Baird News

Thank-You Afternoon Tea

On Friday 14 December 2018, The Baird Institute celebrated the support of our donors with an afternoon tea and a tour of the Hybrid Theatre, the state-of-the-art research facility at the Charles Perkins Centre (CPC) in Sydney University.

Along with many of our valued supporters, we had two very special guests in attendance; the previous patron of The Baird Institute, Professor The Hon Dame Marie Bashir and our new patron, The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG.

Professor Paul Bannon gave an update to all those present and thanked our donors for their continuing trust and support;

“At this point in 2018, we are at a really crucial point in planning for the future. The Hybrid Theatre in the CPC in the University of Sydney represents exactly what Doug Baird engineered in 1986 with his focus on the highest levels of care, education and research. The landscape today is different from the way it was 30 years ago, as are the challenges.  The patients are 10 years older, coronary surgery has been replaced by high-risk multi-faceted issues, we now have a major aortic program fundamentally underpinned by research in genetics and advised by multidisciplinary teams, we have structural heart programs, which look at better ways to implant valves with less risk and less morbidity, we have minimally invasive robotic procedures and we are now starting to talk about artificial intelligence.  Much of this work is made possible with funds provided by The Baird Institute and as such we are very thankful to our generous supporters for assisting us to fund this important work”

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What makes a successful nurses education conference?

2nd Heart & Lung Nurses Education Conference - 2018

Connected Care

What makes a successful education conference? This question occupied us during months of planning leading up to The Baird Institute’s 2nd Nurses Education Conference, held on 15 September, 2018.

Obviously, you need speakers who will be dynamic, interesting, entertaining and informative and because The Baird Institute works with surgeons, physicians, academics, nurses and allied health professionals within the tertiary setting, we were able to invite speakers of the highest calibre to be our drawcards for this event. It is so nice to know that these speakers hold us in high regard and gave up their time to prepare and present to nurses on a rare day off. In fact, some of our speakers managed to deliver their presentations and return to a busy clinical workload.

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We then organised practical afternoon workshops that would appeal to the development of skills and knowledge for nurses working in intensive care, perioperative and coronary care units and cardiac catheterisation labs. It was such a thrill to hear the buzz of conversation and energy during workshop changeovers, as people spoke about the facilitators and the concepts learnt for emergency cardiac life support, management of chest drainage systems, chest x-ray and pacing interpretation workshops and heart and valve anatomy classes using a wet lab and real hearts (bovine). Again, our facilitators travelled to us on the Saturday, giving up their time and most importantly, sharing their expertise and insights to those present. What made the day so great? Clinicians and facilitators sharing their knowledge and skills to ensure that patients needing heart and lung surgery, have the best care based on research and ensuring that patients are at the centre of our health care.

The Honourable Michael Kirby becomes the new patron of The Baird Institute

We are so pleased to announce that The Honourable Michael Kirby AC CMG has agreed to become The Baird Institute’s 2nd Patron and is succeeding to the mantle of our previous patron, Professor The Honourable Dame Marie Bashir.  When he retired from the High Court of Australia on 2 February 2009, Michael Kirby was Australia’s longest serving judge, having worked there since 1996. He continues to undertake many international activities for the United Nations, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the World Health Organisation and UNESCO. Michael Kirby was Chancellor of Macquarie University from 1984 to 1993 and has been appointed Honorary Visiting Professor by 12 universities.

He participates regularly in local and international conferences and meetings and has served on many international committees for the UN, the Commonwealth of Nations and on the UN Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Access to Essential Medicines (2015-16). He is regularly engaged in international arbitrations, domestic mediations and teaching law.

Professor Kirby states –“I am proud to have been appointed Patron of The Baird Institute: an outstanding and practical research centre that works in close collaboration with the famous Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. Mixing practical talent, intellectual research and human kindness is the magic combination of The Baird Institute and its members. In this respect it continues in the high tradition first established by Professor Doug Baird. It is why I am proud to be Patron.”

At the cutting-edge of surgical innovation

The Baird Institute is excited to announce the funding of and collaboration with Vantari VR in building a Virtual Reality (VR) tool for surgical planning.

The focus is on improving efficiency and outcomes for patients and is the first of its kind globally to be built for use in Aortic surgery. Professor Paul Bannon, Chair of The Baird Institute, has been instrumental in driving this collaboration, as the potential of this technology is game-changing to the surgical landscape. Founded by two young doctors, Dr Vijay Paul and Dr Nishanth Krishnananthan, Vantari VR is considered to be one of the leading Australian start-up medical technology companies, having recently completed the HCF Catalyst accelerator program and received funding from the NSW government. Virtual Reality has made headlines around the world over the last few years and is being used increasingly in healthcare.

