Welcome, early- and mid-career researchers and clinicians (EMCRs)! As a fast-growing group and the future leaders of the ANZSSFR, EMCRs are essential to the mission of the Society. As such, the EMCR Committee was formed in May 2019, to represent EMCRs in the field of sarcopenia and frailty research.
The EMCR Committee consists of a group of active early- and mid-career ANZSSFR members from both Australia and New-Zealand. Our overall mission is to engage and represent EMCRs within the ANZSSFR. We encourage EMCRs to get involved and express ourselves to the broader ANZSSFR in various activities.
Not yet a member of the ANZSSFR? Join today!
About us
Faculty and non academic ANZSSFR members who have completed their formal training (i.e. terminal degree, post PhD fellowship or post doctoral fellowship, medical residency, or other specialised training) within the past 12 years. (Advanced postdocs, allied health professionals and clinicians are also encouraged!).
The mission of the ANZSFFR EMCR Committee is two-fold:
The EMCR Committee aims to engage and represent EMCRs within the ANZSSFR;
The EMCR Committee aims to promote the professional development of EMCRs through education, outreach, mentorship, and facilitating networking among EMCRs and clinicians, students, and other professionals within the society.
The aims of the ANZSFFR EMCR Committee are to:
Establish a community of researchers and clinicians with interest in sarcopenia and frailty research.
Maintain a strong, active link between EMCR, the ANZSSFR and the community.
Host an annual event to celebrate research and translation amongst EMCR members.
EMCR Committee
Dr Jennifer Jones (chair)
Jennifer Jones BSc DPT PhD APAM MACP is a physiotherapist, educator and clinical researcher at The University of Melbourne and Austin Health. Dr Jones' clinical research interests are in using big data and digital supports to rapidly deliver effective interventions, including rehabilitation, to improve the recovery of people in hospital with frailty.
Roles & Affiliations: Lecturer, Physiotherapy Department, The University of Melbourne. Senior Physiotherapist, Physiotherapy Department, Austin Health.
dr jack dalla via
Jack is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute at Edith Cowan University. Jack received his PhD from Deakin University in 2020. His doctoral research investigated the role of exercise and nutrition in managing musculoskeletal adverse effects of prostate cancer treatment. His current research focuses on developing and evaluating strategies to provide effective and accessible nutrition, exercise and lifestyle support for cancer survivors and those living with chronic disease.
Role & Affiliation: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
dr anthony villani
Dr Anthony Villani is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Senior Lecturer at the University of the Sunshine Coast. He is also the Honours coordinator for the School of Health and Behavioural Sciences at the University of the Sunshine Coast and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Dr Villani’s expertise and research track record extends from the identification of frailty and sarcopenia in nutritionally vulnerable older adults, dietary patterns (in particular the Mediterranean diet) and nutritional interventions to promote musculoskeletal health and physical function with age.
dr ben kirk
Dr Ben Kirk, PhD is a Research Fellow at the Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science where he is part of the Geroscience & Osteosarcopenia Research Group. He also holds an honorary research appointment at Western Health-Sunshine Hospital, Division of Subacute and Aged care. His research focuses on identifying the risk factors, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatments for sarcopenia and osteosarcopenia to avert falls and fractures in older adults and geriatric patients. He is part of the EMCR committee of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia and Frailty Research (ANZSSFR) and serves on the scientific advisory board for the International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia Research (ICFSR).
dr julee mcdonagh
Julee is a registered nurse and lecturer at the University of Newcastle, School of Nursing and Midwifery. Julee was recently awarded her PhD, for her thesis titled ‘the FRailty MEasurement in Heart Failure (FRAME-HF) project’, which explored how best to assess for frailty syndrome in adults living with heart failure. Her post-doctoral work will continue to define the optimal means of assessing frailty in a heart failure context and explore ways to improve the integration of care and management of older people living with frailty and heart failure and other comorbid conditions.
Role and Affiliation: Lecturer - School of Nursing and Midwifery/ College of Health, Medicine & Wellbeing, the University of Newcastle, Central Coast Clinical School & Research Centre, Gosford, NSW, Australia.
Dr Anoohya Gandham
Dr Gandham is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Bone Health and Fracture Research Program at the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research at the Australian Catholic University (ACU). She also holds an honorary appointment with the Bone and Muscle Research Group, within the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University. She has completed her PhD through Monash University, Australia. Her PhD investigated body composition and musculoskeletal health in older adults with obesity and sarcopenia. Dr Gandham’s main research interests are related to muscle-bone relationships within the ageing population. She is interested in sarcopenia, obesity and sarcopenic obesity and its effects on the risk of falls, fractures, and disability among the elderly population.
Role and Affiliation: Postdoctoral research fellow at the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research at the Australian Catholic University (ACU)
Dr Elsa Dent
Dr Elsa Dent is an Exercise Physiologist and Health Services researcher at Torrens University Australia. She is a former NHMRC Early Career research fellow for the project: ‘Understanding frailty: an epidemiological insight’. Dr Dent has previously led the development of international, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for frailty and sarcopenia in older adults.
Role and Affiliation: Senior Research Fellow, Torrens University Australia, Adelaide; Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide; Adjunct Fellow, The University of Queensland.
Dr Jeew Hettiarachchi
Dr Jeew Hettiarachchi is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow within the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN) at Deakin University. She received her PhD from the University of Melbourne (Royal Melbourne Hospital) in 2023. Her doctoral research was on malnutrition and nutrition intervention in older adults. Her research interests are broadly on nutrition for healthy ageing with a particular focus on the outcomes including improved body composition, and physical and cognitive functions, enabling longer independent living. She also holds an honorary research appointment at the Department of Medicine and Aged Care, Royal Melbourne Hospital
Dr Kisani Manuel
Dr Kisani Manuel is a rehabilitation medicine consultant at Flinders Medical Centre and a senior lecturer in rehabilitation and aged care medicine at Flinders University. Dr Manuel is an early career researcher and is currently working on her PhD which is examining barriers and facilitators to implementing frailty guidelines in healthcare. As both a clinician and a researcher, Dr Manuel has extensive experience working with older people in hospital and community settings.
Contact us
If you have any ideas for the EMCR Committee or if you would like to get involved, please send us an email. We would love to hear from you!
Contact details: EMCR.ANZSSFR@gmail.com