Platelets, Thrombosis and Cancer > Laboratory People
Group Leader
Dr Vivien Chen MBBS (University Medal, University of Sydney), BA PhD, FRACP, FRCPA
Laboratory Leader - Platelet, Thrombosis and Cancer Research Lab
ANZAC Research Institute
Concord Repatriation General Hospital
Dr. Vivien Chen is a haematologist with a research 
and clinical focus in coagulation disorders. She is staff specialist haematologist at Concord Repatriation and General Hospital where she leads the thrombosis clinic. Dr Chen heads the Platelet and Thrombosis Research Laboratory alongside the Vascular Biology Group at the ANZAC Research Institute where her work focuses on platelet function in cardiovascular thrombotic disorders and the interface between malignancy and blood clotting. Dr Chen completed her PhD at the University of New South Wales, Australia on the molecular mechanism of tissue factor activation, post-doctoral fellowship with Professors Bruce and Barbara Furie at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston USA before establishing her research group in Sydney Australia. Her current research focus is the biology of the procoagulant platelets and the involvement of cell death pathways in the formation of platelet subsets. Translational focus is on the predictive and prognostic role of these platelets in vascular biology as well as strategies to reduce the impact of these pathological platelets in disease states such as coronary artery disease, stroke, myeloproliferative disease and sepsis. Dr Chen’s clinical research focuses on venous thrombo-embolism, in particular, on the predictors and management of cancer associated thrombosis.
Post-Doctoral Staff
Dr Helena Liang, BSc (Hons 1), PhD
Platelet, Thrombosis and Cancer Research Lab
ANZAC Research Institute
Concord Repatriation General Hospital
Helena Liang is a NSW Health Cardiovascular Mid-career Research Fellow. She completed her PhD at the University of Sydney, investigating the molecular mechanism of various inherited platelet disorders in human patients. Following her graduation, she did her postdoctoral training first at the Lowy Cancer Research Centre UNSW, where she studied the de-encryption mechanism of tissue factor in blood coagulation; and subsequently at the Blood Centre of Wisconsin in U.S.A., where she studied the molecular mechanism of activated protein C (aPC) in the treatment of sepsis, and the roles of the protein C system in embryonic development and thrombosis. After returning to Australia, Dr Liang joined the Platelet and Thrombosis Group at the ANZAC Research Institute, to investigate the role of platelet subpopulations in pathological thrombus formation, using a combination of ex vivo flow cytometry and microscopy techniques.
Dr Christine Lee, BSc (Hons 1), PhD
Platelet, Thrombosis and Cancer Research Lab
ANZAC Research Institute
Concord Repatriation General Hospital
Christine Lee is a first year postdoctoral researcher with a keen interest in platelet function testing. She completed her PhD under the supervision of Professor Elizabeth Gardiner at the John Curtin School of Medical Research at The Australian National University. Her PhD thesis investigated the shedding mechanism of the major platelet collagen receptor, glycoprotein VI, in healthy donors and in patients with heparin induced thrombocytopenia. She joined the Platelet and Thrombosis Research Laboratory at the ANZAC Research Institute in September 2019 with an aim to undertake studies with clear translational potential and develop assays that will impact on the clinical outcomes of patients.
Research Staff
Shane Whittaker, Bsc.Appl (Hons)
Platelet, Thrombosis and Cancer Research Lab
ANZAC Research Institute
Concord Repatriation General Hospital
Shane has a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree with Honours from the University of Western Sydney. He has 20 years experience, working primarily in the fields of immunology and cancer research and has a used wide variety of scientific techniques and animal models to analyse the effects of anti-cancer therapeutics on biochemical pathways and to study various aspects of cellular biology. Shane joined the Platelets, Thrombosis and Cancer group at the ANZAC research Institute in November 2019. Projects that he is currently involved in include the development of a novel cyclic peptide inhibitor of the GP1ba receptor and using the techniques of flow cytometry and confocal microscopy to study mitochondrial functionality and cytoskeletal rearrangement within platelets from a variety of hematological disorders.
Students
Dr Ibrahim Tohidi-Esfahani BMed (Honours), FRACP, FRCPA
Platelet, Thrombosis and Cancer Research Lab
ANZAC Research Institute
Concord Repatriation General Hospital
Dr Ibrahim Tohidi-Esfahani is a trained haematologist, having completed his Bachelor of Medicine at University of Newcastle and completed his haematology specialty training at Royal Prince Alfred and Concord Repatriation General Hospitals. He has completed clinical fellowships in haematology clinical trials and thrombosis and haemostasis. He is undertaking his PhD with the University of Sydney at the ANZAC Research Institute, performing next generation RNA sequencing and proteomic analysis of the procoagulant platelet. Identifying the unique drivers in the formation of this platelet subpopulation will facilitate discovery of novel anti-thrombotic targets that will cause minimal bleeding, potentially revolutionising treatments in blood clotting disorders like heart attacks and strokes.
Geoffrey Kershaw, BSc, FAIMS
Platelet, Thrombosis and Cancer Research Lab
ANZAC Research Institute
Concord Repatriation General Hospital
Geoffrey Kershaw is a Senior Hospital Scientist in the Institute of Haematology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He completed his Bachelors degree at the University of Newcastle and the Fellowship examinations of the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists in the discipline of Haematology. His current position is managing the haemostasis laboratory at RPA Hospital. He is enrolled as a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney (ANZAC Research Institute) studying the studying global and specific clotting factor assays as applied to the haemophiliac patient population. This includes conducting Australia-wide field studies of the measurement of FIX by chromogenic assays, newer long half-life FVIII replacement products and a novel antibody therapy (emicizumab) that acts as a FVIII mimetic. These studies ensure correct protocols are in use in haemophilia reference laboratories which has particular application to adequate prophylactic dosing and maintenance therapy.