Clinical trials are already showing that VR can reduce surgical planning time by up to 40% and increase surgical accuracy by 10%. With global powerhouses, such as the Mayo Clinic and Stanford Health Care in the US and The Royal London Hospital in the UK, implementing VR into their research and treatment delivery, this is an important step by The Baird Institute on the national and global stage to drive innovation so as to improve patient outcomes.trials.

Launch of Sydney Imaging

Sydney Imaging’s Hybrid Theatre is a new research and training hub, located in the Charles Perkins Centre (CPC) at the University of Sydney. The site was officially launched in April by Elizabeth Koff, NSW Secretary of Health who stated that “Sydney Imaging is one of Australia’s most sophisticated biomedical imaging facilities reserved for research and education – a rarity in the world. It is a boon for the NSW and Australian health research community, and for our broader society which will ultimately benefit from discoveries made there.”

Sydney Imaging acts as a hub for the University’s faculties and affiliated research institutes including The Baird Institute. A significant amount of our research will be carried out there and this will enable us to more rapidly translate evidence into state of the art clinical practice so that we can gain the very best outcomes for patients. Imaging technology allows researchers to study complex biological systems and disease processes non-invasively and provides biological insights into scientific and medical problems that are not available by other means.

Professor Paul Bannon, chair of The Baird Institute is also Academic Director of The Hybrid Theatre.  The theatre combines a range of biomedical imaging technologies, artificial intelligence, robotics and pioneering surgical practice and training. Image-guided and robotic surgery are used to develop and perfect the complex surgical procedures of tomorrow, resulting in less invasive techniques and better outcomes. Professor Bannon stated at the launch that “the key objective is to sustain medical research and to drive it, specifically the high end or cutting edge translational research!”

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Rodney Merrett – The first NSW open-heart surgery patient

A Heartfelt thanks for surgery 60 years ago

Rod Merrett was the first person in NSW to have had open heart surgery using the new American heart-lung machine.  Rod was operated on at RPA Hospital in 1957 by visiting surgeons from Johns Hopkins Hospital in the USA, he was only 9 years of age and remained in hospital for 6 weeks following his surgery.

The Baird Institute flew Rod from Adelaide to Sydney to participate in the panel at our 2017 Christmas Cocktails & Conversation event and to share the story of his journey with heart disease.
A story was recently published about Rod in Sydney’s Inner West Courier

Pictured: Rodney Merrett  (Inset) Front left with his surgeon and other patients.

A story was recently published about Rod in Sydney’s Inner West Courier

Read his story

By clicking on this image,  you’ll be able to download The Baird Institute’s latest newletter where on page 4, you can read about Rod’s experience, as a nine year old, while in hospital 60 years ago!

Dinner Dance Fundraiser 2018

Put it in your diary …

DINNER DANCE FUNDRAISER

Dick Shaw, one of our fabulous community fundraisers, is holding a dinner dance at Mollymook, down the South Coast of New South Wales, in order to raise funds for The Baird Institute.

Dick has been operated on several times by Professor Paul Bannon and now wants to show his gratitude.  Chair of The Baird Institute and Head of Department, Cardiothoracic Surgery at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Paul will be speaking on the latest developments in cardiothoracic research.  So, come along to what should be a fun filled night down at beautiful Mollymook.

When & Where?

Mollymoook Surf Club
6.30pm Sat 24th February, 2018

All funds raised will go to The Baird Institute

  • Special guest speaker – Professor Paul Bannon
  • Dance to the Dave Price Rock ‘n’ Roll Band
  • Tickets $85 pp (includes catering from Milk Hause)
  • Drinks at bar prices
  • Fantastic raffle prizes

Contact Dick Shaw on 0411 411 196 for further information and/or dietary needs

Tickets: ticketbooth.com.au – search ‘MOLLYMOOK’

Download the Brochure

Cocktails & Conversation 2017

The Baird Institute’s Christmas“Cocktails and Conversation” was held on Thursday 30 November,  2017 at the Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel.

Pictured: (Left to right)  Monica Attard,  Rodney Merrett, Norman Kroehnert, Jo Dean and brothers Jake & Jason Rance, explaining what applied heart research has meant for them, their families and the wider community.

