Obstetrics / Women's Health

What happens to a foetus affects the health outcomes for multiple generations.

In the broader Western Sydney area, 30% of women booking for maternity care have some higher risk and need more intensive/specialist levels of care. Many women in our community face challenges accessing this care, due to having English as a second language or cultural background.

That is why the focus of our Obstetrics research is on:

  • Predicting and preventing pre-eclampsia
  • Predicting and preventing gestational diabetes
  • Early identification and risk mitigation in twins
  • Predicting and preventing preterm and stillbirth by:
    • Developing a good test for predicting preterm birth
    • Researching the examination of the vaginal ‘microbiome’ to predict risk
    • Reducing the rate of late stillbirth (which affects 1 in 100 women) through innovative ‘point of care’ biochemical testing
    • Better triage of ongoing risk to a pregnancy, which we believe can reduce the stillbirth rate by 50%

We aim to improve health outcomes for the foetus, the baby, the mother and future generations of women and children.

A. Prof Afaf Girgis
Director, Psycho-oncology Research
A. Prof Afaf Girgis
Radiation Oncology
Palliative Care Group
Radiation Oncology
Palliative Care Group
Radiation Oncology
Radiation Oncology
Radiation Oncology Group 2

The Gastro-Intestinal Viral Oncology Group focuses on infectious causes of gastro-intestinal cancer with a special emphasis on Barrett’s oesophagus, a precancerous condition of the oesophagus.

This was the first group in the world to hypothesise (2009 & 2010) and publish (2013, 2014, 2015) evidence to show that human papillomavirus infection is strongly incriminated in the aetiology of Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The following are world first discoveries made by the Group led by Professor Shan Rajendra.

Demonstrated that both increasing hr-HPV viral load and integration status is linked with more severe disease along the Barrett’s metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma sequence.

In a prospective study showed that persistent hr-HPV infection and p53 overexpression (mutation of a tumour suppressor gene) are associated with treatment failure after endoscopic treatment of Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma

Discovered that HPV associated oesophageal adenocarcinoma had a distinct distribution of molecular aberrations/genomic abnormalities compared with HPV negative oesophageal cancer indicating different biological mechanisms of tumour formation

Hybrid sequences containing HPV16 and the human genome were identified in oesophageal cancer providing evidence for a host-viral interaction

Recently discovered a molecular signature characteristic of HPV driven Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The Group’s findings have been subject of invited lectures and oral presentations at the EUROGIN (European Genital Infections and Neoplasia) Conferences in Florence 2013, Seville 2015, Salzburg 2016, Amsterdam 2017, OESO Conf (UEGW) in Vienna, 2014 & 2016, 5th Asia-Pacific Gastroesophageal Cancer Congress, Brisbane 2015, and the British Society of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Masterclass, Nottingham 2015.

Palliative Care Group
Palliative Care Group 3

The following are world first discoveries made by the Group led by Professor Shan Rajendra.

Demonstrated that both increasing hr-HPV viral load and integration status is linked with more severe disease along the Barrett’s metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma sequence.

In a prospective study showed that persistent hr-HPV infection and p53 overexpression (mutation of a tumour suppressor gene) are associated with treatment failure after endoscopic treatment of Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma

Discovered that HPV associated oesophageal adenocarcinoma had a distinct distribution of molecular aberrations/genomic abnormalities compared with HPV negative oesophageal cancer indicating different biological mechanisms of tumour formation

Hybrid sequences containing HPV16 and the human genome were identified in oesophageal cancer providing evidence for a host-viral interaction

Recently discovered a molecular signature characteristic of HPV driven Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The Group’s findings have been subject of invited lectures and oral presentations at the EUROGIN (European Genital Infections and Neoplasia) Conferences in Florence 2013, Seville 2015, Salzburg 2016, Amsterdam 2017, OESO Conf (UEGW) in Vienna, 2014 & 2016, 5th Asia-Pacific Gastroesophageal Cancer Congress, Brisbane 2015, and the British Society of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Masterclass, Nottingham 2015.

The Gastro-Intestinal Viral Oncology Group focuses on infectious causes of gastro-intestinal cancer with a special emphasis on Barrett’s oesophagus, a precancerous condition of the oesophagus.

