Fields of Research

Rheumatology and arthritis
Clinical sciences
Health economics
Neurology and neuromuscular diseases
Nutritional science
Orthopaedics
Epidemiology
Geriatrics and gerontology
Radiology and organ imaging
Traditional, complementary and integrative medicine
Endocrinology
Physiotherapy
Zoology
Medical biotechnology diagnostics (incl. biosensors)
Health and community services
Aged health care
Oral medicine and pathology
Education assessment and evaluation
Peripheral nervous system
Biomedical instrumentation
Digital health
Sports medicine
Cellular immunology
Primary health care
Sports science and exercise
Rehabilitation

Research Objectives

Clinical health
Evaluation of health outcomes
Treatment of human diseases and conditions
Diagnosis of human diseases and conditions
Prevention of human diseases and conditions
Health related to ageing
Disability and functional capacity
Health status (incl. wellbeing)
Women's and maternal health
Allied health therapies (excl. mental health services)
Other health
Efficacy of medications
Primary care
Dental health
Health education and promotion
Policies and development
Health policy evaluation

Career Best Publications

Zoledronic acid reduces knee pain and bone marrow lesions over 1 year: a randomised controlled trial; Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

Research Publications

A prospective study of the impact of musculoskeletal pain and radiographic osteoarthritis on health related quality of life in community dwelling older people; BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
A protocol for a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to compare the effect of annual infusions of zoledronic acid to placebo on knee structural change and knee pain over 24 months in knee osteoarthritis patients - ZAP2; BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial of HUMira (adalimumab) for erosive hand OsteoaRthritis - the HUMOR trial; Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
Assessing health-related quality-of-life in Australian Multiple Sclerosis Longitudinal Study participants using six multi-attribute utility instruments: implications for healthcare decision-making
Association between diet quality in adolescence and adulthood and knee symptoms in adulthood: a 25-year cohort study; The British Journal of Nutrition
Association between infrapatellar fat pad volume and knee structural changes in patients with knee osteoarthritis; Journal of Rheumatology
Association between MRI-detected osteophytes and changes in knee structures and pain in older adults: a cohort study; Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
Association Between Pain at Sites Outside the Knee and Knee Cartilage Volume Loss in Elderly People Without Knee Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Study; Arthritis Care & Research
Association of adiposity measures in childhood and adulthood with knee cartilage thickness, volume and bone area in young adults; International Journal of Obesity
Association of body composition, physical activity and physical performance with knee cartilage thickness and bone area in young adults; Rheumatology
Association of childhood adiposity measures with adulthood knee cartilage defects and bone marrow lesions: a 25-year cohort study; Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
Association of glucose homeostasis and metabolic syndrome with knee cartilage defects and cartilage volume in young adults; Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism
Associations between body composition, physical activity, and diet and radial bone microarchitecture in older adults: a 10-year population-based study; Archives of Osteoporosis
Associations between fat mass and multi-site pain: A 5-year longitudinal study; Arthritis Care & Research
Associations between MRI-detected early osteophytes and knee structure in older adults: a population-based cohort study; Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
Associations of dietary patterns with bone mass, muscle strength and balance in a cohort of Australian middle-aged women; British Journal of Nutrition
Associations of Sarcopenic Obesity and Dynapenic Obesity with Bone Mineral Density and Incident Fractures Over 5-10 Years in Community-Dwelling Older Adults; Calcified Tissue International
Bone microarchitecture, volumetric or areal bone mineral density for discrimination of vertebral deformity in adults: a cross-sectional study; Journal of Clinical Densitometry
Boswellia for osteoarthritis (Protocol); Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Both baseline and change in lower limb muscle strength in younger women are independent predictors of balance in middle age: A 12-Year population-based prospective study; Journal of Bone and Mineral Research
Capsaicin for Osteoarthritis Pain; Capsaicin as a Therapeutic Molecule
Change in knee structure and change in tibiofemoral joint space width: a five year longitudinal population–based study; BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Changes in quality of life associated with fragility fractures: Australian arm of the International Cost and Utility Related to Osteoporotic Fractures Study (AusICUROS); Osteoporosis International
Clinical relevance of MRI knee abnormalities in Australian rules football players: a longitudinal study; BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine
Comparison of radiographic and MRI osteoarthritis definitions and their combination for prediction of tibial cartilage loss, knee symptoms and total knee replacement: a longitudinal study; Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
