Traumatic Brain Injury Mission Expert Working Group
The Traumatic Brain Injury Mission Expert Working Group will advise the government on the research priorities for this Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) mission.
Role
The Traumatic Brain Injury Mission Expert Working Group has been assembled to provide the Minister for Health with advice on the strategic priorities for research investment through this mission. Its role is to define evidence and knowledge gaps that should be addressed through mission research funding to assist in transforming health care and health outcomes for individuals and communities. This role includes the definition of key research questions that, if answered, will deliver meaningful change to patients through the translation of research.
Expert Working Group members will consult and engage with other researchers, industry and consumer/patient groups and participate in media and public activities to build awareness of and facilitate interaction with the mission and with other MRFF-funded research.
Further information on the roles and responsibilities of MRFF Expert Advisory Panels including the Traumatic Brain Injury Expert Working Group can be found in the MRFF Mission Governance resource.
The Traumatic Brain Injury Mission will seek to:
- better predict recovery outcomes after a traumatic brain injury
- develop new technologies
- identify the most effective care and treatments.
Members
The Expert Working Group is independently chaired with two co-deputy chairs and includes members appointed for their expertise in research, clinical, commercial or community aspects of traumatic brain injury medicine.
|
Member |
Background and experience |
|
Professor Melinda Fitzgerald |
Professor Fitzgerald is a professor of Neurotrauma at Curtin University. |
|
Associate Professor Dinesh Varma |
Associate Professor Varma and the Deputy Director of Radiology and Head of Emergency & Trauma Radiology at The Alfred Health and Monash University. |
|
Emeritus Professor Robert Vink AM |
Retired Emeritus Professor and former Pro Vice Chancellor (Health Sciences) at the University of South Australia. |
|
Associate Professor Jennifer Cullen |
Associate Professor Cullen is the Chief Executive Officer of Synapse – an Australian Brain Injury Organisation. |
|
Professor Mark Fitzgerald |
Professor Fitzgerald is the Director of Trauma Services at The Alfred Health and Director of the National Trauma Research Institute at Monash University. |
|
Professor Belinda Gabbe |
Professor Gabbe is the Head of the Emergency and Trauma Research Unit at Monash University. |
|
Ms Kate King |
Ms King is a Clinical Nurse Consultant at the John Hunter Trauma Service and Hunter New England Health. |
|
Professor Skye McDonald |
Professor McDonald is a professor of Psychology at UNSW Sydney. |
|
Associate Professor Cliff Pollard AM |
Associate Professor Pollard is a Research Ambassador at the Jamieson Trauma Institute and a former Director of Trauma Services at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. |
|
Associate Professor Adam Scheinberg |
Associate Professor Scheinberg is the Statewide Medical Director for the Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service and Head of rehabilitation at the Royal Children’s Hospital. |
|
Professor James Vickers |
Professor Vickers is professor of pathology at the University of Tasmania. |
|
Ms Janet Wagland |
Ms Wagland is the General Manager, Community at the Brightwater Care Group Ltd. |
|
Dr Jodie Williams |
Dr Williams is a general surgeon and the Director of Trauma at the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre at the Royal Darwin Hospital. |
Terms of reference
Purpose of the Working Group
The Mission Expert Working Group will provide the Minister for Health with advice on the strategic priorities for research investment through this Mission.
The role of the Expert Working Group is to define evidence and knowledge gaps that should be addressed through Mission research funding to assist in transforming health care and health outcomes for individuals and communities.
Expert Working Group Members will consult and engage with other researchers, industry and consumer/patient groups and participate in media and public activities to build awareness of and facilitate interaction with the Mission and with other MRFF funded research.
Membership
The Expert Working Group will be chaired by Professor Melinda Fitzgerald and co-Deputy Chaired by Associate Professor Dinesh Varma and Professor Robert Vink.
Key deliverables
The Expert Working Group will provide advice on priorities for research investment through the Mission by developing a Roadmap and Implementation Plan, including 2–3 questions/goals that investment through the Mission will support and be evaluated against.
Roadmap
A two page high level strategic document for the Mission which will include:
- the aim, vision and goals for the Mission
- possible themes and priorities for investment.
Implementation plan
To support implementation of the Roadmap, the Expert Working Group will develop an Implementation Plan to outline:
- 2–3 questions/goals that will outline specifically how the Mission will benefit Australian patients, guide the investment priorities that will achieve this objective, and will be used to evaluate the ongoing progress of the Mission
- priorities for investment, particularly defining research questions and outcomes for short, medium and long term investment
- opportunities for leveraging additional investment through philanthropy and other sector, to support achievement of the Mission’s outcomes
- activities required to support the Mission’s outcomes, and facilitate their longer term implementation, including community and industry engagement.
Public consultation
A public consultation will be undertaken on the Roadmap and Implementation Plan to enable broad engagement on the priority setting process. The themes of feedback provided on the Roadmap and Implementation Plan, and how the feedback has been incorporated will be published on the Mission website.
Meetings
The Expert Working Group meets up to two times a year, with additional meetings held as required.
Related committees and groups
The Traumatic Brain Injury Mission Expert Working Group reports to the Minister for Health.
The Health and Medical Research Office provides secretariat support to the group.
Contact
Traumatic Brain Injury Mission Expert Working Group contact
Contact for further information on the Traumatic Brain Injury Mission Expert Working Group. This mission is funded by the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).