A respiratory physiotherapist studying chronic lung disease in Aboriginal children is one of four research fellows to share in $1.45 million as part the Clinician Research Fellowships (CRF) program.
The program is funded by the Future Health Research and Innovation Fund in partnership with the Raine Medical Research Foundation, with support from the Department of Health.
Dr Pamela Laird, a senior respiratory physiotherapist at the Child and Adolescent Health Service, will use her fellowship to explore how research informed by Aboriginal perspectives and experiences in healthcare settings and communities can improve lung health outcomes in Aboriginal children.
In addition to Dr Laird, the CRF 2021 recipients include:
- Dr Charlie McLeod – Infectious Diseases Consultant at Perth Children’s Hospital
Validation of a model for predicting bacterial coinfection in bronchiolitis
- Dr Wee Loong Chin – Consultant at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
Designing a prediction framework for mesothelioma response to chemo-immunotherapy
- Dr Michael O’Sullivan – Consultant at Perth Children’s Hospital
Establishing an adaptive platform trial for food oral immunotherapy.
The fellowship program is designed to support WA Health employees to pursue research relevant to the public health system while continuing to perform some of their clinical duties.
It enables high-quality research that will ultimately provide better healthcare outcomes in Western Australia’s public health system.
Health experts involved in clinical duties, including allied health and health sciences, dental, medical, nursing and midwifery professions, are eligible to apply for the program.
The initiative covers the costs of backfilling some of the Fellows’ clinical work and can be for up to three years depending on the research proposal.
The full list of CRF 2021 recipients can be found at
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
“Congratulations to this year’s four Clinician Research Fellowship recipients, whose projects are just a few of the many important studies underway in Western Australia.
“An investment in research is an investment in the future and the McGowan Government is committed to further developing WA’s health and medical research ecosystem, and to ensuring research findings can be translated into real benefits for all Western Australians.”
As stated by Chief Allied Health Officer Mark Petrich:
“The Chief Allied Health Office congratulates Dr Pamela Laird as one of four Clinical Research Fellowship recipients for this year, and the latest of a growing number of allied health professionals to be recognised through this program for the potential of their research.
“There is increasing acknowledgement of the important contribution of clinician researchers in the allied health and health sciences professions to research translating to evidence-based practice and quality health outcomes.”