Patients of  surgeons associated with The Baird Institute, were interviewed by award winning ABC journalist Monica Attard in regards to their experience with heart surgery. These patients are the representation of a much larger cohort, benefiting from the generosity of donors, funding research being carried out by The Baird Institute.

Brothers, Jake and Jason Rance both had an aortic root repair after it was discovered, following the death of their mother from an aortic dissection, that they both had familial “Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Disease”. Their open heart surgery was performed by Professor Paul Bannon, Chair of The Baird Institute, in 2017.  Jo Dean had Robotic heart bypass surgery with Professor Michael Wilson, also in 2017. Jo first discovered she had “Coronary Artery Disease” earlier this year after experiencing chest pains on her regular ride to work.  Rod Merrett was the first person in NSW to have had open heart surgery using the new American heart-lung machine.  Rod was operated on at RPA Hospital in 1957 by visiting surgeons from Johns Hopkins Hospital in the USA, he was only 9 years of age and remained in hospital for 6 weeks following his open heart surgery. Norman Kroehnert had a chest re-opening earlier this year after having suffered a heart attack whilst at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He was the first recipient of a chest reopening by participants of the CALS (Cardiac Advanced Life Support) course run at RPAH and it was an outstanding success –  he lives to tell his story.

At “Cocktails and Conversation” we were able to highlight just how far heart surgery has come from the time Rod had open heart surgery in 1957 to when Jo had her robotic bypass surgery in 2017 – 60 years later.  Jo remained in hospital for just 6 days while Rod’s stay in hospital lasted for 6 weeks.  This difference in the recovery period for patients undergoing robotic heart surgery means so much more than time; it means far less chance of complications, a faster recovery and return to work, not to mention an excellent cosmetic result.  It is an entirely different world these days! The positive impact this minimally invasive surgery has on working parents, their children, employers and hospitals is enormous.   What was once the subject of movies and fantasy is now an everyday reality in tertiary care facilities such as the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital!

Following the discussion, Professor Paul Bannon thanked the panel and explained the importance of the research work that The Baird Institute is involved in as well as the need for industry contributions for PHD research salaries in order to further the Institute’s research capabilities.

Our Director, Michelle Sloane, paid tribute to Natalie Zugec one of our super community fundraisers who has raised almost $100,000 for applied heart research at The Baird Institute with the help of her sister, Pamela.  Natalie was presented with a beautiful bunch of flowers.

The night ended with a drawing of the raffle by Philippa Baird, wife of the late Professor Doug Baird. Thank you to Carol Radford, one of our dedicated supporters, for her donation of a wonderful Christmas cake and to Camelbak for their donation of various drink bottles and hydration packs.

(Top row, left to right) Jo Dean with brothers, Jake and Jason Rance. (Bottom row left to right) Rodney Merrett, Norman Kroehnert with Prof Paul Bannon.
(Top row, left to right) Jo Dean with brothers, Jake and Jason Rance. (Bottom row left to right) Rodney Merrett, Norman Kroehnert with Prof Paul Bannon.
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Jo underwent a successful heart bypass operation using Robotic Surgery. As a patient of Professor Michael Wilson, she is also featured on the 7.30 Report
Jo underwent a successful heart bypass operation using Robotic Surgery. As a patient of Professor Michael Wilson, she is also featured on the 7.30 Report
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We would like to thank all of our supporters for their help in 2017 and we look forward to another successful year ahead where, with your help, we will continue to foster, fund and promote cardiothoracic research in medical undergraduates, graduates and our own surgeons.

The staff of The Baird Institute; (left to right) Maureen Winn, Sue Moore, Michelle Sloane, Lisa Turner, Catherine Rush & Lorna Beattie. 

Heart to Heart Newsletter

Welcome back to our revamped “Heart to Heart” newsletter.

Heart to Heart will be published twice a year with the aim being to keep you updated on all that is happening in research and training at The Baird Institute.

2017 has been a big year! In May, we released our first biennial report, The Baird Report. If you didn’t receive a copy and would like one, please contact us and we will happily mail it to you. You can also download a copy here.

Dr Michael Seco, the recipient of The Baird Institute’s Edwards Lifesciences Scholarship, completed his PhD and you can read more about this in our newsletter. We have seen the continuation of the Robotics Program and the establishment of The Surgical and Robotics Training Institute, the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, of which Professor Bannon is the director.

