Karen joined the Cancer Health Services Research unit in July 2019.
Karen’s research to date has focused on Optimal Care Pathways (OPC) for cancer care. She has studied the Optimal Care Pathway for people with melanoma, investigating both adherence measurement and the impact of adherence on patient outcomes and has undertaken a data analysis to characterise OCP adherence in Victorian cutaneous melanoma patients with a particular focus on diagnostic and treatment delays.
Within the Cancer Health Services Research unit, Karen is the Project and Data Manager for the PRedicting the population health economic IMpact of new CAncer Treatments (PRIMCAT) research program. This research program addresses a health policy concern raised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) and the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) about the uncertainties in the projected number of patients receiving treatment at different stages over the next 5 years for three nominated cancers, including colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma and treatments targeting two pan-tumour biomarkers (MSI-H and NTRK).
Karen brings her IT project and program management experience to this role. She has delivered large scale complex programs of work across a range of industries in the public and private sector both locally and internationally.
Karen has a Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) and a Master of Science (Epidemiology) both from University of Melbourne. She is a long-standing Project Management Institute (PMI) certified Project Management Professional (PMP).