Role
The Traumatic Brain Injury Mission EAP was appointed in April 2024 and ceased on 8 April 2025. It advised the Minister for Health and Aged Care on the strategic priorities for research investment through this mission. Its role was to define evidence and knowledge gaps that should be addressed through mission research funding. This was to help transform health care and health outcomes for individuals and communities. This role included the definition of key research questions that, if answered, will deliver meaningful change to patients through the translation of research.
EAP members consulted and engaged with other researchers, industry and consumer/patient groups. They helped build awareness of and facilitate interaction with the mission and with other MRFF-funded research.
You can find further information on the roles and responsibilities of MRFF Expert Advisory Panels in the MRFF Mission Governance resource.
Terms of reference
View the EAP’s terms of reference.
Members
The EAP was independently chaired with 2 co-chairs and includes members appointed for their expertise in research, clinical, commercial or community aspects of traumatic brain injury medicine. The term of the second EAP ended on 8 April 2025.
| Member | Background and experience | Declarations of interest |
|---|---|---|
Professor Melinda Fitzgerald (Co-Chair) | Professor Fitzgerald is Deputy Vice-Chancellor of research at Curtin University and CEO of Connectivity Traumatic Brain Injury Australia. | Chief Executive Officer of Connectivity Traumatic Brain Injury Australia, a not-for-profit organisation. NHMRC and MRFF grant funding recipient. |
Emeritus Professor Robert Vink (Co-Chair) | Retired Emeritus Professor and former Pro Vice Chancellor (Health Sciences) at the University of South Australia. | Chair of the Board, Connectivity Traumatic Brain Injury Australia. Director with Eustralis Pharmaceuticals. |
| Professor Alice Theadom | Professor Theadom is a Professor of Brain Health at Auckland University of Technology and Director of the TBI Network NZ. | MRFF grant funding recipient. |
| Ms Shenane Hogg | Ms Hogg is a Community Liaison Officer at Connectivity Traumatic Brain Injury Australia. | Nil. |
| Mr Tony House | Mr House is the ICT Network Manager at Northern Territory School of Distance Education. | Director of Pamela Trotman Counselling and Consulting. |
| Mr Nicholas Rushworth | Mr Rushworth is the Executive Officer at Brain Injury Australia Limited. | MRFF grant funding recipient. |
| Dr Ann Livingstone | Dr Livingstone is a Research Fellow and Health Economics at the Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University. | Nil. |
| Dr Marlena Klaic | Dr Klaic is a Senior Research Fellow and Implementation Scientist at the University of Melbourne. | Nil. |
| Professor Peter Crack | Professor Crack is Head of the Neuropharmacology Laboratory at the University of Melbourne. | Nil. |
| Dr Gillian Cowen | Dr Cowen, a Master of Sports Medicine, is a Clinical Senior Research Fellow at the Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute. Dr Cowen is also Senior Lecturer at Curtin Medical School, Curtin University and an Orthopaedic Surgical Assistant at St John of God Hospital, Bunbury. | Chair of the Western Australian Concussion Network (WACN). Committee member of the Western Australian Football Commission Community and Regional Football Committee. MRFF grant funding recipient. |
| Ms Olivia Hodges | Ms Hodges is a Team Leader at the Brain Injury Community Integration Service, Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Services. | Nil. |
| Dr Rondhir Jithoo | Dr Jithoo is a Neurosurgeon at the Alfred and Royal Darwin Hospitals and a Specialist Reserve Medical Officer in the RAAF. | Director of Neurological Surgery Victoria. |
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Related committees and groups
The Traumatic Brain Injury Mission EAP reported to the Minister for Health and Aged Care.
The Health and Medical Research Office provided secretariat support to the EAP.
Contact
