Meet the Team
John Curtin Distinguished Professor
Director, Centre for Clinical Research and Education
Co-Director, Centre for Data Linkage
Associate Professor
Associate Professor
Senior Research Fellow
Associate Professor
Centre Manager/
Clinical Trial Project Manager
Clinical Trial Project Manager
Clinical Trial Project Manager
Clinical Trial Project Manager
Research Fellow
Medical Officer
Clinical Trial Monitor and Auditor
Program Manager
Clinical Research Pharmacist
Clinical Trial Project Officer
Clinical Trial Project Officer
Clinical Trial Project Officer
Research Officer
Research Officer
Project Officer
Software Developer
Business Analyst
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Research Assistant
Team Details
Professor Chris Reid, PhD
John Curtin Distinguished Professor
Director, Centre for Clinical Research and Education
Chris is a cardiovascular epidemiologist with appointments as Research Professor in both the School of Population Health at Curtin University in Perth and the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University in Melbourne. He is Director of the Curtin and Monash Centre’s of Clinical Research and Education and the Clinical Trials Enabling Platform – Western Australia. His major research interests include clinical outcome registries, randomised controlled trials, and epidemiological cohort studies.
Chris has received over $87M in NHMRC / MRFF funding and is currently leading the COLCOT-T2D trial in Australia.
He has been Study Director for the 2nd Australian National Blood Pressure (ANBP2) Study and currently a Chief Investigator for the Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) Study, the Statins in Reducing Events in the elderly Trial and the Australian arms of the HOPE-3, REACH and CLARIFY Registries. He is a Principal Investigator for the Victorian Cardiac Procedures Registry Project, the Melbourne Interventional Group (MIG) registry, and the ANZSCTS National Cardiac Surgical Registry. He has over 300 peer-reviewed publications, many of which are in leading journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, JACC and the BMJ. He participates as a WHO consultant for prevention of cardiovascular disease in Mongolia, Vietnam and the West Pacific region.
Co-Director, Centre for Data Linkage
Associate Professor
Sharmani is an epidemiologist and biostatistician who has experience in the academic, government and private health sectors in England and Australia. She has developed techniques for the analysis of linked data for the evaluation of population health interventions, including the NHS Health Check. More recently, she has developed techniques for the estimation of excess mortality and mortality displacement resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, estimates that have been used for monitoring and decision making. Sharmani has also worked in both academic and NGO sectors in the UK, India, and within Africa in the areas of water and sanitation and sexual and reproductive health.
Associate Professor
Dan is a general practitioner and principal research fellow with particular interests in cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, men’s and women’s population health , chronic disease management and epidemiology.
Role: As medical liaison officer and researcher, Dan identifies and recruits GPs and community participants for clinical trial projects. He is coordinating principal investigator on the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) sponsored Multimorbidity Integrated Care Study (MICS) in the Curtin School of Population Health, and principal investigator/associate investigator on a number of NHMRC funded studies and provides medical oversight for clinical trial research participant visits within the Healthy Living Clinic of CCRE.
Dr Jacquita Affandi, PhD
Senior Research Fellow
Jacquita Suemarni is a Clinical Triallist and Senior Research Fellow at Curtin University with a PhD in Immunogenetics from UWA. She leads the clinical trials team and provides academic oversight for investigator-led trials across Australia.
Her experience spans project and financial management, ethics and governance, and fostering collaborations across multidisciplinary academic, clinical, and international teams to deliver high-quality research outcomes.
Dr Hui Jun Chih, PhD, SFHEA
Associate Professor
Jun works at Curtin School of Population Health and Clinical Trials Enabling Platform (CTEP-WA). She was the 2020 Western Australia Heath Translation Network (WAHTN) Clinical Trials Biostatistics Fellow mentored by John Curtin Distinguished Professor Christopher Reid. Jun provides her expertise in the design of clinical trials and longitudinal epidemiological, public health and clinical research studies (including protocol development, sample size and power calculations, randomisation process) as well as analyses of cross-sectional and longitudinal data using both commonly used and complex modelling and machine learning techniques, interpreting the findings in a sensible approach for clinicians and consumers of research evidence, and drafting research publications.
Nationally and internationally, Jun has worked with multi-disciplinary research teams across public and private hospitals, clinics, research centres and government. Jun has been awarded research grants (total: >$6.8M), published over 90 peer-reviewed papers with over 1,162 (Scholar Google i10-index 30) in the area of cardiovascular diseases, cancer (breast, lung), brain diseases (injury, Parkinson’s disease), mental wellbeing, patient outcomes and effective education practices, to name a few.
