The Real-World Precision Medicines Research Group is based at the University of Sydney, and affiliated hospitals within Northern Sydney Local Health District. We focus on improving the safe, effective, and equitable use of medicines in real clinical practice.
Our research uses real-world data to understand how treatments perform outside clinical trials, particularly in cancer, chronic disease, and precision medicine. We combine real-world evidence, pharmacoeconomics, precision medicine, and health technology assessment to support value-driven healthcare and inform policy decisions that improve patient outcomes and health system sustainability.
The group brings together expertise in clinical pharmacy, pharmacoepidemiology, health economics, and health services research. We work closely with hospitals, government agencies, and national and international partners to ensure our findings translate into practice.
Our work is funded through competitive national grants and focuses on delivering impact for patients, clinicians, and health systems. We aim to ensure that innovative treatments are used appropriately, are accessible when needed, and deliver meaningful improvements in quality of care.
Team Lead
Team Members
This NHMRC-funded project is led by Professor Christine Lu as Chief Investigator. It examines the benefits and risks of cancer immunotherapy in real-world clinical settings. The project aims to understand how these treatments perform outside clinical trials and support safer, more effective use in practice. Findings will inform clinicians, patients, and policy makers on optimising cancer treatment pathways.
This NHMRC Partnership Grant is led by Dr Orin Chisholm (University of Sydney), with Professor Christine Lu as Co-Investigator, in partnership with NSW Health and national collaborators. The project develops methods for identifying and evaluating emerging medical technologies likely to impact the Australian health system. It supports early decision-making and helps health services plan for new innovations, strengthening evidence-based policy development.
This MRFF-funded project is led by Dr Stella Talic (Monash University), with Professor Christine Lu as Co-Investigator. It focuses on improving the use of patient-reported outcome measures in health technology assessment, ensuring patient experiences and outcomes are systematically included in decisions about health care funding and policy. The project is conducted in partnership with primary health networks and digital health organisations to strengthen real-world implementation of patient-centred care.
This MRFF-funded project is led by Dr Sophie Stocker (University of Sydney), with Professor Christine Lu as Co-Investigator. It evaluates whether CYP2C19 genetic testing can improve the safety and effectiveness of antiplatelet therapy in patients with cardiovascular disease. The study examines outcomes across multiple Australian hospitals to support more personalised and safer prescribing.
Innovative medicines and genetic testing are transforming healthcare, but their benefits, costs, and value in routine clinical practice are not always clear. This research stream evaluates the real-world effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of precision medicines and targeted therapies across cancer and chronic diseases. Using linked health data and health economic methods, the program examines how treatments perform outside clinical trials and whether they provide value for patients and the healthcare system. The findings support evidence-based funding decisions, equitable access to innovative therapies, and more sustainable healthcare delivery.
This PhD project, led by Benson Yiu at the University of Sydney, evaluates the use, costs, and outcomes of biosimilar medicines in rheumatic conditions. It assesses whether biosimilars provide comparable effectiveness and safety to originator medicines, with the aim of supporting sustainable and high-quality care.
This PhD project, led by Victor Kong at the University of Sydney, examines treatment pathways, outcomes, and costs in colorectal cancer care using real-world data. It aims to identify variation in care and opportunities to improve equity, outcomes, and health system efficiency.
- University of Sydney
- University of New South Wales
- Monash University
- Northern Sydney Local Health District
- Royal North Shore Hospital
- NSW Health
- Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy, Duke University
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School / Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute
