Fields of Research

Geriatrics and gerontology
Epidemiology
Rheumatology and arthritis
Physiotherapy
Cardiology (incl. cardiovascular diseases)
Central nervous system
Neurology and neuromuscular diseases
Endocrinology
Aged health care
Preventative health care
Podiatry
Rehabilitation
Health services and systems
Primary health care
Gene mapping
Exercise physiology
Cognitive neuroscience
Motor control
Clinical sciences
Allied health and rehabilitation science
Nutrigenomics and personalised nutrition
Other biomedical and clinical sciences
Sensory processes, perception and performance
Immunogenetics (incl. genetic immunology)
Behavioural epidemiology
Emergency medicine
Psychophysiology
Medical biochemistry - carbohydrates
Sports science and exercise
Health counselling

Research Objectives

Health related to ageing
Clinical health
Allied health therapies (excl. mental health services)
Primary care
Behaviour and health
Evaluation of health and support services
Diagnosis of human diseases and conditions
Preventive medicine
Other health
Disability and functional capacity
Health policy evaluation
Inpatient hospital care
Evaluation of health outcomes
Injury prevention and control
Health education and promotion
Treatment of human diseases and conditions
Telehealth
Health status (incl. wellbeing)
Inclusive education
Expanding knowledge in the biomedical and clinical sciences
Higher education
Nutrition
Health system performance (incl. effectiveness of programs)
Health inequalities
Determinants of health
Expanding knowledge in the health sciences

