Our Hosts

GP, Author, Podcaster, Presenter.

Ginni is a regular host of the Drivetime-GP series and is a well-known celebrity doctor in Australia.

Aside from her general practice in Sydney’s Sans Souci, Ginni has written many books, including ‘Save your Brain' and the ‘The M Word', hosted TV shows ‘Embarrassing Bodies Down Under' and ‘Medicine or Myth', and worked extensively as a medical journalist and columnist for ‘Women’s Health' and ‘That’s Life' magazines.

She is co-founder of ‘Don’t Sweat It', a company delivering workplace education and policy development around peri and menopause. She is also Non-Executive Director of a variety of not-for-profit organisations including ‘The Immunisation Coalition’, ‘The Jodi Lee Foundation’ and is a founding member of the ‘Asia Pacific HPV Coalition’.

GP, Bondi Junction, Sydney.

Qualifying in medicine in 2002 from the University of Leicester UK, Dr Sneha went on to train as a GP in London and completed postgraduate diplomas in obstetrics and gynaecology, sexual and reproductive health, child health, as well as IUD and Implanon fitting.

She is a clinical director with Evoca Women's Health, a vision of women’s health accessible to all, spanning through all ages and stages of life, by skilled and passionate women’s health GPs. She is also the medical director at Bondi Junction Medical and Dental Centre, as well as regional clinical director NSW/ACT and head of GP wellbeing, with ForHealth Group Medical.

Dr Sneha enjoys the variety of general practice interspersed with her specialist interest in women's health and paediatrics.

Pharmacist, Founder of The Vaccination Hub, PSA National Vaccination Ambassador

Anna Theophilos is an award-winning community pharmacist and founder of The Vaccination Hub. Known as @thevaccinationpharmacist, she is one of Australia's leading voices in vaccination education, creating evidence-based content and practical resources that support healthcare professionals across the country.

Alongside leading TWC Surrey Hills South in Melbourne, Anna works with pharmacists and healthcare organisations to improve vaccination access, confidence and delivery through education, innovation and collaborative healthcare partnerships. She is a regular speaker at national conferences and develops education programs that support best-practice vaccination services across community pharmacy, aged care and outreach settings.

Anna is passionate about empowering pharmacists to practise at the top of their scope and believes community pharmacy has a vital role to play in improving the health of all Australians.

A Sydney-based GP, with extensive experience having worked in rural, regional and isolated communities.

She is passionate about building empowered, thriving communities and believes that improving access to reliable, preventative health information, particularly in remote communities, is key to achieving this.

She has a keen interest in women’s health, paediatrics, fertility and mental health, with a particular focus on empowering women to advocate for themselves within the health system and access supportive, empathetic care. She also works with young women to build resilience and mental wellbeing in the digital age. Underpinning her work is a strong focus on prevention and helping people optimise their health and wellbeing now and into the future.

Over the past few years, Michela has built a reputation for breaking down complex medical information into clear, relatable messages for everyday Australians. Her warmth and trustworthiness have made her a favourite with media and audiences alike. Michela is a resident doctor on The House of Wellness (Channel 7) and appears regularly on Sunrise and The Morning Show.

Consultant Geriatrician & Director of Research and the Memory Clinic Continuing Care, Austin Health.

A/Prof. Paul Yates is a geriatrician with Austin Health, Deputy Director of Aged Care Research and Medical Lead for the Residential InReach Program. His clinical and research interests include care of older people at the interface between hospital and community, including residential aged care, and novel approaches to improve outcomes in ageing and dementia.

Paul is also lead for the ADNeT Novel Dementia Therapies Community of Practice, a group that is working to improve the implementation of advances in clinical care for people with dementia and cognitive impairment across Australia.

Paediatric & Adult Dermatologist, Sydney.