Contribution of the COMT Val158Met variant to symptomatic knee osteoarthritis; Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases: The Euler Journal
Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between serum inflammatory cytokines and knee bone marrow lesions in patients with knee osteoarthritis; Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, knee bone marrow lesions, and knee pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis; Arthritis Care & Research
Cut-points for associations between vitamin D status and multiple musculoskeletal outcomes in middle-aged women; Osteoporosis International
Declining incidence of osteoporotic hip fracture in Australia; Archives of Osteoporosis
Deteriorating tactile sensation in patients with hand syndromes associated with diabetes: a two-year observational study; Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications
Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 291 diseases and injuries in 21 regions, 1990-2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010; Lancet
Distal radius bone microarchitecture: what are the differences between age 25 and old age?; Archives of Osteoporosis
Effect of bisphosphonate use in patients with symptomatic and radiographic knee osteoarthritis: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative; Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
Effect of intravenous zoledronic acid on tibiofemoral cartilage volume among patients with knee osteoarthritis with bone marrow lesions: a randomized clinical trial; JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association
Effect of Zoledronic Acid and Denosumab in patients with low back pain and modic change: A proof-of-principle trial; Journal of Bone and Mineral Research
Effect of zoledronic acid with or without methylprednisolone on 3D bone area and bone shape in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: A post-hoc analysis of the ZAP2 trial; Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism
Effectiveness of Curcuma longa extract for the treatment of symptoms and effusion-synovitis of knee osteoarthritis : a randomized trial; Annals of Internal Medicine
Effects of Individualized Bone Density Feedback and Educational Interventions on Osteoporosis Knowledge and Self-Efficacy: A 12-Yr Prospective Study; Journal of Clinical Densitometry
Efficacy and safety of plant-derived products for the treatment of osteoarthritis; Botanics: Targets and Therapy
Efficacy and safety of turmeric extracts for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials; Current Rheumatology Reports
Excess body fat is associated with higher risk of vertebral deformities in older women but not in men: a cross-sectional study; Osteoporosis International
Factors associated with prevalent and incident foot pain: data from the Tasmanian Older Adult Cohort Study; Maturitas
H19 increases IL-17A/IL-23 releases via regulating VDR by interacting with miR675-5p/miR22-5p in ankylosing spondylitis; Molecular Therapy - Nucleic Acids
Hand examination, ultrasound and its association with hand pain and function in community-based older adults; Arthritis Care & Research
Hand syndromes associated with diabetes: impairments and obesity predict disability; Journal of Rheumatology
How do MRI-detected subchondral bone marrow lesions (BMLs) on two different MRI sequences correlate with clinically important outcomes?; Calcified Tissue International
Individualized fracture risk feedback and long-term benefits after 10 years; American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Intravenous bisphosphonates do not improve knee pain or bone marrow lesions in people with knee osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis; Rheumatology
Investigating health-related quality of life impacts for participants of the Australian MS Longitudinal Study using the new EQ-5D-5L Psychosocial instrument
KARAOKE: Krill oil versus placebo in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: protocol for a randomised controlled trial; Trials
Knee function, pain and magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities in Australian Rules Football players: a cohort study
Knee pain predicts subsequent shoulder pain and the association is mediated by leg weakness: Longitudinal observational data from the osteoarthritis initiative; Journal of Rheumatology
Lack of Association Between TESPA1 Gene Polymorphisms (rs1801876, rs2171497, rs4758994, and rs997173) and Ankylosing Spondylitis in a Chinese Population; Inflammation
Lifestyle modifications to improve musculoskeletal and bone health and reduce disability – A life-course approach; Best Practice & Research: Clinical Rheumatology
Longitudinal associations between adiposity and change in knee pain: Tasmanian older adult cohort study; Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism
Lower limb muscle strength is associated with poor balance in middle-aged women: linear and nonlinear analyses; Osteoporosis International
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-assessed knee abnormalities in Australian rules football players – AFL tas knee study
Measuring Disease Progression in Osteoarthritis; Current Treatment Options in Rheumatology
Moderate vitamin D deficiency is associated with changes in knee and hip pain in older adults: a 5-year longitudinal study; Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity but not sedentary time is associated with musculoskeletal health outcomes in a cohort of Australian middle-aged women; Journal of Bone and Mineral Research
Navigating the maze of osteoarthritis treatment: A qualitative study exploring the experience of individuals with osteoarthritis in Tasmania, Australia; Musculoskeletal Care
