Janani Thillainadesan is an NHMRC Senior Research Fellow at the Sydney Medical School/Concord Clinical School and the Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. She is also a member of the Charles Perkins Centre. Her research focuses on optimizing healthcare delivery for older adults, particularly in geriatric surgery, perioperative care, and dementia interventions. Key research areas include frailty assessment, deprescribing strategies, collaborative care models, and leveraging technology (e.g., mobile health) in geriatric medicine. She has contributed to multidisciplinary studies involving clinical datasets, quality indicators, and mixed-methods analyses of patient experiences and care expectations. Awards: 2023 RACP Vincent Fairfax Research Fellowship 2021 ANZSGM Career Investigator Prize 2021 UK Age Anaesthesia Association Best Oral Presentation Prize 2019 Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine Asia Congress Runner Up Prize Her work bridges clinical practice, education, and policy through grants like the 2024 electronic frailty index project. Media engagement includes a 2019 Studio 10 segment highlighting her contributions to aging-related healthcare innovations.
Dr. Kenji Fujita is a Research Fellow at the Kolling Institute, University of Sydney, specializing in ageing, pharmacology, and pharmaceutical care quality. He holds a PhD, MScMed (ClinEpid), and BPharm from the University of Sydney. Previously a pharmacist in Japan, he leads international initiatives in the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) and the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). His work focuses on deprescribing strategies, polypharmacy, and developing quality indicators for healthcare services. Dr. Fujita’s research integrates big data analysis, statistical modeling, and machine learning to address challenges in geriatric pharmacotherapy. Current projects include validating frailty indices, evaluating deprescribing interventions in older adults, and developing NLP tools for clinical documentation analysis. He has also contributed to assessing organizational readiness for guideline implementation in community pharmacies. Awards include the 2023 Outstanding Poster Presentation Award at the IAGG Asia/Oceania Congress and 2022 Best Poster at the Japanese Society of Social Pharmacy. He has secured grants such as the 2024 electronic frailty index project and the 2021 systems-approach to medication review initiative. Dr. Fujita collaborates with global networks like J-HOP (Japan Home Visiting Pharmacy Association) and leads multidisciplinary teams across Australia and Europe. His lab focuses on translating data-driven insights into actionable clinical practices to improve medication safety and quality in ageing populations.
Nashwa Masnoon is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Geriatric Pharmacotherapy at the Kolling Institute, part of the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. She is also a hospital pharmacist at the Royal North Shore Hospital. Her academic background includes a BPharm(Hons) and a PhD from the University of South Australia, where her doctoral work focused on identifying risks of adverse outcomes from polypharmacy in older adults with multimorbidity. Dr Masnoon’s research interests span geriatric pharmacology, deprescribing practices, pharmacoepidemiology, and quality use of medicines. Her current projects include developing stewardship programs for anticholinergic/sedative deprescribing, optimizing medication use in hospitals for older patients, and educating hospital pharmacists using the Drug Burden Index intervention bundle. She has co-supervised Honours students in 2022 and 2023, focusing on deprescribing in hospital settings and patient-reported experiences post-intervention. Research Themes: Healthy Ageing Key Approaches: Systematic reviews, clinical interventions, pharmacoepidemiological analysis Dr Masnoon has received notable awards including the 2023 FMH Showcase Travel Award, Royal North Shore Hospital Travel Fellowship (2023), and a 2017 People’s Choice Award for her 3 Minute Thesis presentation. Her work emphasizes improving medication outcomes through evidence-based deprescribing and precision medicine approaches. She is affiliated with the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA), International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), and Australian Deprescribing Network (ADeN). Her grants include the 2024 electronic frailty index project and a 2022 travel award-funded initiative.