A/Prof Li-Chuen Wong is a consultant dermatologist with over 20 years’ experience, across the private and public health sectors. Specialising in both adult and paediatric dermatology she is a is a Visiting Medical Officer (VMO) and head of the dermatology department at the Children’s Hospital, Westmead. She is a Clinical Associate Professor at The University of Sydney, previous Director of Training and Past Chair, NSW Faculty, Australasian College of Dermatologists.

Since graduating from the University of Sydney in 1995 Dr Wong has worked extensively in indigenous communities and has been a member of the Indigenous Affairs Committee, Australasian College of Dermatology.

GP, TV host, Author, and Podcaster.

Brad is an Australian science communicator, TV host, author and podcaster, who works as a GP in Darlinghurst, Sydney.

He appears regularly on The Today Show, The Drum, ABC Radio, triple j, Triple M, has presented Catalyst on the ABC, and hosts several medical podcasts for health professionals. He's also on the editorial board of The Medical Republic.

Previously Dr Brad was the host of the television program Embarrassing Bodies Down Under, a show dedicated to decreasing stigma and raising awareness about traditionally ‘taboo' topics.

He is a member of the Immunisation Coalition, and an Ambassador for both the Immunisation Foundation, and the Stroke Foundation.

Clinical Editor & Chief Pharmacist of the Australian Journal of Pharmacy (AJP)

Dr Brett MacFarlane is a pharmacist, clinical educator and healthcare consultant with more than 30 years’ experience across pharmacy practice, education and healthcare communications. He has led national continuing professional development programs, chaired clinical guideline development and developed strategic partnerships across the healthcare sector.

His expertise includes evidence synthesis, pharmacist education, medical writing and the development of practical, evidence-based educational resources that support pharmacists in clinical practice.

Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, the University of New South Wales, Professorial Fellow, the George Institute for Global Health, and Co-Chair of the National Hypertension Taskforce of Australia.

Alta is a leading researcher with extensive experience in clinical trials and population-based studies in the field of blood pressure, hypertension and cardiovascular health. She has been the Chief Investigator of several multidisciplinary studies, published >450 papers in the field, and supervised over 85 postgraduate students.

She is Chief Investigator of several Australian-funded trials, a NHMRC Investigator Grant Leadership Fellow, and is the senior author of the 2020 International Society of Hypertension Global Hypertension Guidelines. She is Associate Editor of the journal, Hypertension, and has received numerous international awards for her work.

GP, Podcaster, Presenter.

Dr Robert Hungerford is a Fellow of the RACGP and was awarded the Tony Buhagiar Medal in 2014.

He is a GP supervisor in a large teaching general practice in Newcastle, also working at a rapid access GP clinic at the John Hunter hospital.

He is a conjoint lecturer at the University of Newcastle and is regularly involved with education at a regional and national level in his areas of interest, namely ASCVD, Heart Failure and Diabetes.

Community Pharmacist, Pharmacy Owner, Sydney.

A committee member of the NSW Pharmacy Guild of Australia branch and pharmacy owner who has a lot invested in the industry! Catherine strives for excellence in business operations, with her store awarded Pharmacy of the Year, Excellence in Retail Management at APP.

Catherine has been involved in teaching business management to pharmacy students at both Sydney University and University of Technology, where she also represents community pharmacy on the industry Advisory Board.

A Compounding Pharmacist, Sleep Apnoea Specialist, Weight Loss Consultant, Pharmacist Immuniser, and Diabetes Educator, awarded PSA NSW Young Pharmacist of the Year in 2015.

Consultant Neurologist, Director of Neurology and Chair of Medicine, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.

Professor Cook is recognised internationally for his expertise in epilepsy management, particularly imaging and surgical planning.

After completing specialist training in Melbourne, Professor Cook undertook an MD thesis while working as Brain Research Fellow at Queen Square, London. He returned to St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne to continue his interest in neuroimaging in epilepsy.

Under his directorship, both the research and clinical components of the Neurology Department at St Vincent’s have been significantly enlarged, currently one of the largest units in Australia for the surgical treatment of epilepsy.

