Our Team

Dr Koloski BA Hons (Psych), PhD (USyd) is an experienced researcher who holds a joint appointment with the UoN and Princess Alexandra Hospital. She holds an academic title of  senior lecturer at the University of Queensland. Dr Koloski has a PhD in psychological medicine. Her research is focused on the epidemiology and psychological associations of FGIDs including on the directionality of brain-gut pathways in these disorders.

Dr Ayesha Shah, MBBS, PhD FRACP, is a full-time gastroenterologist at the Princess Alexandra Hospital and an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow (EL1, 2026-2030). Her research focusses on the gut microbiome, with a particular emphasis on small intestinal dysbiosis (commonly known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)) and its impact on gastrointestinal diseases. Driven by clinical observations, her work has significantly enhanced clinical practices and improved patient outcome. During her PhD, she has developed a novel molecular technique to quantify bacterial colonization of the small intestine. Besides wet lab research related to her PhD, she has published several systematic reviews and meta-analyses as a first author in high-impact journals elucidating the links between small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and gastrointestinal diseases. As an emerging global leader in the field of small intestinal microbiome research, she has authored all three sections on SIBO, on the widely used global online medical resource UpToDate and has co-authored the first Asian Pacific Consensus guidelines on SIBO (PMID: 36214973). She provides leadership for the clinical research projects and is involved in the clinical development and execution of the Gut Health Biobank. In recent years, she has established international collaborations (e.g., Rome Foundation Working Team) and has led and organised educational events (e.g. 1st Australian Masterclass in Neurogastroenterology) to translate new knowledge into clinical practice. As an ECR she has authored 79 peer-reviewed publications, two book chapter (>2400 cites, H-index 26, G Scholar, 05/2025) and co-supervises 4 PhD students (UQ). Since 2017, she has served as a member of the Metro South Human Research Ethics Committee and is a member of the Editorial Board of the Indian Journal of Gastroenterology. Since 2023, she also serves on the Luminal Faculty of Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA) and is a member of Young GESA.

X: @AyeshaShah717

LinkedIn: Ayesha Shah

Professor Gerald Holtmann, MD, PhD, FRACP, FRCP, FAAHS is an academic gastroenterologist with an outstanding track record in the field of Neurogastroenterology and Health Service Innovation. He is Director of the Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Queensland and Director of Clinical Innovation at the University of Queensland. Professor Holtmann is Chair of the Sociocultural Working Group of the International Rome Foundation and Vice-President of the German “Gastro-Liga. His work covers translational and clinical research that resulted in new pathophysiologic concepts, a novel instrument to study the gastrointestinal microbiome in health and disease or health service innovations that changed clinical practice and hospital accreditations in Australia and the world.

Twitter: @GeraldHoltmann

LinkedIn: Gerald Holtmann

Professor Nicholas J. Talley, AC, MD (NSW), PhD (Syd.), FRACP, FAFPHM, is a distinguished neurogastroenterologist and clinician, with a special interest in functional and eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders. He is currently Professor of Medicine at the University of Newcastle, NHMRC Leadership Fellow, Chief Investigator NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Digestive Health and Editor-in-Chief, Medical Journal of Australia. He has over 1000 publications and is considered an international authority in the field. In 2018, he was awarded a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his research, NSW Scientist of the Year, and the Peter Wills Medal from Research Australia. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at Mayo Clinic, University of North Carolina and the Karolinska Institute.

Twitter: @Prof_NickTalley

LinkedIn: Nicholas J. Talley

Mark Morrison’s scientific expertise resides in the fields of microbial physiology, genetics and genomics, with a career-long focus on the gastrointestinal microbiota of humans and other herbivores. He provides leadership for the microbiome research and outreach activities for the CRE in Digestive Health. Professor Morrison joined the University of Queensland Diamantina Institute in October 2013, as chair and principal group leader in microbial biology and metagenomics, and in addition to this role, he now serves as science lead for gastrointestinal function with the Princess Alexandra Hospital’s Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. During his academic tenure in the USA, he led the team that produced the first genome sequences for Ruminococcus and Prevotella spp., with both genera now widely acknowledged to play a key role in establishing human gut “enterotypes”. His abilities to translate genomic and metagenomic datasets into a sound biological framework include a world-first: the metagenome-directed isolation of a “new” bacterium from a species-rich microbial community. He is Australia’s science representative to the International Human Microbiome Consortium, and serves on a number of Institute and industry advisory boards for gut microbiome research.