Karen Bandeen-Roche is a Professor and the Hurley-Dorrier Professor and Chair of the Department of Biostatistics at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, with joint affiliations in the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing. She is a leading expert in biostatistical methodology, particularly in latent variable models, longitudinal analysis, and multivariate survival methods applied to aging and gerontology. Her research focuses on developing statistical models for unobservable processes such as frailty, resilience, and functional status in older adults. She has made significant contributions to the measurement of aging-related constructs and has extensive collaborative work in ophthalmology and neurology. Her methodological work includes mixture models, measurement error correction, and latent class modeling. The recent publications highlight a strong trend in gerontological biostatistics, with a focus on frailty, dementia risk, resilience, and multisystem physiological responses in aging. Her work integrates complex data from observational cohorts and clinical studies, often employing innovative latent variable frameworks to address measurement challenges in health outcomes. Scientific Awards and Honors: Marvin Zelen Leadership Award in Statistical Science (2016) Fellow of the American Statistical Association (2001) Brookdale National Fellow (1997) Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching (2010) Garland Clay Award (1999) Chair, NIH BMRD Study Section (2006–2008) President, Eastern North American Region, International Biometric Society (2011–2013) Executive Board, International Biometric Society (2015–2022) Board of Directors, National Institute of Statistical Sciences (2020–2023) Karen Bandeen-Roche has been deeply involved in advising and training the next generation of researchers. She co-directs a training program in Biostatistics and Epidemiology of Aging and has received multiple teaching and mentoring awards. She has served on numerous academic committees, including appointments and promotions, faculty senate, and ethics committees at Johns Hopkins. Her grants and collaborative research span aging, dementia, ophthalmology, and cardiovascular health, often supported by NIH and other federal agencies. She leads the Center on Aging and Health and is actively involved in interdisciplinary research initiatives that bridge biostatistics, medicine, and public health. Her lab and research team focus on developing and applying advanced statistical methods to understand the biological and social determinants of healthy aging.
Eldrin F. Lewis, MD, MPH is the Simon H. Stertzer, MD, Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. He holds a University Medical Line Professorship within the Department of Medicine - Cardiovascular Medicine and is a member of the Cardiovascular Institute. Dr. Lewis earned his medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (1995), completed his Internal Medicine Residency (1998), Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship (2001), and Heart Transplant Fellowship (2002), all at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Massachusetts. He maintains board certification in Cardiovascular Disease (2024) and Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology (2025) through the American Board of Internal Medicine. As an internationally recognized expert in heart failure, heart transplant, and quality of life for heart failure patients, Dr. Lewis' research focuses on patient-reported outcomes, quality of life assessment, and the integration of digital health technologies into cardiovascular care. His fundamental principle is that "there is more to life than death," emphasizing that cardiovascular care should help patients not only survive but also enjoy the best possible quality of life. His extensive publication record includes nearly 200 peer-reviewed articles in top journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Circulation, JAMA Cardiology, and JAMA Internal Medicine. His recent work (2024-2025) demonstrates strong focus on heart failure treatment optimization, diversity in clinical trials, pulmonary congestion assessment, and the implementation of quadruple medical therapy for heart failure patients. Joel Gordon Miller Award for community service and leadership from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Minority Faculty Development Award recognizing research potential of young physicians Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant for quality of life assessment research Fellow of the American College of Cardiology Member of the American Heart Association Research Committee Dr. Lewis serves as a Postdoctoral Faculty Sponsor for Phenesse Dunlap and has received significant research support from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. He is deeply committed to expanding clinical research initiatives at Stanford, forming partnerships with community cardiologists, and leveraging Silicon Valley's digital technology expertise for patient monitoring and treatment optimization. His leadership includes serving on the AHA Founders Affiliate Board of Directors, chairing the Council on Clinical Cardiology, and participating in the FDA Task Force for Standardization of Definitions for Endpoint Events in Cardiovascular Trials.
