The Pain Research Unit - Team Profile
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Members of the Pain Research Unit
David Champion, MB, BS, MD, FRACP, FFPMANZCA
Founder and Director, Pain Research Unit, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
Visiting (Consultant) Physician, Paediatric Rheumatology, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
Conjoint Associate Professor University of New South Wales
David has a longstanding commitment to paediatric pain research, being the founder of the team in 1988. He has served as Councillor for Pain in Childhood, a Special Interest Group of the International Association for the Study of Pain (1990-94), and was a member of the Scientific Program Committee for the Third International Symposium on Pediatric Pain (1994). David also represented paediatrics and musculoskeletal medicine on the Scientific Program Committee for the Eighth World Congress of Pain (1993-96). He was Chairman, Scientific Program Committee, Sixth International Symposium on Paediatric Pain, Sydney 2003.
Tiina Piira, B.Sc.(Psychol), M.Psychol.(Clinical)
Research Officer, Pain Research Unit, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
Tiina is a clinical psychologist with a background in pain management and research. Tiina was Secretary of the Steering Committee of the Sixth International Symposium on Paediatric Pain, Sydney 2003. She is also a member of the Scientific Program Committee for the 7th International Symposium on Paediatric Pain, Vancouver, 2006. Tiina is enrolled in her PhD through the School of Psychology at the University of New South Wales. She is an International Trainee with the Pain in Child Health (PICH) Strategic Training Program and was recently awarded a Pain in Child Health (PICH) Mayday Fellowship. Tiina is currently the only full-time salaried member of the Pain Research Unit.
Belinda Goodenough, BA, PhD
Research Psychologist, Centre for Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
Lecturer (conjoint), School of Women's and Children's Health , Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney
Lecturer (adjunct), School of Psychology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney
Belinda is a registered psychologist with a background in visual perception and psychophysical measurement. She has been involved with the Pain Research Unit since 1994. Belinda served as a Councillor for the Pain in Childhood Special Interest Group of the International Association for the Study of Pain (2000-2003). Belinda currently holds a position as Research Psychologist in the Centre for Children's Cancer & Blood Disorders, Sydney Children's Hospital. She continues to have an active interest in projects related to pain management in the contexts of cancer treatment and palliative care. Belinda was a co-convenor of the Sixth International Symposium on Paediatric Pain, Sydney 2003, a member of the Scientific Program Committee, and Chairman of the Local Arrangements Committee.
Marita McInerney, RN, BA
Clinical Nurse Consultant (Pain Management), Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
Marita is a full-time clinical nurse consultant in paediatric pain, and provides a vital contact and clinical input for the team on nursing and pain management issues. Marita co-ordinates the chronic pain service which involves a fortnightly Pain Clinic, inpatient programs, as well as ward consults. She is on various hospital committees, such as the Drug Utilisation Review Committee. Marita assists in patient recruitment for research studies and actively pursues research interests in the arena of nursing.
Helen Taylor, RN, RSCN
Clinical Nurse Specialist (Pain Management), Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
Helen is a full-time clinical nurse specialist in pain. Her role focuses on acute pain management in children and incorporates pre-operative education of patients and their families on pain management issues and techniques. She is involved in the ongoing education and training of nursing staff.
Theona Bustos, B.Sc (Psychol)
Research Assistant and Clinical Psychologist
Theona commenced working with the Unit in 2003. She is currently completing the Masters of Clinical Psychology from the University of New South Wales, with a keen interest in paediatric psychology. Her position as research assistant with the Unit was funded by a Sydney Children's Hospital Foundation Grant to study factors associated with infant pain responses.
Anna Cole, B.App.Sc. (Hearing & Speech)
Research Assistant
Anna has been working as a part-time research assistant with the Unit since August 2000. She has been involved in various aspects of the Unit's research projects including literature searches, data collection and data entry.
John Ziegler, MB, BS, MD, FRACP
Staff Specialist (Immunology), Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick.
Associate Professor in School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney.
John is a founding team member, and through a shared interest in pain of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, co-authored the Faces Pain Scale with David Champion and others. He has a particular interest and expertise in HIV, and is currently Head of Immunology/Infectious Diseases at the Sydney Children's Hospital.
Pain Research | Team Profile | Highlights & Insights | Education | Publications | Funding | links