Amy Ward, BSc, GradCert, Dip
Centre Manager/ Clinical Trial Project Manager
Amy has a degree in Science and a Graduate Certificate in Project Management. Her previous roles have included Cardiac Technician, Laboratory Technician and Research Officer.
Role: Amy coordinates study related activities in our on-site clinic rooms, she performs participant recruitment, study visits and liaises with stakeholders. Currently Amy is lead study coordinator for the GMRx2 clinical trial and assists with STAREE Biobank and the PACIFIC study.
Dr Nandini Makwana, PhD
Clinical Trial Project Manager
Nandini is a clinical research professional with a PhD in Immunology and extensive experience across academic and hospital-based research settings. Before joining Curtin University, she worked at Fiona Stanley Hospital’s Medical Oncology Clinical Trials Unit, managing industry-sponsored Phase II/III oncology trials. She has also held a Postdoctoral Research Fellow position at the Institute of Respiratory Health, where she contributed to neoantigen cancer vaccine research. Nandini has a strong background in project management, regulatory compliance, stakeholder engagement, with a particular interest in integrating clinical operations with research innovation to improve patient outcomes and advance evidence-based practice.
Clinical Trial Project Manager
Anneli is a Project Manager at the Centre for Clinical Research and Education (CCRE). She has a Masters of Drug Development and has worked in phase I-IV clinical trials in both the United Kingdom and Australia. Anneli is a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC) and an Accredited Research Manager (Foundation) (ARMF).
Anneli manages study start-up activities, including contracts, ethics and governance, for all clinical trials conducted at CCRE.
Dr Matthew McDonald, PhD
Research Fellow
Matthew is an Early Career Researcher with interests in health behaviour change, implementation, and clinical trial methodology. He holds a PhD in Public Heath from Curtin University and coordinates a Heart Foundation-funded ($1million) national hybrid effectiveness-implementation RCT of a men’s health behaviour change intervention delivered in sporting contexts. Prior experience includes working as a Research Assistant in Scotland coordinating an NIHR funded (>$1million) feasibility RCT of a remotely delivered men’s weight management intervention.
Role: Matthew coordinates the Next Generation Clinical Trials for Western Australia project, funded by a Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Capacity and Capability Building Program grant ($1.2 million). This project aims to develop world-class clinical trials capability across Western Australia through the Clinical Trials Enabling Platform (CTEP-WA).
Dr Amy Gates, MBBS
Medical Officer
Amy is a medical doctor with extensive experience in sponsored and investigator-led clinical trials. She has worked as a Sub-Investigator on phase II and III trials in dementia, heart failure, respiratory conditions, and fatty liver disease. Amy has also worked in cardiology stress testing and visa medical assessments.
Role: Amy provides medical oversight for clinical trial research participants on the COLCOT-T2D study.
Christine Robins
Clinical Trial Monitor and Auditor
Christine comes with over 40 years’ experience as a nurse working in remote areas above the 26th parallel in Western Australia, and general practice nursing and practice management roles in the metropolitan area.
She has extensive experience in Clinical Trials including all phase trials and currently leads the Monitoring and Auditing Service for the Clinical Trials Enabling Platform – Western Australia (CTEP-WA).
Program Manager
Sim is an accomplished professional with numerous years of expertise in the Clinical Research Industry. Throughout her career, she has held key roles as a Senior Clinical Research Associate and Clinical Research Scientist within Contract Research Organisations, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Device companies in Australia and the UK. Sim’s extensive experience also includes project management of university-based clinical trials.
With a PhD in Science from UWA, Sim is a proficient researcher who has contributed to numerous therapeutic areas. In her current role, she applies her comprehensive understanding of clinical trial operations to ensure successful project outcomes. Sim fosters professional and collaborative relationships with sponsors, study personnel, peers, and project team members.
David Lim, MHA, BPharm
Clinical Research Pharmacist
David is a registered pharmacist with over 15 years of experience of working in the community, hospital, and the healthcare sector. He holds a Master of Health Administration with Distinction and is an Early Career Researcher as PhD candidate at Curtin University, with interests in data analytics, improving healthcare systems, population health, health policy, planning, and evaluation.
Role: Clinical Research Pharmacist to oversee CCRE’s management of IP.
Karen French, RN, BHSc
Clinical Trial Project Officer
Karen is a registered nurse with 20 years’ experience as a Critical Care Nurse working for the NHS in the UK. She moved to WA with her family in 2008. Since arriving in Perth, Karen has worked as a Clinical Trial Nurse in areas of Respiratory health, Alzheimer’s disease and Early Phase clinical trials.
Role: Full time Study Coordinator for the COLCOT-T2D study.
