Current Student Profiles
Chiara Beccia
Graduate Research Topic
Title: Exploring opportunities for reducing diagnostic delay for children with type 1 diabetes in Australian general practice.
Years: 2023 -
Supervisors: A/Prof Jo-Anne Manski-Nankervis, Dr Barbara Hunter and Dr Mary White.
Brief background and research interests
I completed my Honours year in the Department of General Practice and Primary Care in 2022, after having undertaken a few small research projects within subjects in my undergraduate degree. I am interested in how we can use both qualitative and quantitative research to develop novel ways of supporting general practitioners to navigate rare, difficult-to-diagnose illnesses. Other interests include using natural language processing and machine learning to build predictive algorithms in general practice research, innovations in improving care for chronic health conditions, social determinants of health and access to healthcare.
What led you to this research?
During my Honours year, I explored pathology testing for children attending Victorian general practices with suspected type 1 diabetes. During this time, I learnt a lot about research in diabetic ketoacidosis prevention and the importance of shortening diagnostic delay intervals in type 1 diabetes. I became very interested in the questions that emerged from the data that my Honours study presented and wanted to pursue a PhD exploring these questions. I was also inspired by some very special people (my supervisors) and wanted to continue working with them!
Lucas De Mendonca
Graduate Research Topic
Title: Validations of two clinical decision support systems related to cancer in primary care.
Years: 2022 -
Supervisors: A/Prof Jo-Anne Manski-Nankervis, Javiera Martinez Gutierrez, Jon Emery.
I am also a Masters of Philosophy candidate
Brief background and research interests
I am a family and community doctor who majored in Brazil in 2021 with a particular interest in enhancing digital tool usage in primary care to facilitate patient care and improve health professionals' workflow. Other particular fields of interest for me are cancer, evidence-based medicine, medical education and the social determinants of health.
What led you to this research?
Electronic medical records are a daily tool for primary care health professionals. However, they still haven’t realised their whole potential in assisting in clinical decisions and consequently, improving the care and satisfaction of users and professionals. Particularly, the possibility of doing research with big-data and looking into ways of assisting clinicians are my main goals.
Aishah Jameel
Graduate Research Topic
Title: ‘Visualising equity: Exploring equity-oriented maternity care for women of refugee background in Victoria, Australia.
Years: 2023 -
Supervisors: A/Prof Elisha Riggs and A/Prof Clemence Due.
Brief background and research interests
I am passionate about generating and translating knowledge to improve maternal and child health outcomes in communities experiencing vulnerabilities. My research interests include maternal and child health, migrant and refugee health, equity-oriented care, health care systems and services, knowledge translation and research impact.
What led you to this research?
Both my professional and personal experiences have led me to pursue this PhD study. I have experience working with diverse communities experiencing vulnerabilities including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and migrant communities and was very aware of the inequities in access, navigation and uptake of health (and specifically maternity) services experienced by these communities. My own experience as a multiracial migrant, woman of colour and visibly Muslim researcher has also played an integral role in the conceptualisation of my PhD study.
Yichen Xue
Graduate Research Topic
Title: Implementation of a co-produced preventive model of care for cardiovascular health in Australian primary care attendees with severe mental-ill health.
Years: 2022 -
Supervisors: Prof Victoria Palmer and Dr Matthew Lewis.
Brief background and research interests
I completed my Masters of Science (Epidemiology) at The University of Melbourne in 2021. During my Masters, I gained an in-depth understanding of designing different types of epidemiological studies and conducting systematic/scoping reviews with or without a meta-analysis. I also learned some data analysis skills such as (multivariable) linear and logistic regression and survival analysis on Stata software.
What led you to this research?
The scoping review conducted during my Masters investigated the screening rates for cardiovascular disease risk factors for people with severe mental ill-health in primary care settings. I was quite interested in this topic and decided to explore it further by pursuing a PhD, as in how we can implement an effective preventive model of care for cardiovascular health tailored for people with severe mental ill-health in primary care settings. Therefore, to understand the facilitators and barriers of implementing this model of care will be the focus of my PhD.
Shakira Onwuka
Graduate Research Topic
Title: Trial of a decision aid to support informed decision-making about aspirin to prevent bowel cancer and other chronic conditions.
Years: 2020 -
Supervisors: Prof Jon Emery, A/Prof Jennifer McIntosh, Prof Finlay Macrae and A/Prof Patty Chondros
Brief background and research interests
I'm from the United States and have been residing on Wurundjeri Country in the Kulin Nation (Melbourne) since 2015. Since then, I've worked across various clinical trials in primary care. My PhD is also a trial in general practice settings. I am interested in building a career that focuses on health equity and supporting the health of Australia's most vulnerable and under-served communities. I am both a mixed-methods researcher and implementation scientist who is passionate about making real-world change in public health.
What led you to this research?
My experiences during my PhD, particularly while leading a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of aspirin in preventing bowel cancer and chronic illnesses, illuminated the profound gaps in healthcare delivery to vulnerable populations. My background as an African American researcher has further sensitised me to the nuances required in delivering health interventions across diverse communities. Although the decision aids were developed collaboratively with community input, the majority of this input came from comparatively privileged groups. This realisation has not only reinforced my commitment to health equity but also driven me to refine these tools to better serve all community segments, including the most under-served.
Wen Liu
Graduate Research Topic
Title: Chinese International Students’ Contraception, Unintended Pregnancy and Abortion.
Years: 2024 -
Supervisors: Prof Meredith Temple-Smith and Prof Lena Sanci.
Brief background and research interests
I completed my Master of Public Health at the The University of Melbourne in 2020, during which I conducted a research project exploring Chinese international students' contraceptive decision-making. My past work experience (as a health promotion officer in Australia and later as a research assistant in China) also predominantly focused on sexual and reproductive health and violence against women. My current primary research interest lies in the sexual health of Chinese international students, encompassing but not limited to areas such as contraception, unintended pregnancy and abortion.
What led you to this research?
My passion for young people’s sexual health and translating research into actionable outcomes has been a driving force throughout my study and career development. The previous experience also reinforced my understanding of the importance of listening to people's voices and stories, which therefore drove my strong interest in qualitative research skills development. Thus after four years, I decided to return to university to pursue my passion, which is to contribute to the development of a more constructive and supportive sexual health promotion framework for Chinese international students.