Christopher Ames is a Clinical Professor in the Departments of Neurological Surgery and Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). He serves as Director of Spinal Deformity & Spine Tumor Surgery, Co-Director of the UCSF Spine Center, Director of the California Deformity Institute, and Director of the Spinal Biomechanics Laboratory. With over 200 annual spinal deformity cases, he specializes in complex procedures for scoliosis, kyphosis, and spinal tumors, pioneering innovative techniques including the transpedicular approach and AI decision support tools. Developed first cervical spine deformity classification Created Adult Deformity Frailty Index and Invasiveness Index Recipient of multiple Scoliosis Research Society awards His research, funded through studies like the ROSE Study and Telomere Study, focuses on spinal biomechanics, surgical outcomes, and AI integration in spine surgery. He has published over 600 peer-reviewed articles and serves as Spine Section Lead Editor for Operative Neurosurgery . Scientific Awards: Hibbs Award (3×) Goldstein Award Whitecloud Award Top Doctors (Neurosurgery & Cancer) US News Top 1% Neurosurgeons
Prof. Ping Yu is a Professor at the University of Wollongong's School of Computing and Information Technology, where she has held leadership roles such as Director of the Centre for Digital Transformation (2013–2020). Her work focuses on digital health, health informatics, and data-driven solutions for aged care, with collaborations involving the World Health Organization (WHO), NSW Health, and over 11 aged care providers. She has pioneered projects like the WHO’s eSTEPS platform and AI-driven analytics to optimize healthcare resources. Her research integrates socio-technical perspectives to address challenges in technology adoption and healthcare system improvements. Her research interests span data engineering, data quality, ontology development, and generative AI applications in healthcare. Key areas include extracting insights from unstructured health records, improving clinical decision-making, and enhancing patient outcomes through mHealth and telemedicine innovations. She also explores the impact of green spaces on healthy aging and disparities in healthcare access across regions. Prof. Yu has secured over $4.5 million in research funding, including significant grants from the Australian Research Council. She has mentored 29 postgraduate students to completion, emphasizing interdisciplinary research and practical implementation. Her awards include the prestigious 2022 Telstra Brilliant Women in Digital Health Award and the 2008 Don Walker Award for contributions to health informatics. Her advising and grants narrative highlights her role as a mentor and her success in securing competitive funding. Her work bridges academia and industry, with projects like improving pressure injury risk management in aged care using EHRs and analyzing agitation in dementia through AI. She contributes to education policy, including co-designing academic leadership programs and enhancing clinical informatics curricula in the AI era. Prof. Yu leads multi-disciplinary teams at UOW and collaborates with global institutions, focusing on labs and initiatives like the Appendicectomy Surgical Pathway Ontology (ASPO) and the 6A framework for hypertension management via mHealth. Her research emphasizes real-world impact, from reducing hospital readmissions to optimizing surgical workflows and improving public health communication strategies during crises.
Biykem Bozkurt is a Senior Dean of Faculty and Professor in the Department of Medicine-Cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. She holds the Mary and Gordon Cain Chair of Internal Medicine and the W. A. 'Tex' and Deborah Moncrief, Jr. Chair. Her roles include leadership in academic administration and clinical cardiology. Education includes an MD from Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Turkey, and a PhD in Cardiology from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Medical School. She completed residencies and fellowships in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine. Research focuses on heart failure, cardiac transplantation, and myocarditis, with contributions to clinical guidelines (e.g., AHA/ACC/HFSA) and translational studies. Her work addresses biomarkers, frailty in heart failure, and post-COVID cardiac complications. She is a leader in the Heart Failure Society of America, authoring epidemiology reports and consensus statements. Awards include prestigious chairs, and she contributed to high-impact studies such as the MYOFLAME-19 trial and SPRINT trial analyses. She actively participates in guideline development and cardiovascular policy.
Michele De Bonis is an Associate Professor of Cardiac Surgery at the Medical School of Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy. He serves as Chief of Cardiac Surgery Innovation and Research at San Raffaele University Hospital, Director of the Training School in Cardiac Surgery, and Head of the Heart Failure Surgery Unit and Mechanical Circulatory Support Programme. He holds visiting professorships at Plymouth NHS Trust (UK) and Cape Town University (South Africa). His clinical expertise includes mitral/tricuspid valve repair, mechanical circulatory support (LVAD/ECMO), and transcatheter interventions. He has pioneered the Star-Tric System for tricuspid regurgitation and is a certified proctor for HeartMate devices. Education: MD cum laude from Rome’s Catholic University (1993), postgraduate training in Belgium/UK, and a fellowship in mechanical support at Berlin’s German Heart Institute. He is a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) and European Society of Cardiology (FESC). Research focuses on valvular heart disease and mechanical circulatory support, with over 466 publications (H-index>20, 3000+ citations). He co-authored European guidelines on valvular disease and infective endocarditis. Teaching roles include courses at the European School for Cardiothoracic Surgery and mentorship of over 20 theses. He leads funded projects like the €980k PNRR-MAD-2022 lung frailty study and the €500k ECMO outcomes project. Awards include the 2005 Ciociaria Medicine Prize and 1995 Petrone Award. He chairs EACTS task forces and serves on international committees for the American Heart Association and European Society of Cardiology.
