Associate Professor Cherry Koh is a colorectal surgeon with a subspecialty interest in laparoscopic colorectal surgery, transanal resection techniques, IBD, pelvic floor disorders and pelvic exenteration for advanced pelvic malignancies. Dr Koh was trained in St Vincent’s hospital and The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne before completing her general surgical training in Royal Prince Alfred and Concord Hospitals in Sydney. She undertook further subspecialty training in Colorectal Surgery in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital as well as the John Radcliffe and Churchill Hospitals in Oxford in the United Kingdom.

During her time in Oxford, she also took the opportunity to visit and work at a number of other renowned Colorectal Centres in Europe including Leeds General Infirmary, St Mark’s Hospital in London, Basingstoke, UZ Leuven in Belgium and Geneva University Hospital in Switzerland. 

Her clinical interests are laparoscopic/ minimally invasive colorectal surgery, transanal resection techniques, IBD, pelvic floor disorders and pelvic exenteration for advanced pelvic malignancies.

Craig Lynch is a colorectal surgeon at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia. He completed his General Surgical Fellowship in New Zealand, with post-fellowship training in Colorectal Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, and St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne. He holds a Masters degree in surgery and has published over 70 peer-reviewed manuscripts. He is a Fellow of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand and International Fellow of the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons.

He has extensive minimally invasive surgical experience with both laparoscopic and robotic surgery, being the first to perform robotic colorectal surgery in Australasia in 2009. While his current clinical practice also includes the management of patients with advanced pelvic cancer and peritoneal carcinomatosis, he tries to find the time to fit in as many robotic procedures as possible.

Mr Cuong Duong is an Upper GI surgeon with expertise in performing minimally invasive surgical techniques (laparoscopic, thoracoscopic and robotically assisted) for the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease, obesity, hernias and oesophageal and gastric cancers. He undertook specialist oncology training at a world leading cancer centre, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York and is currently a senior surgeon at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. After completing his PhD in oesophageal cancer, Mr Duong has continued performing both clinical and laboratory research to improve outcome for patients with oesophageal and gastric cancers.

Associate Professor David Cavallucci is a Hepato-pancreatico-biliary surgical oncologist. He is a graduate of the two-year ANZHPBA post-fellowship program in HPB surgery as well as the surgical oncology and abdominal transplantation Fellowship at the University of Toronto.

He has a special interest in minimally invasive pancreatic and liver surgery with a broad experience of laparoscopic surgery and developing robotic surgery. Outside of oncology, he manages benign biliary disease including the laparoscopic management of bile duct stones and the surgical management of acute and chronic pancreatitis.

Having completed a master’s degree in Biostatistics, he has published on the use of Propensity Scores and novel weighting techniques in observational surgical research. He is active in teaching and maintains a strong interest in clinical and translational research. A/Prof Cavallucci is President of the ANZHPBA, and active on the Education and Training committee of the IHPBA and the HPB Journal Editorial board.

Associate Professor Gary Crosthwaite is the Director of the General Surgery and Gastroenterology Clinical Institute at Epworth HealthCare.

As an Upper GI Surgeon with extensive experience in surgical oncology and laparoscopic surgery including oesophagogastrectomy, hiatus hernia repair, achalasia surgery and hernia surgery, he has a keen interest in evolving surgical techniques and developments.

He also has significant experience of PEOM for Achalasia and currently undertakes this procedure at Epworth.

A/Prof Satish Warrier is a colorectal surgeon at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Alfred Health and Epworth HealthCare. He completed the Australasian Colorectal Training scheme including a 12-month clinical fellowship at Cleveland Clinic in 2011. Satish is the immediate past chair of the Victorian Training Program for general surgery, the incoming Australian deputy for General Surgery Australia training board (GSA), the SIMG representative for GSA, the Colorectal Surgical Society of NZ (CSSANZ) representative for the surgical oncology division of RACS, the CSSANZ program director for Alfred Health, and a newly appointed member to the CSSANZ training board. Satish also chairs the Epworth HealthCare Colorectal Audit. 