A landmark study, led by Professor Michael Vallely involving 37,720 patients, demonstrated that a newer “no-touch” beating heart bypass surgery technique (anOPCABG) reduced postoperative stroke by 78% compared to traditional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The results were published in the February edition of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), considered to be the pre-eminent Cardiology journal in the world.

Finally, our surgeons have been involved in the publication of over 50 academic journal articles this year; you will find a research update with an outline of some of our more important publications later in the newsletter.

To all our donors, thank you – the work of The Baird Institute is only possible due to you and we appreciate and value your continuing trust and support. On behalf of the team at The Baird Institute, I would like to extend to you and all your families, best wishes for the holiday season and for a very healthy and happy 2018.

 

Catherine Rush
Engagement Manger, The Baird Institute

Click on the image to download a copy of the Heart to Heart Newsletter

Future Participants of The Baird Institute’s Kenyan Fellowship Program

Two future participants of The Baird Institute’s Kenyan Fellowship program visit Australia

Pictured: (Left to right)  photographed in front of RPAH; Dr Nikita Mehta, Dr Fredrick Mitema, Ambassador Isaiya Kabiya, Prof Paul Bannon & Dr Victor Kwasi

In November we hosted two future participants of The Baird Institute’s Kenyan Fellowship Program in Australia; Dr Nikita Mehta and Dr Fredrick Mitema from Nairobi.  They came to Australia on a “travelling scholarship”.  While here they attended the annual conference of the Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons of Asia in Melbourne, then came to Sydney to visit Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) and The Baird Institute’s research programs and research facilities. During the reception and tour, Dr Mehta and Dr Mitema were joined by the Kenyan High Commissioner from Canberra, Ambassador Isaiya Kabiya.

Nikita is the first locally trained female cardiothoracic surgeon in East and Central Africa and is a graduate of the program at The University of Nairobi that The Baird Institute helped establish around 5 years ago.  Dr Mehta completed her undergraduate and post-graduate training at the University of Nairobi last year, graduating with a Master’s degree in cardiothoracic and vascular surgery. She will return to Sydney in 2018/2019 to commence her 2 year surgical trainee fellowship at RPAH under the guidance of Professor Paul Bannon, the Chair of The Baird Institute. Nikita hopes this will give her the skills and knowledge to one day set up a self-sustained cardiothoracic centre of excellence in Kenya specialising in clinical care, training and research.

Please take a look at our interview with Nikita and Fred.

In Kenya, we are still in the infantile stage when it comes to cardiac surgery. This is partly because of the lack of skilled personnel, as well as the numerous challenges of providing super specialised care in a resource constrained environment. Working at RPA will give me exposure to cardiac surgeries which are not routinely performed back home.

Our Mission

Our mission is to foster research and apply science to improve the outcomes for patients facing heart or lung surgery.

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The Baird Institute is a Registered Australian Charity

The Baird Institute is registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
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Dr Brian Plunkett

This content is currently being updated.

Dr Benjamin Robinson

Mr Benjamin Robinson is an adult cardiothoracic surgeon with a long association with The Baird Institute. Whilst a medical student, he completed honours research with the Baird on outcomes in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, under the supervision of Professor Brian McCaughan. He was awarded a Baird Institute Fellowship for this work. He subsequently trained in cardiothoracic surgery at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and was the inaugural Baird Institute – Stanford University exchange scholar. Mr Robinson later completed a cardiac surgery clinical fellowship at Bart’s Heart Centre in London. He then worked as a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at St. James’s Hospital in Dublin, before returning to Sydney to take up appointments at Royal Prince Alfred, Concord Repatriation General and Strathfield Private Hospitals.

Mr Robinson has experience in the spectrum of adult cardiac surgery, including coronary, valvular and aortic disease, as well as in general thoracic surgery. He has specific clinical interest in minimal access aortic valve surgery, arterial coronary grafting and aortic surgery. He has completed postgraduate study at Cambridge University and has academic interests in surgical outcomes research and epidemiology.

Professor Tristan Yan

Dr Tristan Yan is the Head of Department of Thoracic Surgery at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse. Professor Yan graduated from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) with Bachelor of Science (Medicine), Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. He also completed three postgraduate higher degrees, Master of Surgery (USyd), Doctor of Medicine (UNSW) and Doctor of Philosophy (UNSW). He was trained at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney and then obtained Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Following advanced specialty fellowships in the United States, England, Scotland and Germany, he specializes in minimally invasive cardiovascular surgery, and minimally invasive thoracic surgery.