LinkedIn: Mark Morrison

Professor Keely is a Professor of Immunology and Microbiology in the School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy at the University of Newcastle and group leader of the Hunter Medical Research Institute Gastrointestinal Research group. Prof Keely’s work has focused on how intestinal tissues adapt to the metabolic stresses associated with intestinal inflammation and infection. His research approach is translational, employing in vitro molecular assays, in vivo models and ex vivo clinical assays. The majority of these works have been published in high ranking journals, and have contributed to our fundamental understanding of GI biology.

Twitter: @SimonKeely

LinkedIn: Simon Keely

Dr Emma Halmos is a senior research fellow and dietitian at Monash University, Alfred Health, with expertise in diet in gastrointestinal conditions, including IBS and IBD.  Emma’s scientific achievements have had a major impact in academia and clinical practice internationally. Most notably, her pivotal feeding study that demonstrated the low FODMAP diet was efficacious in treating IBS. This study launched a major change globally in attitude and enthusiasm towards dietary management, featuring on the cover of Gastroenterology and has been cited >1500 times. Emma reputation is internationally renowned, particularly within the gastroenterology community.  Emma is a committee member for the Dietitians of ECCO (European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation – world’s largest IBD forum) and is a leading project coordinator for the first ever ECCO consensus guidelines on diet in IBD.  Emma has presented her work at several national and international conferences, including being the first dietitian invited to speak at the plenary of ECCO, attended by over 8000 delegates.  Now in a leadership role, Emma is designing dietary studies for IBD management and supervising PhD students, mostly dietitians.  Emma is passionate about inspiring and guiding other dietitians to enter into research.

Dr Kerith Duncanson is an Accredited Practising Dietitian by profession and works in roles as a Research Dietitian and Senior Research Fellow with the University of Newcastle and Rural Research Program Manager for NSW Health. Kerith’s role in the Centre of Research Excellence in Transforming Gut Health is to lead and advise on the important dietary components of all CRE projects in order to improve understanding of the relationship between food and nutrition, gut health and gastrointestinal conditions. Kerith brings a strong background in dietary assessment and clinical gastrointestinal dietetic expertise to this role. Kerith has over 60 peer-reviewed publications and has presented her work on dietary assessment, diet-microbiome associations and disorders of gut brain interactions nationally and internationally.
Affiliations

NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Transforming Gut Health
Australian Gastrointestinal Research Alliance (AGIRA)

Immune Health Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute

NSW Health Education and Training Institute

Professor Uwe Delleck is the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business, Government and Law at the University of Canberra, a Professor of Economics at UC, adjunct Professor of Economics at QUT and Honorary Professor of Behavioural Economics at ANU’s Crawford School of Public Policy. He has worked with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), the Australian Government, Prime Minister and Cabinet as well as the Department of Education and Training, as well as with the not-for-profit and the private sector. His research focusses on the economics of incentives using on traditional economic as well as experimental and behavioural approaches. he was the inaugural director of QUT’s Centre for Behavioural Economics, Society and Technology (BEST) and yhe ARC Industry Transformation Training Centre Behavioural Insights for Technology Adoption (ARC BITA).

Professor Mike Jones is a biostatistician whose research focuses on understanding the link between adverse psychological traits and disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI), including irritable bowel syndrome. He has a long-standing research collaborative network spanning Australia and internationally that was awarded an NH&MRC Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) in Transforming Gut Health in 2024 in which he is a Chief Investigator, which immediately followed a previous CRE (2020-2024). Mike is a professor in the School of Psychological Sciences at Macquarie University and is currently Deputy Dean (Research & Innovation) for the Faculty of Medicine, Health & Human Sciences at Macquarie University. He also holds a Conjoint Professorial position in the School of Medicine & Public Health at the University of Newcastle and has a formal affiliation with the Stress Research Institute at the University of Stockholm. Mike is an Associate Editor for the subspecialty journal Neurogastroenterology & Motility and has previously been a guest co-editor of a special series on statistics and epidemiology for the Medical Journal of Australia. He is also a member of the Cochrane Collaboration Statistical Methods Group.

