The Florance and Cope Professorial Department of Rheumatology brings together scientific researchers and medical clinicians with a common interest in improving outcomes for those with musculoskeletal conditions.
We are currently conducting research into the causes, impact and treatment of a wide range of disorders in addition to raising awareness of the burden of musculoskeletal conditions.
Our aim is to advance the understanding of the musculoskeletal system. The main focus of our research includes clinical and translational research in inflammatory arthritis, osteoarthritis, low back pain and other rheumatic diseases. While these areas are a focus, our clinicians and researchers are also investigating osteonecrosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
Our researchers are members of national and international advisory committees that raise awareness and promote care and research on musculoskeletal conditions. We are the Home Office for the Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Conditions.
We are the national lead site for A3BC – the Australian Arthritis and Autoimmune diseases Biobank Collaborative, and we encourage the involvement of patient research partners in all our projects.
We aim to make precision medicine – giving the targeted right treatment to the right patient at the right time – a reality. Through all of our work we are building a national resource to work towards a cure for musculoskeletal conditions
Musculoskeletal and rehabilitation
Team Lead
Associate Professor Sean O’Neill
Clinical Academic Rheumatologist
The University of Sydney
Head of Department
Department of Rheumatology
Royal North Shore Hospital
Professor David Hunter
Florance and Cope Chair of Rheumatology
Professor of Medicine
The University of Sydney
Sydney Musculoskeletal Research Centre
Staff Specialist Rheumatologist
Royal North Shore Hospital
Team Members
Professor Lyn March AM
Liggins Professor of Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Epidemiology
The University of Sydney
Head of Department, Rheumatology
Royal North Shore Hospital
Dr Marita Cross
Postdoctoral Research Associate
The University of Sydney
Dr Jie Yi
Clinical Trial Coordinator
The University of Sydney
Dr Fiona Howard
National Juvenile Arthritis Project Officer
The University Of Sydney
Tom Lynch
Senior Project Officer
The University of Sydney
Dr Leticia Deveza
Research Affiliate
Faculty of Medicine and Health
Sydney Musculoskeletal Research Centre
The University of Sydney
Rheumatologists
Royal North Shore Hospital
Associate Professor Leslie Schrieber
Medicine, Northern Clinical School
Dr Premarani Sinnathurai
Clinical Lecturer. Northern Clinical School
Dr Shirley Yu
Research Fellow
Faculty of Medicine and Health
Sydney Musculoskeletal Research Centre
The University of Sydney
Rheumatologists
Royal North Shore Hospital
Dr Ross Penglase
Locum Staff Specialist Rheumatologist
Department of Rheumatology
Royal North Shore Hospital
Dr Mariya Kitson
Locum Staff Specialist Rheumatologist
Department of Rheumatology
Royal North Shore Hospital
Dr Natasha Ung
Locum Staff Specialist Rheumatologist
Department of Rheumatology
Royal North Shore Hospital
Helen Martin
Rheumatology Clinical Nurse
Melanie Ross
Rheumatology Clinical Nurse
- The causes, impact and treatment of a wide range of musculoskeletal/ rheumatological disorders.
- Key research areas: inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis), systemic lupus erythematosus, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, low back pain.
- Development and implementation of evidence-based clinical guidelines.
- Global Burden of Diseases Study (musculoskeletal disorders).
- A3BC Registry and Biobank
- Australian Rheumatology Association Database
- Clinical trials: Commercial (Industry-Sponsored) and Non-Commercial (Academic/Investigator-Initiated)
The aim of the rheumatology department is to advance the understanding of the musculoskeletal system. The main focus of our research includes clinical and translational research in osteoarthritis, low back pain and other rheumatic diseases. We collaborate with all musculoskeletal research groups within the Kolling Institute.
