Students at UniSC’s Thompson Institute have the benefit of hearing from a range of expert contributors during their studies.
Below are some of the experts who have contributed to the postgraduate and higher degree by research programs. Some of them are also available for supervising research students via the contact details on their bio pages.
Professor Daniel Hermens
Daniel Hermens is Professor of Youth Mental Health and Neurobiology at the Thompson Institute and leads the ground breaking, world first Longitudinal Adolescent Brain Study (LABS) which is tracking brain development throughout its most dynamic phase of adolescence.
Dr Christina Driver
Dr Chrissie Driver is a Lecturer in Mental Health and Neuroscience at UniSC, and part of the Longitudinal Adolescent Brain Study and Youth Mental Health team, at the Thompson Institute.
Liz Askew
Liz Askew is the Educational Designer for the Thompson Institute's Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma in Mental Health and Neuroscience. Liz has experience in providing learning and teaching support to academic staff in the design of curriculum enhanced by educational technologies.
Associate Professor Zack Shan
Zack Shan heads the neuroimaging platform at UniSC's Thompson Institute. He also leads research aiming to understand the underlying illness process of ME/CFS and develop brain imaging criteria that will aid ME/CFS diagnoses.
Mervat Quirke
Mervat Quirke leads the partnership strategy at UniSC’s Thompson Institute, where she develops strategic partnerships with community, specialist and government groups locally, nationally and globally.
Trish Howard
Trish Howard is an experienced marketing and engagement professional, who promotes and gains public participation in the Thompson Institute's ground-breaking mental health initiatives, spanning research, clinical services, education, and the award-winning The Alliance for Suicide Prevention - Sunshine Coast.
Dr Mia Schaumberg
Dr Mia Schaumberg is a Senior Lecturer in Physiology at UniSC with a research passion is exercise physiology and healthy ageing, particularly in relation to endocrine function, cognition, bone health and falls risk.
Dr Alison Willis
Dr Alison Willis is a Senior Lecturer in Education at UniSC. Her research investigates the effects of disruption, stress and trauma on learning. Alison’s research interests include the roles of teachers in helping student overcome the effects of stress and trauma.
Associate Professor Jane Taylor
Associate Professor Jane Taylor the Discipline Leader for Public Health at UniSC with 25 years of professional health promotion experience.
Dr Karen-Ann Clarke
Dr Karen-Ann Clarke is a highly skilled mental health nurse. Working from a trauma-informed pedagogy, an important aspect of her teaching within the mental health space is the reduction of stigma for those people living with mental illness by emphasising the concept of person-centred recovery.
Dr Tamara de Regt is a clinical neuropsychologist and coordinater of several postgraduate and undergraduate courses in psychology at UniSC. Here research interests include cognitive functioning in neurodegenerative conditions, decision making capacity, and cognitive functioning in people with mental and physical health conditions.
Dr Kayla Stefanidis
Dr Kayla Stefanidis is a research fellow at UniSC with a PhD in cerebrovascular function and age-related cognitive decline.
Dr Paul Schwenn is a Research Data Scientist at UQ with work in diverse fields such as physics of light-matter interaction, materials science, electrochemistry, neuroscience, psychology, statistics, machine learning, high-performance computing, and full stack data science.
Dr Lauren den Ouden is a Clinical Neuropsychologist with practiced and research experience within multiple settings including healthy brain ageing, rehabilitation, acute inpatient, cognitive dementia and memory services, neuropsychiatric, and child/youth outpatient services.
Dr Ben Isbel has PhD in Neuroscience and Mindfulness with a medical laboratory science and psychology background and extesive experience in mindfulness practice, teaching and research.
Dr Larisa McLoughlin is a Research Fellow at UniSA, with a research focus on cyberbullying, social connectedness and the adolescent brain.
Annelise is a clinical dietitian with experience in both clinical practice and research. Her experience includes in healthy brain ageing where she facilitated dietetic interventions to reduce dementia risk.
Dr Sam Manger
Dr Sam Manger is a general practitioner and President of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. He hosts The GP Show podcast.
Dr Manger’s work with the Thompson Institute involves investigating how to reduce the risk of dementia through lifestyle intervention programs and researching the causes of cognitive decline in ageing and dementia.
Dr Nadine Pelling
Dr Nadine Pelling is a clinical psychologist, counsellor, and approved supervisor. Dr Pelling works mainly as a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology and Counselling at the University of South Australia.
Professor Jan Copeland
Jan Copeland is a Professor and Director of the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC), a consortium led by the National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC).
Dr Marnie Cumner
Dr Marnie Cumner is a practicing clinical neuropsychologist and psychologist.
Her special interests are child and adolescent mental health, autism spectrum disorders, adult community mental health, specialist services for children in the child protection system, early intervention psychosis service, traumatic brain injury assessment and rehabilitation, and epilepsy surgical program.
Dr Miranda Say
Dr Miranda Say is a Senior Researcher and Clinical Neuropsychologist at the University of Sydney.
Professor Cathy Mihalopoulos
Cathy Mihalopoulos is a Professor in health economics and behavioural science with her research focusing on the economics of mental health and psychosocial care, with a special focus on economic evaluation and associated methodologies.
Dr Jasmina Vrankovic
Dr Jasmina Vrankovic is a Clinical Neuroosychologist specialising in aged care and rehabilitation.
Erynn Christensen
Erynn Christensen is a cognitive neuroscience researcher investigating the neurocognitive underpinnings of problematic behaviours, spanning from unhealthy habits through to development of addictions.
Kelsey Sewell
Kelsey Sewell is a PhD Candidate at Murdoch University, researching physical activity, sleep and cognition in older adults.
Louise Pivac
Louise Pivac is a neuroscience PhD Candidate at Murdoch University, researching sleep in Alzheimer's disease and healthy ageing.
Shaun Markovic
Shaun Markovic is a PhD Candidate at Murdoch University researching the impact that acute concussion has on the cognitive and neurological health of older adults.
Dr Marnie Cumner
Dr Marnie Cumner is a Clinical Neuropsychologist with special interests in Child and adolescent mental health, Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and adult community mental health.
Dr Dan Jamieson
Dan Jamieson's research focus is youth mental health and the effects of sleep on adolescent brain development.
Kassie Bromley
Kassie Bromley is a PhD Candidate at the TI and high school teacher, researching the effects of lifestyle factors on youth mental health.
Stephanie Price
Steph is a Psychologist and PhD Candidate at UniSC's Thompson Institute with a clinical and research focus on trauma and therapeutic interventions such as EMDR.
Dr Joe Firth
Joe is a NICM Health Research Institute Adjunct in 2020 with a research focus on developing and evaluating pragmatic and feasible programs aimed at helping young people with mental health problems to engage in regular exercise, and to adopt healthy lifestyles.
Dr Timothy Jackson
Tim is a Research Fellow in Biochemistry and Pharmacology at the University of Melbourne.
Professor Frances Kay-Lambkin
Frances Kay-Lambkin is a mental health researcher in HMRI’s Healthy Minds Research Program with a focus on comorbid mental and addictive disorders
Dr Laura Ferris
Laura is a Research Fellow at the University of Queensland with a focus on mental health and wellbeing.
Professor Luke Connelly
Luke is a Professor of Health Economics and UQ with interests in health economics and insurance economics, and the effects of institutions (including legal constructs) on incentives and behaviour.