Professor HANG QUACH – MBBS, SpecCertOC, FRACP, FRCPA, MD
Director of Clinical Haematology and Clinical Haematology Research
Professor Hang Quach is the head of the Department of Clinical Haematology and is the director of Clinical Haematology Research at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne. She is a professor of haematology at the University of Melbourne. Her clinical and translational research focuses on novel therapeutics and their impact on the immunology and the microenvironment in multiple myeloma. As of December 2021, she has secured competitive research funding of more than 13 million AUD towards myeloma research and is highly published in the field of in multiple myeloma. Prof. Quach is also the deputy-chair of the Myeloma Scientific Advisory Group (MSAG) for Myeloma Australia, where she leads the development and biennial update of the Australian National Treatment Guideline for Multiple Myeloma. She is also the co-chair of the Myeloma Working Group of the Australasian Lymphoma Leukaemia Group (ALLG). She is passionate about improving the standard of care for patients with blood cancers in Australia, not only through clinical care, but also through research and active roles on steering committees of national and international health care groups.
Associate Professor MERROLE COLE-SINCLAIR – MBBS FRACP FRCPA
Director of Laboratory Haematology
Associate Professor Merrole Cole-Sinclair is a clinical and laboratory haematologist with more than 30 years’ specialist experience.
She holds honorary academic positions with the Department of Pathology at the University of Melbourne and the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at Monash University.
She has received Honorary Life Memberships of the Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand and the Australian and New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion and various University and College teaching awards.
She is a member of the Council of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, the National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council and the Victorian Serious Transfusion Incident Reporting advisory group.
She has been a recent Board member of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) and Chair of the Australian Committee for Joint College Training in Haematology (Royal Australasian College of Australasia/RCPA).
Her clinical interests are in general diagnostic and clinical haematology and transfusion.
Associate Professor MATTHEW KU – MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA, PhD
Co-Deputy Director
A/Prof Ku is a haematologist with an interest in lymphoproliferative neoplasms. He is currently the Deputy Director of the Haematology Clinical Research Unit, and the Clinical Stream Lead for Aggressive Lymphomas. He is the Lead for the Immune Effector Cell Therapy Steering Committee, with a special interest in immunotherapies. He is the Principal Investigator on multiple international clinical trials that utilise novel therapies in lymphomas, with the aim of improving patient outcomes.
A/Prof Ku is the current chairperson for the Membership Relations Working Group of the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group, and he is a member of the Australasian Lymphoma Alliance, the Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group, the Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand, and the American Society of Hematology. A/Prof Ku is also the current Chair for the St Vincent’s Grand Round Committee, and the Haematology Lead for Cancer Centre Outpatient Clinics.
A/Prof Ku's PhD focused on novel pathways in acute myeloid leukaemia, and subsequently his postdoctoral Lymphoma Clinical Fellowship involved managing complex patients on clinical studies. A/Prof Ku has multiple publications in peer-reviewed international journals. He has also presented at many national and international haematology conferences and meetings.
Outside of work, A/Prof Ku’s main interests are biking riding with his family, watching sci-fi movies, and sharing a nice meal with his wife.
Dr MASA LASICA – MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA
Co-Deputy Director
Dr Masa Lasica is haematologist and clinical researcher at St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne where she leads the indolent lymphoma, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) and amyloidosis program. Masa graduated from the Australian National University School of Medicine in 2008 and completed her haematology specialist training in Melbourne. In 2017 she was awarded fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Pathologists and the Royal Australian College of Physicians. She undertook a fellowship at the Transfusion Research Unit, Monash University and Australian Red Cross Blood Service as well as a Trials Fellowship at Eastern Health.
Masa’s clinical research focuses on the use of novel agents to improve outcomes in patients with indolent lymphoma, CLL and multiple myeloma. In 2022, she was awarded the RACP Research Entry Scholarship. She is principal and sub-investigator on a number of clinical studies and is a member of the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group.
Dr ROBIN FILSHIE – MBCHB, FRACP, FRCPA, PhD
Dr Robin Filshie has been a consultant clinical and laboratory Haematologist at St.Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne since 1999. He has a broad expertise across the fields of benign and malignant haematology and is actively involved in clinical trials in a wide range of haematological malignancies at St Vincent’s Public Hospital. He is longstanding member of The Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group (ALLG) and current member of the ALLG Safety and Data Monitoring Committee. He is also a past chair of the St Vincent’s Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee. He is a keen cyclist and hopes to be able to combine that with some future travel.
Dr SHUH YING TAN – MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA.
Dr Tan is a consultant haematologist, and the clinical lead for acute myeloid leukaemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, and myeloproliferative disorders.
She has a special interest in myeloid disorders, with a focus on the development of novel therapies to improve patient outcomes. She is committed in bridging the inequitable access to treatment, and led the establishment of clinical trials in regional centres and interstate.
She also champions the training and mentoring of junior doctors.
She is a member of scientific committees in the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group, and is also an active member of several other committees including thrombosis, transfusion, and cancer governance.
Associate Professor ALI BAZARGAN – MD, FRACP.
Associate Professor Ali Bazargan is a senior clinical haematologist at St. Vincent's Hospital. He has a special interest in lymphomas, Langerhans cell histiocytosis and thrombosis.
He is the lead clinician for Hodgkin lymphoma and T cell lymphomas and was the former chair of thrombosis committee at St. Vincent's Hospital.
He is the principal and sub-investigator in a number of clinical trials.
He is an active member of a number of committees and is an international working party member for perioperative management of anticoagulation in International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. He remains a working party member of high-grade lymphoma committee in Australiasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group.
