Senior research leaders

Jenefer Blackwell
BSc(Hons) PhD FMedSci
Head of Division, Division of Genetics and Health

Originally from Perth, Professor Blackwell has held positions at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Cambridge University.  In 1998, the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research was established with Professor Blackwell as Founding Director.  In 2007, she joined the Telethon Institute and established the Division of Genetics and Health.  Professor Blackwell has a long-standing interest in identifying the genes that determine susceptibility to various diseases including leishmania and tuberculosis infection, otitis media and the birth defect hypospadias.  Professor Blackwell holds a Professorship at The University of Western Australia and is an Honorary Senior Scientist at the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research. 

Carol Bower
MBBS MSc PhD FAFPHM DLSHTM
Head of Epidemiology, Division of Population Sciences

As one of the Institute’s founding senior researchers, Professor Bower has been a driving force behind its epidemiological research program, in particular in the establishment of the WA Birth Defects Registry.  In the 1990’s, Professor Bower was part of the international team that showed the link between folate intake during pregnancy and the reduction in neural tube defects and in 2007 was awarded a Leadership Award from the Flour Fortification Initiative for her folate advocacy role.  In addition to folate, Professor Bower is also leading research projects into other factors that can influence health outcomes of newborn babies including alcohol consumption, prescription medication and in-vitro fertility treatment.

Nick de Klerk
BSc MSc PhD
Head of Biostatistics, Division of Population Sciences

An Adjunct Professor at The University of Western Australia, Professor de Klerk was originally trained in the United Kingdom.  He was Head of the Occupational Respiratory Epidemiology Group in the Department of Public Health at UWA before joining the Institute in 2000.  Professor de Klerk’s knowledge and expertise in statistically analysing scientific data sees him collaborating with the majority of the research groups within the Institute.  In 2008, he co-authored 25 research papers with Institute staff and has continued to oversee the success of the Developmental Pathways in WA Children Project which is looking at the pathways to health and wellbeing, education and juvenile delinquency outcomes among WA children and youth.

Prue Hart
BSc(Hons) MSc PhD
Head of Inflammation Laboratory, Division of Molecular Biotechnology

Professor Hart joined the Institute in 2003, following positions at The University of Queensland, Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, The University of Melbourne and Flinders University.  At the Institute, Professor Hart’s team focuses on the effects of ultraviolet radiation and vitamin D3 on the immune system with their ground-breaking work showing that UV irradiation of mice, with doses equivalent to a short period in the midday sun, can be protective against developing asthmatic symptoms.  The research is now looking at teasing out this protective mechanism with the goal of one day being able to use UV light in safe doses or vitamin D3 to prevent and/or treat asthma.  Professor Hart is a NHMRC Principal Research Fellow and an Adjunct Professor at UWA. 

Pat Holt
PhD FRCPath(UK) DSc FAA
Member of Executive, Deputy Director and Head, Division of Cell Biology

Professor Holt established the Division of Cell Biology at the Institute’s inception in 1990 with his research group’s main focus being on the functioning of the paediatric immune system in relation to asthma and allergy.  Professor Holt has established collaborations both locally and internationally and his research is highly regarded by researchers and clinicians alike.  In 1999, Professor Holt was presented with the King Faisal International Prize for Medicine, one of the world’s pre-eminent scientific awards, in recognition of his significant contribution to the improved understanding of asthmatic disease.  He is a Senior Principal Research Fellow of the NHMRC and Professor at The University of Western Australia.

Ursula Kees
Dip Phil II PhD
Head, Division of Leukaemia and Cancer Research

Professor Kees was one of the founding research leaders of the Institute, establishing the Division of Leukaemia and Cancer Research in 1990.  Prior to this, the Swiss-born scientist was recruited from the German Cancer Research Centre in 1984 to head up the Children’s Leukaemia & Cancer Research Laboratory at Princess Margaret Hospital.  Focusing on molecular genetic markers which lead to cancers in children, Professor Kees’ team has developed unique methods to diagnose different cancers in collaborative studies with hospital patients and oncologists and a number of overseas groups.  Professor Kees holds an Adjunct Professorship at The University of Western Australia.

Deborah Lehmann
MBBS, MSc
Member of Executive and Head of Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research, Division of Population Sciences

Professor Lehmann joined the Institute in 1998 following 18 years at the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research leading studies into pneumonia.  Today, she maintains strong ties with Papua New Guinea, in particular through a vaccine trial looking at the safety and immunogenicity of pneumococcal vaccines in newborn infants in Papua New Guinea.  Professor Lehmann is also leading research on respiratory infections in Australian children and heads an Indigenous Capacity Building Grant.  In 2007, Professor Lehmann received a WA Public Health Association of Australia Award for her outstanding contribution to public health.  She is a Clinical Associate Professor at The University of Western Australia.

Peter Sly
MD FRACP DSc
Member of Executive and Head, Division of Clinical Sciences

Professor Sly established the Division of Clinical Sciences at the Institute in 1991.  Two of the major themes of study in the Division include asthma and cystic fibrosis and more recently, Professor Sly has overseen the establishment of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research on Children’s Environmental Health.  One of only two of its kind worldwide, the Centre is focussed on investigating environmental factors that promote the vulnerability of children to lung disease such as air pollutants and household chemicals, with a view to promoting stronger public health messages about the dangers of such factors.  Professor Sly is also a respiratory physician at Princess Margaret Hospital and a Professor at UWA.

Wayne Thomas
BSc Hons PhD
Member of Executive, Head of Laboratory Sciences and Head, Division of Molecular Biotechnology

Professor Thomas, who currently holds a Senior Principal Research Fellowship from the NHMRC, joined the Institute at its inception in 1990 and established the Division of Molecular Biotechnology.  Research in Professor Thomas’ laboratory is focussed upon the mechanisms of inflammation and allergy and the development of methods to treat or prevent diseases resulting from these processes.  Professor Thomas has a particular interest in using molecular biology techniques to identify and characterise allergens from house dust mites and cats.  These are then used in further laboratory research into allergy and may one day be useful in desensitisation therapy for allergic individuals.

Paul Watt
BSc (Hons) D.Phil
Head of Drug Discovery Technology Unit

An Adjunct Associate Professor at The University of Western Australia, Professor Watt obtained his PhD at Oxford University before completing post-doctoral training at Oxford and Harvard Universities.  Upon returning to WA, he joined the Institute’s Division of Leukaemia and Cancer Research and now heads the Drug Discovery Technology Unit.  In 2001, Professor Watt was a driving force in establishing the Institute’s spin-off company, Phylogica Ltd , where he is Executive Director and Vice President of Corporate Development.  Professor Watt has led his research team, in collaboration with the Fox Chase Cancer Centre in the USA, in the development of Phylomer® peptides, molecules designed to target proteins and block their interactions. 

Stephen Zubrick
MSc AM PhD
Member of Executive and Head, Division of Population Sciences

A Professor at Curtin, Professor Zubrick completed his doctoral and postdoctoral work in psychology at The University of Michigan and worked in mental health settings for many years before starting at the Institute in 1991.  His research interests include the social determinants of health and mental health in children, systematic studies of youth suicide, and large scale psychosocial survey work in non-Indigenous and Indigenous populations. Professor Zubrick is considered a leading Australian authority in the epidemiology of child and adolescent mental health and in public health approaches to promotion and prevention of mental health.  He chairs the Consortium Advisory Group of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children and featured in the ABC TV’s ‘Life’ documentary series.