Health reporter @ABCscience + @RadioNational | Former producer #LadiesWeNeedToTalk | My views | willis.olivia@abc.net.au

Professor Andrew Whitehouse was appointed as Chief Research Officer of the Autism CRC in July 2017. Prior to his, led Program 1, continuing his work to identify prenatal risk factors for autism, as well as spearheading the creation of the Australian Autism Biological Database. Andrew directs the Autism Research Team at the Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia. His research team investigates the genetic and neurodevelopmental causes of autism, and conducts clinical intervention trials into this condition. In August 2017, Andrew was awarded the 2017 3M Eureka Prize for Emerging Leader in Science in recognition of his work and passion as an autism researcher, and for his leadership in the field, both nationally and internationally.Andrew has published over 120 peer-reviewed journal articles, as well as two books and two internationally-used clinical assessments. He currently writes a popular column on child development for the news TV website The Conversation, which has attracted more than 1 million unique hits. Andrew has been a Fellow at the University of Oxford, and is currently the Winthrop Professor of Child Development at the Telethon Institute for Child Health, University of Western Australia. Leading the Autism CRC Diagnosis Research Program, we aim to significantly reduce the age of diagnosis of autism. Incorporating cutting edge genetic and biological research to enhance accuracy and then match the most effective interventions.

David is a senior cross media news reporter in Perth with more than 20 years experience. He first started working with the ABC in the Illawarra region in the early 1990s. Since then David has reported on all of the major stories in WA while working with radio current affairs at AM, PM and The World Today. He has also reported for ABC TV News, Stateline and The 7:30 Report. David has won numerous reporting awards, including a United Nations Peace Prize in 2005.

Dr Cameron Webb is a Clinical Lecturer with the University of Sydney and Principal Hospital Scientist with the Department of Medical Entomology at NSW Health Pathology based at Westmead Hospital. Cameron’s primary focus is understanding the role of environmental management and urban development in reducing the risks of mosquito-borne disease. He has been called on to provide expert advice on a range of medically important arthropods, such as mosquitoes, head lice, ticks, mites, biting midges, bed bugs and flies, to local, state and federal and international government agencies. Key to his research is an understanding of the ecological role of mosquitoes and how wetland conservation, construction and rehabilitation projects may influence regional mosquito-borne disease risk together with changes in the local environment resulting from climate change, potential introductions of exotic mosquito species and personal protection strategies (e.g. insect repellents).In his position with the University of Sydney, Cameron regularly provides lectures in a range of undergraduate and post graduate courses and has supervised a number of research students including collaborative projects with the University of Western Sydney, the Australian Catholic University, University of Wollongong and the University of South Australia.

Adam Watkins works as an Assistant professor of Reproductive Biology at the University of Nottingham. Here, Adam investigates the impact of paternal diet on sperm quality, post-fertilisation development and long-term offspring health in a mouse model. Prior to taking up his lectureship at the University of Nottingham, Fellowship at Aston University, Adam undertook separate fellowships at Aston University and the University of Nottingham working with Professor Kevin Sinclair. Here, Adam developed his models and established the initial research questions on which he is still working. Before this, Adam worked in the laboratory of Professor Tom Fleming at the University of Southampton where he developed his interest in how perturbed early patterns of development can have long-term impact on offspring health.

Journalist writing medical news for Canada’s doctors.

Kees van Gool is a health economist and has extensive experience in international, national and regional health policy research. He is part of a leading team working on the financing and economics of primary care. Kees has previously contributed to and managed a variety of projects including work conducted for the Commonwealth Department of Health, MBF and the Australian Senate. He was a lead investigator in two independent reviews of the Extended Medicare Safety Net conducted for the Australian Government. He is currently a chief investigator at the Centre for Research Excellence on the Financing and Economics of Primary Care (REFinE), funded by the Australian Primary Health Care Institute (APHCRI) . He has worked extensively on cancer care, screening, cystic fibrosis and policy evaluation. He has quantitative skills in micro-economic modelling and has established a track record in using linked data. In 2011 he completed his PhD at the University of Technology Sydney, looking at the out-of-pocket costs faced by patients under Australia’s Medicare system. Kees has previously worked at the Department of Health, NSW Health and the OECD where he led a project on international health system performance and policy analysis on cardiovascular disease care and outcomes.

Harry Sumnall is a Professor in Substance Use at the Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moores University. He is interested in all aspects of substance use, particularly those related to young people’s health and wellbeing. Harry’s funded research programmes have examined the evidence base for substance misuse prevention, and he is interested in the mechanisms for support implementation of evidence based practice and policy. Harry is a Board Member of the European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR), a trustee of the drug and alcohol prevention charity Mentor UK, and a scientific advisor to the MIND Foundation. He was a member of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) between 2011 and 2018.