Professor Tristan Yan is dedicated to surgical innovations. He applies the latest pioneering techniques to minimize surgical trauma and access sites and thus achieves a more rapid and comfortable recovery for his patients. He first completed his general surgical fellowship with Paul Sugarbaker in the United States, one of the most prominent surgeons in the world. He was then closely trained by the pioneer of Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery, Mr. William Walker, in Edinburgh, where he mastered the technical expertise of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) to perform complex lung resections, such as lobectomy and segmentectomy.

Associate Professor Chris Cao

After completing his medical degree at the University of New South Wales with First Class Honours, Christopher attended his pre-internship at Yale University, USA. He scored 99/99 for his United States Medical Licensing Exam, and completed his Cardiothoracic surgical training in Sydney. Concurrently, Christopher completed his PhD degree with Sydney University, focusing on the surgical management of lung and pleural diseases.

After completing his surgical training with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Christopher was invited to a Fellowship at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York City, one of the largest cancer centres in the world. This was followed by a Fellowship in New York University, where he was asked to join the Faculty in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery. His fellowship was focused on robotic and minimally invasive thoracic surgery, treating lung cancers, mediastinal tumours, mesothelioma, and other lung-related diseases. During his 18-month Fellowship at MSKCC and NYU, Christopher was fortunate to work with some of the leading international surgeons, gaining invaluable clinical and academic experience.

With over 100 publications in international peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, A/Prof Cao has a keen interest in thoracic surgery, particularly the treatment of lung cancers through minimally invasive surgery. He has made more than 50 presentations in international meetings as a Faculty Member in Paris, New York, Edinburgh, Taipei, Sydney, and Guangzhou. Christopher has personally supervised students and residents from Sydney University, University of New South Wales, Cornell University and New York University.

He is a member of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, and works as a Consultant Surgeon at Lifehouse, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Concord Hospital, Sydney Adventist Hospital, and Macquarie University Hospital.

Dr Mike Byrom

Dr Michael Byrom is a modern, innovative cardiothoracic surgeon with training and experience in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Italy. Particular areas of expertise include:

  • Truly minimally-invasive surgery to the aortic valve that avoids complete division of the breast bone (hemi-sternotomy, right anterior mini-thoracotomy); allowing faster recovery and return to normal activities
  • Mitral valve repair with excellent repair rates and outcomes – resulting from diverse training in France, Italy, and the United Kingdom
  • Avoidance of the need for anticoagulation through valve selection, valve repair, and surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation
  • Minimally-invasive lung resection, avoiding a large thoracotomy wound and enabling faster recovery and return to normal activities with reduced pain and discomfort
  • Sternal and rib titanium plate fixation of chronic non-united fractures
  • Performing these procedures while minimising risk of complications, allowing Dr Byrom to achieve world-class results for his patients

Dr Matthew Bayfield

Dr Matthew Bayfield is an extremely experienced cardiothoracic surgeon with a broad range of skills and special interests within his field. He has performed more than 6000 heart and lung procedures. Dr Bayfield has hospital appointments at Strathfield Private Hospital, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Concord Hospital. His surgical interests include:

  • Coronary artery surgery: Dr Bayfield is one of Australia’s busiest coronary surgeons; with particular focus on minimal access incisions, and use of in-situ bilateral internal mammary artery grafts for enhanced longevity of the benefit of coronary revascularization.
  • Aortic root and arch surgery: Dr Bayfield has been performing aortic root and arch surgery since 1995, when he completed a Cardiovascular Fellowship at the University of Virginia in the USA. His focus is on o minimal access incisions, short cardiopulmonary bypass times, and for arch surgery antegrade cerebral perfusion with cerebral oxygen saturation monitoring.
  • Surgery for emphysema / CAL: Dr Bayfield was trained in open lung reduction surgery whilst doing a fellowship at the University of Virginia in 1995. Since that time he has developed thoracoscopic techniques for the procedure, and since 2003 been an implanter of endobronchial valves as a minimally invasive alternative to surgery. With over 100 endobronchial valve case experience, and long term follow-up of these patients, he is one of Australia’s most experienced endobronchial valve proceduralist.
  • Correction of pectus defects: Dr Bayfield has a special interest in correction of both pectus and carinatum defects, with techniques including implantation of Nuss bar under video-assisted control, and open radical sternochondroplasty.Lung cancer surgery: Dr Bayfield has been in surgical partnershio with Professor Brian McCaughan since 1996, and was trained by him as a registrar. Prof McCaughan is Australia’s most experienced and prolific lung cancer surgeon, has published widely on many aspects of its treatment, and has been awarded Medal of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to health in respect to his work on malignant mesothelioma.
  • Pacemaker and defibrillator implantation: Dr Bayfield was trained in device implantation as a young surgeon in the 1980’s and has developed skills to ensure that a device can be safely and reliably implanted even in the most difficult case with minimal risk. He was trained in cardiac resynchronzation therapy techniques at the introduction of that technology. He has regular pacemaker and defibrillator implantation lists at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Strathfield Private Hospital, and Concord Hospital.
  • Surgical treatment for ischaemic cardiomyopathy: Dr Bayfield trained in heart and lung transplantation whilst at the University of Virginia. With this skill base he has been able to develop a multi-faceted approach to treat patients whose hearts have been damaged by coronary artery disease (heart attack). These therapies include coronary artery bypass, mitral valve repair, and implantation of CRT defibrillators.

