Waratah Clinic Staff

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Back Row (l to r): Renee Widger, Jeanette Ball, John Coady, Dr Jo Lusk, Dr Pam Konecny, Sharon Robinson, Dr Chris Weatherall, Lisa George. Front Row (l to r): Dr Cathy Pell, Jenni Parsons, Prof. Steve Krilis, Dr Mel Kelly, Dr Ayesha Akram

Professor Steve Krilis (Director)

Steven Krilis graduated in Medicine in 1973 from the University of New South Wales and obtained his PhD in 1984 from the University of Sydney.  He did postdoctoral work from 1981 to 1983 at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston and has been a Visiting Professor 1993-4 and 2001-2 at the Harvard Medical School. Currently he is the Director of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, a post which he has held from 1992.

Program includes investigations in autoimmune mediated thrombosis and mast cell biology.  His laboratory was the first to identify the major autoantigen in the antiphospholipid syndrome.  He combines both a busy clinical practice with an active research agenda.  He has been invited keynote and plenary speaker in numerous international meetings.

Dr Pam Konecny (Staff Specialist)

Dr Pam Konecny is a Senior Staff Specialist in Infectious Diseases & Sexual Health at St George Hospital and Senior Lecturer in Medicine, UNSW.  Dr Konecny led the Department’s implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) program at SGH in 2008, the sustained success of which was recognised with the NSW Health Innovation Award  for Integrated Care in 2013.  Dr Konecny continues to co-Chair the SGH and TSH joint Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Committee. Clinical research involving AMS interventions is conducted under her supervision. Dr Konecny also co-supervises a PhD study in sexual health within the department, in the area of cervicitis.  She has published in the area of clinical infectious diseases, sexual health and immunology.  Dr Konecny provides infectious diseases inpatient, outpatient and consultation service in addition to mentoring and teaching infectious diseases to basic physician trainees, advanced trainees in infectious diseases and UNSW undergraduates. She is an Examiner for the RACP. Interest in HIV and sexual health is ongoing with clinical service provision, education of primary care health providers, undergraduates and trainees and rotational representation with colleagues in the Department on the HIV and AIDS Related Programs (HARP) Performance and Planning Committee for South East Sydney.

Dr Chris Weatherall (Staff Specialist)

Chris Weatherall is a staff specialist in infectious diseases and HIV medicine physician.  Following specialist clinical training at St George, Concord and St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, he undertook research into the antibody response in early HIV infection with Professors Anthony Kelleher and David Cooper at St Vincent’s Hospital, and the Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society.  He joined the department in 2009.  He also chairs the hospital’s infection control committee and holds a Certificate in Travel Health.

Ms Sharon Robinson (Clinical Nurse Consultant)

Sharon is the clinical nurse consultant for HIV and Sexual Health.   She has worked in the setting of HIV and Sexual Health for more than 10 years, most of which time was spent in Queensland.  She divides her work time between Waratah Clinic, Short St sexual health clinic, and the hospital, where she provides frequent education sessions to staff on HIV, Sexual Health and Sexuality.