Our People

Brinda is a Clinical Trials Start Up Assistant at the Wesley Research Institute who holds a Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science and Public Health), and a Master of Pharmaceutical Industry Practice from the University of Queensland. In her current role, she provides support in all operational aspects of clinical trial start-up activity while ensuring regulatory compliance. Passionate about driving medical innovation, she leverages her scientific expertise and industry knowledge to facilitate efficient study initiation and compliant trial processes. 

Paula is working as a Research Administration Assistant at Wesley Research Institute. She has a background in the Fast Moving Consumable Goods (FMCG) industry and the Health and Fitness industry. Paula has completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement) and a Bachelor of Business (Marketing). Paula has played an important role in supporting the Ataxia-Telangiectasia research team.

Venita is a registered nurse who works as a Clinical Trials Coordinator at the Wesley Research Institute. She has a Bachelor of Nursing from QUT. She has worked in clinical trials over the last 10 years in various therapeutic areas including rare diseases, immunology and coeliac disease. She enjoys being part of a team that endeavours to promote a positive experience to study participants engaged in clinical trials.

Bronwen Field is a registered nurse with 20 years’ experience, working in both rural and metropolitan hospitals across 4 different states. She has been working as a clinical trial coordinator since 2019, primarily in cardiac and respiratory trials. Bronwen currently focuses on pulmonary artery hypertension trials and is passionate about bringing better treatment options to improve the quality of life and health outcomes for our patients. 

Dr John Feenstra is a Thoracic and Pulmonary Hypertension Physician.  He is the Director of the Wesley Pulmonary Hypertension Unit and the lead physician for pulmonary hypertension in the Queensland Lung Transplant Service at the Prince Charles Hospital.  He is the current president of the Pulmonary Hypertension Society of Australia and New Zealand.  Dr Feenstra holds the titles of Senior Lecturer with the University of Queensland and Honorary Fellow of the Wesley Research Institute.  Dr Feenstra is actively involved in research, teaching and clinical trials in pulmonary hypertension. He is the Clinical Director of the Pulmonary Hypertension Research Program at the Wesley Research Institute.

Chris is of a nursing background and has a number of years’ experience across an array of clinical areas within The Wesley Hospital, including Neuroscience, acute stroke and surgical Urology. He has joined Wesley Research Institute as a Clinical Research Assistant and is currently focusing on several clinical trials pertaining to Coeliac Disease.

Shayma is a Research Fellow in the Health Services Research Team at Wesley Research Institute. Shayma has a research background in health economics and implementation science. Having recently completed her PhD, Shayma’s doctoral research explored how digital health systems could help mitigate patient non-attendance at scheduled outpatient healthcare appointments.

Shayma brings a diverse skill set to her role, including project management, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, and the preparation of ethics and governance applications for health services research. Her work is driven by a passion for contributing to research that fosters effective, efficient, and equitable healthcare. In addition to her research background, Shayma has extensive experience in graphic design. She is passionate about helping translate complex research findings into accessible graphics, making important information easily understandable for a wider audience.

With 25 years of experience, Marie-Louise began her career in South Africa as a registered nurse and clinical trials coordinator, working in various hospitals. She later relocated to Australia, where she continued her nursing practice and earned a Graduate Certificate in Nursing (General). Her return to clinical research has been a highly rewarding step, with joining the pulmonary hypertension group standing out as a key professional milestone. Dedicated to enhancing patient experience, Marie-Louise is a strong advocate for patients, ensuring their journey with the research center is as positive and supportive as possible, all while contributing to the advancement of care in a developing field. 

Jessica is an experienced Clinical Trial Coordinator and Registered Nurse with over 16 years of nursing and 8 years of clinical trials experience specialising in Oncology, Haematology and Stem Cell Transplant and Immunology/Immunotherapy.  She has experience working in Brisbane, Melbourne, and the UK, in both the public and private health sectors.  She has a Bachelor of Nursing from the Queensland University of Technology.  She is passionate about providing compassionate patient centred care and contributing toward enhanced treatment options and symptom management for patients.  Her current focus is on early phase trials for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) and Coeliac disease.    

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.

Haofan has joined the Biobank team and Clinical Trials Centre, where she works with biological samples to support clinical trials, ensuring their proper handling and collection, and assisting in incorporating samples into trial protocols to advance research. She holds a Master of Pharmaceutical Industry Practice from the University of Queensland and has been working in clinical trials since 2021, specialising in optimising patient care and research outcomes. As a Clinical Research Assistant at Wesley Research Institute, she plays a pivotal role in supporting clinical trials and laboratory operations, ensuring precision and quality at every stage. 

Kelly commenced her PhD at Charles Darwin University within the Health Services Research Team at Wesley Research Institute in 2025, combining her biomedical and health services research experience to examine factors which lead to hard-to-heal or chronic wounds. Her proposed research aims to investigate the pathophysiology and microbiology of delayed wound healing, the disparate health outcomes for people with chronic wounds living in rural and remote areas, and explore opportunities to make effective changes to chronic wound care, thereby improving treatment, outcomes and quality of life for those affected.

Kelly McGrath is a health services and biomedical researcher with a background in tertiary education and over 25 years of experience in the health sector. In 2021, Kelly was appointed to implement and evaluate a new model of mental health care in the rural and remote Isaac region of Central Queensland and has contributed to Wesley Research Institute’s Virtual Hospital and Healthcare Research Program. Currently focusing on health services and implementation research, Kelly’s previous research focused on discovery biology. Her research has directly impacted private virtual hospital design, access to mental health services, mental health service operations, and development of new knowledge regarding the etiology of Parkinson’s Disease and several types of cancer.

The Catalano Family Foundation supports Kelly McGrath’s Ph.D. scholarship, and we are grateful to the Catalano family for their generosity.

Holly is a Registered Nurse who works as a Clinical Trials Coordinator at Wesley Research Institute. She has a Bachelor of Nursing from QUT and has a background in cardiothoracic intensive care and clinical trials, primarily in respiratory trials.

She is currently focusing on pulmonary artery hypertension trials and is passionate about providing compassionate, patient-centred care and contributing to the improvement of the quality of life and health outcomes for patients.