Career Best Publications

Research Publications

'FIND Technology': Investigating the feasibility, efficacy and safety of controller-free interactive digital rehabilitation technology in an inpatient stroke population: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial; Trials
A novel cognitive-motor exercise program delivered via a tablet to improve mobility in older people with cognitive impairment - StandingTall Cognition and Mobility; Experimental Gerontology
A pilot randomized controlled trial evaluating outdoor community walking for knee osteoarthritis: walk; Clinical rheumatology
A population-based study of sensorimotor factors affecting gait in older people; Age and Ageing
A single case study using Jintronix software for stroke rehabilitation and Kinect motion tracking for physical rehabilitation using a putt to stand aid and standby table; Smart Strokes 2014 Conference
Abdominal obesity and brain atrophy in type 2 diabetes mellitus; PLoS One
Accuracy, validity, and reliability of an electronic visual analog scale for pain on a touch screen tablet in healthy older adults: A clinical trial; Interactive Journal of Medical Research
Activity monitors for increasing physical activity in adult stroke survivors; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Activity monitors for increasing physical activity in adult stroke survivors
Adherence to evidence-based processes of care reduces one-year mortality after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH); Journal of the Neurological Sciences
Adherence to the Australian dietary guidelines is not associated with brain structure or cognitive function in older adults; The Journal of Nutrition
Ageing and gait variability-a population-based study of older people; Age and Ageing
Alcohol consumption in Vietnam, and the use of 'standard drinks' to measure alcohol intake; Alcohol and Alcoholism
An exploration of sedentary behavior patterns in community-dwelling people with stroke: A cluster-based analysis; Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy
Assessment: what does technology add to practice
Assistive technologies to overcome sarcopenia in ageing; Maturitas
Association of dual decline in cognition and gait speed with risk of dementia in older adults; JAMA Network Open
Associations between the dietary inflammatory index, brain volume, small vessel disease, and global cognitive function; Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Associations of health literacy with diabetic foot outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis; Diabetic Medicine
Associations of sex, age, and cardiometabolic risk profiles with brain structure and cognition: a UK biobank latent class analysis; Neurology
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
Brain aging and gait; Aging Health
Brain Function and Falls; Falls in Older People - Risk Factors, Strategies for Prevention and Implications for Practice
Brain structural change and gait decline: a longitudinal population-based study; Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Can interactive, motion-capture-based rehabilitation in an inpatient stroke population increase physical activity levels for people undergoing rehabilitation for stroke?; 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Stroke Society of Australasia
Case-fatality and functional outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in INternational STRoke oUtComes sTudy (INSTRUCT); Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases
Cerebral White Matter Lesions, Gait, and the Risk of Incident Falls A Prospective Population-Based Study; Stroke
Cognition, educational attainment and diabetes distress predict poor health literacy in diabetes: A cross-sectional analysis of the SHELLED study; PLoS ONE
Cognitive function modifies the effect of physiological function on the risk of multiple falls - a population-based study; Journals of Gerontology. Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Cognitive function, gait, and gait variability in older people: a population-based study; Journals of Gerontology. Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Cognitive inhibition tasks interfere with dual-task walking and increase prefrontal cortical activity more than working memory tasks in young and older adults; Gait and Posture
Cognitive status, fast walking speed and walking speed reserve-the Gait and Alzheimer Interactions Tracking (GAIT) study; GeroScience
Cognitive trajectories during the menopausal transition; Frontiers in Dementia
Comparison of manual and automated auscultatory blood pressure during graded exercise among people with type 2 diabetes; Journal of Clinical Hypertension
Connecting patients and therapists remotely using technology is feasible and facilitates exercise adherence after stroke; Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation
Cortical thickness, volume, and surface area in the motoric cognitive risk syndrome; Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
COVID-19 restrictions increased perceptions of social isolation for older people discharged home after rehabilitation: A mixed-methods study; Australasian Journal on Ageing
Declining Prevalence of Tobacco Smoking in Vietnam; Nicotine & Tobacco Research
Dementia is associated with poorer quality of care and outcomes after stroke: an observational study; Journals of Gerontology. Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Development of a low-cost upper limb rehabilitation system using BCI, eye-tracking and direct visual feedback; 11th International Conference on Disability, Virtual Reality & Associated Technologies
Diabetes therapies for dementia; Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports
Dietary patterns are not associated with brain atrophy or cerebral small vessel disease in older adults with and without type 2 diabetes; Journal of Nutrition
Effects of exercise on type 2 diabetes mellitus-related cognitive impairment and dementia; Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Exploring patterns of personal alarm system use and impacts on outcomes; Australasian Journal on Ageing
Factors influencing sedentary time and physical activity early after stroke: a qualitative study; Disability and Rehabilitation
Falls, cognitive impairment, and gait performance: results from the GOOD Initiative; Journal of The American Medical Directors Association
Feasibility of a multi-modal exercise program on cognition in older adults with Type 2 diabetes - a pilot randomised controlled trial; BMC Geriatrics
Feasibility of allied health assistant management of people with acute hip fracture: protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial; BMJ Open
Frailty and cerebral small vessel disease: A cross-sectional analysis of the Tasmanian Study of Cognition and Gait (TASCOG); Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Frailty is associated with cognitive decline independent of cerebral small vessel disease and brain atrophy; Journals of Gerontology: Series A
Fruit and vegetable consumption in Vietnam, and the use of a ‘standard serving’ size to measure intake; The British Journal of Nutrition
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy reveals the compensatory potential of pre-frontal cortical activity for standing balance in young and older adults; Neuroscience
