University Hospital Geelong
Department of Surgery
Research
Enquires (03) 4215 2001 | Fax 4215 2023
Meet Our Team!
The Department of Surgery is a Unit within the Barwon Health Surgical Services Division. The Chair of Surgery is the Unit Head. The Chair of Surgery also holds the position of Barwon Health Divisional Director of Surgery. There is an Associate Professor of Surgery who is the Deputy Head of the Unit and also holds the position of Barwon Health Supervisor of Surgical Training; and a Senior Lecturer of Surgery who is the Coordinator of the Deakin University / Barwon Health Surgical Rotation.
All Four Academics are practicing General Surgeons. The Department of Surgery also has two part time Clinical Information / Trauma Audit Coordinators. The Department of Surgery has a strong research focus and a productive publication output, and constantly strives to improve patient outcomes.
The Department of Surgery promotes and encourages students to undertake PhD, Master of Surgery and Honours programs which are supervised by department academics.
AM OBE ChM FRCSEd FRACS
Professor of Surgery at Deakin University and Director of Surgery at University Hospital Geelong, Barwon Health. Prof David Watters was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2012 for his work in PNG. 2015-16 he became President of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). In June 2018 Prof Watters became a member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his significant services to medicine and medical education in endocrine and colorectal surgery.
MBBS FRACS BSc(Hons)
Professor of Surgery with Deakin University and General/Colorectal Surgeon with University Hospital Geelong, Barwon Health. Prof Guest is the Supervisor of General Surgical trainees for the South West Victorian Regional Hub and Director of the RACS AusAid Timor Leste Surgical Program. Glenn Guest is also Chair in Surgery at the Epworth Hospital Geelong.
Associate Prof Douglas Stupart
MBChB FCS(SA) PhD FRACS
Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer in Surgery with Deakin University and General Surgeon with University Hospital Geelong, Barwon Health since 2010. A/Prof Douglas Stupart completed his PhD with the Department of Surgery, Deakin University in 2015 and has special interests in Surgical Education, Colorectal Surgery, Laparoscopic Surgery and Lynch Syndrome.
Associate Professor Sonal Nagra
MBBS MMedSurg FRACS
Director of General Surgery, Senior Lecturer in Rural Surgery with Deakin University and Consultant surgeon with University Hospital Geelong, Barwon Health.
A/Prof Nagra is a General Surgeon and has wide surgical experiences including laparascopic and open colorectal procedures, hernias, gall bladder surgery, thyroids, parathyroids and endoscopy (gastroscopes and colonoscopies). With interests in surgical outcomes he has published a number of papers in this area.
Associate Prof Richard Grills
MBBS FRACS
A/Prof Grills is the Director of Urological Surgery and Director of Robotic Surgery at Barwon Health, he is also the Head of Surgical Services at St John of God Hospital, Geelong and Deputy Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee at St John of God Hospital, Geelong. A/Prof Grills is involved in teaching of medical students and has an appointment as a Senior Lecturer at Deakin University Medical School.
Dr Moore was the Research Fellow with the Department of Surgery and Robotic Surgery RA until January 2022. Dr Moore completed a Forensic Psychology degree in 2020 through Curtin University and Data Science and Management Course in 2017 with distinction through Harvard University and PhD by research in 2013 with the Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Department of Surgery, University Hospital Geelong.
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AdvDip(Mgt) CPM AAPM DipBus
Appointed Executive Assistant to the Chair of Surgery in June 2015. Mrs Anne Vandewater coordinates and compiles the department's annual report, research reports and related publications; liaises with the Deakin Clinical School in regards to clinical training, tutorials, exams and research. Anne has a special interest in Executive / Business Administration.
Clinical Information Coordinator. Managed and coordinated general and colorectal surgery databases. Ms Christine Campbell prepared annual audit reports, retrieved surgical data providing assistance to researchers in the department and had a special interest in Surgical Audit and Risk Management.
BBSc(Hons) MPsych(Neuro) CCN MAPS
Trauma Audit Coordinator (part-time). Manages and coordinates the trauma database. Ms Stephanie Kempton prepares quarterly trauma audit reports for the Multi Trauma Audit Committee held in the Department of Surgery, University Hospital Geelong and provides research support to members of the department.
