SIGA
Stereotactic Interest Group of Australasia
Chair of SIGA
Dr Neda Haghighi graduated from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. After gaining the FRANZCR, she completed an extended Fellowship in intra-cranial and extra-cranial Stereotactic Radiotherapy at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. She leads the Victorian Gamma Knife service and the neuro-oncology unit at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Dr Haghighi is involved as a primary investigator and co-investigator of several international and local clinical trials, relating to stereotactic radiation treatment of primary and secondary brain tumors. She is an active member of International Society of Radiosurgery (ISRS), Trans Tasmanian Radiation Oncology Group (TROG), and Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology (COGNO). DR Haghighi is a committee member on a number of CNS disease specific interest groups. She possesses superior knowledge in management of tumors of the brain and spine with special interest in radiosurgery for the treatment of skull base tumors as well as functional neurological disorders.
Deputy Chair of SIGA
A/Prof Siva is a radiation oncologist, a clinician academic, and the first Radiation Oncologist to be awarded the prestigious Cancer Council Victoria Colebatch Fellowship (2020). Prior to this award, he held a NHMRC Early Career Fellowship, subsequent to an NHMRC postgraduate scholarship. He is the lead clinician and director of the Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR) program at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and is internationally recognised for his work in high technology radiotherapy delivery and implementation in novel indications. He published the first original research from Australia on the use of SABR and is regularly invited to present as an expert national and international speaker in this field. His major contributions to the field include pioneering research of kidney SABR, single fraction SABR, and radio/immunotherapy combinations.
Research highlights for A/Prof Siva over the 5 years leading to 2022 include over 115 manuscript publications, 37 invitations to speak at national and international conferences, and over $11.7 million in grant funding. His major research interests are innovative radiotherapy delivery, functional imaging in radiation therapy, and radiation immunology. A/Prof Siva has designed and lead multiple clinical trials, including as PI on 15 investigator-initiated, prospective clinical trials in the fields of oligometastases, lung, prostate and kidney cancers. Among these trials, he is the chair of five Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG) studies.
Secretary of SIGA
Dr Cecelia Gzell has completed undergraduate degrees in both Medical Science (University of Sydney, 1998) and Medicine (University of Newcastle, 2003). She undertook Radiation Oncology Specialist training primarily at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (2006-2011) prior to becoming a fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (Faculty of Radiation Oncology) in 2011. She has since undertaken a post-graduate fellowship in Neuro-Oncology at Royal North Shore Hospital (2012-2014) with research and publications in the field of high-grade gliomas. This research is the foundation for a PhD thesis entitled: Optimising outcomes in patients with glioblastoma using radiotherapy(expected completion 2016).
Dr Gzell is involved in the Co-operative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology (COGNO) and the Australian Genomics and Clinical Outcomes of Glioma Network (AGOG). She’s also a full member of the Society of Neuro-Oncology (SNO, USA). She joined Genesis CancerCare in 2014 as a general Radiation Oncologist with a particular interest in Neuro-Oncology. Her main focus is the best management of both primary and secondary central nervous system neoplasms - utilising modern techniques including stereotactic radiosurgery and gamma knife surgery.
Treasurer of SIGA
Associate Professor Matthew Foote is currently the Co-Director of the Gamma Knife® Centre of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital and Queensland State Lead Radiation Oncologist for Radiation Oncology Centres (ROC) which is part of the ICON Group. Having completed his specialist training in Brisbane in 2009 he then undertook further sub-specialist training in Gamma Knife® radiosurgery, stereotactic radiotherapy and neuro-oncology at the world renowned Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto.
Commencing at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in 2010 and Greenslopes Private Hospital in 2012, A/Prof Foote has special interests in stereotactic brain and body radiotherapy, neuro-oncology, head and neck cancer and cutaneous (skin) cancer. He is the Principle Investigator of international, national and local clinical trials in melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer and neuro-oncology. He is on the management and scientific committees of the Co-operative Trials Group for Neuro-oncology (COGNO) and is internationally recognised for his work in stereotactic body and brain radiotherapy, currently assisting in the establishment of stereotactic programs throughout Australia and South East Asia.