Scientific Meeting Committee
Dr Mary Ann Anderson
Chair
Dr Mary Ann Anderson (MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA, PhD )is a foundation member of the CART haematologist consultant group at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre having joined the team at the inception of the unit in 2019. Mary Ann obtained her PhD from the University of Melbourne in 2017 where she undertook extensive clinical and laboratory studies of a novel approach to treating B cell malignancies by harnessing apoptotic cell death with the agent now known as venetoclax.
Dr Salvatore Fiorenza
Deputy Chair
Dr Salvatore (Sam) Fiorenza (MBBS, PhD, BSc(Hons), MPH, FRACP, FRCPA) is a consultant haematologist, deputy director and medical lead of cell therapy at Epworth HealthCare in Melbourne and a senior postdoctoral research scientist at the University of Sydney with Prof Cameron Turtle. His interests include, expanding the gamut of possibilities that cell therapy can offer to patients with haematological malignancies, the health economics of CART cell therapy and the microbiome during stem cell transplant therapy. Sam holds a PhD in cellular immunotherapy and a Master of Public Health. Sam also completed a postdoctoral research fellowship funded by The Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand in CART at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre in Seattle, USA.
Dr Ian Bilmon
Treasurer
Dr Ian Bilmon (BSc (Pure Mathematics), BMBS (Hons), MPhil, FRACP, FRCPA) is a consultant haematologist at Westmead public hospital on the adult Blood Transplant and Cellular Therapies service, and in general and malignant haematology at the Sydney Adventist Hospital. His research fellowship and subsequent master of philosophy degree focussed on laboratory methods of expressing CART cells using transposon/transposase (non-viral) methods. His clinical research focus areas include lymphoma, Bone Marrow Transplant survivorship and alternate donor transplantation.
Prof Nada Hamad
Prof Nada Hamad (BSc, MSc Forensic (hons), MBBS (hons), FRACP, FRCPA, SpeCetClinRes (Onc)) is a senior staff specialist bone marrow transplant, cellular therapies (TCT), clinical and laboratory haematologist at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney. She is President of Australia and New Zealand Transplant and Cellular Therapies and chairs a number of national and international committees in the field of TCT. She is a Conjoint Prof at the University of New South Wales Sydney and Adjunct Prof at University of Notre Dame Australia. Her clinical research interests are in malignant haematology and TCT. Nada is also an intersectional feminist with an academic interest in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in medicine and holds a number of national and international EDI leadership positions.
Prof David Yeung
Prof David Yeung (BSc (Med), MBBS (Hons), FRACP, FRCPA, PhD) is the head of haematology at the Royal Adelaide Hospital; Clinical Associate Professor at the Adelaide Medical School; and SA Cancer Council Beat Cancer Project Clinical Investigator at the South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute. David received his haematology and BMT training in Sydney, before completing his PhD studies in Adelaide on the optimal use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) as targeted therapy for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). David’s clinical research portfolio as principal investigator include several frontline TKI studies conducted through the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group. He is a board director of Australia and New Zealand Transplant and Cellular Therapies.
A/Prof Andrea Henden
A/Prof Andrea Henden (BSc, MBBS (Hons), FRACP, FRCPA, PhD) is a clinical Haematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant physician at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in Brisbane and a holder of a Metro North Clinician Research Fellowship. She has a clinical interest in transplantation and cellular therapies, and their infectious complications. Andrea is also a research officer in the Translational Cancer Immunotherapy Laboratory at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. Her research focuses on transplant immunology and current active projects include cellular therapies for COVID-19 and other infections, and the role of the microbiome on T cell function in the context of transplantation. She is the Principle Investigator on a number of Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials bringing novel immunotherapies to the clinic, with a focus toward treating complications of bone marrow transplantation.
Dr Travis Perera
Dr Travis Perera (MBChB, FRACP, FRCPA) is a Haematologist and Stem Cell Transplant Physician at the Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre. After completing training in New Zealand in 2013, he undertook a bone marrow transplant (BMT) fellowship at The Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia, focussing on biomarkers in graft versus host disease and post-transplant relapse prevention. Travis returned to Wellington, New Zealand in 2018, where he now leads the Acute Leukaemia disease group and co-leads BMT. Travis is actively involved in clinical research and is current chair of the NZ Haematology Research group, Principal investigator on a number of clinical trials, and the New Zealand representative on the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma group Scientific Advisory Committee. He is passionate about improving drug access for New Zealanders and co-leads the ALLG NZ Medicines Access Committee, which has this as its primary aim.
