Scientific Meeting Committee

A/Prof Andrea Henden (BSc, MBBS (Hons), FRACP, FRCPA, PhD) is a clinical Haematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant physician at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in Brisbane and a holder of a Metro North Clinician Research Fellowship. She has a clinical interest in transplantation and cellular therapies, and their infectious complications. Andrea is also a research officer in the Translational Cancer Immunotherapy Laboratory at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. Her research focuses on transplant immunology and current active projects include cellular therapies for COVID-19 and other infections, and the role of the microbiome on T cell function in the context of transplantation. She is the Principal Investigator on a number of Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials bringing novel immunotherapies to the clinic, with a focus toward treating complications of bone marrow transplantation.

Dr Travis Perera (MBChB, FRACP, FRCPA) is a Haematologist and Stem Cell Transplant Physician at the Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre. After completing training in New Zealand in 2013, he undertook a bone marrow transplant (BMT) fellowship at The Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia, focussing on biomarkers in graft versus host disease and post-transplant relapse prevention. Travis returned to Wellington, New Zealand in 2018, where he now leads the Acute Leukaemia disease group and co-leads BMT. Travis is actively involved in clinical research and is current chair of the NZ Haematology Research group, Principal investigator on a number of clinical trials, and the New Zealand representative on the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma group Scientific Advisory Committee. He is passionate about improving drug access for New Zealanders and co-leads the ALLG NZ Medicines Access Committee, which has this as its primary aim.

Dr Shanti Ramachandran (MBBS, MD (Masters Degree), FRACP) has been a Blood and Marrow Transplant Physician and Consultant Paediatric Oncologist at Perth Children’s Hospital, Western Australia (WA) and has been the Clinical Program Director of WA Paediatric and Adolescent Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program since 2018. She is the Deputy Chair of the national Transplantation and Cellular Therapy in Children subgroup of Australia and New Zealand Children’s Haematology Oncology Group. Shanti is a senior lecturer at the School of Paediatrics, University of Western Australia. She is an active member of the transplantation and Primary Immunodeficiency (TAPID) group, ANZTCT and HSANZ nationally and internationally the CIBMTR (committee member for non-malignant disease), PTCTC (committee member of Late effects Strategy Group and Non-malignant Strategy Group (Inborn Error of Immunity), Children Oncology Group (COG) for various clinical trials, committee member for COG HSCT/immunology Late Effects Taskforce, ASTCT (Paediatric Cancer Working Group), Asia Pacific BMT group.

A/Prof Adam Nelson (MBBS, FRACP, MMedEd, BMedSci) is Paediatric Oncologist and transplant and cellular therapy (TCT) physician and the Director of TCT at the Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children’s Hospital. A/Prof Nelson’s clinical and research interests lie in the areas of bone marrow failure and cellular therapy. He spent 7 years as faculty at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, a world leader in TCT, where he developed expertise in the diagnosis, treatment and research into pathogenesis of bone marrow failure syndromes and related complications. During his time there he was also the BMT-lead and the Principal Investigator on a number of studies using CAR-T cells to treat leukaemia. He also participated in developing novel T-cell therapies to treat viral infections after bone marrow transplantation.

Yvonne Panek-Hudson (RN.MN. GradDip Cancer Nursing) is a Nurse Practitioner in the clinical haematology service at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & the Royal Melbourne Hospital, clinical lead for the Allogeneic BMT long term follow up service & Associate director of nursing for haematology & medical oncology. Yvonne has a special interest in late effects experienced by patients after Allogeneic BMT, particularly screening, risk reduction and supporting self-management. Yvonne is also interested in sexual health issues, chronic graft versus host disease and post-transplant rehabilitation. Yvonne has led and been involved in research studies focussing on innovative shared care models of long term follow up and strategies to optimise post transplant recovery including exercise programs. She has completed a research study supported by the VCCC nursing research hub that explored facilitators and barriers to transitioning from paediatric to adult long term follow up. Professionally, Yvonne is passionate about the development of nurse-led models of care and the implementation and professional development of specialist nursing roles.