Professor Paul Bannon

Professor Paul Bannon is an adult cardiothoracic surgeon of international standing with clinical appointments at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Concord and Strathfield Private Hospital. At Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Professor Bannon is the Head of Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Co-Chair of the Institute for Academic Surgery, Director of the Robotic Training Institute and the current President of the Medical Officers Association. At the University of Sydney, he holds the inaugural Professorial Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Bosch Chair of Surgery. He is also the current Head of the Discipline of Surgery for the Sydney Medical School and the Academic Director of the newly opened Translational Research Facility or Hybrid Theatre at the Charles Perkins Centre. He is the Chair of The Baird Institute for Applied Heart and Lung Surgical Research. Professionally he is the Past President of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and in that role serves on the steering Committee for the ANZSCTS National Cardiac Surgical Database, the National TAVI Accreditation Committee and is the Cardiac Surgical Chair of the Medical Benefits Schedule review program. For the Ministry of Health NSW he has been in the role of Co-Chair of the Cardiac Devices Committee for the Agency of Clinical Innovation.

Professor Bannon graduated from the University of Sydney in 1987, completed a PhD from the same institution in 1998 and was awarded a FRACS (CTh) in 1998. He has a particular passion for translational research in the areas of congenital aortic and mitral valve disease, biomaterials and biocompatibility, limitation of blood product usage in cardiac surgery, the inflammatory response to bypass and the development of academic surgical careers. He has authored or co-authored more than 120 scientific papers, published in peer-reviewed journals. He is co-editor-in-chief of the Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery, a Medline listed multimedia journal of cardiothoracic surgery. Professor Bannon has a reputation as the ‘surgeons surgeon’ and has particular expertise in surgery of the aortic root and arch, high-risk re-do surgery, total-arterial coronary artery bypass grafting and surgery for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Professor Richmond W. Jeremy

MB BS PHD FRACP FAHA FESC FCSANZ GAICD

Professor Richmond Jeremy’s medical and cardiology training were at the University of Sydney and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

His clinical research career includes a PhD on coronary physiology and a post doctoral research Fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore before returning to the University of Sydney and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

University of Sydney responsibilities have included service as Associate Dean Sydney, Medical School, Head of Central Clinical School and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Campus Infrastructure and Services.

Professional responsibilities have included service as Editor-in-Chief of Heart Lung and Circulation, membership of Boards on National Heart Foundation (NSW), Royal Australasian College of Physicians (Adult Medicine Division) and Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand.

Mr. Shaun Clyne

MA LLM (Syd)

Shaun is a corporate lawyer based in Sydney. He is the Australian Head of the Mergers & Acquisitions practice. He regularly advises on a wide range of corporate and securities law issues for public listed companies including takeovers, schemes of arrangement and capital raisings. He advises on Australian Stock Exchange compliance matters and regularly acts for both bidders and targets in connection with takeover bids and schemes of arrangement (hostile and friendly) for ASX-listed companies.

A leading practitioner in equity capital markets, Shaun has also advised numerous companies on their initial public offerings and capital raisings (rights issues, AREO’s, placements, employee share and options plans).

Shaun has presented at a variety of seminars and conferences and published several papers in his areas of specialisation.

His areas of expertise are mergers and acquisitions, corporate advisory and capital markets.