Dr Shanti Ramachandran
Dr Shanti Ramachandran (MBBS, MD (Masters Degree), FRACP) has been a Blood and Marrow Transplant Physician and Consultant Paediatric Oncologist at Perth Children’s Hospital, Western Australia (WA) and has been the Clinical Program Director of WA Paediatric and Adolescent Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program since 2018. She is the Deputy Chair of the national Transplantation and Cellular Therapy in Children subgroup of Australia and New Zealand Children’s Haematology Oncology Group. Shanti is a senior lecturer at the School of Paediatrics, University of Western Australia. She is an active member of the transplantation and Primary Immunodeficiency (TAPID) group, ANZTCT and HSANZ nationally and internationally the CIBMTR (committee member for non-malignant disease), PTCTC (committee member of Late effects Strategy Group and Non-malignant Strategy Group (Inborn Error of Immunity), Children Oncology Group (COG) for various clinical trials, committee member for COG HSCT/immunology Late Effects Taskforce, ASTCT (Paediatric Cancer Working Group), Asia Pacific BMT group.
A/Prof Adam Nelson
A/Prof Adam Nelson (MBBS, FRACP, MMedEd, BMedSci) is Paediatric Oncologist and transplant and cellular therapy (TCT) physician and the Director of TCT at the Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children’s Hospital. A/Prof Nelson’s clinical and research interests lie in the areas of bone marrow failure and cellular therapy. He spent 7 years as faculty at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, a world leader in TCT, where he developed expertise in the diagnosis, treatment and research into pathogenesis of bone marrow failure syndromes and related complications.During his time there he was also the BMT-lead and the Principal Investigator on a number of studies using CAR-T cells to treat leukaemia. He also participated in developing novel T-cell therapies to treat viral infections after bone marrow transplantation.
Yvonne Panek-Hudson
Yvonne Panek-Hudson (RN.MN. GradDip Cancer Nursing) is a Nurse Practitioner in the clinical haematology service at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & the Royal Melbourne Hospital, clinical lead for the Allogeneic BMT long term follow up service & Associate director of nursing for haematology & medical oncology. Yvonne has a special interest in late effects experienced by patients after Allogeneic BMT, particularly screening, risk reduction and supporting self-management. Yvonne is also interested in sexual health issues, chronic graft versus host disease and post-transplant rehabilitation. Yvonne has led and been involved in research studies focussing on innovative shared care models of long term follow up and strategies to optimise post transplant recovery including exercise programs. She has completed a research study supported by the VCCC nursing research hub that explored facilitators and barriers to transitioning from paediatric to adult long term follow up. Professionally, Yvonne is passionate about the development of nurse-led models of care and the implementation and professional development of specialist nursing roles.
Dr Sarah Anderson
Dr Sarah Andersen (PhD, AdvAPD) is an advanced accredited practicing Dietitian who currently works as a Senior Bone Marrow Transplant Dietitian at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital as a Metro North Clinician Research Fellow. She has a strong interest in research investigating nutrition during cancer treatment and completed her PhD at the University of Queensland on nutrition support during allogeneic stem cell transplantation in 2021.
Dr Olga Ksionda
Dr Olga Ksionda (MSc (Molecular Biology) PhD (Immunology)) is a Senior Clinical Research Associate and BMT Data Manager at Starship Children’s Hospital, Auckland. She initially trained in Immunology gaining her PhD at National Institute for Medical Research (MRC NIMR, now the Francis Crick Institute) in London. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Oncology at UCSF. Olga’s academic work resulted in a number of peer reviewed publications on T cell and T-ALL biology. Olga has been working at Starship Blood and Cancer Centre since 2018 where she’s been a foundational participant in BMT registries. She is a recipient of two Tandem CIBMTR Travel grants. Throughout her career, Olga has also been involved in organising educational and training activities for BMT data managers because she believes that the foundation of good quality data reporting is built on a sound knowledge and understanding of the medical condition and its biology.
Lisa Smith
Lisa Smith (BSc, GradDipEngSc, MBA, GAICD) is the Chief Executive Officer of the ABMDR. Lisa has spent a decade as a senior executive in Australia’s National E-Health Transition Authority and brings a wealth of experience in working with government and stakeholders to fund and deliver collaborative outcomes. In her various roles across both government and the private sector, she has directed national implementation programs, and has led strategy and business development functions, as well as stakeholder engagement and communications.
Richelle Koller
Richelle Koller (BBA, CA) is the Chief Executive Officer of Arrow Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation (“Arrow”). With over a decade of leadership in the charitable sector, Richelle has a deep passion for not-for-profit causes and a wealth of charitable experience. In addition to her role as CEO, Richelle also serves as the Company Secretary on the Arrow board. In this capacity, she upholds the highest standards of governance, ensuring that Arrow operates with integrity and transparency. Richelle’s professional journey has shaped her particular interest in managing growing organisations. Her extensive experience and skills enable her to devise and implement strategic plans, leveraging her expertise to turn organisational visions into reality.
Leonie Wilcox
Leonie Wilcox (RN,MN, BSc) has been the manager of the Australia and New Zealand Transplant and Cellular Therapies Registry (formerly ABMTRR) since 2006. Over this time, she has seen its growth and development as a clinical quality registry, acquisition of Commonwealth funding and inclusion of the national CAR-T registry. She has a passion for accurate data as the backbone for clinical quality monitoring and improvement and continues to support the TCT community in achieving its goals in providing high quality data driven care.