Gait and dementia; The Neuroscience of Dementia, Volume 1: Diagnosis and Management in Dementia
Gait characteristics and cognitive decline: a longitudinal population-based study; Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Gait initiation time is associated with the risk of multiple falls - A population-based study; Gait & Posture
Gait phenotype from mild cognitive impairment to moderate dementia: results from the GOOD initiative; European Journal of Neurology
Gait, gait variability and the risk of multiple incident falls in older people: a population-based study; Age and Ageing
Gender differences in physical activity levels of older people with type 2 diabetes mellitus; Journal of Physical Activity & Health
Genetic and lifestyle risk factors for MRI-defined brain infarcts in a population-based setting; Neurology
Global and regional associations of smaller cerebral gray and white matter volumes with gait in older people; PLoS ONE
Go home, sit less: the impact of home versus hospital rehabilitation environment on activity levels of stroke survivors; Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Gray matter volume covariance patterns associated with gait speed in older adults: a multi-cohort MRI study; Brain Imaging and Behavior
Greater Daily Defined Dose of antihypertensive medication increases the risk of falls in older people-A population-based study; Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Guidelines for assessment of gait and reference values for spatiotemporal gait parameters in older adults: The biomathics and Canadian gait consortiums initiative; Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
GWAS analysis of handgrip and lower body strength in older adults in the CHARGE consortium; Aging Cell
Heritability and genome-wide association analyses of human gait suggest contribution of common variants; Journals of Gerontology. Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Identifying factors associated with sedentary time after stroke. Secondary analysis of pooled data from nine primary studies; Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation
Identifying subgroups of community-dwelling older adults and their prospective associations with long-term knee osteoarthritis outcomes; Clinical Rheumatology
Incidence and circumstances of falls among middle-aged women: a cohort study; Osteoporosis International
Influence of health literacy on foot outcomes in diabetes: a systematic review protocol; 7th International symposium on the diabetic foot
Interactions between age, sex, menopause, and brain structure at midlife: A UK biobank study; Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Is interactive, motion-capture rehabilitation effective on functional outcomes in an inpatient stroke population: A randomised control trial; 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Stroke Society of Australasia
Knowledge, confidence, attitudes and beliefs of physiotherapists and physiotherapy students working with people with dementia: a mixed-methods systematic review; Dementia Care and Psychosocial Factors
Lifestyle modifications to improve musculoskeletal and bone health and reduce disability – A life-course approach; Best Practice & Research: Clinical Rheumatology
Longitudinal associations between falls and future risk of cognitive decline, the Motoric Cognitive Risk syndrome and dementia: the Einstein Ageing Study; Age and Ageing
Longitudinal associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, physical activity, knee pain and dysfunction and physiological falls risk in community-dwelling older adults; Experimental Gerontology
Longitudinal associations of childhood fitness and obesity profiles with midlife cognitive function: an Australian cohort study; Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
Longitudinal associations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D, physical activity, and knee pain and dysfunction with muscle loss in community-dwelling older adults; Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Longitudinal relationships between cognitive decline and gait slowing: the Tasmanian Study of Cognition and Gait; Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Lower limb muscle strength is associated with poor balance in middle-aged women: linear and nonlinear analyses; Osteoporosis International
Maintaining and improving physical function in dementia; Dementia Rehabilitation: Evidence-Based Interventions and Clinical Recommendations
Measuring fatigue and perceived exertion in rehabilitation; 2​nd European Stroke Organisation Conference
Measuring ultrasound images of abdominal and lumbar multifidus muscles in older adults: A reliability study; Manual Therapy
Medical, sensorimotor and cognitive factors associated with gait variability: a longitudinal population-based study; Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
Meeting community ambulation criteria and confidence with walking on discharge from inpatient rehabilitation were positively associated with performance of outdoor community activities 8 weeks after discharge; Disability and Rehabilitation
Misclassification of blood pressure of Vietnamese adults when only a single measurement is used; Journal of the American Society of Hypertension
Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome and Falls Risk: A Multi-Center Study; Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Motoric cognitive risk syndrome: multicountry prevalence and dementia risk; Neurology
Musculoskeletal chest wall pain
National survey of risk factors for non-communicable disease in Vietnam: prevalence estimates and an assessment of their validity; BMC Public Health
Neither leg muscle strength nor balance are associated with the incidence of falls in middle-aged women: A 5-year population-based prospective study; Journals of Gerontology. Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
New horizons - cognitive dysfunction associated with type 2 diabetes
New horizons—Cognitive dysfunction associated with type 2 diabetes
Observational study of brain atrophy and cognitive decline comparing a sample of community-dwelling people taking angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers over time; Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions for cognitive impairment and dementia related to type 2 diabetes and metabolic disturbances in aging; Type 2 Diabetes and Dementia
Physical activity in Vietnam: estimates and measurement issues; PLoS One
Physical therapist and physical therapist student knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and beliefs about providing care for people who have dementia: a mixed-methods systematic review; Physical Therapy
Physiotherapists’ and physiotherapy students’ attitudes and beliefs about working with people with dementia: a mixed methods systematic review protocol; JBI Evidence Synthesis
Physiotherapy students’ experiences of working with people with dementia during their clinical placements: a qualitative study; Physiotherapy Theory and Practice
Poor Gait Performance and Prediction of Dementia: Results From a Meta-Analysis; Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Progression of White Matter Hyperintensities of Presumed Vascular Origin Increases the Risk of Falls in Older People; Journals of Gerontology. Series A: Biological Sciences & Medical Sciences