Ms. Joanne Wade

BEc LLB

Joanne Wade has been a plaintiff lawyer since her admission to the Supreme Court of NSW in 1996 and has worked in asbestos litigation for well over 18 years. Joanne is an Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law and prides herself on her communication with her clients and, on many occasions, her clients’ families. She understands the importance and need to handle all her cases with the utmost diligence and compassion. Joanne has acted for hundreds of people suffering from mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and asbestos related pleural disease. Her clients are everyday people who have worked hard all their lives and deserve justice. Joanne acted for Steven Dunning in his claim against BHP Billiton Limited in the Dust Diseases Tribunal of NSW (Dunning vBHP Billiton Limited [2014] NSWDDT 3). Mr Dunning suffered from malignant pleural mesothelioma and in a landmark decision; the court awarded Mr Dunning the highest amount for damages for pain and suffering in NSW. Joanne went on to represent Mr Dunning in the Appeal before the NSW Court ofAppeal where BHP’s appeal was unanimously dismissed (BHPBilliton Limited v Dunning [2015] NSWCA 55). Joanne has also successfully acted for the late Bevan McGrath in his claim against Allianz Australia Insurance Limited, for his condition of asbestos related pleural disease and ensured that case was resolved on a provisional damages basis. Mr McGrath went on to develop mesothelioma, one of only a small number of cases where he then brought a second claim for further damages because his first claim was resolved on a provisional basis. Joanne successfully acted for Mr McGrath in both his claims and the late Mr McGrath successfully received further damages in a judgment by the court (McGrath v Allianz AustraliaInsurance Limited [2011] NSWDDT). The judgement was upheld on appeal (Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v McGrath [2011]NSWCA 153).

“It is with great privilege to work with people suffering from asbestos illnesses, and the greatest satisfaction formed is securing a result for those people to help ease their suffering, and to know their families will be looked after.”Joanne takes great pride in the work Slater and Gordon have undertaken in representing victims of asbestos disease, unions and asbestos support groups, including the work of Ken Fowlie in 2004 who acted for the ACTU and asbestos support groups in negotiations with James Hardie to secure an agreement which will ensure current and future victims of asbestos –related diseases would be fully compensated for years to come.Joanne is a passionate advocate and one thing that separatesJoanne from other lawyers is perspective, with her own father being exposed to asbestos working at Cockatoo IslandDockyard, she is in the unique position of seeing it from both angles.“My clients are generally people who have worked hard all their lives, and are lovely people who deserve justice. I am glad to fight for that justice and to make a difference to their lives.”

Expertise

  • Asbestos Claims
  • Dust Disease Board Appeals
  • Dust Diseases Claims
  • Compensation Claims

Career History

  • Slater and Gordon since 2008 (practice group leader)
  • 2000-2007 Watkins Tapsell (partner)
  • 1996-2000 Watkins Tapsell (lawyer)
  • 1992-1995 NSW Crown Solicitors Office (paralegal clerk)

He is Head of Department, Cardiothoracic Surgery at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney and holds the Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Bosch Chair of Surgery, University of Sydney. He has performed over 2500 adult cardiac surgical procedures ranging from coronary artery bypass to complex aortic root and arch reconstructions. He is President of the Australia and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons and is the Society representative to the Cardiac Surgery National Database. He is the Co-Chair of the Institute of Academic Surgery at RPAH where he also oversees the robotic surgical program. He heads the National MBS Taskforce Review for Cardiac Surgery and has held various positions in the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

Professor Bannon’s teaching responsibilities are currently to all years of the Graduate Medical Program at Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney. He supervises local and international Doctorate, Masters and Honours students as well as international elective students. He is the Co Editor-in-Chief of The Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery and a Director of the CORE Group for International Collaborative Research. Professor Bannon has published widely in books, journals and conference proceedings on cardiothoracic surgery, basic science and evidence based medicine.

He has a particular passion for translational research in the areas of congenital aortic and mitral valve disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, biomaterials and biocompatibility, limitation of blood product usage in cardiac surgery, the inflammatory response to bypass and the development of academic surgical careers. He is a current Chief Investigator on NHMRC and NHF grants for biomaterials and congenital heart disease research as well as a current NHMRC CRE grant on mechanical circulatory support. His role in the CRE is to produce NHMRC Clinical Practice Guidelines and measure their dissemination, adoption and outcomes. He personally oversees more than $500,000 worth of research funding annually. His Department currently runs 16 clinical trials amongst many other laboratory and clinically based projects.

