About the IMH team
The Institute is comprised of more than 60 research and professional staff and students and a growing group of Sydney Local Health District musculoskeletal clinicians. Our researchers head a range of NHMRC-funded projects and partner with world-leading organisations in the area of musculoskeletal health, physical activity, and healthy ageing, with many recognised as world-leaders in their fields.
To find out more about joining our team, please contact us
Executive committee
Prof Chris Maher
BAppSc(Phty), GradDipAppSc(ExSpSc), GradDipAppSc(ManipPhty), PhD, DMedSc, FACP, FAHMS
Director, Institute for Musculoskeletal Health
Professor, School of Public Health, University of Sydney
NHMRC Principal Research Fellow
Visiting Professor, University of Oxford
Fellow, Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences
Physiotherapist
Chris’s research focuses on improving healthcare for low back pain and related musculoskeletal conditions. He co-leads the Institute’s Back Pain and Musculoskeletal Conditions stream and leads the Evidence and Equity research stream.
Prof Jane Latimer
BAppSc (Phty), GradDipAppSc (Manip Phty), PhD, MAPA
Deputy Director, Institute for Musculoskeletal Health
Professor, School of Public Health, University of Sydney
Visiting Professor, University of Oxford
Physiotherapist
Jane’s research focuses on the diagnosis, management, and prevention of common musculoskeletal disorders, in particular, back pain. She is also working at the University and nationally to accelerate the careers of women in STEMM. She co-leads the Institute’s Back Pain and Musculoskeletal Conditions research stream and the Indigenous Health research theme.
Dr Bethan Richards
M.B.B.S (Hons), MClin Epi, MSportsMed, FRACP, CCPU
Deputy Director, Institute for Musculoskeletal Health
Rheumatology Head of Department, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney
Rheumatologist
Bethan’s research focuses on clinical epidemiology, inflammatory arthritis, musculoskeletal ultrasound, pain management, soft tissue injury, back pain, low-value care, doctor well-being, and medical education.
Prof Cathie Sherrington
BAppSc (Phty), MPH, PhD, FAHMS
Deputy Director, Institute for Musculoskeletal Health
Professor, School of Public Health, University of Sydney
NHMRC Senior Research Fellow
Fellow, Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences
Physiotherapist
Cathie’s research focuses on physical activity interventions to prevent falls and enhance mobility in older people and people with physical disabilities. She leads the Institute’s Physical Activity, Ageing and Disability research stream.
Research theme leaders
Prof Ian Harris AM
MBBS, MMed(Clin Epi), PhD, FRACS(Orth), FAOrthA
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, UNSW Sydney
Honorary Professor, University of Sydney
Ian is a practicing orthopaedic surgeon and academic in the field of clinical research (including clinical trials, systematic reviews, cohort studies, and registries) focusing on surgical outcomes. He leads the Institute’s Surgery research theme.
A. Prof Anne Tiedemann
BSc (Human Movement), GradDipSc (Exercise Science), PhD
NHMRC Career Development Fellow
Exercise Physiologist
Anne’s research focuses on developing and evaluating physical activity-based approaches to the prevention of falls and promotion of healthy ageing. She leads the Institute’s Healthy Ageing Research Theme.
A. Prof Christine Lin
BPhty, PGDipHSc, PhD
Principal Research Fellow
NHMRC Career Development Fellow
Physiotherapist
Christine’s research focuses on finding simple, effective, and low-cost treatments for people with pain and musculoskeletal conditions. She leads the Institute’s Intervention Testing research theme.
A. Prof Steve Kamper
BSc(Hons), BAppSc(Phty), PhD
Co-Lead, Centre for Pain, Health and Lifestyle
NHMRC Career Development Fellow
Physiotherapist
Steve’s research focuses on the impact of chronic pain on lifestyle and mental health, in children and adults. He leads the Institute’s Children and Adolescents research theme.
A. Prof Anne Moseley
BAppSc(Phty), GradDipAppSc(ExSpSc), PhD
Co-Founder, Physiotherapy Research Database (PEDro)
Principal Research Fellow
Physiotherapist
Anne’s research focuses on evidence-based practice and the effects of rehabilitation interventions for people with neurotrauma or orthopaedic trauma. She leads the PEDro Partnership.
Dr Leanne Hassett
BAppSc(Phty), MHlthSc(Neuro Phty), PhD
Senior Research Fellow
Physiotherapist
Leanne’s research focuses on reducing the global epidemic of physical inactivity, focusing on people with disabilities from neurological health conditions. She leads the Institute’s Disability research theme.
Research topic leaders
Dr Christina Abdel Shaheed
BPharm, PhD
University of Sydney Early Career Development Fellow
Pharmacist
Christina’s research focuses on evaluating the quality use of medicines and non-pharmacological interventions across a range of conditions. She is the Medicines, Complementary & Alternative Therapies topic leader within the Institute’s Intervention Testing research theme.
Dr Amabile Borges Dario
BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Physiotherapist
Amabile’s research focuses on identifying gaps and barriers to the provision of care for children and adolescents with musculoskeletal pain. She is the Paediatric Health topic leader within the Institute’s Children and Adolescents research theme.
Dr Nicola Fairhall
BPhty, MHSc (Neurological Physiotherapy), PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
APA Titled Neurological Physiotherapist
Nicola’s research focuses on improving functional outcomes for older people. She is the Falls and Frailty Systematic Reviews topic leader within the Institute’s Mobility and Falls research theme.
