Our Team

 
Prof. Allan Chang Director
Vicki Flenady Deputy Director
Kate Cleary Research Midwife- NHMRC stillbirth studies
Sharon Egan Research Support Officer
Margie Jell Research Midwife - MMH clinical trials
Dianne Karamujic Research Nurse - MMH clinical trials
Sue Jenkins-Manning Clinical Researcher and research co-coordinator
Karen New Queensland Coordinator, WOMBAT and PEGS


Prof. Allan Chang - Director
MB BS Sydney University 1964, MRCOG UK 1970, PhD Monash University 1976

Allan carried out his O&G training in Sheffield, United Kingdom. Between 1976 and 1982 he held the positions of Lecturer and Senior Lecturer at Mater Health Services. In 1982 he assumed the Obstetrics and Gynaecological Foundation Chair at the Chinese University in Hong Kong. Allan returned to the Mater in 2002 and is currently the Director of MRSC.

Allan completed his PhD in Fetal Blood Gas studies, and has personal research interests in Birth Weight and Fetal Physiology during Labour. His education background led to the study of algorithms for problem solving and decision-making, and interests in decision theories and neural networks. Having developed the research infrastructure for a clinical department, and having been the Director of the Centre for Clinical Trials and Epidemiological Research at the Chinese University, Allan has considerable interest in developing research infrastructure and in assisting others in planning and conducting clinical research.

Phone
Fax
Email		 (07) 3163 1862
(07) 3163 1588
Allan.Chang@mater.org.au

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Vicki Flenady - Deputy Director
Master of Medical Science (Clinical Epidemiology), University of Newcastle 1999, Grad Dip Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, RN, EM

Vicki is the Deputy Director MRSC. Vicki joined Mater Health Services in 1981. Her experience covers general, midwifery, child health and neonatal nursing. Vicki's research interests are: Cochrane Collaboration Systematic Reviews in Perinatal Care;  Methods to increase the use of Best Evidence in Perinatal Clinical Practice;  Perinatal Epidemiology focussing on Perinatal Mortality and in particular Unexplained Antepartum Fetal Death. 

Other activities/affiliations/achievements Vicki is involved with are
  • National Institute of Clinical Studies Award
  • IMPACT (Interdisciplinary Maternal Perinatal Australasian Clinical Trials) Network - Chair
  • Perinatal Clinical Trials Registry Working Party of IMPACT
  • Perinatal Mortality Special Interest Group of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand - Coordinator
  • Working Party for the Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Prevention of Early Onset Group B Strep and Care of Women with Term Prelabour Rupture of the Membranes. Smoking Cessation in Pregnancy, and PSANZ Perinatal Mortality Audit

Vicki can provide assistance with clinical research design and analysis, particularly clinical trials, systematic reviews and meta-analysis.

Phone
Fax
Email		 (07) 3163 1592
(07) 3163 1588
Vicki.Flenady@mater.org.au

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Kate Cleary - Research Midwife- NHMRC stillbirth studies
BNursing, Grad Dip Nursing. RN EM

Kate Cleary has 15 years experience in clinical midwifery, most recently as a clinical midwife in the birth suites at the Mater Mother’s Hospital. She currently works coordinating the NHMRC funded study Epidemiology of Antepartum Fetal Death in Australia at the Centre for Clinical Studies. Previously Kate was a research midwife on the FOREMOST (Fetal Oximetry Randomised Evaluation Multicentre Oxygen Saturation Trial), a study evaluating the use of fetal pulse oximetry for assessment in labour.

Phone
Fax
Email		 (07) 3163 2874
(07) 3163 1588
Kate.Cleary@mater.org.au

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Sharon Egan - Research Support Officer
BA, Grad Dip in Arts

Sharon is employed by the the Centre for Clinical Studies as a Research Support Officer. Sharon also provides support to Mater Research Support Centre activities. Prior to joining CCS, Sharon was employed in the Mater Mothers' Hospital Delivery Suite Unit. Sharon also worked for the University of Queensland as a Research Assistant on the Mater University Study of Pregnancy 2004 (MUSP) program. For her Bachelor of Arts degree, Sharon majored in archaeology and palaeanthrology and she also has a Graduate Diploma specialising in biological anthropology.

