LKC Website and LibGuides: CHHHS Research & Innovation Symposium: Home

Register for the Symposium

Program and Abstracts

Invited speakers

Keynote Speaker 2025

Prof. Zoltan Sarnyai
Professor Sarnyai is a medically trained neuroscientist with an internationally recognised expertise in the neurobiology of stress and mental health disorders.

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Prof Sarnyai discovered the efficacy of ketogenic metabolic therapy in preclinical models of schizophrenia and is currently conducting the world’s first randomised controlled clinical trial to investigate this clinical population. He is the Director of the newly established Margaret Roderick Centre for Mental Health Research at James Cook University.

Invited Speakers 2025

Assoc. Prof. Greg Pratt
Associate Professor Greg Pratt is a Quandamooka man of the Noonucal tribe of Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah), and Principal Research Fellow for the Jingay Research Cluster of Central Queensland University.

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He works part-time for Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council as Principal Research Advisor. For over 20 years, he has collaborated nationally, and internationally to translate research for a clinical benefit. He has extensive experience in stakeholder engagement, community consultation, and co-design, and a track record leading policy development and research for a First Nations health benefit. His research focuses on realising equitable access to health research; focusing most recently on mental health and genomics.
Eleanor Loudon
Eleanor Loudon has joined FNQ Connect as Director to guide the backbone team and ensure the initiative remains true to its roots as a collective impact approach.

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With a strong background in international development, as well as in-country experience – having spent six years as CEO of Engineers Without Borders – her career has largely focused on participatory, collaborative approaches to tackling the root causes of complex ‘wicked problems’ to drive change at both community and system levels. Eleanor adopts a rights-based approach to disability, always placing the voice of those with lived experience at the centre of the decisions that affect them.

Book of Abstracts

CHHHS Research & Innovation Symposium Book of Abstracts 2024

CHHHS Research & Innovation Symposium Book of Abstracts 2023

CHHHS Research & Innovation Symposium Book of Abstracts 2022

CHHHS Research & Innovation Symposium Book of Abstracts 2021

The 2025 CHHHS Research and Innovation Symposium will be held on Friday 12th September 2025.

This is a great opportunity for health staff to share their research and quality improvement outcomes to staff and partners working in Far North Queensland.

Important dates 2025

Registrations open and draft program released: Monday 11th August
Pre-Symposium workshop: AI Tools for Health Research – A Practical Guide, 3-5pm Thursday 11th September (see registration details below)
Research and Innovation Symposium: Friday 12th September, Cairns Hospital Auditorium and online

PreSymposium Workshop

AI Tools for Health Research – A Practical Guide
Facilitator: Dave Sellars, Senior Lecturer James Cook University
When: 3:00 - 5:00pm, Thursday 11th September 2025
Where: Cairns Hospital, Children and Surgical Meeting Room, Level 3 B Block (in-person only)

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
•   Effectively use AI tools to support various stages of research development
•   Apply critical evaluation frameworks to assess AI-generated content
•   Identify ethical and professional responsibilities when using AI in health research
•   Understand common AI challenges and solutions

Register by 4th September, email: ResearchandInnovationCHHHS@health.qld.gov.au
(numbers are capped)

Symposium Virtual Escape Room

Getting excited about the Research and Innovation Symposium? Enjoy this fun virtual escape room, where you can dip your toe into research. The Virtual Escape Room was designed for people who are inquisitive about understanding research but daunted by the methodology section of research journal articles.

To find out more:

Short: https://youtu.be/pH4iBTIJzf8
Long: https://youtu.be/suJAHXZ13gc?si=KhslDwUcgB1vRFSy

OR

Just get started https://forms.gle/4BZQYGSxZaS5tMq8A

Who should attend the Symposium?

This Symposium is for the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service and partner organisations.

Research & Innovation Symposium
Working Group

Working group
Website

Contact details

Tel. 07 4226 9706
Email Research & Innovation Symposium

This guide is managed by the Library & Knowledge Centre team, with Champion Kathryn McFarlane PhD, Research Fellow & HP Research Capacity Building & Chair of the Symposium Working Group, CHHHS.

For all program enquires, contact

Kathryn McFarlane