Postgraduate degrees
Suat Chin Ng
Master of Surgery (2020)
The University of Melbourne
Is there any role for surveillance in elderly colorectal cancer patients post curative resection
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Andrew Cheng
PhD by research (in-progress)
Deakin University
Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation after Cardiac Surgery
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Su Mei Hoh
Master of Public Health (2019)
The University of Melbourne
Bellwether Access in Malaysia
Postgraduate studies
Dr Gausihi Sivarajah
​MSc of Public Health (2019)
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Perioperative Mortality Rate (POMR) in Global Surgery
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Dr Eileen Moore (2017)
Harvard University
Data Science, Information Systems Management, Statistics
PhD Graduates
Wendy Crebbin
PhD by research (2023)
Deakin University
Decision Making in Surgery
Amelia McGuinness
PhD by research (2022)
Deakin University
The effect of bowel preparation for colonoscopy on depression symptomatology and gut microbiota composition
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Wendy Crebbin
PhD by research (2020)
Deakin University
Teaching Junior Doctors: How experts think: What impact does it have?
Kai Lee
PhD by publication (2019)
Deakin University
Alcohol related facial trauma
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Pia Bernardi
Doctor of Medical Science (2017)
The University of Melbourne
Prediction and prognosis in anal cancer: Developing models to improve patient outcome
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Douglas Stupart
PhD by research (2015)
Deakin University
Natural history and cancer prevention in Lynch Syndrome
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Patrick Mahar
PhD by research (2015)
Deakin University
Toxic epidermal necrolysis: Factors associated with mortality in adult Victorian burns-centre treated patients
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Eileen Moore
Inaugural PhD graduate (2013)
The University of Melbourne
Cognitive impairment and vitamin B12
Masters Graduates
John Kefalianos
Master of Surgical Research (2021-2024)
Deakin University
Mortality Prediction for Emergency Laparotomy in Australia
Frederick Hamish Morgan
Master of Surgical Research (2020-2024)
Deakin University
Geelong Retrorectus Complex Ventral Hernia Repair Audit
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Anh Vu
Master of Surgical Research (2020-2023)
Deakin University
Implentation of robotic-assisted surgery within a regional centre in Australia: has this changed our practice and what can we expect moving forward?
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Louis Scarrold
Master of Surgical Research (2020-2022)
Deakin University
Optimising Sarcopenia Measurement to Improve Surgical Risk Assessment
Henry Drysdale
Master of Surgical Research (2020-2022)
Deakin University
The Impact of COVID-19 on General Surgery in Geelong
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Steve Lau
Master of Surgical Research (2020-2022)
Deakin University
Outcomes of Transanal Total Mesorectal Excision in Australia
Mark Boydell
Master of Surgical Science (2017)
The University of Edinburgh
Diverticular Disease in Victoria, Australia
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Greg Leverett
Master of Surgical Science (2017)
The University of Edinburgh
Tranexamic Acid and Thromboembolic Events in Hip Fracture Surgery: a meta-analysis
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Joseph Kong
Master of Surgery (2012-2014)
The University of Melbourne
Validating Barwon Health Preoperative Risk Stratification Model for Mortality and Major Morbidity for Major Colorectal Surgery
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Dragos Iorgulescu
Master of Surgery (2000-2002)
The University of Melbourne
A new method of Detection of Micrometastases in Epithelial Cancers - Flow cytometry and Magnetic Enrichment
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David McClure
Inaugural Research Fellow
Master of Surgery (1995-1996)
The University of Melbourne
Cellular adhesive incompetence in Diabetes mellitus: the interaction of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and human endothelial cells
Honours Graduates
EIleen Moore (2008)
Bachelor of Science Honours (1st class)
The University of Melbourne
The effects of calcium homeostasis and thyroidectomy: Postoperative hypocalcaemia complicating thyroid surgery
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Jessica Dunn (2011)
Bachelor of Science Honours
Deakin University
International development in Timor Leste