Satish is a high volume robotic colorectal surgeon with a particular interest in advanced colorectal techniques and teaching in robotic surgery. He has helped introduce techniques such as complete mesocolic excision, complex exenterative surgery such as sacrectomy and sciatic nerve excision using a robotic platform into clinical practice both nationally and internationally. He is a clinical expert in robotic right hemicolectomy, left colectomy, and low anterior resections. He has taught many general and colorectal surgeons surgical robotics utilising established fellowships and proctorship partnerships.  He is also a peritoneal cancer surgeon.

Satish is an active researcher having published over 240 peer reviewed publications, supervises higher degree students through University of Melbourne, as well as having strong links with Monash University. He regularly reviews for many high-profile surgical journals including BJS. 

Dr Kareem Marwan is an established consultant general surgeon with subspecialty in colorectal (lower gastrointestinal) surgery. His practice is largely minimally invasive, with Laparoscopic or Robotic Surgery offered routinely. He also performs upper and lower GI endoscopy and advanced lower GI endoscopic surgery.

Dr Marwan has a public appointment in Eastern Health Hospitals and a specialist surgical practice in Melbourne eastern suburbs' private hospitals and Sunshine Coast University Private Hospital.

Kirsten is a SET general surgical registrar, training at the Austin-Northern training hub in Victoria. 

Kirsten has worked as a surgical registrar at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and is an accredited robotic surgical assistant at Epworth Health. 

She has completed a graduate diploma in Surgical Education at the University of Melbourne and alongside her clinical work is now a PhD candidate in robotic surgical training. She is involved in course development and delivery of the roboSET robotic simulation training at the International Medical Robotics Academy (IMRA).

Dr Matthew Read is a general and upper gastrointestinal surgeon. After completing his general surgical fellowship in 2016, Matthew undertook accredited subspecialty training through AANZGOSA. During this period, Matthew also obtained his PhD through the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute and the University of Melbourne, which was focused on the biology of oesophageal cancer. This work resulted in being awarded a combined clinical and research fellowship in surgical oncology at the University Medical Centre in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

In addition to his clinical practice, Matthew also leads a research program through the University of Melbourne and is involved in a key global health initiative where he has helped to establish a fellowship training program in Sub-Saharan Africa for both cardiothoracic and general surgeons.

Dr Philip Smart is a Specialist Colorectal surgeon. He studied Medicine at the University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital Clinical School, graduating in 1999. He completed surgical training at Royal Melbourne Hospital, obtaining a Fellowship in General Surgery in 2009. He was appointed as a Visiting Medical Officer at Royal Melbourne, Royal Women's and Austin Health in General Surgery. He then completed 3 years of subspecialist training in Colon and Rectal surgery, including a Clinical Fellowship in 2013 at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic in Ohio USA, one of the leading colorectal surgery units in the world. 

He completed a Doctor of Medical Science degree (D.Med.Sci) at the University of Melbourne under the supervision of Professor A.Heriot and A/Prof J.Mackay.  In addition, he holds a degree in Clinical Research Methods through Monash University.

He completed Robotic Surgery Training at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, and Methodist Hospital, Texas. 

He is currently the Head of Surgery at The Surgery Centre, Austin Health and holds public hospital appointments at both Austin and Eastern Health.

Mr Clough has an interest in minimally invasive approaches to complex surgery.  His primary specialty is bariatrics including sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, gastric banding and revisional surgery.  He commenced Victoria’s first loop duodenal switch  surgery (SIPS/SADI) through the Epworth as well as the first Victorian robotic assisted programme for bariatric surgery. Research interests include bariatric surgery in the public hospital system, robotic surgery and loop duodenal switch.

Mr David Wardill is a general and colorectal surgeon who consults and operates at Epworth Geelong. His main interests are in open, laparoscopic and robotic approaches to groin and abdominal wall hernias, including complex and redo incisional hernias. David is also involved with teaching medical students and junior medical doctors as part of his role on the colorectal surgical unit at University Hospital Geelong.

Mr Ian Hastie is a colorectal surgeon with expertise in bowel cancer and surgical oncology. His areas of interest include: inflammatory bowel disease, benign and malignant disease of the pelvis, complex fistula disease and faecal incontinence. Following Fellowship in Oxford, UK Mr Hastie is a pioneer in minimally invasive colorectal surgery with extensive experience in laparoscopic and robotic surgery. He is credentialed in advanced endoscopy including colonoscopy and gastroscopy.

