Our people

Epidemiology, genetics, epigenetics, biostatistics, cancer risk modelling, twins & family research

Associate Professor Li is an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, a Dame Kate Campbell Fellow and a medically trained epidemiologist at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics. His research interest includes genetic and epigenetic epidemiology, twin and family research, cancer epidemiology and cancer risk modelling. 

Cancer, genetics, genomics, precision health, risk prediction

Associate Professor Steinberg is a Cancer Institute NSW Career Development Fellow and leads the Genomics and Precision Health research stream at the Daffodil Centre. She co-leads the Australian Cancer Risk Study, a collaborative transdisciplinary program to evaluate the potential of genomic risk prediction for risk-based cancer screening and early detection in Australia.

Her research programme aims to integrate individual and population-level genomic, sociodemographic, behaviour, and medical information for successful precision health. Julia’s focus is on effectively and sustainably improving human health and reducing the burden of cancer.

Precision medicine, genomics, epidemiology, biobanking, familial cancer research

Professor Southey is Chair of Precision Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Director Biobanking Victoria, based at the Monash Health Translation Precinct and Co-Director of the Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium.

Professor Southey’s research program has a population-based focus that has been pivotal to the establishment of large genetic epidemiological research resources that are now being utilized to address key questions in cancer research. Melissa is best known for her work with multiple-case cancer families and heritable risk factors that has provided the evidence base for best practice guidelines for the clinical management of individuals at high risk of the disease.

Neuroscience, mental health & wellbeing research, clinical translation

Associate Professor Gatt is Director of the Centre for Wellbeing, Resilience and Recovery, Head of the Gatt Resilience Group at Neuroscience Research Australia and the School of Psychology UNSW, and is an External Fellow at the Black Dog Institute. She leads a research program that focuses on understanding the neuroscience of wellbeing and resilience to stress and trauma, and ways that wellbeing and resilience can be promoted via various intervention platforms.

Machine learning, artificial intelligence, data science

Professor Makalic is a Professor of Machine Learning at the Department of Data Science and AI, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University. He has a lifelong interest in theoretical computer science and a mission to enable global impact through quality teaching and research that emphasizes collaborative, inter-disciplinary partnerships. Since completing his PhD in machine learning, he has spent over 15 years working in Bayesian inference, information theoretic statistics and digital health.

Life course epidemiology of chronic respiratory diseases

Professor Dharmage trained in Clinical Medicine, Public Health and Epidemiology, leads the Allergy and Lung Health Unit at the University of Melbourne. She is a world-recognised leader in Life Course Epidemiology of Allergies and Chronic Respiratory Diseases, and Obstructive Lung Diseases. She is the current custodian and Principal Investigator of three of the world’s key studies in allergies and lung health.

Psychiatric epidemiology, injury epidemiology, linked data research, twin and family studies

Associate Professor Young is a Scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Associate Professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. He also holds adjunct positions at The University of Melbourne, The University of Western Australia, Monash University, Curtin University, and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Specialising in psychiatric epidemiology with expertise in data linkage research and twin and family studies, his program of research focuses on generating robust population-based, policy-relevant evidence on dual diagnosis (the co-occurrence of mental illness and substance use disorder), its associated health burden and health service use patterns, and is underpinned by the principles of inclusion health and mental health equity.

Infection, immunity, paediatric epidemiology

Dr Miller is Head of Epidemiology at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, at The Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity.

Her research interests are in maternal/child health and in understanding the differential susceptibility to childhood infections. Much of her research has used population-level linked data from various countries to study the associations between pregnancy, birth and early life factors and childhood infections.  

Adolescent health equity, data-linkage, epidemiology

Dr Lucas Calais Ferreira is a Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Mental Health and Community Wellbeing at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne. He holds a Postdoctoral Fellowship from Suicide Prevention Australia and has honorary appointments with the Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, and the Justice Health Group, Curtin University.

The Late Professor Hopper was instrumental in the funding and establishing of the GERA CRE. A world-renown genetic epidemiologist and biostatistician, he was principal or co-investigator on many studies and collaborations across a range of diseases and conditions, particularly breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma, childhood cancer and asthma. John established, and contributed greatly to twin and family studies as PI, collaborator, and the Director of Twins Research Australia for nearly 35 years. Sadly, John passed away unexpectedly in October 2024. We honour his vision for GERA and his incredible legacy.