Women's Health

Women’s Health research examines common health issues that affect the health and wellbeing of women and aims to optimise health and wellbeing. Our research utilizes a wide range of basic, clinical and epidemiological approaches in obstetrics and gynaecology to further understand a variety of common conditions including complications of pregnancy, reproductive health (particularly heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, menopause and women’s cancers) and is multidisciplinary in scope

Groups / Projects	Research Lead	Dept / Centre
Antibody to PfEMP1: role in immunity to malaria in children and pregnant women	Group Leader Professor Stephen Rogerson	Medicine
Australians’ expectations of personal genomics: the GeNIOz project		Paediatrics
Beverley Ann-Biggs	Professor Beverley-Ann Biggs	Infectious Diseases
Beyond Silence	Project Leader A/Prof Laura Tarzia	General Practice and Primary Care
Bone and Mineral Research Group	Group Leader Associate Professor Chris Yates	Medicine
Bone strength in young healthy females, older patients with low-trauma fracture and older healthy adults: peripheral quantitative computed tomography based finite element analysis	Group Leader Prof. John D Wark	Medicine
Breast Cancer	Head of Group Professor Bruce Mann Lead Researcher Dr Anita Skandarajah	Surgery
Can dietary phytophenols improve pregnancy outcomes?	Associate Professor Martha Lappas	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Centre for research excellence in cervical cancer control		Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Characterising the functional role of VEZT in endometriosis	Project Leader Dr Jacqueline Donoghue	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Cognitive Health	Project Leader Professor Cassandra Szoeke	Medicine
Core Outcomes in Menopause	Project Leader Professor Martha Hickey	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Centre of research excellence on women and non-communicable disease (CRE WaND): Prevention and Detection	Project Leader Professor Martha Hickey	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Critical regulators of endometrial receptivity	Project Leader Professor Eva Dimitriadis	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Critical regulators of placentation	Project Leader Prof Eva Dimitriadis	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Dating Violence, help-seeking and Technology in Australia		General Practice and Primary Care
Developing novel therapeutic strategies to reduce spontaneous pre-term birth	Associate Professor Natalie Hannan	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Development and evaluation of guidelines and an intervention for moving on from IVF in women with a low chance of success	Project Lead A/Prof Michelle Peate	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Development of novel therapeutics to prevent or treat preeclampsia	Associate Professor Natalie Hannan	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Discovery and translation of interventions to control sexually transmitted infections and their consequences		Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Does weekly iron supplementation increase iron uptake in pregnant Vietnamese women, and improve maternal and infant health?	Group Leader Professor Beverley-Ann Biggs	Medicine
Elizabeth Vincan	Professor Elizabeth Vincan	Infectious Diseases
Embryo Implantation Research Group	Professor Evdokia Dimitriadis	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
The Psychosocial Health and Wellbeing Research (emPoWeR) Unit	Research Group Leader A/Prof Michelle Peate	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Endocrine Surgery	Associate Professor Julie Miller	Surgery
EndoNeeds: Investigating the unmet physical, psychological and social needs of Australian women with endometriosis.	Project Lead A/Prof Michelle Peate	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Evaluating information resources for women considering elective egg freezing	Project Lead A/Prof Michelle Peate	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Evaluating molecular biomarkers of anal cancer risk		Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Facilitating endometrial receptivity to improve pregnancy outcomes	Project Leader Professor Eva Dimitriadis	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Fertility After Cancer Predictor (FoRECAsT) Study	Project Lead A/Prof Michelle Peate	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Fertility preservation in children and teenagers with cancer	Senior Lecturer Dr Yasmin Jayasinghe	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Fetal Welfare Assessment	Director Prof Shaun Brennecke	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Genetics Education and Health Research	Research Group Leader Professor Sylvia Metcalfe	Paediatrics
Global Health	Research Group Leader Professor Beverley Ann-Biggs	Infectious Diseases
Gynaecology Research Centre - Hickey Group	Research Group Leader Professor Martha Hickey	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Gynaecology Research Centre - Rogers Group	Professor Women's Health Research Professor Peter Rogers	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Healthy Ageing Program	Professor Cassandra Szoeke	Medicine
How many women experience long-term side-effects after cancer and cancer treatment?	Project Lead A/Prof Michelle Peate	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
I-DECIDE: Trial of an online healthy relationship tool and safety decision aid for women experiencing domestic violence	Project Leader A/Professor Laura Tarzia	General Practice and Primary Care
Identifying new therapeutics for endometriosis using high throughput molecular and compound phenotypic screens	Project Leader Dr Jacqueline Donoghue	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Identifying novel placental-released biomarkers of preeclampsia	Project Leader Dr Ellen Menkhorst	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Imaging	Project Leader Monique Stagnitti	Medicine
Improving diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis	Project Leader Professor Peter Rogers	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Improving reproductive health through infectious diseases research		Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Improving Vitamin D status and related health in young women: The Safe-D study – Part B	Group Leader Prof. John D Wark	Medicine
