Nadine FosterView profile
Professor
Professor Nadine Foster is a NHMRC Leadership Fellow (Level 2) and Director of the University of Queensland (UQ) Clinical Trials Centre , affiliated with the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences and School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences . She is a physiotherapist and lifelong Fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (UK) , renowned for her work in musculoskeletal pain , clinical trials , and rehabilitation science . Education : Bachelor (Honours), University of Ulster Doctor of Philosophy, University of Ulster Research Interests revolve around musculoskeletal pain (low back pain, osteoarthritis, shoulder pain), health services research , and interprofessional collaborative practice . Her work emphasizes stratified care models and clinical trials to improve patient outcomes. She has led over 31 RCTs and contributed to 311+ peer-reviewed publications, including the Lancet Series on Low Back Pain . Recent research trends focus on clinical trial fidelity , patient-centered service design , comparative effectiveness of surgical vs. conservative care , and implementation strategies for evidence-based interventions (e.g., STarTBack tool). Her studies span biomechanics , return-to-work programs , and eHealth . Scientific Awards & Recognition : Elected to Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA) Board (2024) NHMRC Investigator Grant (2024–2029) Stanley Paris Visiting Fellowship (2023) NIHR Senior Investigator Award (2020) Supervision includes 15 completed PhDs and 19 Masters students. She currently supervises projects on collaborative clinical practice , FORENSIC low back pain trial , and shoulder osteoarthritis management . Her grants exceed $145M, including NHMRC , NIHR , and PCORI funding. She leads international collaborations such as the FORENSIC trial (lumbar fusion vs. conservative care) and RAPSODI trial (shoulder replacement approaches).