Dr Sarah Andersen (PhD, AdvAPD) is an advanced accredited practicing Dietitian who currently works as a Senior Bone Marrow Transplant Dietitian at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital as a Metro North Clinician Research Fellow. She has a strong interest in research investigating nutrition during cancer treatment and completed her PhD at the University of Queensland on nutrition support during allogeneic stem cell transplantation in 2021.

Dr Olga Ksionda (MSc (Molecular Biology) PhD (Immunology)) is a Senior Clinical Research Associate and BMT Data Manager at Starship Children’s Hospital, Auckland. She initially trained in Immunology gaining her PhD at National Institute for Medical Research (MRC NIMR, now the Francis Crick Institute) in London. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Oncology at UCSF. Olga’s academic work resulted in a number of peer reviewed publications on T cell and T-ALL biology. Olga has been working at Starship Blood and Cancer Centre since 2018 where she’s been a foundational participant in BMT registries. She is a recipient of two Tandem CIBMTR Travel grants. Throughout her career, Olga has also been involved in organising educational and training activities for BMT data managers because she believes that the foundation of good quality data reporting is built on a sound knowledge and understanding of the medical condition and its biology. Since 2025, Olga has been part of Aotearoa Cell and Gene Therapy programme at Starship Children’s Hospital as a Clinical Research and Regulatory Affairs Specialist, supporting the development and delivery of cell therapies in New Zealand.

Penny Toland (BAppSc(MedSc), LLB, GrapDipLegalPractice) is the Medical Laboratory Manager / Quality Manager / Data Manager and Chief Scientist for the Cellular Therapy Program at Gold Coast University Hospital. She commenced her studies at Queensland University of Technology at the age of 16 and began her career as a teenage medical scientist in haematology, serology and transfusion medicine. She then went on to study as an external student, completing a law degree and being admitted to practice in 2013. Penny loves quality management and believes it is the perfect blend of science and law, with each guiding the other, towards a shared goal of the best patient outcomes.

Phil Selby has been a senior clinical pharmacist with the acute leukaemia and bone marrow transplant service at the Royal Adelaide Hospital since 2018 and has worked as a clinical pharmacist in the hospital setting in South Australia since 2010. In 2024, he completed his PhD on the prevention and management of cytomegalovirus and fungal infections in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients. His specific interests include infections in patients with haematological malignancies, therapeutic drug monitoring, management of acute leukaemia’s and allogeneic stem cell transplantation. He is also currently working at the University of South Australia as a Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy Practice.

A/Prof Carmel O’Brien (BSc, MSc, PhD) is the Chief Scientist for the ABMDR’s

national allogeneic donor registry, Stem Cell Donors Australia. Carmel brings extensive experience in the field of stem cell research and advanced biomedical technologies. She has worked in various principal science and senior management roles across public health, start-up tech, enterprise industry, Governments, and not-for-profit sectors. Carmel holds an adjunct appointment with the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (Monash University), is a former Board Director of the ABMDR, and a current Director (prior Company Secretary) with the NFP Fight Cancer Foundation. Carmel brings to this committee her passion for science, a strong track record in cross-sector stakeholder engagement and advocacy, and a keen interest in the evidence-based progression of transplantation and cell therapy treatments.

Richelle Koller (BBA, CA) is the Chief Executive Officer of Arrow Foundation (“Arrow”). With over a decade of leadership in the charitable sector, Richelle has a deep passion for not-for-profit causes and a wealth of charitable experience. In addition to her role as CEO, Richelle also serves as the Company Secretary on the Arrow board. In this capacity, she upholds the highest standards of governance, ensuring that Arrow operates with integrity and transparency. Richelle’s professional journey has shaped her particular interest in managing growing organisations. Her extensive experience and skills enable her to devise and implement strategic plans, leveraging her expertise to turn organisational visions into reality.

Leonie Wilcox (RN,MN, BSc) has been the manager of the Australia and New Zealand Transplant and Cellular Therapies Registry (formerly ABMTRR) since 2006. Over this time, she has seen its growth and development as a clinical quality registry, acquisition of Commonwealth funding and inclusion of the national CAR-T registry. She has a passion for accurate data as the backbone for clinical quality monitoring and improvement and continues to support the TCT community in achieving its goals in providing high quality data driven care.