OPTIMISING RURAL MUSCULOSKELETAL HEALTH
Adnan Asger Ali, PhD candidate
The University of Sydney &
Director & Principal Physiotherapist
Accelerate Physiotherapy, Canberra, Australia &
Chair of Business and Finance Committee,
International Federation of Manual and Musculoskeletal Physical Therapists Incorporated (IFOMPT) &
Chair, National Musculoskeletal Committee,
Australian Physiotherapy Association
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Canberra, Australia | September 2025
Adnan Asger Ali is a Director of Accelerate Physiotherapy and PhD candidate at The University of Sydney, where he is researching implementation strategies for musculoskeletal care pathways in rural Australia as part of the PACE-RURAL project.
Graduating from The University of Canberra, Adnan completed a Masters in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy at La Trobe University and a Masters in Pain Management at The University of Sydney. He is one of few physiotherapists in Australia holding dual APA titles as both Musculoskeletal and Pain Physiotherapist.
A passionate advocate for physiotherapy, Adnan serves as Chair of the Australian Physiotherapy Association’s National Musculoskeletal Committee and sits on the Capital Health Network’s Clinical Council. His commitment to clinical excellence was recognised when he received Physiotherapist of the Year at the 2023 Allied Health Awards.
Adnan has extensive sports physiotherapy experience, currently working with Tennis Australia treating professional players on international tours and at The Australian Open. Through his research and clinical practice, he is dedicated to improving access to evidence-based musculoskeletal care for all Australians.
Source: Supplied
-
Liver cancer & patient-derived tumour organoids
Dr Benjamin Dwyer is a translational cancer researcher driven by a clear purpose: to ensure discoveries made in the laboratory genuinely improve outcomes for patients.
Based at Curtin University, he established and now leads the organoid platform within the Liver Cancer Collaborative and directs the WA Organoid Innovation Hub, working at the intersection of biology, medicine and biotechnology to accelerate new treatments for liver cancer.
-
Vision impairment in children and the impact on children and their families
Dr Sue Silveira holds a conjoint academic position with Macquarie University and is the Course Director for their Master of Disability Studies, which is administered and delivered by NextSense Institute in affiliation with the University. She teaches in the areas of vision impairment and disability, and aims to share her knowledge while learning from others, especially people who are blind or have low vision and their families.
-
Better biomarkers for predicting the incidence of having atherosclerosis and heart attack
Assoc Prof Bursill is a vascular biologist with interests and expertise in vascular inflammation, atherosclerosis and angiogenesis. She completed her PhD at The University of Adelaide in lipid metabolism then headed to Oxford University for five years to undergo a postdoctoral post in the Departments of Cardiovascular Medicine and Pathology. Her postdoctoral time triggered her interest in the mechanisms that cause atherosclerosis and in particular the role of small inflammatory proteins called chemokines.