Prospective associations between pain at multiple sites and falls among community dwelling older Australians; Internal Medicine Journal
Prospective associations of low muscle mass and function with 10-year falls risk, incident fracture and mortality in community-dwelling older adults; Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging
Prospective associations of low muscle mass and strength with health-related quality of life over 10-year in community-dwelling older adults; Experimental Gerontology
Prospective associations of osteosarcopenia and osteodynapenia with incident fracture and mortality over 10 years in community-dwelling older adults; Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
Protocol of a 12-month multifactorial eHealth programme targeting balance, dual-tasking and mood to prevent falls in older people: the StandingTall+ randomised controlled trial; BMJ Open
Rapid implementation of telehealth in geriatric outpatient clinics due to COVID-19; Internal Medicine Journal
Reexamining the effect of antihypertensive medications on falls; Hypertension
Regional associations of cortical thickness with gait variability - The Tasmanian Study of Cognition and Gait; Journals of Gerontology. Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Regression to the mean of repeated ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in five studies; Journal of Hypertension
Risk of falls in older people during fast-walking - The TASCOG study; Gait and Posture
Room for improvement: an online survey of allied health professionals' dementia knowledge; Australasian Journal on Ageing
Sedentary time and activity behaviors after stroke rehabilitation: changes in the first 3 months home; Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation
Sedentary time and physical activity patterns of stroke survivors during the inpatient rehabilitation week; International Journal of Rehabilitation Research
Self-reported exercise prevalence and determinants in the long term after stroke: The North East Melbourne Stroke Incidence Study; Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases
Sensorimotor Factors Affecting Gait Variability in Older People - A Population-Based Study; Journals of Gerontology. Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Sex differences in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH): aneurysm characteristics, neurological complications, and outcome; Acta Neurochirurgica
Sex differences in risk factors for aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage: systematic review and meta-analysis; Journal of the Neurological Sciences
Sex differences in total cholesterol of Vietnamese adults; PLoS ONE
Sex Modifies the Relationship between Age and Gait: A Population-Based Study of Older Adults; Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences
Silent Infarcts and Cerebral Microbleeds Modify the Associations of White Matter Lesions With Gait and Postural Stability; Stroke
Spatiotemporal gait characteristics associated with cognitive impairment: A multicenter cross-sectional study, the Intercontinental 'Gait, cOgnitiOn & Decline' initiative; Current Alzheimer Research
Study Protocol of “Find Technology”: a randomised control trial investigating the feasibility and efficacy of controller-free interactive digital technology in an inpatient stroke population; European Stroke Organisation Conference
Sub-cortical infarcts and the risk of falls in older people: combined results of TASCOG and Sydney MAS studies; International Journal of Stroke
Subject-matter considerations is assessing the fit of a linear regression model; Australasian Epidemiologist
Test-retest reliability of measurements of abdominal and multifidus muscles using ultrasound imaging in adults aged 50-79 years; Musculoskeletal Science and Practice
The assessment of abdominal and multifidus muscles and their role in physical function in older adults: a systematic review; Physiotherapy
The association between ambulatory activity, body composition and hip or knee joint replacement due to osteoarthritis: a prospective cohort study; Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
The association between physical activity intensity, cognition and brain structure in people with type 2 diabetes; Journals of Gerontology. Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
The association between simple reaction time variability and gait variability: The Tasmanian Study of Cognition and Gait; Gait and Posture
The association between socioeconomic status and joint replacement of the hip and knee: a population-based cohort study of older adults in Tasmania; Internal Medicine Journal
The association of clinic-based mobility tasks and measures of community performance and risk; PM & R
The associations between dual-task walking under three different interference conditions and cognitive function; Gait and Posture
The associations between grey matter volume covariance patterns and gait variability - The Tasmanian Study of Cognition and Gait; Brain Topography
The complex genetics of gait speed: genome-wide meta-analysis approach; Aging
The development of a low-cost upper limb rehabilitation system using BCI, eye-tracking and direct visual feedback; Virtual Reality: Recent Advances for Health and Wellbeing
The efficacy of interactive, motion capture-based rehabilitation on functional outcomes in an inpatient stroke population: a randomized controlled trial; Clinical Rehabilitation
The importance of waist circumference and body mass index in cross-sectional relationships with risk of cardiovascular disease in Vietnam; PLoS ONE
The Interdependence of Blood Pressure and Glucose in Vietnam; High Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Prevention
The Tasmanian electronic falls ascertainment tool—A pilot study; Australasian Journal on Ageing
Thinking on your feet –the interplay between cognition, gait and falls; 2016 ANZFPS Conference
Type 2 diabetes mellitus and biomarkers of neurodegeneration; Neurology
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus as a causal factor for dementia – is there sufficient evidence from interventional studies?; Australasian Epidemiologist
Type 2 diabetes mellitus, brain atrophy and cognitive decline in older people: a longitudinal study; Diabetologia
Type 2 diabetes mellitus, brain atrophy, and cognitive decline; Neurology
Ultrasound imaging: Reliability of measurements of abdominal and multifidus muscle thickness and multifidus cross-sectional area of adults aged 50-79 years; Australian Physiotherapy Association Conference
Uncovering healthcare staff attitudes to the rapid deployment of telehealth in Victoria, 2020–2021: a 12-month telehealth experience; Internal Medicine Journal
Using home monitoring technology to examine changes in routines after a fall; Smart Health
Vitamin D supplements for trunk muscle morphology in older adults: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial; Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle
We need a model of health and aged care services that adequately supports Australians with dementia; Medical Journal of Australia
White matter hyperintensities and the progression of frailty - the Tasmanian Study of Cognition and Gait; Journals of Gerontology. Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
White matter lesion progression: genome-wide search for genetic influences; Stroke

