AIFA Board
AIFA Chair
Dr Melanie Wong MBBS (Hons) PhD FRACP FRCPA
Paediatric Clinical Immunology/Allergy Specialist NSW
Dr Melanie Wong is a Past President of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), co-head of the Immunology and Allergy Dept at the Children's Hospital at Westmead, Chief Examiner for the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) Immunopathology training program and ASCIA's representative on the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) Board.
Melanie's clinical and research interests include all aspects of primary immunodeficiencies, including newborn screening, genetic testing and transplantation. She has published many studies in this area and has extensive experience as an ASCIA Director. Her clinical experience and research expertise in paediatric immunology has been of great benefit in guiding the development of AIFA.
Clinical Professor Michaela Lucas MD FRACP FRCPA
Clinical Immunology/Immunopathologist Specialist, WA
Prof Lucas is a Clinical Immunologist/Immunopathologist at Sir Charles Gairdner and Perth Children's Hospitals in Western Australia where she leads the drug allergy services. She is a research group leader at the Harry Perkins Institute, University of WA, and President of ASCIA.
Michaela has a strong background in T-cell immunology, notably in describing the role of classical and non-classical T cell responses to the pathogenesis of infections and, most recently, in drug allergy and transplantation and is currently playing a key role in the development of national Australian guidelines concerning the management of drug allergy.
Dr Theresa Cole BM MRCPCH(UK) PhD FRACP
Paediatric Allergist Immunologist VIC
After completing training in paediatric immunology and infectious disease in the UK, Theresa moved to Melbourne in 2014 to take on a role at The Royal Children’s Hospital with a focus on primary immunodeficiency (PID) and stem cell transplant. She quickly became involved with ASCIA, contributing to the Immunodeficiency Resources Working Party and coordinating the Transplantation and PID group (TAPID). She has been Chair of the ASCIA TAPID project since 2014, Chair of the ASCIA Immunodeficiency Committee since 2018, and is involved in the development of the ASCIA Immunodeficiency Strategy for Australia and New Zealand.
Theresa is the ASCIA representative for a number of national initiatives including the review of newborn screening for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) and the National Immunoglobulin Governance Advisory Committee Immunology Specialist Working Group. In 2020, Theresa took on the role of Chair of the ASCIA COVID-19 Working Party, which has generated information for patients and clinicians about COVID-19, including resources that have supported the COVID-19 vaccination program since early 2021.
Theresa is President Elect of ASCIA and is excited for the future of the organisation and its initiatives, including research supported by AIFA.
Dr Michael O'Sullivan is an ASCIA Director and a staff specialist at Fiona Stanley Hospital. He has been an active ASCIA member since 2008.
Michael's clinical, laboratory and research interests span paediatric and adult allergy and immunology. This provides a broad and diverse experience to help identify the current challenges facing patients with allergy and other immune diseases.
Associate Professor Jane Peake MBBS FRACP DTM&H
Paediatric Clinical Immunology/Allergy Specialist QLD
Associate Professor Jane Peake is an ASCIA Director and has been an active member since 2001. She is a senior staff specialist at the Queensland Children’s Hospital and an Associate Professor at the University of Queensland.
Jane established the first public paediatric immunology and allergy service in Queensland (Queensland Paediatric Immunology and Allergy Service). Jane’s clinical and research special interests include primary immune deficiency, food allergy, anaphylaxis and severe eczema. She has numerous publications in these areas and is on a variety of state and national advisory boards and committees.
Content updated Jan 2022
