Medicines Intelligence
About us
The Medicines Intelligence Research Program is a leading research hub on quality use of medicines - with expertise in analysis of real-world data, sophisticated pharmacoepidemiologic methods, and pathways for knowledge translation. Our goal is to improve quality use of medicines and reduce medicine-related harm. Our multidisciplinary team partners with clinicians, policy makers and consumers to generate real-world evidence about the use and impact of medicines in routine clinical care. Our research leads to smarter and safer medicines use, improved health system performance, and better individual and population health.
Our strengths
- quality use of medicines
- safety and effectiveness of medicines
- increasing the use of evidence in policy and practice
- evaluating health policies and programs
- value and waste in health care
- management of chronic disease and multimorbidity
- uptake of new technologies
- guideline concordant care
Our projects include research into medicines, from cancer and cardiovascular to psychotropic, opioids and antiretrovirals. Other projects focus on applying a health-system lens to improve equity in care and health outcomes.
Our people
Our research programs
Opportunities
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Domestic PhD Opportunities, Medicines Intelligence Research Program, School of Population Health UNSW
Location: School of Population Health, University of New South Wales
Medicines Intelligence Research Program
The Medicines Intelligence Research Program at UNSW led by Professor Sallie Pearson is one of Australia's leading centres for pharmacoepidemiology, medicines policy and real-world evidence. In this program students work with unique linked population health datasets, collaborate with leading national and international researchers, and contribute evidence that directly informs clinical practice, regulatory decision-making and medicines policy. Based within the School of Population in the Health Translation Hub, you would have opportunities to learn and grow within an exceptional facility.
Why Join Us?
We are seeking highly motivated candidates to join our team undertaking PhD projects in priority areas of national importance. These opportunities will provide an exceptional platform for career development within one of Australia's leading medicines and health data research programs. During their studies candidates will gain:
- Opportunities to work within national and international collaborations
- Access to unique population-scale health data assets such as whole-of-population medicines dispensing data, national and state linked administrative health data – including census, hospital and cancer registry data, and patient-reported outcomes data
- Training in advanced pharmacoepidemiology, causal inference and real-world evidence methods
- Opportunities to publish in leading international journals
- Mentorship from nationally and internationally recognised researchers
- Collaboration with government, regulators and health policy agencies
- A supportive and collegial research environment
- Opportunities for conference travel and international collaboration
Priority Research Projects
We are recruiting across a diverse range of research programs addressing contemporary challenges on improving patient outcomes and informing medicine and health policy. Each project will build a supervisory team to support and develop their career goals. The projects below are examples of available opportunities. Prospective students interested in related areas are encouraged to contact the email below to discuss additional project ideas and supervision opportunities.
Equitable access to GLP-1 medicines
Project lead: Associate Professor Michael Falster
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1), such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, are transforming the treatment of type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Their rapid uptake - combined with expanding indications - has created an urgent need to understand how these medicines are used and perform in real-world clinical practice. This PhD project will generate high-quality real-world evidence on the utilisation, effectiveness, and safety of GLP-1 medicines using large-scale health data. The work will generate comprehensive Australian evidence on the real-world benefits, risks, utilisation, and equity of access to GLP-1 therapies, informing clinical care, reimbursement decisions, and national medicines policy.
Ovarian cancer therapies and precision medicine
Project lead: Dr Nicki Meagher
Ovarian cancer is not a single disease and there is a clear need to tailor treatment strategies based on molecular characteristics. This project sits at the intersection of precision medicine, genomics and real-world evidence. Using linked genomic, pharmaceutical and health outcome data, the candidate will evaluate the uptake, effectiveness and safety of emerging ovarian cancer therapies and identify opportunities to optimise personalised treatment pathways.
Chronic Pain
Project lead: Dr Aidan Cashin
Chronic pain affects 1 in 5 Australians and is a leading cause of disability, healthcare utilisation, and medicine use. This project will use linked population health data to generate evidence on the safety, effectiveness, and use of medicines and health services in chronic pain care. Applying causal inference and pharmacoepidemiologic methods, the project will evaluate the impacts of prescribing practices, policy reforms, and models of care on patient outcomes and healthcare utilisation. Findings will inform clinical practice, medicines policy, and health service design to support safer, more effective, and equitable care.
Integrating patient-reported outcomes and patient-generated data to understand systemic cancer therapy
Project lead: Dr Benjamin Daniels
Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are being used increasingly by health policy makers and clinicians to make decisions around the regulation, funding, and use of cancer medicines. This project will utilise large, linked population health and PRO datasets to generate new knowledge addressing evidence gaps in the real-world effectiveness of
cancer medicines, grounded in the lived experience of patients. This work will inform health technology assessment (HTA) decision-making, medicines policy, and ultimately clinical practice.
Candidate Profile
We are seeking highly motivated candidates with:
- Background in epidemiology, health services research, pharmacoepidemiology, clinical research, public health, cancer research, chronic disease, or related disciplines. · Eligible and competitive for a domestic UNSW Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship or equivalent
- Strong analytical and quantitative skills
- Interest in real-world evidence and medicines policy
- Programming skills (e.g. R, SAS, Stata, or Python) and/or experience working with large datasets
Funding
Successful applicants who secure a full RTP (or equivalent) scholarship may be eligible for a competitive Medicines Intelligence top-up scholarship of up to $30,000 per annum, subject to performance and program funding availability.
How to Apply
- Review eligibility https://www.unsw.edu.au/research/hdr/application
- Review deadlines Term 2, 2027 closes midnight 15th January 2027
Send applications or enquiries to mi-cre@unsw.edu.au by Friday 13th November.
Please submit the following:
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Academic transcripts
- A brief statement of interest (1 page) outlining research experience, motivation, and indicating which of the above project(s) are of interest
Suitable applicants will be expected to meet with potential supervisor(s) and develop a preliminary research proposal and meet UNSW deadlines and criteria for submission.