About IHES

Executive Director

• Professor Alexandra Parker

Deputy Directors, Research Training

• Professor John Price
• Professor Alan Hayes
• Professor Itamar Levinger
• Professor Christopher Sonn

Clinical & Community Health & Wellbeing Program Leader

• Associate Professor Michelle Ball, Deputy Program Leader

Mechanisms & Interventions in Health & Disease Program Leaders

• Associate Professor Daniel Lai, Deputy Program Leader
• Dr Julia Gilmartin-Thomas, Deputy Program Leader

Sport Performance & Business Program Leaders

• Professor Sam Robertson, Research Program Leader
• Associate Professor Camilla Brockett, Deputy Program Leader
• Dr Carl Woods, Deputy Program Leader

Healthy & Inclusive Communities Program Leaders

• Professor Ramón Spaaij, Research Program Leader
• Dr Fiona McLachlan, Deputy Program Leader

Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research Partnerships

• Professor Vasso Apostolopoulos

The Institute has over 100 researchers, some of whom are research-only and some of whom are academic staff of the university whose research aligns with the institute.

• Professor Rezaul Begg, Professor of Biomechanics
• Professor David Bishop, Professor Research Fellow
• Associate Professor Camilla Brockett, Senior Research Fellow and Senior Sport Consultant
• Professor Damian Farrow, Professor of Skill Acquisition
• Associate Professor Andrew Garnham, Sports Doctor
• Professor Itamar Levinger, Professor of Clinical Exercise Physiology
• Professor Michael McKenna, Professor of Muscle and Exercise Physiology
• Professor Alexandra Parker, Executive Director
• Professor Zeljko Pedisic, Professor of Public Health
• Professor John Price, Deputy Director, Research Training
• Professor Sam Robertson, Professor of Sports Analytics

Senior Research Fellows

• Dr Alessandra Ferri, Senior Research Fellow
• Dr Julia Gilmartin-Thomas
• Dr Michael Linley, Senior Research Fellow
• Dr Vasileios Stavropoulos, DECRA Senior Research Fellow
• Dr Carl Woods, Senior Research Fellow.

Postdoctoral Research Fellows & Research Officers

• Dr Jeremy Alexander, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr James Broatch, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Timothy Buszard, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Olivia Cant, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Nikeisha Caruana, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Neil Collier, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Narges Dargahi, Research Officer
• Dr Alireza Esmaeili, Research Officer, Injury Prediction
• Dr Jack Feehan, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Elliott Flowers, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Sarah Fraser, Research Officer
• Dr Alessandro Garofolini, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Jozo Grgic, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Jade Haycraft, Research Fellow
• Dr Patrice Jones, Research Officer
• Dr Azadeh Kian, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Jujiao Kuang, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Paul Larkin, Research Fellow
• Dr Matthew Lee, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Samuel McIntosh, List and Recruiting Analyst
• Dr Namitha Mohandas, Research Officer
• Dr Alba Moreno, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Abdi Osman, Research Fellow
• Dr Aurelie Pankowiak, Research Officer
• Dr Michaela Pascoe, Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Imogen Rehm, Research Fellow
• Dr Amber Rowell, Sport Scientist
• Dr Nicholas Saner, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Cassandra Smith, Research Officer
• Dr Bart Spencer, Data Scientist
• Dr Alice Sweeting, Sport Scientist & Research Fellow
• Dr Alexander Tacey, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Cara Timpani, Research Officer
• Dr Kristina Vingrys, Research Fellow.

