Director of Research, Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health
Director of Diabetes Unit, Southern Health

Professor Helena Teede

Professor Teede is the Director of Research at the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health located at the Monash Institute of Public Health Research, funded through the NH&MRC research fellowship scheme. As the JHF research director, Helena holds a Monash University Chair in Women’s Health. She also holds a position as Head of Diabetes Unit at Southern Health, Victoria’s largest Health Service, encompassing 5 acute hospital sites and

These positions integrate well, with the majority of her time spent in research, leadership and clinical practice. Professor Teede is an endocrinologist with a PhD in Vascular medicine and leads her team’s research activity which focus on clinical research on the continuum from obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistant states including polycystic ovarian syndrome, pre-diabetes and diabetes through to cardiovascular disease. The team encompasses 6 Postdoctoral fellows, 8 PhD or masters students and the staff have a variety of backgrounds from medicine, basic science, psychology, dietetics, nursing and health promotion. Translational research and education are fundamental to the JHF research program focusing on disease prevention

Postdoctoral Research Fellows

Dr Sophia Zoungas

Dr Sophia Zoungas is a postdoctoral research fellow and Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health Research group within the Monash institute of Health Services Research. Sophia is also the Deputy Director of Diabetes, Southern Health and is a leading young Endocrinologist and emerging opinion leader in the management of cardiovascular risk in high-risk populations. She is also affiliated with the Centre for Vascular Health, Monash University. These appointments have extended from her research experience in the hormonal/ diabetes/ cardiovascular / renal disease areas and from her clinical experience in the care of patients with diabetes. 

Sophie is emerging as an authority on the prognostic value of non-invasive indices of arterial function for cardiovascular outcome in renal disease and diabetes and the effects of folic acid and renal transplantation.  Her current research interest includes mechanisms of clinical studies examining mechanistic relationships, novel biomarkers and therapeutic interventions, and thus improve the translation of basic science into clinical practice and screening policies, especially in the high risk diabetes / renal disease populations. She is also a PhD supervisor.

Dr Amanda Deeks

Dr Amanda Deeks is a Psychologist and a senior integral member of the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health research team within the Monash Institute of Health Services Research. She is involved in all three arms of Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health including Clinical, Educational and Research sectors. As a senior postdoctoral Research Fellow Mandy has a background in psychology with a PhD and strong track record in women’s health. Her current areas of interest are translational research including risk perception, barriers to behavioural change and health related behaviours, libido and midlife transition and premature menopause.

Dr Amanda Vincent

Dr Vincent is an endocrinologist with a PhD in Women’s Health. She has an active education role with the Jean Hailes Foundation and is involved with the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health Research group within the Monash Institute of Health Services Research.  She has considerable expertise in menopausal medicine and specifically in premature menopause as well as in Turners Syndrome and clinical nutrition. Dr Vincent is involved in research in these areas as well as in the development of educational resources for health professionals and the community in menopausal medicine.

Dr Carolyn Allan

Dr Allan is an endocrinologist with diploma in obstetrics and a PhD in Men’s Health. Carolyn, with her considerable clinical expertise in Women’s Health and background in research, who researches with Prince Henrys institute and works with the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health within the Monash institute of Health Services Research. Her focus is on research into androgens in males but also into clinical and health services research into obesity and diabetes in pregnancy. She is the Director of Diabetes in pregnancy services for Southern Health and leads the clinical team in this area and is an active clinician in Women’s Health at the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health.

Dr Lisa Moran

Dr Moran, originally from Adelaide, has a sound background in Molecular Biology, Physiology and Clinical Dietetics and extensive experience in developing and implementing human clinical trials examining weight loss and maintenance, diet composition, energy expenditure and appetite regulation. She has extensive technical laboratory and analytical skills and statistical proficiency, and has published and presented extensively locally, nationally and internationally including invited seminars and received a number of awards to aid the presentation of her research. Her work is of key importance in contributing to management of common conditions including PCOS best targeted through lifestyle change.

Dr Dominik Rachon

Group of Eight university scholarship winner. Visiting academic from 2007 to Apr 2008, Dominik’s current research interests include menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT), anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic properties of estrogens, estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) polymorphisms, metabolic effects of estrogens, metabolic syndrome, phytoestrogens, SERM and Endocrine Disruptors and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Postgraduate PhD and Masters students

Dr Jennifer Wong

Dr Jennifer Wong is a consultant Endocrinologist and Research Fellow in the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health integrated with the Southern Health Diabetes research group within the Monash Institute of Health Services Research. Dr Wong simultaneously holds a clinical scholar position at the Centre for Clinical Effectiveness at the Monash Institute of Health Services Research and is completing a Masters of International Health at Monash University in 2007. Her current research focuses on Health Services research into improved diabetes care, guideline and protocol development.