This was the first group in the world to hypothesise (2009 & 2010) and publish (2013, 2014, 2015) evidence to show that human papillomavirus infection is strongly incriminated in the aetiology of Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The following are world first discoveries made by the Group led by Professor Shan Rajendra.

Demonstrated that both increasing hr-HPV viral load and integration status is linked with more severe disease along the Barrett’s metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma sequence.

In a prospective study showed that persistent hr-HPV infection and p53 overexpression (mutation of a tumour suppressor gene) are associated with treatment failure after endoscopic treatment of Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma

Discovered that HPV associated oesophageal adenocarcinoma had a distinct distribution of molecular aberrations/genomic abnormalities compared with HPV negative oesophageal cancer indicating different biological mechanisms of tumour formation

Hybrid sequences containing HPV16 and the human genome were identified in oesophageal cancer providing evidence for a host-viral interaction

Recently discovered a molecular signature characteristic of HPV driven Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The Group’s findings have been subject of invited lectures and oral presentations at the EUROGIN (European Genital Infections and Neoplasia) Conferences in Florence 2013, Seville 2015, Salzburg 2016, Amsterdam 2017, OESO Conf (UEGW) in Vienna, 2014 & 2016, 5th Asia-Pacific Gastroesophageal Cancer Congress, Brisbane 2015, and the British Society of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Masterclass, Nottingham 2015.

Radiation Oncology
Radiation Oncology Group 4

Recently discovered a molecular signature characteristic of HPV driven Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The Group’s findings have been subject of invited lectures and oral presentations at the EUROGIN (European Genital Infections and Neoplasia) Conferences in Florence 2013, Seville 2015, Salzburg 2016, Amsterdam 2017, OESO Conf (UEGW) in Vienna, 2014 & 2016, 5th Asia-Pacific Gastroesophageal Cancer Congress, Brisbane 2015, and the British Society of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Masterclass, Nottingham 2015.

The Gastro-Intestinal Viral Oncology Group focuses on infectious causes of gastro-intestinal cancer with a special emphasis on Barrett’s oesophagus, a precancerous condition of the oesophagus.

This was the first group in the world to hypothesise (2009 & 2010) and publish (2013, 2014, 2015) evidence to show that human papillomavirus infection is strongly incriminated in the aetiology of Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The following are world first discoveries made by the Group led by Professor Shan Rajendra.

Demonstrated that both increasing hr-HPV viral load and integration status is linked with more severe disease along the Barrett’s metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma sequence.

In a prospective study showed that persistent hr-HPV infection and p53 overexpression (mutation of a tumour suppressor gene) are associated with treatment failure after endoscopic treatment of Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma

Discovered that HPV associated oesophageal adenocarcinoma had a distinct distribution of molecular aberrations/genomic abnormalities compared with HPV negative oesophageal cancer indicating different biological mechanisms of tumour formation

Hybrid sequences containing HPV16 and the human genome were identified in oesophageal cancer providing evidence for a host-viral interaction

Recently discovered a molecular signature characteristic of HPV driven Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The Group’s findings have been subject of invited lectures and oral presentations at the EUROGIN (European Genital Infections and Neoplasia) Conferences in Florence 2013, Seville 2015, Salzburg 2016, Amsterdam 2017, OESO Conf (UEGW) in Vienna, 2014 & 2016, 5th Asia-Pacific Gastroesophageal Cancer Congress, Brisbane 2015, and the British Society of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Masterclass, Nottingham 2015.

The Gastro-Intestinal Viral Oncology Group focuses on infectious causes of gastro-intestinal cancer with a special emphasis on Barrett’s oesophagus, a precancerous condition of the oesophagus.

This was the first group in the world to hypothesise (2009 & 2010) and publish (2013, 2014, 2015) evidence to show that human papillomavirus infection is strongly incriminated in the aetiology of Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The following are world first discoveries made by the Group led by Professor Shan Rajendra.

Demonstrated that both increasing hr-HPV viral load and integration status is linked with more severe disease along the Barrett’s metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma sequence.