A–E

• Dr Lutfiye Ali
• Associate Professor Kevin Ball
• Associate Professor Michelle Ball
• Associate Professor Gayelene Boardman
• Dr Laurie Chapin
• Professor Melinda Craike
• Professor Maximilian de Courten
• Professor Priscilla Dunk-West
• Dr George Elias
• Dr Julie van den Eynde

F–J

• Associate Professor Gary Fryer
• Dr Peter Gill
• Professor Clare Hanlon
• Professor Alan Hayes
• Dr Darren Hocking
• Dr Lisa Hodge
• Associate Professor Tze (Daniel) Huei Lai
• Professor Gavin Ivey

K–O

• Dr Matthew Klugman
• Dr Tina Kostecki
• Associate Professor Gina Kruger
• Dr Lucy (Sai) Lu
• Associate Professor Michael Mathai
• Professor Andrew McAinch
• Associate Professor Brent McDonald
• Dr Fiona McLachlan
• Associate Professor Patrick McLaughlin
• Dr Christopher Mesagno
• Dr Romana Morda
• Dr Andre Nelson
• Dr Keis Ohtsuka

P–T

• Associate Professor Aaron Petersen
• Dr Emma Rybalka
• Dr Samy Sakkal
• Associate Professor Fabio Serpiello
• Professor Jenny Sharples
• Dr Kim Shearson
• Associate Professor Puspha Sinnayah
• Professor Christopher Sonn
• Professor Ramon Spaaij
• Professor Michael Spittle
• Associate Professor Sharna Spittle
• Associate Professor Xiao Su
• Dr Emra Suleyman

U–Z

• Professor Hans Westerbeek
• Associate Professor Jacqueline Williams
• Professor Karen Willis
• Professor Elisabeth Wilson-Evered
• Dr Sean Yan
• Associate Professor Janet Young
• Associate Professor Anthony Zulli

Executive Officer

Amanda Rea
Phone: +61 3 9919 2685
Email:  [email protected]

Senior Administrative Officer

Dominique Lanuto

A large number of research assistants also work in our institute, supporting our staff and students.

The IHES Early Career Researcher Association was formed in 2020. It represents IHES early-career research staff that are employed as a postdoctoral fellow, a research officer, an equivalent position with an industry partner or a teaching and research staff member.

We currently have approximately over 30 members, spread across our research programs.

Our aims are to:

• upskill postdoctoral researchers to promote career development and develop future leaders
• create new projects, form collaborations within our group and beyond to build opportunities, exchange knowledge and advance science
• create a presence for postdoctoral researchers to communicate science
• provide ongoing feedback to Institute management regarding the needs of postdoctoral researchers for career progression
• promote the mental health of postdoctoral researchers by increasing our social connection to each other and to the community, including creating positive interactions and social events.

Our committee members

• Michaela Pascoe (Chair, ECR Mentorship Program, Science Communication)
• Alessandra Ferri (Deputy Chair, ECR Mentorship Program)
• Nikeisha Caruana (Social Events Coordinator)
• Sarah Voisin (Academic Promotions & Grants).
• Kara Dadswell (IHES Research Seminars co-lead)
• Alireza Esmaeili (Social Events Coordinator)
• Patrice Jones (Social Media co-lead)
• James Broatch (Social Media)
• Alba Moreno-Asso (ECR Mentorship Program and Career Opportunity)
• Aurelie Pankowiak (Secretary)
• Jujiao Kuang (Treasurer)
• Paul Larkin (Collaboration)
• Matthew Lee (Science Communication)
• Alice Sweeting (Website)
• Jessica Scarfo (IHES Research Seminars co-lead)
• Julia Gilmartin-Thomas (ECR Mentorship Program)

Our members

• Jeremy Alexander
• Linda Chiodo
• Narges Dargahi
• Elliott Flowers
• Sarah Fraser
• Alessandro Garofolini
• Jozo Grgic
• Macsue Jacques
• Azadeh Kian
• Samuel McIntosh
• Namitha Mohandas
• Rhiannon Patten
• Amber Rowell
• Bartholomew Spencer
• Alexander Tacey
• Mary Woessner

On November 25, 2021, the Institute for Health and Sport launched a Mentoring Program for Early Career Researchers (ECRs). The Program is led by:

• Dr Julia Gilmartin-Thomas
• Dr Michaela Pascoe
• Dr Alba Moreno-Asso
• Dr Alessandra Ferri.