His interests include experimental models of epilepsy and seizure prediction.

Consultant Rheumatologist, St Vincent’s Private Hospital, Melbourne.

Michelle treats patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis incorporating DMARD and biological therapies where indicated. Her experience in the use of cytokine targeted therapy to “Treat to Target” has given her insight into the impact of these treatments to reduce inflammation and pain associated with these debilitating conditions.

Michelle graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1984 and then trained as a medical resident and registrar at St Vincent’s Hospital. She has previously worked at the Royal Melbourne Hospital Bone and Mineral Unit as a clinical assistant and has conducted juvenile rheumatoid arthritis research at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

She has been involved in teaching medical students and giving educational lectures to GPs and specialists.

Director of Gastroenterology and Research Executive Committee Officer, Northern Health, and Clinical Associate Professor, University of Melbourne.

Mayur is a Melbourne gastroenterologist, with a wide range of clinical and research interests in all aspects of luminal gastroenterology.

Mayur graduated with his MBBS from the University of Melbourne in 2003, and has since worked at several of Melbourne’s leading hospitals. He has been awarded a PhD from Monash University which investigated the role of the renin-angiotenin system and vitamin D in IBD, and has won several competitive scholarships in endoscopy and IBD.

Mayur has a passion for excellence in patient care and service quality and is a believer in patients participating and being empowered in their management.

Clinical Haematologist, The Royal Melbourne Hospital & Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

Ashley is an expert in blood cell development, leukaemia research and leukaemia therapy. Ashley is also a member of the acute leukaemia working parties of the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group where Ashley is involved as a principal investigator for Phase I/II/III human clinical trials.

In addition, Ashley co-leads the development of the Clinical and Genomics registries for the Asia Pacific Leukaemia Consortium.

Ashley's research has led to significant insights into the genetic regulation of blood stem cell and blood cancer development, including paediatric leukaemia affecting children with Down’s syndrome, and understanding the role of transcription factors and genetic networks controlling stem cell and immune cell development.

Clinical Haematologist, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney.

Professor Ward is a clinical haematologist based at Royal North Shore hospital, with an academic appointment in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney.

His clinical interests are in coagulation, particularly venous thromboembolism and platelet disorders, myeloproliferative disorders and myeloma. He runs the thrombosis and anticoagulation clinics at RNS and supervises outpatient management of venous thrombosis.

Dr Ward is the lead investigator at RNS for clinical trials of new anticoagulants and therapies for thrombocytopenia. Currently, he is Co-Chair of Cancer Research at the Northern campus and Vice-President of the Australasian Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Associate Professor & Cardiologist, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne.

Associate Professor Justin Mariani is a consultant cardiologist with extensive expertise in acute cardiology, coronary care management, advanced heart failure management, cardiomyopathies, device implantation and management, echocardiography, cardiac catheterisation, and arrhythmia management.

Justin is one of less than a handful of cardiologists in Australia who are subspecialty trained in both advanced heart failure management and device implantation and management (Cardiac Rhythm Management), a novel field considered as Interventional Heart Failure.

Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney.

Professor Baber operates a specialist Gynaecology and Reproductive Endocrinology practice based on Sydney's lower north shore and heads the menopause and menstrual disorders clinic at Royal North Shore Hospital.

Past president of both The International Menopause Society and The Australasian Menopause Society.

Rod has served on the council of The RANZCOG and is Associate Editor of The ANZ Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Editor in Chief of Climacteric, journal of The International Menopause Society.

Endocrinologist, special interest in Women’s Health, Melbourne.

Dr Davison is a Clinical Fellow at Jean Hailes for Women’s Health and has an adjunct appointment at the Women’s Health Research Program, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.

Sonia is in private practice at the Melbourne Endocrine Clinic, Malvern, and at Jean Hailes for Women’s Health.

Her PhD and postdoctoral research examined sex steroid physiology in women, including measurement of androgens and their relationships with age, mood, sexual function and cognition.