Dr Gustavo De Carvalho Machado
BPhty (Hons), PhD
NHMRC Early Career Research Fellow
Physiotherapist
Gustavo’s research focuses on e-Health and translational research to test the effectiveness of interventions for back pain. He is the Emergency Department and e-health topic leader within the Institute’s Improving Clinical Care research theme.
Dr Stephanie Mathieson
BAppSc(Hons)Bt, MChiro, PhD
NHMRC Early Career Research Fellow
Clinician Researcher
Stephanie’s research focuses on addressing the overuse of medicine in chronic pain and back pain. She is the Reducing Overuse of Medicines topic leader within the Institute’s Preventing Overdiagnosis research theme.
Dr Mary O’Keeffe
BSc Physiotherapy, PhD
European Commission Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow
Physiotherapist
Mary’s research focuses on nudging to improve healthcare delivery, the media’s reporting on health tests and treatments, the labelling of musculoskeletal conditions, and science communication. She is the Consumer Information topic leader within the Institute’s Improving Clinical Care research theme.
Dr Marina De Barros Pinheiro
BPhty (Hons), MSc, PhD
NHMRC Early Career Research Fellow
Physiotherapist
Marina’s research focuses on investigating the cost-effectiveness of physical activity programs and implementing solutions to improve physical activity promotion by health professionals within routine care. She is the Cost Effectiveness topic leader within the Institute’s Mobility and Falls research theme.
Dr Adrian Traeger
BSc (Hons I), MPhty, PhD
NHMRC Early Career Research Fellow
Physiotherapist
Adrian’s research focuses on strategies to reduce unnecessary tests for people with musculoskeletal conditions. He is the Overdiagnosis topic leader within the Institute’s Preventing Overdiagnosis research theme.
Dr Josh Zadro
BAppSc (Phty)(Hons I), PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Physiotherapist
Josh’s research focuses on replacing low-value physiotherapy with high-value physiotherapy to reduce healthcare waste and improve patient outcomes. He is the Allied Health topic leader within the Institute’s Preventing Overdiagnosis research theme.
Dr Juliana Souza De Oliveira
BPhty (Hons), MPhty, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Physiotherapist
Juliana’s research focuses on clinical trials for optimising musculoskeletal health and physical activity. Juliana has a leading role in coordinating two NHMRC trials within healthy ageing and intervention testing research themes.
Our current students and their projects
Mrs Angela Vratsistas-Curto
BAppSc (OT)
Occupational Therapist
Angela’s research focuses on dosage of arm rehabilitation and outcomes after stroke.
Mr Mike Swain
BChiroSc, MChiroprac, MPhil
Chiropractor
Mike’s research focuses on gaining a greater understanding of the causes of spinal pain and musculoskeletal disorders in adolescents.
Mr Aron Downie
BSc, MChiro, MPhil
Chiropractor
Aron’s research focuses on recovery from spinal pain and the accuracy of screening tools for detection of pathology for people with back pain.
Mr Daniel Treacy
BAppSc (Phty), MHM
Physiotherapist
Daniel’s research focuses on measuring and increasing physical activity in the rehabilitation setting.
Ms Geraldine Wallbank
BAppSc(Phty)
Physiotherapist
Geraldine’s research focuses on promotion of physical activity in middle age to promote independence in older age.
Mr Giovanni Ferreira
BPhty, MSc
Physiotherapist
Giovanni’s research focuses on prevention and management of low back pain across different health settings, and how to improve low back pain care in middle-income countries.
Mrs Siobhan Wong
BAppSc(Phty), MPH
Physiotherapist
Siobhan’s research focuses on implementation of physical activity in rehabilitation.
Mrs Kerry West
MAppSc(Physio), FACP
Head of Physiotherapy – The Children’s Hospital at Westmead
Kerry’s research focuses on increasing participation in sport and physical activity for children with physical disabilities.
Ms Sweekriti Sharma
BPH, MA, MPH
PhD Student – Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney
Sweekriti’s research focuses on reducing over-diagnosis and over-treatment of low back pain.
Ms Danielle Coombs
BAppSc (Physiotherapy)
Physiotherapist
Danielle’s research focuses on improving the management and quality of life of people with low back pain.
Ms Amanda Bates
BSc, GradDipSc, MPH, MSc
Health Promotion Officer
Amanda’s research focuses on reducing falls in older adults.
Advisory board
Our advisory board, drawing on their extensive experience in musculoskeletal health and research, provides strategic guidance in the establishment and the long term direction of the Institute.
Professor Andrew McLachlan – Chair of Advisory Board and Head of School and Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney
Dr Teresa Anderson – Chief Executive, Sydney Local Health District
Associate Professor Vicki Taylor – Executive Director, Sydney Research
Professor Joel Negin – Head, School of Public Health, University of Sydney
Ms Ornella Clavisi – General Manager Consumer Services, Musculoskeletal Australia
Professor Rachelle Buchbinder – Chair, Australia & New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network
Professor Maureen Ashe – Canada Research Chair, Community Mobility
Professor Bart Koes – Research Director, Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC
Professor Sallie Lamb – Co-Director, Clinical Trials Research Unit, The University of Oxford
Professor Joshua Burns – Associate Dean Research, Faculty of Health Sciences