The Program aims to provide tailored support for our postdoctoral researchers (specifically, ECRs within IHES) to promote career development and develop future leaders. It runs for 12 months at a time, with meetings occurring once a month (minimum once every 2 months).

The Program has been positively received with more than 35 mentors and mentees (2021-22) spread across the research programs of IHES.

If you would like further information about the IHES ECR Mentoring Program, or to enquire about the next intake of participants, please contact Dr Julia Gilmartin-Thomas at  [email protected] .

The Altitude Hotel simulates an altitude of up to 3500 metres and can be extended to higher altitudes. The experience lowers the oxygen levels from the normal 20.9% typically down to 15.5%.

Our research is investigating the impacts of reduced oxygen on a range of physiological indicators. In particular, the hotel is used to investigate the impacts of chronic lung disease and investigate the impacts of simulated altitude on performance of endurance and team sport athletes.

The hotel has space for up to 16 participants to live for an extended time. Facilities include a kitchen and communal area, bathroom, TV/DVD/internet, lockable cupboards, air conditioning.

The Altitude Hotel is at our Footscray Park Campus.

The Interprofessional Clinic is purpose-built and provides health services and clinical training for students across our health discipline courses at Victoria University.

Located in Wyndham, the clinic is a health and community facility that provides both services to the community and interprofessional learning for VU health science students. It develops collaborative health practitioners who can work together effectively to provide interprofessional care or services while developing their discipline-specific professional identities. The clinic is committed to a client-centred approach and to ethical practice where the client lies at the centre of health service provision, enabling them to maximise their opportunities to access the services they require.

We also work with key stakeholders and the community to share our understanding of the health needs of Wyndham. This ensures we support and provide integrated health services that are individualised, responsive and complementary to existing health and community services. Consumer partnership involves clients and carers participating in decision-making about their own care, while being involved in the ongoing planning design, delivery and evaluation of the clinic’s health services.

The built pedagogy of the Interprofessional Clinic is designed around interprofessional (IP) pods, each pod includes a client assessment/debrief room. In addition to the unique IP pods, interprofessional practice at the clinic is extended through a range of spaces, including a commercial kitchen for teaching and community use, consultation and treatment rooms, videoconferencing and meeting rooms, amenities and change rooms, as well as an exercise assessment and rehabilitation area.

Our clinic can be found at 223 Heaths Road on VU's Werribee Campus.

Our facilities at the St Albans Campus allow our research staff and students to conduct research into important issues affecting the health of individuals and the community.

The research groups focus on world-class research and development, translating innovation in experimental medicine into positive health outcomes for the community. Many of our researchers enjoy international reputations for excellence.

Through partnerships and collaborations, the work of our dynamic and enthusiastic research community benefits the whole university, as well as industry and the community.

Our biomedical research facilities (basic and applied research and animal facility) at the recently renovated labs at Werribee Campus is part of a modern technology precinct. They allow our researchers to make major contributions to local and international scientific communities.

The Western Centre for Health Research and Education (WCHRE) is an innovative and sustainable teaching, training and research precinct in Western Melbourne.

It comprises a three-way partnership between Western Health, Victoria University and The University of Melbourne and is located at the Western Health Sunshine campus.

Learn more about the WCHRE

The Institute for Health and Sport and Victoria University continues to be at the forefront of sport science research and knowledge exchange with the Western Bulldogs.

Our jointly appointed staff and students are located at the VU Whitten Oval, the Bulldogs home ground. Our partnership with the Western Bulldogs is one of the longest between an AFL club and a university and VU is a major sponsor of their AFL, VFL and AFLW teams.

We have a substantially enhanced sport science research and knowledge exchange program with the Western Bulldogs. The program builds upon the existing level of sport science engagement. The enhanced program develops new knowledge and synthesises existing knowledge to inform coaching programs and improve the on-field football performance of the Western Bulldogs AFL, AFLW and VFL teams.