In a prospective study showed that persistent hr-HPV infection and p53 overexpression (mutation of a tumour suppressor gene) are associated with treatment failure after endoscopic treatment of Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma

Discovered that HPV associated oesophageal adenocarcinoma had a distinct distribution of molecular aberrations/genomic abnormalities compared with HPV negative oesophageal cancer indicating different biological mechanisms of tumour formation

Hybrid sequences containing HPV16 and the human genome were identified in oesophageal cancer providing evidence for a host-viral interaction

Recently discovered a molecular signature characteristic of HPV driven Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The Group’s findings have been subject of invited lectures and oral presentations at the EUROGIN (European Genital Infections and Neoplasia) Conferences in Florence 2013, Seville 2015, Salzburg 2016, Amsterdam 2017, OESO Conf (UEGW) in Vienna, 2014 & 2016, 5th Asia-Pacific Gastroesophageal Cancer Congress, Brisbane 2015, and the British Society of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Masterclass, Nottingham 2015.

Palliative Care Group
Palliative Care Group 5

The following are world first discoveries made by the Group led by Professor Shan Rajendra.

Demonstrated that both increasing hr-HPV viral load and integration status is linked with more severe disease along the Barrett’s metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma sequence.

In a prospective study showed that persistent hr-HPV infection and p53 overexpression (mutation of a tumour suppressor gene) are associated with treatment failure after endoscopic treatment of Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma

Discovered that HPV associated oesophageal adenocarcinoma had a distinct distribution of molecular aberrations/genomic abnormalities compared with HPV negative oesophageal cancer indicating different biological mechanisms of tumour formation

Hybrid sequences containing HPV16 and the human genome were identified in oesophageal cancer providing evidence for a host-viral interaction

Recently discovered a molecular signature characteristic of HPV driven Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The Group’s findings have been subject of invited lectures and oral presentations at the EUROGIN (European Genital Infections and Neoplasia) Conferences in Florence 2013, Seville 2015, Salzburg 2016, Amsterdam 2017, OESO Conf (UEGW) in Vienna, 2014 & 2016, 5th Asia-Pacific Gastroesophageal Cancer Congress, Brisbane 2015, and the British Society of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Masterclass, Nottingham 2015.

Radiation Oncology
Radiation Oncology Group 6

The Group’s findings have been subject of invited lectures and oral presentations at the EUROGIN (European Genital Infections and Neoplasia) Conferences in Florence 2013, Seville 2015, Salzburg 2016, Amsterdam 2017, OESO Conf (UEGW) in Vienna, 2014 & 2016, 5th Asia-Pacific Gastroesophageal Cancer Congress, Brisbane 2015, and the British Society of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Masterclass, Nottingham 2015.

The Gastro-Intestinal Viral Oncology Group focuses on infectious causes of gastro-intestinal cancer with a special emphasis on Barrett’s oesophagus, a precancerous condition of the oesophagus.

This was the first group in the world to hypothesise (2009 & 2010) and publish (2013, 2014, 2015) evidence to show that human papillomavirus infection is strongly incriminated in the aetiology of Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The following are world first discoveries made by the Group led by Professor Shan Rajendra.

Demonstrated that both increasing hr-HPV viral load and integration status is linked with more severe disease along the Barrett’s metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma sequence.

In a prospective study showed that persistent hr-HPV infection and p53 overexpression (mutation of a tumour suppressor gene) are associated with treatment failure after endoscopic treatment of Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma

Discovered that HPV associated oesophageal adenocarcinoma had a distinct distribution of molecular aberrations/genomic abnormalities compared with HPV negative oesophageal cancer indicating different biological mechanisms of tumour formation

Hybrid sequences containing HPV16 and the human genome were identified in oesophageal cancer providing evidence for a host-viral interaction

Recently discovered a molecular signature characteristic of HPV driven Barrett’s dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The Group’s findings have been subject of invited lectures and oral presentations at the EUROGIN (European Genital Infections and Neoplasia) Conferences in Florence 2013, Seville 2015, Salzburg 2016, Amsterdam 2017, OESO Conf (UEGW) in Vienna, 2014 & 2016, 5th Asia-Pacific Gastroesophageal Cancer Congress, Brisbane 2015, and the British Society of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Masterclass, Nottingham 2015.

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