience in the writing and developing atomistic computer simulations for the analysis of restricted molecular motions relevant to MR measurements. As part of CIBIT’s Theme 2, Monique is working with industry partner Siemens to improve PET-CT and MR image reconstruction speed and accuracy; particularly for under-sampled MR acquisition techniques, which offer improved scan times in the clinic. |
Higher Degree by Research Students
Hamzeh Al MasriThe University of Queensland Hamzeh Al Masri is sponsored by the Hashemite University, Jordan to pursue (Master and PhD) degrees. He completed his Master degree in Molecular Imaging in 2017 at UQ. For his PhD, he is working on QA and QC for human medical imaging modalities, mainly MRI, PET and CT. His project aims to to develop a framework for QA and QC procedures that are currently not standardised and also often specific to a sites requirements and resources, particularly for longitudinal as well as multi-centre study designs that are performed regularly. |
Adrian AlmassThe University of Queensland Adrian graduated from the University of Adelaide having completed a Bachelor of Science with a first class Honours in chemistry. His Honours project concluded with the total synthesis of two new members of the Endiandric acid family of natural products whose synthesis had not yet been reported in literature. In 2020, he was awarded a CIBIT scholarship to pursue a PhD under the supervision of Prof. David Reutens at UQ's Centre for Advanced Imaging (CAI). His current work focuses on the development of small molecule PET tracers as diagnostic tools and therapeutics for both oncological and neurological diseases. |
Ditte ChristensenTechnical University of Denmark Ditte is a PhD student on an alliance stipend between the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and UQ. She has a Master of Science in (biomedical) Engineering from DTU. She will stay at CIBIT for a year, where she will investigate the deranged neurometabolism in mouse models of Alzheimer’s Disease using the new SpinAligner for hyperpolarised MRS/MRI. |
Claire CunninghamThe University of Queensland Claire was awarded a CIBIT scholarship to pursue a Master of Philosophy with CIBIT to investigate to impact of artificial intelligence in healthcare. Her interest stems from her career in health based organisations, an MBA from the University of Queensland and a personal experience of receiving a cochlear implant. |
Zeinab EftekhariThe University of Queensland Zeinab was awarded a CIBIT scholarship for her MPhil within Markus Barth’s group in the area of Advanced Imaging Techniques in Fast MRI. She completed her Bachelor degree in Nuclear Medicine Technology at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in 2016, followed by 4 years working experience as a nuclear medicine technologist in a public hospital in Tehran. |
Saikat GhoshThe University of Queensland Saikat was awarded a CIBIT PhD scholarship to investigate the therapeutic and diagnostic applications of novel antibodies for oncology. Saikat completed his Masters from Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B). He has experience of working in the R&D department of biotech companies like Lupin Ltd. and Serum Institute of India. |
Soumen GhoshThe University of Queensland Soumen was awarded a CIBIT scholarship and joined CIBIT in October 2019 to pursue his PhD with Prof. David Reutens and Dr. Viktor Vegh. He has a Master of Technology (M.Tech) in IT from the University of Hyderabad, India (2016) and Master of Computer Application from West Bengal Univesity of Technology, India (2013). His key research interest is Medical Imaging. He has two years of research experience in the area of computer vision, machine learning and deep learning at IIIT Sri City, India. |
Padriac (Paddy) HooperThe University of Queensland Paddy was awarded a CIBIT scholarship for his MPhil within Markus Barth’s group in the area of Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM). He has a Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering with Honours from University of Sydney, with research experience in areas of microfluidics and biomaterials. Paddy likes to keep himself fit with running, golf, yoga, or hit the coast to go surfing on the weekends. |
Tom JarrettThe University of Queensland Tom was awarded a UQ Graduate School for his PhD with CIBIT to develop novel PEGylation techniques to improve cellular uptake of PEGylated nanomedicines. Tom completed a Bachelor of Biotechnology at UQ, finishing his Honour's year at the AIBN developing a microencapsulation technique to envelope an oil core with an impermeable calcium phosphate shell. |
Elaine KuanThe University of Queensland Elaine was awarded a CIBIT Scholarship to pursue her MPhil with CIBIT. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Adelaide in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Honours in 2020. Her honours project was in the area of Adversarial Machine Learning (AML) which involves investigating the security of machine learning, allowing her to be exposed to areas of artificial intelligence. Her current work focuses on the application of machine learning to identify language areas of the brain with naturalistic fMRI to assist in surgical planning. |
