Cellular Horizons: Improving decisions about access to stem cell interventions

Ten researchers from four major Universities have joined forces with six consumer advocacy organisations to help patients, doctors and regulators make better decisions about access to cellular therapies at various stages of their development.

The team is led by Associate Professor Wendy Lipworth from the University of Sydney and the project is supported by the Stem Cell Therapies Mission of the Medical Research Future Fund – a long-term government investment fund set up to support Australian health and medical research.

The interviews of interested participants will be led by the following team members:

• Professor Alan Petersen (Monash University)

Alan has extensive expertise in the sociology of health and medicine and knowledge of health technologies. Alan will be overseeing Stage 1 of the research and, with other team members, will be responsible for the data analysis, forging and maintaining links with stakeholder groups, and developing the policy implications from this project. Alan will also conduct some of the interviews and supervise and work closely with Dr Sian Supski, the research fellow on the project.

• Professor Megan Munsie (The University of Melbourne)

Megan is a Professor in the University of Melbourne’s School of Biomedical Sciences and Melbourne Medical School where she heads a research program on the ethical, legal and social implications of stem cell research. As a trained developmental biologist, Megan combines her scientific expertise with a deep understanding of the ethical and regulatory considerations required to facilitate responsible research in stem cell science and its clinical translation. She has previously collaborated with Alan, Claire and Sian on similar research projects.

• Dr Claire Tanner (Monash University)

Claire has expertise in the sociology of science, the body and health. Her research is focused on enhancing understanding of people’s health experiences and the interventions and technologies they turn to for help, especially for those living with serious health and medical conditions. This work aims to identify barriers to effective support in different healthcare populations, and to enhance understanding of the interconnected ways attitudes, relationships and expectations impact on health practices and decision-making. Claire will undertake interviews in Stage 1 of the research project and, with other team members, have responsibility for analysing data and developing key findings based on the research.

• Dr Sian Supski (Monash University)

Sian is a cultural sociologist with extensive qualitative research experience. Her research is focussed on people’s everyday lived experience across a number of areas - food, family, and life writing. She has published in and worked across projects examining children as health advocates in their families, language use in synthetic biology and the role of creativity in research. Sian will be the primary point of contact for research participants and, under the supervision of the Stage 1 research team, coordinate all aspects of Stage 1 of the project.