Mr Hastie is a member of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand and the Gastroenterology Clinical Institute at Epworth HealthCare. He has been an invited speaker at both international and local conferences. Mr Hastie has been involved in the training of colorectal surgeons, Registrars, Residents and medical students for over 15 years at both the Epworth and Royal Melbourne Hospitals.

Mr Choi has expertise in the treatment of liver, pancreas, gallbladder and gastric cancers. He has extensive operative experience in complex hepatobillary surgery and is actively involved with clinical research involving liver and pancreatic cancers. He attends local and international educational conferences each year to stay abreast of new developments and enhance his skills in his specialty field. He endeavours to provide a high level of speciality clinical care to his patients with empathy and compassion.

Dr Osamu Yoshino is a general surgeon with subspecialty training in Hepatopancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery and robotic surgery. He is currently a Surgical Consultant on the Hepatobiliary Pancreatic and Transplant Unit at the Austin Hospital, with a special focus on advanced and robotic surgeries.

Dr Osamu graduated from Tohoku University, School of Medicine in Sendai, Japan. After working in the ICU/Trauma Centre at National Centre for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, he moved to Australia to complete his surgical residency with Austin Health, Melbourne, and obtained his fellowship in general surgery from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. After completing his HPB/transplant training in the US and Australia, Osamu completed a Robotic HPB fellowship at Carolinas Medical Centre, USA.

Robotic HBP surgery allows for a minimally invasive approach to what are traditionally large, open liver, pancreas and biliary procedures, expanding what is possible using a keyhole approach.

Mr Paul Sitzler is a colorectal and abdominal surgeon who has been practising at
the Epworth for 18 years. He performs all types of colorectal surgery.

 

Mr Jacobs is a general surgeon with degrees in Science and Medicine. He attended the University of Melbourne, trained in surgery at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and then worked in Sydney and London after gaining fellowship of the RACS, developing special expertise and further training in gastrointestinal surgery and hernia repair. He has a particular interest in diagnostic and interventional endoscopy (gastroscopy and colonoscopy), laparoscopy (key hole surgery), the management of gastric cancer and reflux disease. Additionally he has extensive experience in the treatment of abdominal wall hernias, including day case, local anaesthetic surgery for groin hernias as well as minimally invasive and robotic techniques for hernia repair. Furthermore he performs abdominal wall reconstruction for multiple recurrent hernias and trains other surgeons in complex incisional hernia repair. Mr Jacobs is a founding member of ANZ Hernia Society and active in the international hernia community.

Professor Andrew Barbour is an academic general surgeon who specialises in upper gastrointestinal, pancreatic, melanoma and sarcoma surgery.

On completion of his training, Dr Barbour worked at the Bristol Royal Infirmary as an upper gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary surgery fellow and then as a surgical oncology fellow at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre, New York.

Professor Andrew Barbour specializes in the treatment of oesophageal, gastric, and pancreatic diseases, as well as melanoma and soft tissue tumours. He has expertise in minimally invasive treatments these conditions, including robotic surgery, minimally invasive oesophagectomy, laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery (fundoplication), laparoscopic gastrectomy, and laparoscopic pancreatectomy.

Professor Barbour's research interests are in the treatment of cancer. His academic interests have encompassed the areas of 1) clinical research, including randomised controlled clinical trials, 2) laboratory based research, including molecular biology pertinent to upper gastrointestinal disease, pancreatic cancer and melanoma, 3) translational research integrating the laboratory and clinical domains, and 4) health-related quality of life and patient reported outcomes research.

Tony Costello is Professorial Fellow & Head Department of Urology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, affiliated with Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne.

His private practice is conducted through Epworth Richmond and is primarily concerned with treatment of prostate cancer including robotic prostate surgery.

Prof Costello is an invited faculty member of the American Urological Association where annually he teaches aspects of robotic surgery to an international audience. He is also on the Editorial Board of the US publication Journal of Robotic Surgery, the British Journal of Urology and the Journal of Endourology