Clinical Trial Project Officer
Alison is a Registered Nurse who has worked in Australia and the UK as well as a volunteered in Zimbabwe and Indonesia. Alison has more than 15 years’ experience in clinical trials working as a Clinical Research Nurse and Study Coordinator in specialties of Oncology, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Health in Hospitals and community-based settings in collaboration with General Practices.
Role: Currently Study Coordinator for the COLCOT-T2D Trial and CAC-Women Trial.
Yvonne Stott
Clinical Trial Project Officer
After thirty years as a nurse, Yvonne tried a change of career to bank manager for 16 years. She is now very happy to be back in the medical field and enjoying her role as Clinical Trial Project Officer.
Role: As a GP liaison officer, Yvonne is responsible for recruiting general practitioners as co-investigators to the COLCOT-T2D trial.
Jo Boone
Research Officer
Jo is an experienced administrative professional currently working as a Research Officer, with more than 20 years in executive and administrative support, clinical trial support, and stakeholder engagement.
In her role, Jo supports John Curtin Distinguished Professor Christopher Reid and the Centre for Clinical Research and Education, contributing to a wide range of clinical trial activities whilst adhering to good clinical practice guidelines. She is recognised for her strong organisational abilities and her capacity to manage competing priorities in busy environments.
Jo’s adaptable approach and collaborative working style enable her to work effectively with colleagues and stakeholders. She is committed to supporting academic and research teams through reliable administrative processes and clear, professional communication.
Dr Madoka Inoue, PhD
Research Officer
Madoka brings over 15 years of expertise in medical research, combining experience in leading complex projects with practical involvement across academic and hospital-based settings. She has managed national and international initiatives, specializing in database design and maintenance. Her past work includes contributions to gastroenterology projects and prehospital care and, such as the Western Australia Barrett’s Registry and the Western Australia Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest database.
Madoka and holds a PhD in Public Health and previously held a Research Fellow position at Curtin Medical School. She has extensive experience in conducting studies using diverse research methods, including randomised clinical trials, epidemiology with machine learning techniques, and wet lab studies.
Project Officer
Sage is a medical doctor with experience in multi-country clinical research in Rwanda and the USA. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Health at Curtin University. Her previous roles included General Practitioner, clinical research physician, Lecturer, and Research Faculty.
Role: Project Officer for the MICS study, supporting project writing, ethics applications, and overall project implementation.
John Barrett
Senior Developer
John is an experienced Software Developer and enjoys developing custom solutions in an ever-evolving technological space. John also ensures best practices and technologies are used to help keep CCRE systems agile and adaptive to change.
Role: John is the Administrator of CCRE REDCap systems and software developer across the team.
Business Analyst
Doug leads the design and implementation of data-driven research solutions, combining sound design principles, analytical rigour, and financial management expertise. He delivers fit-for-purpose research ecosystems that enable high-quality, collaborative, and efficient research outcomes.
Dr Justin Ren, PhD
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Justin completed his Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Melbourne, passing without amendment, with a thesis focused on total and multiple arterial revascularisation in coronary artery bypass grafting. Justin is an investigator on the Total Arterial (TA) Randomised Clinical Trial, a $5 million NHMRC MRFF Cardiovascular Scheme grant. He has published extensively in leading cardiovascular journals, including the European Heart Journal, JAMA Network Open, and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), and serves as a reviewer for JACC and Heart, Lung and Circulation.
Justin was the first Australian recipient of the prestigious European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Young Investigator Award and has also been recognised with the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Research at the University of Melbourne.
Dr Ratika Kadian, PhD, B.Ed
Research Assistant
Ratika is an early career academic with a PhD in Applied Mathematics and a Bachelor of Education. She has seven years of teaching and research experience at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in India and Australia.
Her research focuses on fuzzy set theory, entropy measures, and information systems, with multiple peer-reviewed publications in reputed international journals. She is skilled in MATLAB, R, SPSS, C/C++, and LaTeX, with a strong background in mathematical modelling, data analysis, and quantitative reasoning. Ratika is currently working in the Curtin School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences at Curtin University, Western Australia on a number of projects in supporting research and data management. She has also undertaken academic roles in assessment moderation and supporting workloads and is recognised for accuracy, analytical depth, and collaborative contribution in multidisciplinary research teams.
Cassandra Tonkin
Research Assistant
Cassie is a research assistant and a medical student at Curtin University with a growing interest in advancing healthcare through research. She brings curiosity, dedication, and enthusiasm for developing her skills across both clinical and research settings.
Copyright © CCRE. All Rights Reserved
Centre for Clinical Research and Education
Address: School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley WA 6102