About IHES

Executive Director

Professor Alexandra Parker

Deputy Directors, Research Training

• Professor Itamar Levinger
• Professor Fiona McLachlan
• Professor Alan Hayes

Associate Directors, Research

• Professor David Bishop
• Professor Camilla Brockett

Associate Director, Engagement & Impact

Professor Melinda Craike

Discovering Healthy Futures, Research Theme Leaders

• Professor Clarice Tang
• Professor Maximilian de Courten

Movement for Health, Research Theme Leaders

• Professor Rezaul Begg
• Associate Professor Aaron Petersen

Sport that Inspires, Research Theme Leaders

• Professor Camilla Brocket
• Associate Professor Carl Woods

Professorials

• Professor Rezaul Begg, Professor of Biomechanics
• Professor David Bishop, Professorial Research Fellow
• Professor Camilla Brockett, Professor of Sports System Development
• Professor Rosemary Calder, Professor of Health Policy
• Professor Maximilian de Courten, Professor of Health Policy
• Associate Professor Alessandra Ferri, Principal Research Fellow
• Associate Professor Andrew Garnham, Sports Doctor
• Associate Professor Matthew Klugman, ARC Future Fellowship
• Professor Itamar Levinger, Professor of Clinical Exercise Physiology
• Professor Alex Parker, Executive Director
• Professor Sam Robertson, Professor of Sport Analytics
• Professor Chris Sonn, Professor of Community Psychology
• Professor Ramon Spaaij, Professor of Sociology
• Associate Professor Nicole Stupka, Principal Research Fellow
• Professor Karen Willis, Professor of Public Health

Senior Research Fellows

• Dr James Broatch, Senior Research Fellow
• Dr Elliott Flowers, Senior Research Fellow
• Dr Jade Haycraft, Senior Research Fellow
• Dr Jujiao Kuang, Senior Research Fellow
• Dr Paul Larkin, Senior Research Fellow
• Dr Alice Sweeting, Senior Research Fellow
• Dr Mary Woessner, Senior Research Fellow

Postdoctoral Research Fellows & Research Officers

• Dr Jeffrey Bishara, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Alessandro Garofolini, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Samuel Keast, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Matthew Lee, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Samuel McIntosh, List and Recruiting Analyst
• Dr Aurelie Pankowiak, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Mr Stan Parker, Sport Scientist
• Dr Rhiannon Patten, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Ainsley Robinson, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Nicholas Saner, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Bart Spencer, Data Scientist
• Dr Dale Taylor, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Hannah Thomas, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Venkata Thunuguntla, Research Officer
• Dr Cara Timpani, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Dr Navabeh Zare, Postdoctoral Research Fellow

A–E

• Dr Lutfiye Ali
• Dr Kofi Awuviry-Newton
• Associate Professor Kevin Ball
• Professor Michelle Ball
• Dr Michael Burke
• Dr Laura Chahda
• Dr Laurie Chapin
• Dr Linda Chiodo
• Dr Matthew Clarkson
• Dr Monika Coceski
• Dr Kara Dadswell
• Dr Jo Doley
• Dr George Elias

F–J

• Dr Peter Gill
• Professor Clare Hanlon
• Dr Dale Harris
• Dr Samuel Hoe
• Dr Maja Husaric
• Dr Susan Irvine

K–O

• Associate Professor Gina Kruger
• Associate Professor Michael Mathai
• Professor Andrew McAinch
• Associate Professor Helen McCarthy
• Associate Professor Brent McDonald
• Dr Christopher Mesagno
• Dr Romana Morda
• Dr Andre Nelson
• Professor Kulmira Nurgali
• Dr Tafadzwa Nyanhanda
• Dr Steven O'Bryan
• Dr Humberto Oraison
• Dr Abdi Osman

P–T

• Dr Maria Prokeofieva
• Dr Amy Quayle
• Dr Jerome Rachele
• Dr Imogen Rehm
• Professor Emma Rybalka
• Dr Samy Sakkal
• Professor Bernadette Saunders
• Dr Jessica Scarfo
• Professor Jenny Sharples
• Professor Puspha Sinnayah
• Professor Michael Spittle
• Associate Professor Xiao Su
• Dr Nicholas Tripodi

U–Z

• Dr Bruce Walmsley
• Associate Professor Jacqueline Williams
• Dr Sean Yan

Senior Executive Officer 

Amanda Rea

Senior Administration Officer

Alana Mizzi

Administration Officer

Jaimee Rea

The IHES Early and Mid-Career Researcher (EMCR) Association was formed in 2020. It is an association that represents and advocates for EMCRs within IHES and Victoria University. As of 2025, we have 50 members.

The aim of the IHES EMCR Association is to: 

• provide representation, advocacy, and support to EMCRs to continue striving for research excellence, contribute to the research culture and improve wellbeing at IHES
• provide advice to IHES leadership, Victoria University and the broader VU Research leadership on matters of importance to IHES EMCRS
• promote the mental health of EMCRs by increasing our social connection to each other and to the community, including creating positive interactions and social events
• engage with other committees and early career groups in the Institute, colleges and elsewhere
• organise career and skills development workshops and symposia for IHES EMCRs alongside other events, including our town hall and symposia. 

Our committee members

• Mary Woessner, Co-Chair
• Nicholas Saner, Co-Chair
• Aurélie Pankowiak, Secretary
• Hannah Thomas, IHES Seminar Coordinator

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

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.