Once-yearly zoledronic acid and change in abdominal aortic calcification over 3 years in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: results from the HORIZON Pivotal Fracture Trial; Osteoporosis International
Oral contraceptive use and bone; Current Osteoporosis Reports
Osteoporosis education improves osteoporosis knowledge and dietary calcium: comparison of a 4 week and a one-session education course; International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases
Pain in knee osteoarthritis is associated with variation in the neurokinin 1/substance P receptor (TACR1) gene; European Journal of Pain
Patellar tendon enthesis abnormalities and their association with knee pain and structural abnormalities in older adults; Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
Patellofemoral bone marrow lesions: natural history and associations with pain and structure; Arthritis Care & Research
Physical interventions (orthoses, splints, exercise and manual therapy) for treating plantar heel pain; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Poor sleep and multiple sclerosis: associations with symptoms of multiple sclerosis and quality of life; Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry
Predictors of shoulder pain and shoulder disability after one year in diabetic outpatients; Rheumatology
Predictors of total hip replacement in community based older adults: a cohort study; Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
The association between change in bone marrow lesion size and change in tibiofemoral cartilage volume and knee symptoms; Rheumatology
The association between incident vertebral deformities, health-related quality of life and functional impairment: a 10.7-year cohort study; Osteoporosis International
The association between oral contraceptive use, bone mineral density and fractures in women aged 50-80 years; Contraception
The cost of osteoporosis, osteopenia, and associated fractures in Australia in 2017; Journal of Bone and Mineral Research
The effect of FTO variation on increased osteoarthritis risk is mediated through body mass index: a mendelian randomisation study; Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
The global burden of hip and knee osteoarthritis: Estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study; Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
The Ile585Val TRPV1 variant is involved in risk of painful knee osteoarthritis; Annals of The Rheumatic Diseases: The Eular Journal
Threshold effects of vitamin D status on bone health in Chinese adolescents with low calcium intake; Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Treatment with 4Jointz reduces knee pain over 12 weeks of treatment in patients with clinical knee osteoarthritis: a randomised controlled trial; Osteoarthritis and Cartilage: Journal of The Osteoarthritis Research Society International
Understanding the management of osteoarthritis in Australia: a qualitative study of GPs and orthopaedic surgeons in Tasmania, Australia; Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open
Using qualitative free-text data to investigate the lived experience of the COVID-19 pandemic for a large cohort of Australians with different multiple sclerosis related disability levels; Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry
Validation of the EQ-5D-5L and psychosocial bolt-ons in a large cohort of people living with multiple sclerosis in Australia; Quality of Life Research
Years lived with disability (YLDs) for 1160 sequelae of 289 diseases and injuries 1990-2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010; Lancet
Zoledronic acid does not slow spinal radiographic progression of osteoarthritis in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and radiographic osteoarthritis; Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease
Zoledronic acid plus methylprednisolone versus zoledronic acid or placebo in symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial; Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease
Zoledronic acid reduces knee pain and bone marrow lesions over 1 year: a randomised controlled trial; Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

Research Projects

2012 OARSI Young Investigator Scholarship; Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI)
A randomised trial of krill oil for osteoarthritis of the knee; National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
Assessing the Australian osteoarthritis landscape - GPs' surgeons' and patients attitudes towards and understandings of osteoarthritis; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Clinical trials in osteoarthritis; National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
Does either zoledronic acid or denosumab change back pain and morphology of Modic changes: a randomised open label pilot study; Arthritis Australia (AFA)
Humira for treatment of erosive hand osteoarthritis; Arthritis Australia (AFA)
Providing high-value care for osteoarthritis patients at the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH); The MPST Foundation Ltd (MPST)
Testing new treatments for back pain: a randomised open label pilot study; Tasmanian Community Fund (TasCF)
The effect of krill oil on cartilage composition; Menzies Institute for Medical Research (MIMR)
A randomised trial of krill oil for osteoarthritis of the knee
Is the use of thermocyclopad effective for knee pain?

Research Candidate Supervision

Strategies to Address the Long Term Mainteance of Bone Density in Younger Women- Fracture Risk Feedback and Vitamin D
Vitamin D Effects on Osteoarthritis (VIDEO) Study