Sonia is President of the Australasian Menopause Society and former editor of its newsletter, ‘Changes’.

Cardiologist and Director, Heart Failure Unit and Department of Cardiac Rehabilitation at the Concord Hospital, Sydney.

Professor Sindone is a very experienced and accomplished Cardiologist based in Eastwood, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. With a career spanning over several decades, he has established himself as a leading expert in his field.

As a dedicated cardiologist, Andrew stays up-to-date with the latest advancements in his field, continuously honing his skills and knowledge. Through his commitment to ongoing education and professional development, he ensures that his patients receive the most effective, evidence-based treatments available.

He is particularly known for his expertise in diagnosing and treating a wide range of cardiac conditions and diseases.

Professor and Director of Endocrinology, Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, St Vincent’s Health, Melbourne.

Prof MacIsaac is a leader in the area of diabetes treatment and research. He graduated from the University of Melbourne’s Medical School in 1995 and was awarded his fellowship with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 2002.

His main research interest is diabetes and its complications, especially those related to cardiovascular and kidney disease, and has published over 180 research articles.

Prof MacIsaac also has an interest in the application of new medicines and technologies to improve glycaemic control and outcomes in people with diabetes.

Respiratory Physician and Clinical Scientist, Brisbane.

John is a respiratory physician and clinician scientist with a particular interest in immune dysfunction in lung diseases and hold appointments with Princess Alexandra Hospital and The University of Queensland.

His research focuses on the importance of dendritic cells in allergic disease, new approaches to blocking allergic inflammation using bacterial products, documenting the development of immunity during childhood and host defence against respiratory viral and bacterial infections.

He has published over 180 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, has been cited over 5400 times and has an ‘H index' of 39. The majority of his publications are in the higher impact journals in the field.

Medical Retinal Specialist and Researcher, Sydney.

As well as pursuing full time clinical practice, Jennifer maintains a strong involvement in clinical research resulting in over 80 publications: she runs a dynamic clinical research department at Marsden Eye Specalists and has been principal investigator in over 70 international clinical trials of new treatments for a range of retinal conditions.

She is additionally active in the analysis of real world outcomes for the management of retinal diseases as a researcher and committee member of the Fight Retinal Blindness FRB! Programme.

Jennifer is the immediate past chair of the Australian New Zealand Society of Retinal Specialists and is a member of the USA based Macula Society.

Medical Retina Specialist, Professor of Ophthalmology, the University of Sydney.

Professor Mitchell's clinical focus is the management of AMD and diabetic retinopathy (particularly using anti-VEGF therapy) and other vascular retinopathies, and in evaluating ocular effects of systemic diseases.

Hel has co-authored 900 papers in peer-reviewed journals, plus 75 books, chapters or letters, and currently has ~37,000 citations to his work. He has been the recipient of many awards and prizes, and served as an ARVO Trustee and as ARVO Vice President.

He was the principal investigator on the Blue Mountains Eye Study and other major epidemiological studies of eye disease and vision impairment.

Dentist, Moss Vale, New South Wales.

Patrick is passionate about dentistry. He graduated from Sydney University’s Faculty of Dentistry in 1983 with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree, but he decided to make dentistry a career well before this.

Patrick grew up in the era when lots of dental intervention was common for children and teenagers and consequently he was, sometimes, awfully familiar with most aspects of dental treatment from a young age.

Patrick is the Past-President of the Pierre Fauchard Academy, after having served as national secretary and treasurer since 2001. The Academy is an international dental honour society established in memory of an extraordinary French dentist, considered the father of modern dentistry.

Consultant Haematologist, Launceston, Tasmania.

Professor Al Khalafallah moved to Tasmania in 2005 to work as a Consultant Haematologist. Prof Khalafallah completed his post-graduate study in Haematology at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. He has worked in renowned academic institutions in Europe and Australia over the last 20 years.

