InforMD was established in 2016 by researchers who are investigating different aspects of breast density. In 2017, InforMD expanded to include members with specific expertise in issues around breast density that affect the community and the clinic.
Learn more about InforMD members areas of expertise or sign up to join the discussion. |
Associate Professor Wendy IngmanInforMD leader and spokesperson
University of Adelaide Wendy has been researching breast biology and cancer for 15 years and leads her research group, the Breast Biology and Cancer Unit, at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. She has been supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council, National Breast Cancer Foundation, and The Hospital Research Foundation. Her research interests include understanding the biology underpinning breast cancer risk factors, and in particular the immune system in breast density.
|
Professor John HopperUniversity of Melbourne
John is a statistician and epidemiologist who has been researching breast and other cancers for more than 20 years. He is a research director at the Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics at The University of Melbourne. He is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council and he has also been supported by the National Institute of Health (USA), the National Breast Cancer Foundation, and Cancer Australia. His interests include understanding the epidemiology and genetic factors involved in measures of breast cancer risk, and of breast cancer masking, based on features in breast images.
|
Associate Professor Jennifer StoneUniversity of Western Australia
Jennifer is an internationally recognised expert in breast density research and is currently a National Breast Cancer Foundation funded Postdoctoral Training Fellow at the Centre for Genetic Origins of Health and Disease at The University of Western Australia. She is leading two nationally funded grants investigating breast density in Western Australian Aboriginal women as well as novel measures of breast density in younger women. She is also involved with several international projects investigating the genetic determinants of breast density as a strong and highly heritable intermediate phenotype for breast cancer risk.
|
Professor Rik ThompsonQueensland University of Technology
Rik has been researching breast cancer for over 30 years and is currently Professor of Breast Cancer Research at the Queensland University of Technology. He has developed clinically relevant models to help understand how high breast density contributes to increased breast cancer risk. His research has been supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council, National Breast Cancer Foundation, The St. Vincent’s Hospital Research Endowment Fund, The University of Melbourne, The Translational Research Institute, and the Princess Alexandra Hospital Foundation.
|
Associate Professor Kara Britt
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Kara leads a team at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre researching breast cancer risk in an effort to develop preventative therapies. Kara’s research has been supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council, National Breast Cancer Foundation, and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Her research interests include understanding why parity (childbearing) decreases breast cancer risk and why breast density increases risk. Kara is interested in defining the initiation steps of breast cancer in an effort to block them therapeutically.
|
Dr Honor HugoQueensland University of Technology
Honor is a Group Leader of Tissue Density Mechanics at the QUT Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, with 8 years experience in breast cancer cell biology. Using cutting-edge technology, she is working to understand how high breast density contributes to increased breast cancer risk. This ambitious project, supported by the Princess Alexandra Hospital Research Foundation Translational Research Innovation Award (2018-2019) is in collaboration with medical physicists at the Queensland University of Technology and clinicians at various hospitals across Brisbane. Honor has also been supported by the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Victorian Cancer Agency. Honor also writes a blog on perspectives of a breast cancer researcher.
|
Gerda Evans
Breast Cancer Community Advisor
Gerda was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989 and has a significant family history of breast cancer, with three of her 4 sisters and other close relatives also experiencing breast cancer. She has been involved as a community advocate with Breast Cancer Network Australia since its establishment in 1998. With her background in oncology nursing and her personal and family experience of breast cancer, Gerda works closely with researchers, clinicians, research participants, and the broader community, on issues around breast cancer risk, detection and management.
|
Gail Ward
Screening Expert
Gail is a registered Allied Health Professional who has been involved with BreastScreen Australia since its commencement in the early 1990's, and has managed the BreastScreen Tasmania program for the past 15 years. Gail is a member of multiple national screening management, quality and advisory committees that oversee and support the quality of Australia's breast, cervical and bowel screening programs. Gail is active in research and implementing change to policy and practice, including the introduction of digital mammography into the BreastScreen Australia program in 2005.
|