Operational Team
Dr Jennie Hui – Post Doctoral Research Fellow
Dr Jennie Hui was awarded a PhD scholarship by the Immunogenetics Research Foundation in 1998 and completed her PhD in 2002. Her PhD project involved the investigation of the genetics of Psoriasis, in particular, the immunologically interesting MIC gene where she made new and internationally important contributions to knowledge. Her PhD work has resulted in seven publications in peer-reviewed journals. In November 2003, Dr Hui was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship by the Western Australia Institute for Medical Research at the University of Western Australia to work on the epidemiological and genetic relationship between asthma and chronic airflow limitation. This on-going work is in collaboration with the Asthma genetics Group, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Oxford University. In 2005, she was awarded a prestigious fellowship under the Japan society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) scheme to continue her research into asthma genetics in collaboration with Professor Inoko at the Tokai University School of Medicine. Professor Inoko's group at Tokai University has contributed much of the sequences for the Human Major Histocompatibility (MHC) complex in the Human Genome Project (HGP).
Dr Michael Hunter – Senior Scientist
Dr Michael Hunter was awarded a PhD with Distinction by the University of Western Australia for his studies in molecular biology and genetics conducted at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research and the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Free Hospital, London. His investigations led to the discovery of the possible molecular basis of an inherited peripheral neuropathy through the identification of a novel interaction related to lipid metabolism, at the same time identifying a candidate gene regulating HDL levels. Since 2005 his interests have extended to population health research where he is currently the BPMRF Senior Scientist and Site Manager at the Busselton testing centre and adjunct Research Fellow with the UWA Centre for Genetic Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Dr Hunter is an ex officio member of the BPMRF Board, the Busselton Healthy Ageing Study (BHAS) Scientific Management Committee and Chair of the Busselton Health Study Local Advisory Committee. He is an associate member of the GP Down South - Division of General Practice and serves on the University of Western Australia's Rural Clinical School's Local Advisory Group in Busselton.
Elspeth Inglis – Busselton Health Study Secretary/Co-ordinator
Elspeth Inglis is the local study office administrator in Busselton and has been involved with the studies for over 30 years. She is responsible for participant recruitment and scheduling, office administration and coordination of volunteer staff. Elspeth is also treasurer of the Busselton Health Study Action Group and plays an active role in the on-going fundraising activities for the BPMRF.
Dr Natalia Lizama – Research Coordinator
Dr Natalia Lizama holds a PhD from the University of Western Australia. Her doctoral thesis examined the ethical and philosophical ramifications of medical technologies such as organ transplantation and plastination, and she has published several book chapters on this topic. Natalia is currently employed as Research Coordinator at the UWA Centre for Genetic Epidemiology and Biostatistics. She is currently studying towards a Master of Bioethics.
Dr Marion Macnish - Manager, WA DNA Bank
Dr Marion Macnish worked as a Veterinary Nurse for 10 years before completing a Bachelor of Science in Medical Science with first class Honours at Curtin University of Technology in 1994. Following the completion of her degree Marion worked as a Professional Officer for two years at Murdoch University for a health promotion project conducted in indigenous communities in the Kimberley region. She then completed her PhD studying the molecular epidemiology of a human parasite prevalent in tropical areas at Murdoch in 2001, followed by 'commercial in confidence' post doctoral research to develop a vaccine for use in the small animal veterinary field. A change of direction occurred in 2005 and Marion became a Senior Project Officer at the Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Disease where she provided project support to the Application & Linkage and Education & Training programs. Marion commenced as the Manager of the WA DNA Bank in June 2006 a position made possible with an NHMRC Enabling Grant.
Mr Paul White - Manager, CGEB Information systems
Paul holds a Bachelor of Science and an Honours degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Western Australia. Paul also graduated with an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management in 1999. Paul has worked in the Information Technology sector for more than 20 years in Australia, Hong Kong and the US. Prior to returning to Australia in 2004 from the US, Paul was a Principal at Diamond Technology Partners, a Chicago-based management consulting firm, before becoming the Enterprise Architect for a large biotechnology company in Boston. Since returning to Perth, Paul has worked with a number of start-up companies as well as on large State Government and private sector projects in management and technical roles. Paul manages the development of the informatics solutions for the Western Australian Genetic Epidemiology Resource (WAGER) group at the Centre for Genetic Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