Since Prof Khalafallah moved to Tasmania as a Consultant Haematologist, he has conducted more than 50 pioneer translational clinical researches focusing on improving the health of Tasmanian patients. Prof Khalafallah’s research, dedication and contribution to the field of haematology is well received and highly appreciated not only in Tasmania, but world-wide.

Ramsay Health Care Professor of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne.

Professor Hopwood specialises in clinical aspects of mood and anxiety disorders, psychopharmacology, and psychiatric aspects of acquired brain injury. He led the Psychological Trauma Recovery Service, incorporating the Veterans Psychiatry Unit and the Victorian Brain Disorders Program, Austin Health.

Malcolm has held senior positions within the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, and was President of the College from 2015-2017.

In 2017 Professor Hopwood was installed as President-Elect of the Asian Federation of Psychiatric Associations (AFPA) and also commenced as Interim Head of Department for Psychiatry, University of Melbourne.

Endocrinologist, Associate Professor Internal Medicine, Sydney Medical School Faculty of Medicine and Health.

Associate Professor Girgis is an endocrinologist and a clinician researcher with a strong interest in osteoporosis, metabolic bone disorders and vitamin D.

A/Prof Girgis runs the Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disorders service at Westmead Hospital and leads an active research program in musculoskeletal disorders, novel osteoporosis therapies and rare bone diseases.

He is the Director of the Masters of Medicine (MMed) Internal Medicine program at the University of Sydney and Academic Lead of Personalised Pathways in the Sydney Medical Program.

Ophthalmologist and Medical Scientist, Deputy Director of the Centre for Eye Research Australia, and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Melbourne.

Prof van Wijngaarden is a founding steering committee member and clinical director of KeepSight, a national program for diabetic retinopathy screening that seeks to reach every Australian with diabetes to prevent avoidable blindness.

He is a Director of the Ophthalmic Research Institute of Australia and a member of the Research and Medical Committees of the Macular Disease Foundation of Australia.

Research interests include diabetic retinopathy, Alzheimer’s disease and retinal imaging biomarker discovery. He has research experience in retinal vascular biology and central nervous system regeneration.

GP, Australia’s original television doctor.

John is one of the most well respected and experienced medical broadcasters in Australia, and was the ever first host on the Drivetime Medical series in 1988.

John is positioned as the ‘most trusted and well-loved oracle of family medicine’ on Australian television has been earned over more than 30 years on our screens.

He is a past board member of the Bowel Cancer Foundation, an ambassador for Australian Hearing, NPS MedicineWise, and the Sony Foundation Australia. In this capacity he aimed to assist indigenous youth in fostering their unique talents.

Dr John was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in 2016. Today he is still active in medical practice and online.

General Practitioner; Chandlers Hill Surgery, Adelaide.

Dr Hancock has over 35 years’ experience in clinical practice. She graduated from Flinders University of South Australia Medical School in 1980 and established her own general practice, Chandlers Hill Surgery in 1985 in the outer southern suburbs of Adelaide. She remains one of the six Principals in the practice, with eleven other GPs, nurses and a clinical pharmacist.

For the last 25 years Dr Kerry Hancock has had a special interest in general practice based respiratory medicine and maintains strong affiliations with professional and consumer organisations such as RACGP, the International Primary Care Respiratory Group, Lung Foundation Australia, Asthma Australia, National Asthma Council of Australia, and Cancer Australia.

GP, Platinum Medical Centre, Brisbane.

In addition to her expertise in all areas of family medicine (women’s health, child health, mental health), Dr Sharma has a high level of expertise in the management of Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Failure, Obesity, and Osteoporosis in primary care.

Dr Sharma is a medical educator for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), clinical lead for Active Learning Modules for Aged Care (frailty and osteoporosis) and Chronic Diseases (Diabetes and Heart Failure), and adviser for various independent medical education companies and indemnity organisations in Australia.

She is Editor and Reviewer for Medicine Today, an independent, peer-reviewed journal for Australian GPs, specialists and other health professionals.