Professor Ian Scott is a Professorial Research Fellow in the Centre for Health Services Research at The University of Queensland’s Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences, and Director of Internal Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology at Princess Alexandra Hospital. He is a consultant general physician with expertise in health services evaluation, clinical guidelines, evidence-based medicine, and AI-driven clinical decision-making. His research focuses on low-value care reduction, deprescribing protocols, diagnostic safety, and AI implementation in healthcare. Education: Masters (Health Administration, UNSW); Masters (Education, UQ); Royal Australasian College of Physicians qualifications. Leadership Roles: Inaugural Chair of the Australian Deprescribing Network, Queensland Clinical Networks Executive, and founding member of ANZA-SIDM. Grants: NHMRC Partnership Projects, MRFF grants, and others totaling over 300+ publications. Research Highlights: Pioneered the CEASE deprescribing protocol, led sepsis AI working groups, and improved hospital emergency department efficiency through quality reforms. His work on machine learning for drug dosing and diagnostic error mitigation has global impact. Grants and Funding: Current grants include RELEASE+ (antidepressant deprescribing) and REMAIN HOME 2.0 (medication handover optimization).
Professor Andrew McLachlan is the Head of School and Dean of Pharmacy at the Sydney Pharmacy School, University of Sydney. He holds a BPharm(Hons1 Medal) and PhD, and is a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). His research focuses on clinical pharmacology, particularly optimizing medication use in special populations such as older adults, children, and critically ill patients. He has led initiatives like the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Medicines and Ageing, and his work emphasizes translating clinical evidence into real-world practice. Education: Bachelor of Pharmacy (First Class Honours) PhD in Clinical Pharmacology Research Interests: Variability in drug response across populations Quality use of medicines in geriatrics Pharmacotherapy optimization in critical care Deprescribing strategies for older adults Grants & Projects: PROSPER Trial (2025): Evaluating opioid alternatives for postoperative pain DREAM Trial (2024): Duloxetine for chronic sciatica Awards: Member of the Order of Australia (AM) Key Contributions: Leading deprescribing initiatives Advancing personalized pharmacotherapy Improving medication safety in vulnerable populations
Hiram Beltrán-Sánchez is a Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences and Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He serves as the Associate Director of the UCLA California Center for Population Research (CCPR) and co-directs the CCPR’s T32 training grant. His research and academic leadership roles focus on advancing population studies and health demography. Dr. Beltrán-Sánchez holds a PhD and MA in Demography from the University of Pennsylvania, an MS in Mathematics from Northern Arizona University, and a BS in Actuarial Sciences from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). His research interests center on the demography of health and aging, particularly in Latin American countries. He explores biodemographic patterns of health in adults, including how early life experiences influence later health outcomes, and develops demographic and statistical methods to study mortality models and health inequities. His work integrates biomarker data from Mexico to analyze physiological health in relation to sociodemographic factors, addressing global health challenges and health equity through interdisciplinary approaches. Recent articles highlight his focus on biological age modeling, the feasibility of life extension, historical mortality trends, and the long-term effects of early life adversity. These publications span journals in demography, epidemiology, and public health, emphasizing methodological innovation and global health applications. 2018 Early Achievement Award, Population Association of America In advising and grant work, he co-founded the Latin American Mortality Database with Prof. Alberto Palloni and Dr. Guido Pinto Aguirre, a groundbreaking repository covering 19 countries since 1850. He has collaborated widely in México, Brazil, Germany, and Sweden. His career includes roles as a David E. Bell Fellow at Harvard (2011-2013) and a Postdoctoral Fellow at USC (2009-2011) before joining UCLA in 2015. He is affiliated with key research centers including the UCLA California Center for Population Research (CCPR), the USC|UCLA Center on Biodemography and Population Health, and contributes to the Latin American Mortality Database initiative.