Qualifications:

PhD in biostatistics (Macquarie University)

Accredited Statistician (Statistical Society of Australia)

Chartered Statistician (Royal Statistical Society, UK)

LinkedIn: Michael Jones

Professor Alex Haslam is Professor of Social and Organizational Psychology and Laureate Fellow at the University of Queensland. His research focuses on the study of group and identity processes in organizational, social, and clinical contexts. Alex is a former Chief Editor of the European Journal of Social Psychology and currently Associate Editor of The Leadership Quarterly. He has won a range of major awards from scientific organisations in Australia, Europe, the UK, and the US, including recognition for distinguished contributions to psychological science from both the Australian Psychological Society and British Psychological Society.

Dr. Alireza Ahmadvand is a Senior Medical Officer at Princess Alexandra Hospital and an Associate Professor in Primary Care at Griffith University. He is focused on digital health innovations, mainly generative artificial intelligence (AI), and is conducting research to improve patient care by integrating advanced research and technology-driven solutions, particularly for disorders of gut-brain interaction.

Professor Antonina Mikocka-Walus leads the Mind-Body Research in Health Laboratory at the School of Psychology, Deakin University in Melbourne. She is a registered psychologist who completed her doctoral degree in Gastro-Psychology at the University of Adelaide. Dr Mikocka-Walus’ research program on implementing supportive care for chronic gut conditions and persistent pelvic pain has received >$10 million in competitive funding (largely cat 1 grants) and resulted in >200 peer-reviewed publications.

Professor Emad El Omar (B.Sc. (Hons) in Pathology, M.B., ChB, M.R.C.P (UK), M.D) is Professor of Medicine at the University of New South Wales. He also holds an appointment as Consultant Gastroenterologist at St George Hospital, Sydney. Prof El-Omar’s research interests lie in examining the role of gut microbiota in pathogenesis of colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease, exploring the pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori infection and its role in peptic ulcer disease, dyspepsia and gastric cancer, and understanding the role of host genetic factors in the pathogenesis of GI malignancy and the role of chronic inflammation in GI malignancy. He is the Director of the Microbiome Research Centre at St George Hospital/UNSW.

Dr Emily Hoedt is a microbiologist with expertise in microbiome/metagenome analysis and interpretation. Her research experience includes microbiome studies within gastroenterology, probiotic development and microbial/food bioreactors. She was awarded a BBioTech Hons I and PhD in Microbiology Biotechnology by the University of Queensland, Australia in 2017.

Professor Gene Tyson is a globally recognised leader in the development and application of meta-omic and bioinformatic approaches to studying complex microbial communities. His pioneering contributions have driven the widespread adoption of meta-omics in microbiology, revolutionising our understanding of microbial ecosystems, including the human gut microbiome. Recognising the potential of microbiome research to advance human health, Professor Tyson co-founded Microba Life Sciences, a company at the forefront of microbiome-based innovation. Microba has developed cutting-edge diagnostic testing to provide deep insights into microbiome composition and gut health. In addition to diagnostics, Microba is leveraging its world-leading microbiome database to develop microbiome-based therapeutics. The company has grown to over 70 employees and recently completed its first Phase-1b clinical trial for a novel treatment for inflammatory bowel disease. Currently, Professor Tyson serves as the Director of the Centre for Microbiome Research at Queensland University of Technology, where his research group continues to develop new ways to explore the role of human microbiome in health and disease. 

Professor Peter Gibson is a gastroenterologist who is Professor and Director of Gastroenterology at Alfred Health and Monash University, and Adjunct Professor at RMIT University. From a 20-year background of research in epithelial cell biology and gut immunology, he now runs a large program of translational research He is actively involved in studying the effects of dietary components on the healthy gut, and has ongoing clinical interests in inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Major aspects of his work include the use of diet to control gut symptoms and influence outcomes in chronic intestinal conditions, manipulation and assessment of the gut microbiota and its function, and optimisation of therapies for inflammatory bowel disease. His achievements have included leading the Monash team that developed and validated the low FODMAP diet for functional gut symptoms, and better defined the role of gluten in non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, work which has had profound effects on attitudes to and use of dietary therapies in chronic intestinal diseases. He has published more than 150 reviews and 230 peer-reviewed publications of his original work. He won several awards including the Distinguished Research Prize, Gastroenterological Society of Australia in 2010, Ten of the Best, National Health & Medical Research Council of Australia in 2016 and Monash University Vice Chancellor’s Award in Research Impact (Economic and Social Impact) in 2016.

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Richard has clinical and research interests in luminal gastroenterology including disorders of the gut brain axis, inflammatory bowel disease and the interaction between food and the gut. This includes clinical trials of foods and pharmaceuticals, clinical outcome work and the identification and validation of gut biomarkers.