CANCER SURVIVORSHIP AND EXERCISE ONCOLOGY
Professor Sandra Hayes, Director of Research
Cancer Council Queensland (CCQ), Brisbane, Australia
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Brisbane, Australia | April 2025
Professor Sandra Hayes is the Director of Research at Cancer Council Queensland (CCQ), where she leads a comprehensive cancer research program encompassing cancer epidemiology, prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship.
With a BAppSci (Hons) and a PhD in exercise oncology, Professor Hayes’s expertise lies in quantifying the impact of cancer diagnosis and treatment on physical and psychosocial wellbeing, quality of life, and survival. She also evaluates innovative supportive care strategies, particularly exercise, to improve post-cancer lives.
Professor Hayes has authored 170 peer-reviewed publications, been a Chief Investigator on grants totalling more than AUD$20M, leading world-renowned randomised trials and longitudinal oncology cohort studies involving over 9000 participants across more than 10 cancer sites. Recognised internationally as an expert in exercise oncology, Professor Hayes has held executive positions on national and international committees, including the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia and the International Society of Lymphology.
Her research has been funded by several organisations over the past 25 years, including government funding support through National Health and Medical Research Council grants and more recently the Medical Research Future Fund. Professor Hayes has also been supported from funding from organisations such as the National Breast Cancer Foundation and Cancer Council Queensland, as well as international funding from the World Cancer Research Fund.
Her professional activities include peer review for top oncology and exercise science journals and advisory roles for various cancer and exercise organisations. Her research impact includes leading national and international position statements on exercise for cancer patients, co-developing the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia’s physical activity guidelines, and creating resources for the International Exercise is Medicine® campaign.
She has also developed the YWCA Encore breast cancer rehabilitation program and lymphoedema diagnostic criteria used globally.
Source: Supplied
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7005-5184
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Prescribing exercise to regional population with cardiovascular disease & diabetes
Associate Professor Gordon’s research is aimed at determining the optimal methods of prescribing and implementing exercise as part of the health care plan for people with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Specifically, he is leading work to determine if and how the components of exercise can be considered as a whole for prescribing exercise to generate health benefits. This is important to overcome the series of barriers that people living in rural and regional areas experience when trying to become active.
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Using Gut Microbes to Reduce Blood Pressure
Professor Francine Marques is an National Health and Medical Research Council Emerging Leader, Viertel Charitable Foundation, and National Heart Foundation Fellow.
She leads the Hypertension Research Laboratory at Monash University and has published more than 120 peer-reviewed papers in journals such as Nature Reviews Cardiology, Nature Medicine, Nature Cardiovascular Research, and Circulation.
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Identifying and treating autoimmune neurological disorders
Associate Professor Sudarshini Ramanathan is a neurologist and clinician scientist whose work focuses on autoimmune neurological disorders. Her research has helped identify new neurological syndromes due to antibody-mediated demyelination and encephalitis, and improve diagnostic tools and treatment guidelines for patients with autoimmune diseases affecting the brain, spinal cord, muscles and nerves.