Phone
Fax
Email		 (07) 3163 8836
(07) 3163 1588
Sharon.Egan@mater.org.au

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Margie Jell - Research Nurse
RN, EM
Margie is employed as a Clinical Research Assistant at the MRSC/CCS. Margie has extensive midwifery experience in both Australia and overseas. Margie's current projects include Birth After Caesarean study, Twins Timing Study, Twin Birth Study, Induction of Labour studies and the Progesterone Study. Margie works Tuesday and Wednesdays.

Phone
Fax
Email		 (07) 3163 8854
(07) 3163 1588
Margie.Jell@mater.org.au

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Dianne Karamujic - Research Nurse
RN (1993), Grad. Dip. In Nursing (Midwifery) (1998)

Dianne is employed as a Clinical Research Assistant at the MRSC/CCS. Dianne's current main  project is with the Pain Responses in Infants Born to Methadone Maintained Mothers Study. She is also involved with the Birth After Caesarean Study, Twins Timing Study, Twin Birth Study, Induction of Labour Studies and the Progesterone Study

Dianne has a keen interest in the development and implementation of evidence based practice in the clinical setting. Her clinical background is Neonatal Nursing where she promotes the continued need for best practice initiatives.

Phone
Fax
Email		 (07) 3163 2344
(07) 3163 1588
Dianne.Karamujic@mater.org.au

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Sue Jenkins-Manning - Clinical Researcher and Studies Coordinator
RN (1983), EM (1986), BNursing (1992), Grad. Cert. Clinical Trials Management (2003).  

Sue commenced her nursing training in New Zealand and has an extensive background in neonatal nursing. Her current role is Clinical Studies Coordinator for the the Mater Research Support Centre where she is involved in the coordination of a number of clinical studies.  Sue can offer assistance in all aspects of clinical study design and management. 

Sue's interests include neonatal infection and long term outcomes of preterm infants and her main project within the Centre of Clinical Studies is an audit of outcomes for Early Onset Group B Streptococcal Disease of the Newborn. Sue has also undertaken  a Cochrane review on Albumin Infusion for Low Serum Albumin in Preterm Newborn Infants.

Sue is currently undertaking  a  Master of Health Science (Clinical Data Management) externally at Sydney University. Sue works Monday - Friday.

Phone
Fax
Email		 (07) 3163 1867
(07) 3163 1588
Sue.Jenkins-Manning@mater.org.au

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Karen New - Queensland Coordinator, WOMBAT and PEGS
RN (1987), EM (1990), Grad. Cert. Nursing Sciences (Neonatal Care); Grad. Cert. Research Methods &Theory

Collaboration ‘Women and Babies Wellbeing: Action through trials’ (WOMBAT) and the National Project on the Uptake of Evidence in the Management of Procedural Pain in Newborn Infants (PEGS)

Karen has extensive experience in neonatal nursing both in Australia and overseas. Karen’s current role is Queensland Coordinator, WOMBAT Collaboration ‘Women and Babies Wellbeing: Action through trials’ & National Project on the Uptake of Evidence in the Management of Procedural Pain in Newborn Infants.

The WOMBAT Collaboration aims to promote and support high quality randomised perinatal trials to improve the health and wellbeing of women and children. It will do this by:

  • identifying national priority research areas and encouraging appropriate clinical and methodological trials
  • providing high level support to researchers undertaking multi-centre trials
  • providing education and training in trial design and conduct

The newborn pain management project is a national project utilising the network of the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network (ANZNN) to work with staff of all disciplines (neonatologists, paediatricians, neonatal nurses and midwives) in each of its 22 hospitals in all Australian States and Territories, to close the gap in practice regarding the use of simple interventions such as sucrose, breastfeeding, swaddling for the management of pain in newborns undergoing non-invasive painful procedures.

Phone
Fax
Email		 (07) 3163 1591
(07) 3163 1588
Karen.New@mater.org.au

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