Dr SLAVISA NINKOVIC – MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA,
Dr Ninkovic graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2008, completing advanced training in clinical and laboratory haematology through St. Vincent’s Hospital and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. After an 18 month clinical fellowship at the University College Hospital in London, he returned to St. Vincent’s where he is currently practicing as a clinical and laboratory haematologist and a molecular haematopathologist at the Victorian Cancer Cytogenetics Service.
Dr Ninkovic is currently enrolled in a PhD centred on a clinical study assessing a response-adapted approach to treatment of transplant ineligible multiple myeloma patients. Translational research focusing on the immune tumour microenvironment and genomic aberrations in myeloma are integral components of his research activity. He is most excited by advancing developments in the field of diagnostic Haematopathology and how they continually bring us a step closer to delivering personalised treatments for patients with haematological malignancies.
Dr SHIRLENE SIM – MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA,
Dr Sim is a dual-trained clinical and laboratory haematologist. After graduating from The University of Melbourne, she went on to complete her basic physician and advanced haematology training at St Vincent’s Hospital, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital. She is currently involved in clinical trials and research at St Vincent’s Hospital, and is currently pursuing a higher degree. Dr Sim has a wide interest in both malignant and non-malignant haematology, and is highly dedicated to providing the best possible care to all her patients
Dr KRITIKA CHAIWATANATORN – MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA, PhD
Dr Kritika Chaiwatanatorn is a consultant clinical and laboratory haematologist at St Vincent’s hospital. She completed her medical undergraduate degree and postgraduate degree in lymphoma research through the University of Melbourne. She is a fellow of both the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) as well as the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA).
Her interest is in laboratory and general clinical haematology with a specific focus in thrombosis and haemostasis. She is the Chair of St Vincent’s Hospital Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Steering Committee and actively contributes to St Vincent’s Hospital VTE and anticoagulation related policies. She is the Lead Haematologist of St Vincent’s Thrombosis Clinic and in the Coagulation Department of St Vincent’s Pathology. She has a passion for training the next generation of haematologists.
Dr ANNE DYKES – B.Sc. (Hons), MBChB. MRCP, FRACP, FRCPA
Dr Anne Dykes trained in Medicine in Scotland before moving to Melbourne where she specialised in Haematology. She works as a senior Haematologist in the Laboratory and Clinic at St Vincent's Hospital. She is also the Coordinator for Haematology Training in Victoria, Tasmania and NT.
Dr JEREMY ONG – Clinical Haematologist
Dr Jeremy Ong is a dual-trained clinical and laboratory haematologist. Graduating from The University of Melbourne, he completed physicians training at St Vincent's Hospital, before undertaking haematology advanced training at The Alfred and Monash Health.
Dr Ong has a keen interest in non-malignant blood conditions, particularly thrombosis, bleeding disorders and perioperative care. He also treats blood cancers including lymphoma, myeloma and myeloid disorders, and is an active investigator on clinical trials at St Vincent's Public Hospital. He has presented at national and international conferences, as well as published in peer-reviewed journals, allowing him to provide optimal evidence-based care for his patients.
Dr MATTHEW REES – Clinical Haematologist
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Dr Matthew Rees is a haematologist with an interest in myeloma, amyloidosis and lymphoma. He was the top-graduating student from the University of Melbourne, MD class of 2014. He completed his haematology training at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the Austin and Royal Melbourne Hospitals, in addition to an advanced dysproteinemias fellowship at the Mayo Clinic.
His research is focused on immunotherapy in multiple myeloma and organ recovery in light chain (AL) amyloidosis. He has presented research on these topics at multiple international meetings, including an oral presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He is a member of the myeloma working group of the Australasian Leukaemia Lymphoma Group (ALLG) and disease lead for light chain (AL) amyloidosis at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne.
Dr KHAI LI CHAI - MBBS(Hons) BMedSc FRACP FRCPA
Dr Khai Li Chai is a specialist clinical and laboratory haematologist. She graduated with honours from the University of Melbourne in 2010 and completed specialist training at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. She is a currently undertaking a PhD in supportive care and transfusion medicine at the Transfusion Research Unit, Monash University having been awarded PhD scholarships from the Leukaemia Foundation and HSANZ.
Dr SONIA RAJ - Haematologist
Dr Sonia Raj is a dual trained Haematologist. She graduated from University of Melbourne and completed her specialist training at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, Royal Hobart Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Having trained in clinical and laboratory Haematology across Melbourne and Tasmania, she has a broad exposure to general and malignant Haematology.
Dr Raj worked as a Haematologist in clinical and laboratory Haematology at the Royal Hobart Hospital after which she pursued her interest in malignant Haematology, in particular Lymphoma by undertaking a Lymphoma fellowship at the Christie, NHS Foundation Trust in the UK in 2024.
Having done a fellowship in the largest single cancer centre in Europe, she gained exposure to early phase clinical trials and novel therapies. She has presented her work in national and international conferences. She is committed to providing the best possible care for her patients.
Dr KIMBERLY WONG- Haematologist
Dr Kimberly Wong is a dual-trained clinical and laboratory haematologist. Dr Wong obtained her medical degree from The University of Melbourne and completed her physician training and haematology specialist training in Victoria at Austin Health, Alfred Health and St Vincent’s Hospital.
Dr Wong has a keen interest in management of lymphoproliferative disorders and completed a lymphoma fellowship at Austin Hospital. She is actively involved in clinical trials in malignant and non-malignant haematology at St Vincent's Hospital.
Dr Wong is passionate about evidence-based empathic patient-centered care. She is also fluent in Mandarin.