Meet the team

The Rural Health Research Institute supports community health and wellbeing through collaboration.

Under the leadership of Professor Julian Grant, the Institute’s diverse core team of researchers with backgrounds in epidemiology, mental health and substance use, health service delivery and health disparity undertake research with local, national and international implications and significance. The Institute works collaboratively with community, health professionals, industry and policymakers to address key challenges and build rural health research capacity.

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Executive Director

Professor Julian Grant

Executive Director, Rural Health Research Institute

Deputy Director

Professor Julaine Allan

Professor of Rural Health (Mental Health & Addictions), Charles Sturt University

Executive Support Team

Joy Lalantare

Administration Officer

Mr Md Wahiduzzaman

Executive Officer

Institute staff

Dr Hazel Dalton

Senior Research Fellow of Rural Health (Health Services) and Theme Lead of Rural Health Services, Charles Sturt University

Dr Fatema Zerin Farhana

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Nanomaterials, Biosensor)

Mr Damien Little

Research Assistant

Dr Zhicheng Lu (Andy)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Artificial Intelligence

Dr Tebikew Yeneabat Mengist

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Public Health), Charles Sturt University

Professor Mohammad Ali Moni

Program Lead, Centre for AI & Digital Health Technology

Distinguished Professor Muhammad J A Shiddiky

Distinguished Professor in Nanotechnology

Dr Kiran Shrestha

Research Fellow (Point-of-care Molecular Diagnostics)

Dr Nicole Snowden

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Charles Sturt University

Dr Subash Thapa

Senior Research Fellow of Rural Public Health (Epidemiologist)

Tom Brideson

First Nations Health & Wellbeing Researcher

Affiliates

Aathira Suvi

Lecturer in Nursing in the School of Nursing, Paramedicine and Healthcare Sciences

Professor Abishek Santhakumar

Associate Head (Research and Graduate Studies) / Associate Head (Medical Science and Pathology) / Professor in Haematology

Alison Devitt

Research Fellow

Dr Amanda Gore

Lecturer in Nursing

Dr Andreia Schineanu

Lecturer in Healthcare Sciences

Dr Anne Johnson

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Social Resilience (Agriculture)

Professor Ashad Kabir

Professor in Computer Science

Dr Ariful Islam

Epidemiologist

Dr Bianca Spaccavento

Senior Lecturer

Bright Jose

Lecturer in Nursing

Associate Professor Cannas Kwok

Associate Head of School (Research & Graduate Studies)/Higher Degree Research Coordinator / Associate Professor of Nursing

Professor Caryn West

Professor of Nursing

Dr Catherine Keniry

Associate Head of School, Research, Evaluation and Graduate Studies / Senior Lecturer / Senior Research Fellow in Medicine

Professor Chelsea Litchfield

Head of School / Professor in Human Movement

Dr Cherie Zischke

Course Director Physiotherapy / Lecturer in Physiotherapy

Clare Sutton

Senior Lecturer in Paramedicine/Facilitator of Research, Innovation, Education, and Development Activities (FRIEDA)

Dr Claire Seaman

Ageing Well Research Group

Dr Chinkwo Kenneth

Senior Lecturer in Medical Science

Dr Dana Al Mousa

Senior Lecturer in Diagnostic Radiography

Dr Doaa Hanafy

Senior Lecturer in Diagnostic Radiography

Elsie de Klerk

Lecturer in Rural Health

Professor Francesco Marino

Director, Graduate Programs / Professor in Medicine

Dr Gavin Buzza

Lecturer in Exercise Science

Associate Professor Holly Randell-Moon

Associate Professor in Indigenous Australian Studies

Dr Ian Skinner

Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy

Dr Jack Cannon

Senior Lecturer in Motor Control and Learning

Associate Professor Jennifer Ayton

Associate Professor in Midwifery

Dr Jeong-ah Kim

Senior Lecturer in Nursing

Associate Professor Jessica Biles

Acting HDR Coordinator/Associate Professor in Nursing

Dr Job Fransen

Associate Professor in Exercise and Sports Science

Jodie Brabin

Head of Discipline (Health Service Management) / Lecturer in Healthcare Sciences

Dr Jodie Kleinschafer

Senior Lecturer in Marketing

Associate Professor John Rae

Head of School, School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences

Dr Judith Crockett

Head of Discipline (Post Graduate) First Nations Health / Senior Lecturer in Health Sciences

Karen Hayes

Lecturer in Occupational Therapy

Dr Kate Freire

Research Fellow

Kathryn Castelletto

Lecturer in Rural Health

Professor Kerryn Butler-Henderson

Professor in Digital Health, Head of School, School of Nursing, Paramedicine and Healthcare Sciences

Associate Professor Kristy Robson

Senior Research Fellow

Dr Leena Awawdeh

Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Technology

Professor Leigh Schmidtke

Professor of Oenology

Dr Lindsay Smith

Senior Lecturer in Nursing

Lisa Speedie

Lecturer in Nursing

Dr Martin Pal

Lecturer in Medical Science

Mathew Ellis

Lecturer in Nursing

Associate Professor Mehdi Rassafiani

Associate Professor in Occupational Therapy

Dr Melandri Vlok

Lecturer in Anatomy and Physiology

Dr M Mamun Huda

Senior Lecturer in Medicine (Biostatistics and Public Health)