Research Projects

A cognitive-mobility stress test to improve the prediction of dementia; University of Tasmania (UTAS)
A novel, technology-based multifaceted program targeting physical, cognitive and mental well-being to reduce falls in older adults; National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
A randomised controlled trial evaluating community walking for knee osteoarthritis; Arthritis Australia (AFA)
Ageing, Gait and Falls Risk - A Population-Based Study; Physiotherapy Research Foundation (PRF)
Assistive technology for motor rehabilitation; Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation (RHHRF)
Brain structure, gait, cognition and falls in older people; National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
CArdiac REhabilitation for the Secondary prevention of Stroke (CARESS); Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation (RHHRF)
Core muscles in an elderly population: predictors and associations with physical function; Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation (RHHRF)
Improving the cognitive and physical health of Older Australians ; Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE)
Improving the health of older Australians at risk of dementia - The role of physical function and exercise; National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
Mild cognitive impairment, gait and falls - A population-based study; Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation (RHHRF)
Pilot RCT to evaluate use of Jintronix Rehabilitation System; National Stroke Foundation (StrokeF)
Select Foundation Senior Research Fellowship - M. Callisaya & A. Neil ; The Select Foundation (SelF)
The biological underpinnings of Motoric Cognitive Risk syndrome: a multi-center study; National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The Southern Tasmania Health Literacy and Foot Ulcer Risk Factors in Diabetes Mellitus Study (SHELLED Study); Tasmanian Community Fund (TasCF)
The Southern Tasmanian Health Literacy and foot ulcer risk factors in Diabetes Mellitus study (SHELLED study); Australian Podiatry Education and Research Foundation (APERF)
The Tasmanian electronic falls ascertainment tool (TASeFALL); Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation (RHHRF)
Understanding the experiences of people with dementia participating in inpatient rehabilitation; Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation (RHHRF)
Using commercially available technology to increase intensity of practice after stroke; Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation (RHHRF)
Cognition and Type 2 Diabetes - A pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) exercise
A Cognitive-Mobility Stress Test To Detect MCI and Risk of Conversion to Dementia
Changing the focus: Facilitating engagement in physical activity for people with dementia in a local community - A feasibility study
DELIVERing enhanced healthcare at home for older people in rural Australia
Development of a scalable physical activity program for improving physical activity and reducing risk factors of falls in older people with dementia who receive home support
Feasibility and pilot randomised controlled trial of a co-designed home-based personalised rehabilitative strategy program delivered via Voice-Controlled Intelligent Personal Assistants in older adults aged 60 years and older with mild cognitive impa
Implementation and evaluation of a co-designed exercise program to reduce falls in older people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
Implementation of a co-designed exercise and fall prevention program for older people from CALD backgrounds
Implementation of a co-designed, community led exercise program to reduce falls in older people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities: a pilot trial.
Sustaining Exercise to Enhance Cognition: A feasibility study
The biological underpinnings of Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome: a mult-center study
The right to rehabilitation for people with dementia: tackling stigma and implementing evidence-based interventions
Understanding the effect of an allied health assistant model of care on compliance with hip fracture guidelines: a feasibility randomised controlled trial in physiotherapy
Victorian Health Care Recovery Initiative - Virtual Care

Research Candidate Supervision

Abdominal and Lumbar Muscle Size, Symmetry and Control in an Elderly Population
An examination of the clinical risk factors in assessing loss of protective sensation and peripheral arterial disease, and the impact of health literacy on foot ulcer development in Diabetes
Core Muscle Function in an Elderly Population- Association with Peripheral Muscle Function and Vitamin D