About our Human Research Ethics Committee

Metro South Health has a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) that reviews proposed research projects in our hospitals and health centres.

We’re registered and certified with the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Our registration number is EC00167.

Our goals

We aim to:

  • protect the human rights and safety of people taking part in our research projects
  • promote high quality, ethical and responsible research through our review processes.

How the Metro South HREC works

Our HREC works in line with the NHMRC's National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2023 (National Statement).

We consider both the ethical and scientific validity of research projects in our hospitals and health centres.

We can review research projects in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory and South Australia.

For more information read our terms of reference [PDF 185.02 KB] and our Ethical and scientific review of human research [PDF 231.82 KB] work instruction.

When the Metro South HREC meets

The Metro South HREC meets at 5 pm on the first Tuesday of every month except January.

Membership

HREC committees have the following different memberships categories.

  • Category A
    The chairperson must have sat on a HREC committee before and have other relevant experience.
  • Category B
    Members of the community.
  • Category C
    Health care professionals such as a nurse, counsellor or an allied health professional.
  • Category D
    Community pastoral care role such as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elder or community leader, a chaplain or a minister or other religious leader.
  • Category E
    Qualified lawyer – practicing or not.
  • Category F
    People with current research experience that’s relevant to the applications they’ll be considering.

Read more about each category in section 5.1.30 of the NHMRC National Statement.

Category A members

Dr Mary Boyde – Chairperson

Dr Mary Boyde, RN, BN, MN, MEd, PhD, MACN, is a nurse researcher in cardiology. Mary is an adjunct associate professor with the School of Nursing and Midwifery, The University of Queensland. She's also a clinical fellow, School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology. Mary was previously deputy chair of the Metro South HREC from 2019 to 2021.

Mary has extensive experience in clinical cardiology nursing and was a nurse educator with the Nursing Practice Development Unit at Princess Alexandra Hospital. She also has extensive undergraduate and post graduate teaching experience. Mary's research looks at acute and chronic cardiology nursing. Her aim is to care for patients through education and treatments that don't use medicines or drugs (non-pharmacological interventions).

Category B members

  • Desley Vine
  • Callum Gordon
  • Judith Wardell
  • Julie Holliday
  • David Milne

Category C members

  • Kelly Perkins
  • Diana Leary
  • Bena Brown
  • Andrew Wheaton
  • Andrea Baker
  • Vera Meeusen
  • Joanne Tesiram
  • Cindy Sinclair

Category D members

  • Rachel McFadyen

Category E members

  • John Bennett
  • Denis Stark
  • Kirsten Kiel-Chisholm

Category F members

  • Adam La Caze
  • Marianne Wyder
  • Theo Theodoros
  • Ayesha Shah
  • CJ Cabilan
  • Aideen McInerney-Leo
  • Korinne Northwood
  • Victoria Atkinson
  • Shivanand Hebbandi
  • Rachel Phillips
  • Enna Stroil-Salama
  • Sachdev Singh
  • Nicola Pritchard
  • Melissa Bloomer
  • Janin Chandra
  • Stephen Loftus
  • Sharon Schembri
  • David Mudge
  • Katharine Cuff
  • Abil Saj
  • Helen Luery
  • Timothy Edwards
  • Sonia Hancock

Join our committee

We serve one of Australia’s largest research communities. By joining the Metro South HREC you'll review health research projects that help shape the future of health care.

We're looking for volunteers to join our HREC in each of the member categories listed above.

As a HREC member you must:

  • go to at least 6 meetings per year
  • be on a roster for the lower risk review panel
  • spend about 8 hours each month working for the committee, including going to meetings.

For more information read our terms of reference [PDF 185.02 KB].

How to join the committee

  1. Read the HREC factsheet [PDF 303.6 KB]
  2. Fill out the HREC expression of interest form [DOCX 686.54 KB]
  3. Email the form and your resume to MSH-Ethics@health.qld.gov.au

Contact us

Last updated: July 2024