Meet the Inspiring WA Researchers The Ladybird Foundation is Fundraising For

Researcher Profiles

Professor Paul Cohen

Paul Cohen is a clinician researcher at the Western Australian Gynaecological Cancer Service, King Edward Memorial Hospital.

He is a Clinical Professor at the University of Western Australia and Adjunct Professor at the Institute for Health Research, University of Notre Dame Australia.

Paul is an Investigator on national and international clinical trials and has a particular interest in the supportive care of women affected by cancer, and gynaecological cancer epidemiology. He is the Chair of the ANZGOG Research Advisory Committee, past Chair of the ANZGOG ASM Program Committee, and a member of the eviQ Cancer Genetics Reference Committee, National Gynaecological Oncology Registry Steering Committee, and Australian Clinical Trial Alliance Impact and Implementation Committee.

Paul is the current Chair of the International Gynecological Cancer Society Education Committee and a member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Gynaecological Cancer.

Professor Christobel Saunders
MB BS Lond., FRCS England, FRACS

Christobel Saunders is a Consultant Surgeon at Royal Perth, St John of God, Subiaco and Fiona Stanley Hospitals in Perth, Western Australia. She is Professor of Surgical Oncology and Head of Unit, General Surgery at The University of Western Australia; and Consultant Surgeon for the Western Australian Melanoma Advisory Service. She is closely involved in strategic planning and management of cancer services nationally as Chair of the WA Cancer Care Taskforce, member of various collaboratives for the WA Cancer and Palliative Care Network, past founding Advisory Council member for Cancer Australia, and Board member of Breast Cancer Network Australia and Cancer Council Western Australia. Christobel has been involved in the development of numerous best practice guidelines for both patients and clinicians and her work is embedded in a firm evidence base implementing the latest research.

Christobel has worked in the breast cancer field for over 25 years and in 2010 received the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) Patrons Award for achievement in breast cancer research as well as the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Certificate of Outstanding Service. She was recognised by UWA’s Vice-Chancellor for her contribution to the microscope-in-a-needle invention with the Inaugural Research Award in Impact and Innovation in 2014; and again in 2015 with the Vice-Chancellor’s Senior Research Award.

Christobel’s research covers a wide diversity of areas including clinical trials of new treatments, psychosocial research and translational and health services research. She has an outstanding funding track record, having attracted a total of nearly $30 million in over 80 grants awarded in Australia since 2002. Christobel has published over 140 scientific papers in refereed journals, three books and 18 book chapters. She is co-author of the book Breast Cancer – a guide for every woman and Breast Cancer: The Facts, which was shortlisted for the British Medical Association Book of the Year in 2010.

Christobel has a passion for health and medical research, patient advocacy and an exceptional clinical track record in the management and treatment of breast cancer.

Researcher Profiles

Clinical Associate Professor Donna Taylor
MBBS, AMusA, FRANZCR, FRCP(C)

Dr Anita Bourke

Dr Bourke is the Senior Radiologist at the Breast Centre, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital with a special interest and skills in breast cancer screening and assessment, diagnosis and intervention. She is a Sessional Radiologist at BreastScreenWA and a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Western Australia.

She is both a radiologist and nuclear physician and the first dual trained specialist in these fields in WA. She is responsible for training fellows and registrars in breast radiology at SCGH and BSWA.

She provides expert advice to guide research studies and co-ordinates research activities at the SCGH Breast Centre, drawing on her clinical expertise. She is regularly invited to speak at local and national scientific meetings.