Coeliac Disease & Immune Health Research Program Team

Dr James Daveson is the Director of the Coeliac Disease and Immune Health Research Program at Wesley Research Institute. Dr Daveson is a gastroenterologist with a sub-specialty interest in coeliac disease, with a large patient cohort and strong mature links to coeliac disease support groups.  

Dr Joy Hussain has joined Wesley Research Institute as a Clinical Trials Practitioner. She is responsible for working with the Clinical Trials Centre, Principal Investigators, Sponsor Companies, and the UnitingCare Health Human Research Ethics Committee to provide high-quality clinical trial services for research participants.

Joy has over 25 years of clinical expertise as a General Practitioner, as well as extensive research experience involving medical diagnostics, health services delivery and complementary medicine applications. She recently completed a PhD at RMIT University exploring the clinical applications of thermotherapy (sauna), sweating and the laboratory analysis of human sweat using metabolomics.

Leah is an experienced Clinical Trials Coordinator within a multitude of specialty areas including oncology, haematology, immunology (incl. coeliac disease), neuropsychiatry, neuroscience and Tourette Syndrome research. She has a Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science) from Griffith University, and a Masters of Nursing Studies from the University of Queensland. Leah has 10 years of medical and surgical nursing experience within private and public hospitals in Brisbane. She is passionate about supporting research and clinical trials which continue to provide novel treatment options, practices, and improved health outcomes to all patients. She is committed to ensuring all patients and their families receive the best quality care and support.

Emma Craig has been a Registered Nurse for the past 25 years, specializing in both adult and Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Renal and Palliative Care. Prior to commencement at WRI, Emma worked in Paediatric Immunology, Allergy and Endocrine Research at the Mater Hospital and Queensland Childrens Hospital. She has a special interest in Gastroenterology Research particularly early diagnosis and treatment options to improve the health outcomes and quality of life of people with coeliac disease. Her number one priority is to ensure participants have a positive and worthwhile journey from the first point of contact, continuing throughout the study and post completion.

Merin is a dedicated Clinical Research Coordinator with over 13 years of experience as a Registered Nurse across hospitals in New Zealand and Australia. She earned her Bachelor of Nursing from the University of Auckland and has since worked in multiple clinical research organisations, contributing to trials across various therapeutic areas. Now part of the Coeliac Research program, Merin is passionate about bridging cutting-edge research with compassionate patient care, ensuring patients receive the best possible support and guidance.

Fiorella is a passionate and committed biotechnologist, biochemist, and PhD researcher with over nine years of experience in medical, clinical, and academic research. Her experience includes coordinating Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials in Australia and conducting translational oncology and cardiovascular research in Argentina, gaining valuable skills in research, regulatory compliance, patient recruitment, monitoring procedures, data analysis, and stakeholder collaboration. Additionally, she has worked with national and international researchers to develop innovative strategies for disease prevention. One of her main goals is to collaborate on developing meaningful and translational research to improve people’s quality of life.