Professor Clifford F. Hughes

AO MBBS FRACS FACC FACS FCSANZ

Professor Cliff Hughes is President of the International Society for Quality in Health Care. Until March 2015 he was the Chief Executive Officer of the Clinical Excellence Commission, a statutory health corporation established in 2004 to build capacity and design programs to promote and support improvement in quality and safety for health services across NSW. He has been chairman or member of numerous Australian state and federal committees associated with quality, safety and research in clinical practice for health care services. He has held various positions in the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, including Senior Examiner in Cardiothoracic Surgery and member of the College Council. In November 2015 the College bestowed upon him the highest award given to a Fellow in his lifetime, the Sir Hugh Devine Medal. He has received awards for his national and international work including an Alumni Award from the University of NSW. He has led five medical teams to China and has performed cardiac surgery in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, India and Bangladesh. In 1998, he was made an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) in recognition of his contributions and “service to cardiac surgery, international relationships and the community”. In June 2014, the University of NSW conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Science, its peak academic award.

Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite

BA, MIR (Hons), MBA, DipLR, PhD, FIML, FCHSM, FFPHRCP (UK), FAcSS (UK), Hon FRACMA, FAHMS

Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite, BA, MIR (Hons), MBA, DipLR, PhD, FIML, FCHSM, FFPHRCP (UK), FAcSS (UK), Hon FRACMA, FAHMS is Founding Director, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Director, Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation Science, and Professor of Health Systems Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University. His research examines the changing nature of health systems, attracting funding of more than AUD$131 million (EUR€81.8 million, GBP£70.8 million).

He has contributed over 470 peer-reviewed publications presented at international and national conferences on more than 915 occasions, including 97 keynote addresses. His research appears in journals such as JAMA, British Medical Journal, The Lancet, BMC Medicine, BMJ Quality & Safety, and International Journal for Quality in Health Care. He has received numerous national and international awards for his teaching and research.

He is interested in the Anthropocene and the impact of human activity on human and species’ health, population and climate. He blogs at http://www.jeffreybraithwaite.com/new-blog/.

Further details are available at his Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Braithwaite.

Ms. Michelle Sloane

BA MA MBA CMAHRI MAPsS​

Michelle’s background is in psychology and human resources working for many years in senior executive positions at Westpac, IBM and Unilever. Twenty years ago she established a human resources management consulting practice, Diversity Management, and led that organisation for 16 years. Michelle has worked extensively in the areas of change management, organisational analysis and design, human resource management, program management, stakeholder engagement as well as leadership development and training.

Michelle has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Technology, a Master of Arts (Psychology) from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New South Wales. In addition Michelle is a Graduate of the Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

Michelle has also been a Councillor for the City of Willoughby in Sydney. During her time as Councillor and Deputy Mayor, she has worked tirelessly with the local community advocating across a range of local and state-wide issues. Her interest in local government was developed over many years as a very active volunteer in her local community.

Professor Paul G. Bannon

MBBS PhD FRACS

Professor Paul Bannon is the Chair of The Baird Institute for Applied Heart and Lung Surgical Research, a not-for-profit medical research institute established in 2001, to improve the outcomes and better the lives of those undergoing heart and lung surgery.

He is Head of Department, Cardiothoracic Surgery at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney and holds the Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Bosch Chair of Surgery, University of Sydney. He has performed over 2500 adult cardiac surgical procedures ranging from coronary artery bypass to complex aortic root and arch reconstructions. He is President of the Australia and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons and is the Society representative to the Cardiac Surgery National Database. He is the Co-Chair of the Institute of Academic Surgery at RPAH where he also oversees the robotic surgical program. He heads the National MBS Taskforce Review for Cardiac Surgery and has held various positions in the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

Professor Bannon’s teaching responsibilities are currently to all years of the Graduate Medical Program at Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney. He supervises local and international Doctorate, Masters and Honours students as well as international elective students. He is the Co Editor-in-Chief of The Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery and a Director of the CORE Group for International Collaborative Research. Professor Bannon has published widely in books, journals and conference proceedings on cardiothoracic surgery, basic science and evidence based medicine.

He has a particular passion for translational research in the areas of congenital aortic and mitral valve disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, biomaterials and biocompatibility, limitation of blood product usage in cardiac surgery, the inflammatory response to bypass and the development of academic surgical careers. He is a current Chief Investigator on NHMRC and NHF grants for biomaterials and congenital heart disease research as well as a current NHMRC CRE grant on mechanical circulatory support. His role in the CRE is to produce NHMRC Clinical Practice Guidelines and measure their dissemination, adoption and outcomes. He personally oversees more than $500,000 worth of research funding annually. His Department currently runs 16 clinical trials amongst many other laboratory and clinically based projects.