Research Leaders
Professor Patrick C Brennan
Professor Brennan’s research involves exploring novel technologies and techniques that enhance the detection of clinical indicators of disease, whilst minimising risk to the patient.
His research has involved most major imaging modalities including X-ray, computerised tomography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.
He has recently moved from the School of Medicine and Medical Science in University College Dublin to take up a position of Professor of Diagnostic Imaging in the University of Sydney.
In Dublin, as head of Biological Imaging Research he led more than 30 scientists including anatomists, computer scientists, biological scientists, rheumatologists, obstetricians, radiographers and neurologists working in collaboration with radiologists, physicists and visual scientists.
In line with Government priorities, his research findings have translated into improved diagnosis and management of important disease states such as cancer, musculo-skeletal injury, arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
He is recognized as a leader in medical imaging optimization and radiological perception.
Professor Brennan has been invited to deliver talks across 4 continents. He has presented at the major international imaging meetings including the annual meetings of the Radiological Society of North America, European Congress, UK Radiological Congress, International Society of Optical Engineering and Medical Imaging Perception Society.
He has published over 80 original papers, and these have been accepted by the leading radiological journals such as the American Journal of Roentgenology, Academic Radiology, European Radiology and British Journal of Radiology.
His work is having an important impact on clinical practice across the globe. Over the last decade his work has generated 6.2m AUD and has led to the successful supervision of 26 graduate research students, including 19 PhD projects. H
He has won 2 medals of excellence for teaching and has acted as undergraduate, graduate and PhD examiner in 9 universities across Europe and Asia.
Dr Ann Poulos
Ann's work aims to improve health service delivery and increase customer satisfaction in breast screening programs so that the potential for decreasing mortality rates from breast cancer in Australia can be realised.
Dr Ann Poulos is an internationally recognized research leader in the area of breast imaging and mammography practice within the context of breast screening programs.
Dr Ann Poulos is a Senior Lecturer in Medical Radiation Sciences at the University of Sydney. She graduated from the University of Sydney with a PhD in 2001. The focus of her PhD was the application of breast compression in mammography and was the first PhD in breast imaging in Australia.
The Poulos/Mclean article, based on her PhD, was awarded the best research article prize in 2004 by the world’s leading radiography Journal ‘Radiography’.
The focus of Dr Poulos’ research is on the process and outcomes of screening: improving the breast imaging experience for women and improving outcomes by ensuring optimum image quality and interpretation.
Her track record covers a range of areas related to breast imaging such as participation in breast screening, image evaluation and image perception and analysis.
Participation in breast screening has focused on two areas – the application of breast compression and its potential to deter women from re attending and the barriers for women with disability to have successful completions.
A grant from the National Breast Cancer Foundation provided funding for a study to improve the mammography experience and outcomes for women with physical disability.
Image evaluation relates to the need for optimum image quality in breast imaging and the importance of a reliable and valid image evaluation system.
Current Masters and PhD students are investigating the subjectivity of current image evaluation systems, the image quality of digital magnification images and the criteria used in clinical image evaluation methods.
Image perception and analysis is a new area of inquiry in which the use of an eyetracker will increase our knowledge of the process of interpretation of breast images. A current PhD student is investigating visual search during interpretation to add to our understanding in this area.
In collaboration with the NSW Breast Cancer Institute, Ann is involved in a project being undertaken by a Masters student to determine the accuracy of non-radiologist mammography readers.
Dr Poulos is currently a member of the State Accreditation and Quality Control Committee which oversees accreditation of the screening programs in NSW. She was also a member of the Cancer Institute NSW expert advisory panel during the transition of BreastScreen NSW to the NSW Cancer Institute completed in 2007. She is a member of the Editorial Review Board of Radiography (UK), European Journal of Radiography (Europe) and The Radiographer (Australia).