Associate Professor Melissa Nott

Principal Research Fellow

Dr Melissa Skein

Course Director Clinical Exercise Physiology (Acting) / Associate Head of School (Courses) / Senior Lecturer in Exercise Science

Dr Misha Ansari

Lecturer in Physiotherapy

Associate Professor Mohmad Farooq Shaikh

Head of Discipline Pharmacy / Associate Professor in Pharmacy

Dr Mohammad AL-Rawi

Senior Lecturer in Engineering

Dr Muneeb Iqbal

Lecturer in Physiotherapy

Dr Neta Hagani

Allied Health Exercise & Sports Services

Dr Oli Meredith

Lecturer in Public Health

Professor Oliver Burmeister

Professor in Information Systems and Presiding Officer of the Human Research Ethics Committee

Patience Moyo

Lecturer in Nursing

Dr Patricia Mackey

Course Director (Social Work - Undergraduate Courses) / Senior Lecturer in Social Work

Dr Patrick McKenna

Director, Strategic Projects (Research)

Associate Professor Pauletta Irwin

Acting Dean of Nursing - Academic Excellence and People / Professor of Nursing

Dr Praneel Titheradge

Lecturer in Exercise Science

Dr Prasada Rao Podugu

Senior Lecturer

Associate Professor Rachael Fox

Associate Professor

Associate Professor Rachel Rossiter

Associate Professor in Medical Research

Professor Rod Pope

Associate Head of School (Research and Graduate Studies) / Professor in Physiotherapy

Dr Rui Bi

Senior Lecturer in Management

Dr Salma Arabi

Acting Associate Head (Staff Supervision and Development) - Healthcare Sciences / Head of Discipline Digital Health

Professor Samantha Jakimowicz

Professor in Nursing, Acting Sub Dean (Graduate Studies)

Dr Sarah Redshaw

Senior Research Fellow in Education

Sarah Stenson

Lecturer in Nursing

Dr Sharon Laver

Senior Lecturer in Nursing

Dr Shaoyu Wang (Shaun)

Senior Lecturer in Anatomy & Physiology

Professor Sharynne McLeod

Distinguished Professor, Dprof Children's Voices Centre

Dr Shayne Chau

Head of Discipline Medical Radiation Science / Senior Lecturer in Diagnostic Radiography

Professor Shokoofeh Shamsi

Professor in Veterinary Parasitology

Associate Professor Simon Sawyer

Associate Head (Staff Supervision and Development) - Paramedicine

Associate Professor Sokcheon Pak

Associate Professor in Biomedical Sciences

Dr Tanmoy Debnath

Senior Lecturer in Engineering

Dr Tegan Hartmann

Senior Lecturer in Exercise Science

Toni Hawkins

Associate Lecturer in Nursing

Dr Tracey Gale

Lecturer in Exercise Science and Sociocultural Studies

Associate Professor Tracey Parnell

Associate Professor in Rural Health, Rural Health Education Lead (acting)

Dr Vagner dos Santos

Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy

Dr Vivian Isaac

Senior Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Health Research

Dr Xiaoming Zheng

Senior Lecturer in Medical Physics

Dr Yazan Al-Hayek

Lecturer in Diagnostic Radiography

Dr Yang Fong

Research Fellow, eDNA

Dr Yanfei Xie

Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Allied Health

Adjunct

Dr Ali Ahmed

Adjunct Research Fellow (Epidemiologist)

Dr Kedir Ahmed

Research Fellow of Rural Public Health (Epidemiologist)

Dr Sharmin Aktar

Adjunct Research Fellow (Cancer Molecular Biology)

Dr Rohina Alim

Adjunct Research Fellow (Periodontitis)

Dr Anayochukwu Edward Anyasodor

Research Fellow of Rural Public Health (Epidemiologist)

Dr Benedict Osei Asibey

Adjunct Research Fellow in Population Health

Dr Feleke Hailemichael Astawesegn

Adjunct Research Fellow

Peter Edward Gibbs

Adjunct Professor (Aboriginal Health)

Mr Sulaimon Idowu

Adjunct Research Associate (Microbiology and Immunology)

Dr Zemenu Yohannes Kassa

Adjunct Research Fellow in Epidemiology

Dr Cheru Tesema Leshargie

Adjunct Research Fellow in Epidemiology

Dr Poonam Mudgil

Adjunct Senior Research Fellow (Eye & Infectious Diseases)

Dr Shumirai Mushangwe

Adjunct Research Fellow in Epidemiology

Phillip Naden

Adjunct Professor (Aboriginal Health)

James Newman

Adjunct Professor (Aboriginal Health)

Dr Zekariyas Nezenega

Adjunct Research Fellow in Epidemiology

Dr Liz Pressick

Adjunct Research Fellow in Rural Health Services

Dr Riaz Uddin

Adjunct Research Fellow (Pubic Health)

Raechel Wallace

Adjunct Professor (Aboriginal Health)

Dr Shakeel Mahmood

Adjunct Research Fellow (Health Policy Analyst)