Emily Reeve is a Senior Research Fellow at Monash University's Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, focusing on deprescribing and polypharmacy. She holds an NHMRC Investigator Grant (2021-2025) and has held fellowships including an NHMRC-ARC Dementia Research Development Fellowship. Her work addresses medication optimization in older adults, particularly those with dementia or frailty. Education: PhD from University of South Australia (2014), postdoctoral research at University of Sydney and Dalhousie University (Canada). She also completed a visiting research stint at the Brocher Foundation (Switzerland). Research Interests: Deprescribing strategies and guidelines Polypharmacy reduction in geriatric populations Pharmacy practice innovation Health services research in dementia care Projects: Current initiatives include leading the 'Educating health professionals through a Knowledge Transfer Framework' project and co-investigating deprescribing safety via the GEODES project. Awards: Medal from School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences (2014). Grants: NHMRC Investigator Grant (EL2), NHMRC-ARC Fellowship. Labs/Teams: Collaborates with global networks including the NHMRC Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre and the Dalhousie University Department of Medicine.
Jason Shahin is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Medicine , Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences , McGill University . He serves as an Investigator at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) , specifically within the Translational Research in Respiratory Diseases Program . His academic and clinical work bridges critical care medicine and respiratory medicine at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) . Research Focus: Dr. Shahin specializes in risk prediction in intensive care units (ICU) , with particular emphasis on prediction tools for complex populations , including the chronic critically ill and potential organ donors . His work integrates clinical data science with translational approaches to improve ICU outcomes. Article Trends: His publications span critical care medicine , sepsis , mechanical ventilation , and organ donation . Recent studies focus on machine learning applications , probiotics in infection prevention , and blood conservation strategies in ICU settings. Key Collaborations: He contributes to large-scale trials like the LOVIT , PROSPECT , and FORECAST studies, collaborating with networks such as the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group and REVA Network .
Dr. Ira B. Wilson is the Associate Provost for Academic Space (2023–present) and Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice at Brown University’s School of Public Health, as well as Professor of Medicine at Alpert Medical School. He holds dual roles in academic administration and public health research, with a focus on healthcare systems and HIV/AIDS. His career includes leadership roles at Tufts Medical Center and Brown University, where he chaired the Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice from 2010–2023. He currently co-directs the Providence/Boston Center for AIDS Research’s Professional Development Core and leads Rhode Island’s Clinical and Translational Research initiatives. His research examines how healthcare structures influence patient interactions and outcomes, particularly for chronic conditions like HIV and depression. Despite stepping back from active funded research in 2023, he continues teaching PHP 310 ("Health Care in the United States") and mentoring students. Notable roles include co-chairing the NIH-funded Behavioral Science Advisory Group for HIV clinical trials and advising Rhode Island’s Medicaid reform efforts. Education: Harvard College (undergraduate), Harvard Medical School (MD), and a Sc.M. in Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health. Residency and fellowships at Beth Israel Hospital, Boston. Research Interests: Structural features of healthcare systems, physician-patient dynamics, medication adherence, HIV/AIDS care, quality improvement, and healthcare policy. Active in global health initiatives in Kenya and South Africa. Recent Work: Focuses on medication adherence strategies, HIV aging, and policy reforms. Recent publications address opioid harm reduction, nursing home care quality, telehealth during the pandemic, and disparities in Medicaid coverage. Grants & Leadership: Directed NIH-funded CFAR and IDeA-CTR cores. Active on national HIV advisory boards, including the HIV Medicine Association’s board. Appointed by Rhode Island’s governor to lead Medicaid reform initiatives. Labs/Teams: Leads interdisciplinary teams in the Brown School of Public Health, emphasizing collaboration between clinical and policy researchers.