Mrs Cate Lombard

Cate Lombard is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian who is now a PhD student in the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health research group within the Monash Institute of Health Services Research. She has specialised skills, knowledge and experience in the area of preventive health care, population health and women’s health related to improving both physical activity and nutrition behaviours. In particular, Cate’s experience and research interests give her expertise in the prevention of obesity through sustained lifestyle behaviour change. Cate has held senior clinical positions in both metropolitan and rural hospitals, community heath centres, worked for government and non government organisations, and as a private consultant. She has worked in research into cardiovascular disease in women and presented to numerous groups across Australia promoting the benefits of good nutrition and physical activity.

Cate has contributed to the work of the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health for over 10 years as a senior consultant, working in the areas of community and professional education, consulting in the medical clinic and contributing to research projects.  In 2004 Cate was awarded a VicHealth public health PhD scholarship to study the impact of nutrition and physical activity behaviour change on the prevention of obesity, physical and mental wellbeing in young mothers.  In 2005 Cate was awarded a grant from the William Buckland Foundation to complete this research.

Dr Samantha Hutchison

Dr Samantha Hutchison is an Endocrinologist and a PhD scholar in the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health research group within the Monash Institute of Health Services Research. In 2006 she commenced her first year of full-time PhD study, supported by a Jean Hailes Research Scholarship. She has been awarded The Royal Australian College of Physicians Shields Research Scholarship for 2007.  The main focus of her research is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.  In particular, she is interested in insulin resistance and the risk of diabetes in women with this condition. Her PhD is entitled “Insulin resistance, insulin signalling and the cardiovascular system in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: The Role of Exercise”.  She has also contributed to the PCOS Active Learning Module for GPs at the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health.

Ms Sabrina Gupta

Sabrina has joined the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health research group within the Monash Institute of Health Services Research team. She has a background in health promotion and her research is focused on ethnicity and impact on health-related behaviours and health outcomes. She is supervised by Dr Rosalie Aroni and co-supervised by Prof Helena Teede within the Monash Institute of Health Services Research. Her works is focused on disease risk factors, prediabetes

Ms Diana Van Di

Diana is a naturopath with a science degree who has just completed a large randomised controlled trial of herbal therapies at menopause. Her work has been presented at the AMS conference and her first manuscripts are submitted. She is enrolled via RMIT and Prof Burger and Prof Teede are her co-supervisors.

Ms Cheryce Harrison

Cheryce is science graduate who is completing a PhD on the effects of exercise interventions. She is enrolled through MIHSR with-in the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health research group and is supervised by Prof Teede and Co supervised by Dr Nigel Stepto in the Monash University Physiology department. Her work focuses on the effects of exercise in PCOS and GDM on alleviating IR and preventing diabetes.

Dr Michele Lui

Dr Lui is an endocrinology trainee who is joining the group formally next year but has already commenced her project work in the interactions between diabetes and CVD. She will be a PhD scholar in the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health research group within the Monash Institute of Health Services Research. In 2007 she commenced her project but will formally commence her PhD in 2008.

Dr Indra Jayashuria

Dr Jayashuria is completing a Masters by Publication. He is an endocrinologist, and Masters student working through MIHSR with-in the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health research group. He is actively involved in service provision through the endocrinology and diabetes unit. He is actively involved in clinical research projects in the Sir Lankan and Indian community and in research addressing gaps in health services and translation of evidence-based medicine.

Dr Padaphet Sayakhot

Dr Sayakhot is completing a PhD in Menopause after breast cancer treatment. She is an Obstetrician and Gynecologist and will work under the supervision of Dr Vincent and Prof Teede.

Research Unit staff:

Dr Vivienne Whitechurch: Research GP co-ordinating industry studies at the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health.

Ms Melanie Gibson: Research assistant involved in health-related behaviour research.

Ms Dimitra Giannopoulas: Research assistant involved in diabetes research.

Ms Marie Sperling: Research nurse completing industry studies at MMC.

Ms Katherine McMahon: Research nurse involved in industry studies at the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health

Ms Yoke Chan: Research nurse completing diabetes studies at MMC.

Ms Denise Best: PA to the Director of Research.

Ms Kim Barker: Senior Research Administrative Officer

Content updated March 19, 2008