The long-term focus of Dr Baracos’ career is the pathophysiology of skeletal muscle atrophy in an effort that encompasses fundamental and translational research, a clinical research agenda and an international network of strategic collaboration.

Cancer cachexia, a debilitating condition characterised by profound atrophy of skeletal muscle has been her focus since 2003. 

Professor Judy Bauer is Professor and Discipline Lead of Nutrition & Dietetics within the Department Nutrition, Dietetics and Food. She is a Fellow of Dietitians Australia and an Accredited Practicing Dietitian with over 40 years of clinical, research and academic experience. Judy is recognised internationally for discovery and translational research in nutrition screening, assessment, innovative nutrition intervention programs and development of evidence-based practice guidelines particularly in onlcology and malnutrition.

Clinical Associate Professor Merran Findlay is a Senior Research Fellow with the SPHERE Cancer Clinical Academic Group at UNSW. An Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian and Fellow of Dietitians Australia, she has specialised in cancer nutrition care for more than 25 years. Her research focuses on cancer-related malnutrition and sarcopenia in head and neck cancer, data-driven models of care, and research translation. She has led the development and implementation of evidence-based guidelines, serves on the ANZHNCS Board, the COSA Nutrition Group Executive and contributes to the HANCA Community of Practice.

Brett Hughes is a Senior Staff Specialist Medical Oncologist at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and The Prince Charles Hospital. He is the current Medical Oncology Research lead in Thoracic and Head & Neck cancers.  He has an active research interest in head & neck cancer, thoracic malignancies and thyroid cancer and has published over 140 articles including practice change work in immunotherapy and targeted therapy.

Rishni Perera is a Speech Pathologist at Austin Health and a PhD candidate at The University of Queensland. Her clinical work centres on the assessment and management of swallow and communication complications in adult hospitalised patients. Rishni’s doctoral research explores the interplay between sarcopenia, frailty, and dysphagia in head and neck cancer, generating evidence to guide holistic assessment and intervention pathways.

Dr Matthew Wallen is a Senior Research Fellow in Cancer Survivorship, the Deputy Lead of the Cancer Survivorship Program and a Senior Lecturer in Exercise Science and Clinical Exercise Physiology within the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Flinders University. His clinical interest focuses on improving outcomes for people living with and beyond cancer.