INVITED SPEAKERS

The Organisers are delighted to welcome the following speakers to the NZ Branch Meeting, and Queenstown in 2024.

Brigitte Borg

The Alfred Hospital, VIC

Brigitte is an Accredited Clinical Physiologist (Respiratory) with over 30 years’ experience. Brigitte works at The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne as Head, Physiology Service, Respiratory Medicine. Brigitte’s areas of interest in the field of respiratory medicine include lung function interpretation (for which she co-authored a book in 2014), laboratory accreditation, quality spirometry in primary care, and oxygen therapy. Brigitte has recently participated in the development of the ANZSRS/TSANZ position statement on pulmonary function testing during COVID-19 and the ATS/ERS taskforce member for the Static Lung Volumes Technical Standard published in 2023. Brigitte is currently a member of the TSANZ/NATA Steering Committee to enable the transition of respiratory laboratory accreditation to NATA in 2025.

Catherine Buchan

Alfred Health, VIC

Catherine Buchan is a highly motivated and experienced advanced practice respiratory and sleep nurse consultant having worked at Alfred Health for over 20 years.  She has a Post Grad Diploma in Advanced Nursing Critical Care and Master of Nursing Science. Catherine’s research to date has evaluated the role of nurse led clinics and services and new models of care within multidisciplinary teams. Catherine is a research assistant and PhD candidate in A/Prof Smallwood’s research team at Respiratory research@alfred, Monash University. Catherine holds leadership positions within the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, including (but not limited to) serving on the professional standards subcommittee, the Australia New Zealand Respiratory Audit Program Steering Committee and as the Australian convenor of the respiratory nurses’ special interest group. Catherine provides holistic biopsychosocial person-centred integrated care for people with respiratory and sleep problem where evidence is translated into practice with the aim for better healthcare outcomes. 

Prof Anne Holland

Monash University/ Alfred Health, VIC

Anne Holland is Professor of Physiotherapy and Head of Respiratory Research at Monash University and Alfred Health in Melbourne. She is an NHMRC Leadership Fellow (2021-2025). Anne’s research program investigates supportive therapies for people with chronic respiratory disease, with a focus on COPD and pulmonary fibrosis. Her recent clinical trials have tested new models of pulmonary rehabilitation to improve access and uptake, including low cost home-based models and telerehabilitation. She is currently leading a multi-national trial of ambulatory oxygen for people with fibrotic lung disease. Anne is a Chief Investigator for the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis and the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Treatable Traits.Anne has published over 380 peer reviewed journal articles and her publications have been cited over 25000 times. Her research underpins recommendations in more than 30 clinical guidelines from 18 countries for chronic lung disease, pulmonary rehabilitation and physiotherapy. Her contributions to respiratory research have been recognised in the award of the Society Medal, Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (2021), and the European Respiratory Society Gold Medal for Allied Health Professionals (2022). Anne is President of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand.

A/Prof Tajalli Saghaei

Macquarie University Hospital, NSW

Associate Professor Tajalli Saghaie is a Respiratory Consultant at Macquarie University Hospital, Sydney. He is an Interventional Pulmonologist and Respiratory Physician with interest and experience in rigid bronchoscopy and management of large airways, diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy, pleural disease management, and multidisciplinary lung cancer care. Taj has pioneered multiple new bronchoscopic techniques in Australia, including lymph node cryobiopsy, CBCT bronchoscopy and robotic bronchoscopy. He is also co-supervisor of the first and only Interventional Pulmonology fellowship program recognised by AABIP outside the U.S.

Prof Robin Taylor

Edinburgh University, UK

Emeritus Professor D Robin Taylor graduated from Aberdeen University in Scotland and completed his postgraduate respiratory training in Vancouver, Canada. He was appointed as a consultant in Dunedin in 1988 and became a Professor of Respiratory Medicine in the Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago in 2005. During the 1990s he undertook studies that emerged from the beta-agonist controversy. Later he directed research into the clinical applications of exhaled nitric oxide measurement. He was awarded a DSc degree in Otago in 2010. He was Dean of Student Affairs in the Faculty of Medicine in Otago from 2008 - 2012. He was President of the New Zealand Branch of the TSANZ from 1999 - 2003, and again 2009 - 2011. He moved to Edinburgh in 2012, and since 2015 has implemented Treatment Escalation Plans in Scottish hospitals as part of the national Deteriorating Patient Program.