Improving Vitamin D status and related health in young women; the Safe-D study – (part A)	Group Leader Professor John D. Wark	Medicine
Innate immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes	Group Leader Professor Stephen Rogerson	Medicine
Integrative analysis of OMICs and phenotypic data for disease stratification of endometriosis	Project Leader Dr Sarah Holdsworth-Carson	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Investigating current and future education and training needs of the Australian workforce in genomic medicine		Paediatrics
Is there a role for adipose (fat) tissue in malaria?	Project Lead Dr Elizabeth Aitken	Medicine
Labour & Delivery	Research Clinician Dr Penny Sheehan	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Lifestyle and Prevention	Project Leader Dr Edward Hill	Medicine
Low Literacy Decision Aid about Reproductive Choices for Younger Women with Breast Cancer	Project Lead A/Prof Michelle Peate	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
MANTRA MeAsuring the beNefits of TRAuma-sensitive yoga for survivors of sexual violence)	Project Leader A/Professor Laura Tarzia	General Practice and Primary Care Research
Maternal Fetal Medicine Pregnancy Research Centre	Director Prof Shaun Brennecke	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Mechanistic and translational studies in female reproductive health	Project Leader Professor Eva Dimitriadis
Mental Health	Project Leader Professor Lorraine Dennerstein	Medicine
Molecular Microbiology and Reproductive Health Research Group	Honorary, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Royal Women's Hospital/Mercy Professor Suzanne M. Garland	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Molecular Oncology	Research Group Leader Professor Elizabeth Vincan	Infectious Diseases
Multimorbidity in Ageing	Project Leader Dr Kate Gregorevic	Medicine
MUM SIZE Study	Head of Research Program Professor David Story	Critical Care
Musculoskeletal and Bone Health	Project Leader Dr Raquel Pedrero-Chamizo	Medicine
Nanomedicine targeted delivery of therapeutics to the placenta to treat preeclampsia	Associate Professor Natalie Hannan	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Newborn Research Centre	Head of Research Group Professor Peter Davis	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Paediatric and Adolescent Fertility Preservation Taskforce	A/Prof Yasmin Jayasinghe	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Pathogenesis and Immunity in Malaria	Research Group Leader Professor Stephen Rogerson	Infectious Diseases
Perinatal Research Group	Head of Research Group Professor Sue Walker	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Pre-eclampsia - Eclampsia	Director Prof Shaun Brennecke	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Prenatal testing: a longitudinal study - the PeTALS project	Project Leader Dr Jan Hodgson	Paediatrics
Preterm Labour	Senior Research Fellow Dr Harry Georgiou	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Priorities and Needs of Women Living with Advanced Cancer	Project Lead Dr Michelle Peate	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Probiotic therapy		Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Promoting and advancing midlife health in women	Project Leader Professor Martha Hickey	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
PROSPER: PRevalence Of unwanted Sexual contact: Pursuing Early Recognition	Project Leader A/Prof Laura Tarzia	General Practice and Primary Care
Quality of Life	Project Leader Dr Katherine Campbell	Medicine
REACH		General Practice and Primary Care Research
Risk identification and Risk Assessment Framework	Professor Kelsey Hegarty	General Practice and Primary Care
SAFE PROJECT EXPANDED		General Practice and Primary Care Research
Sexual and Reproductive Health in Adolescence		General Practice and Primary Care
Sexually transmitted infections and viral hepatitis	Research Group Leader Dr Simon Graham	Infectious Diseases
Stephen Rogerson	Professor Stephen Rogerson	Infectious Diseases
SUSTAIN: Sustainability of Identification and Response to Family Violence in antenatal care	Project Leader Professor Kelsey Hegarty	General Practice and Primary Care
Therapeutics Discovery and Vascular Function Group	Associate Professor Natalie Hannan	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
TRANSFORM		General Practice and Primary Care Research
Translational Obstetrics Group	Co-head of The Translational Obstetrics Group Professor Stephen Tong Co-head of The Translational Obstetrics Group Professor Tu'uhevaha Kaitu'u-Lino	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
UNCOVER		General Practice and Primary Care
Understanding the pathogenesis of gestational diabetes	Associate Professor Martha Lappas	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Understanding what triggers birth? New opportunities for prevention of early delivery	Associate Professor Martha Lappas	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Using biomarkers and ultrasound in late pregnancy to minimise preventable stillbirth: the BUMPS study	Head of Research Group Professor Sue Walker	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
Vascular Health	Project Leader Professor Philippe Lehert	Medicine
VOICES (Transforming responses to intimate partner and sexual violence: Listening to the voices of victims, perpetrators and services)	Project Leader Professor Kelsey Hegarty	General Practice and Primary Care Research
WITH: Women’s Input to a Trauma-informed systems model of care in Health settings	Primary Investigator Professor Kelsey Hegarty	General Practice and Primary Care
Impact of risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy on non-cancer outcomes in young high-risk women: a multicentre prospective study.	Head, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, The Royal Women's Hospital Professor Martha Hickey	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health
‘Find and Follow’: scoping the data capture, reporting and follow-up of (i) pregnancies complicated by congenital abnormalities, (ii) health and development among ‘high risk’ newborns	Head of Research Group Professor Sue Walker	Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health