Ting Xiang LimThe University of Queensland Ting Xiang is pursuing her PhD, developing novel radiotracers against Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Glioma on a CIBIT scholarship. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Biological Chemistry at Nanyang Technological University in 2016. |
Feifei LiuThe University of Queensland Feifei was awarded a CIBIT scholarship for her PhD. Her research aim is to evaluate targeted delivery of novel immune-boosting peptides to both tumour and immune cells using designed nanomedicines as a method to effect enhanced suppression of lung cancer. Feifei completed her Master degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at University of Sydney in 2011, followed by 6 year working experiences in Pharmaceutical industry. |
Hamed MoradiThe University of Queensland Hamed Moradi has a background in quantitative medical imaging focusing on DCE-MRI. His previous study was about determining the permeability parameters of GBM brain tumors and the relationship of these parameters with the survival rate of GBM patients. It was carried out as part of his Master of Science dissertation at Shiraz University. Hamed's research at CIBIT will be focused on novel reconstruction and quantitative methods for PET-CT and PET-MRI using machine learning. |
Carlos RinconThe University of Queensland Carlos has been awarded a UQ Graduate School Scholarship for his PhD with CIBIT, developing extensive analyses to help inform strategic pricing decisions for truly-innovative products in oncology. He is trained in Computer Science and Systems Engineering (Bachelor), Master of Technology and Innovation Management, and a Diploma degree from Stanford University in Design Thinking. His research interest are health economics, artificial intelligence and innovation. |
Azin Shokraei FardThe University of Queensland
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Gayathri SubramaniamThe University of Queensland Gayathri was awarded a CIBIT Scholarship for her PhD. She completed her Bachelors degree in Chemistry and Biological Chemistry at Nanyang technological university in 2016. Subsequently, she worked as a research officer at the p53Lab in Singapore for close to three years. In the course of her PhD, Gayathri will design novel nanomaterials for the delivery of therapeutic peptides with the aim of enhancing the bioavailability and therapeutic window of these peptides. |
Rajat VashisthaThe University of Queensland Rajat completed his M.Tech in Mechanical engineering in 2018 with specialisation in biomechanics. His research interest lies in the application of AI based approaches. He has been awarded a CIBIT scholarship for his MPhil project involving application of deep learning to medical images to identify brain cancer at an early stage. Prior to joining CIBIT, Rajat worked as Senior Project Officer at Vigyan Prasar (an autonomous institute of Department of Science and Technology, Government of India) and as an Assistant Professor at NIMS University Rajasthan. |
Chia-Yin WuThe University of Queensland Chia-Yin was awarded a UQ Graduate School Scholarship to pursue a PhD with CIBIT. After completing her Master’s in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering at UQ, she continued research in MR imaging at CSIRO before returning to further her studies. Her research aims to optimise radiofrequency pulses at ultra-high field MRI to improve diagnostic quality of MR images. |
Alumni
Francesco CognolatoThe University of Queensland Francesco joined CIBIT as an MPhil student in 2019 after completing his Msc in Computer Science at Technical University of Munich. Francesco worked closely with industry partner Siemens Healthineers in the field of deep learning applied to MRI. Francesco's thesis "Solving Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping using deep learning: A new robust approach" was conferred in June 2023. |
Shota HodonoThe University of Queensland Shota was awarded a UQ Graduate School Scholarship to pursue a PhD with CIBIT. Shota's thesis "Investigating the temporal specificity of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging" was conferred in April 2023. His PhD research focused on the developments of specialized tools and techniques to help understand how human brain implements fine motor control, using functional MRI at ultra high field. |
Vanessa SohThe University of Queensland Vanessa completed her thesis investigating both the in vitro and in vivo binding and effect of CXCR4 targeting ligands on tumour therapy with industry partner Clarity Pharmaceuticals in 2022. Vanessa Soh was awarded a UQ Graduate School Scholarship to fund her PhD with CIBIT. Prior to joining CIBIT, Vanessa completed her Masters degree in Chemistry at National University of Singapore in 2015. |
Ashley StewartThe University of Queensland Ashley Stewart was awarded a UQ Graduate School Scholarship to fund his PhD with CIBIT and industry partner Siemens Healthineers following his Honours degree in computer science in 2016 at QUT. Ashley's thesis "Automated quantitative susceptibility mapping for clinical applications" was conferred in April 2023. |
