AMHRU overview / staff

Professor Daniel O'Connor

• Appointment(s): Head of Division - Aged Mental Health Research Unit; Professor - Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, Monash University
• Qualifications: Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB, University of Auckland, 1976); Doctor of Medicine (MD, Cambridge University, 1990)
• Research interests: Dementia; Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia; Residential care; Non-pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for dementia; Assistive technology
• Contact: Daniel.OConnor@monash.edu; +61 3 926 51700

Ms Samantha Cunnington

• Appointment(s): Administrative Assistant - Aged Mental Health Research Unit
• Role: Administrative Assistant - Aged Mental Health Research Unit
• Contact: Samantha.Cunnington@monash.edu; +61 3 926 51700

Dr Eva Van Der Ploeg

• Appointment(s): Research Fellow - Aged Mental Health Research Unit
• Qualifications: Doctor of Public Health (Academiae Erasmianae Roterdamensis, 2009); Master of Science in Health Science - Public Health (Academiae Erasmianae Roterdamensis, 2008); Master of Social Psychology (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2004); Diploma of HPE (Journalism & Public Relations) (Hogeschool van Utrecht, 1999)
• Research interests: Dementia; behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia; Residential care; Non-pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for dementia; Assistive technology
• Contact: Eva.VanDerPloeg@monash.edu

Dr Chris Plakiotis

• Appointment(s): Research Fellow - Aged Mental Health Research Unit
• Qualifications: Master of Psychological Medicine (Monash University, 2005); Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, Monash University, 1997)
• Research interests: Brain stimulation therapies; Depression
• Contact: Chris.Plakiotis@monash.edu

Dr Susannah Runci

• Appointment(s): Research Fellow - Aged Mental Health Research Unit
• Qualifications: Doctor of Psychology (DPsych, Monash University, 2003)
• Research interests: Clinical psychology; Dementia; Residential care; Care needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• Contact: Susannah.Runci@monash.edu

Mrs Barbara Eppingstall

• Appointment(s): Project Manager - Aged Mental Health Research Unit
• Qualifications: MPsych (Monash University, 2001); Grad Dip in Educational Psychology (Monash University, 2001); Bachelor of Arts (BA, Monash University, 1996); Assoc Dip Welfare Studies (Monash University, 1991)
• Research interests: Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia; Residential care; Non-pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for dementia
• Contact: Barbara.Eppingstall@monash.edu

Dr Ian Presnell

• Appointment(s): Senior Lecturer - Aged Mental Health Research Unit
• Qualifications: Graduate Certificate Health Professional Education (Monash University, 2008); Master of Psychological Medicine (Monash University, 1995); Fellow of RANZCP (1993); Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, Monash University, 1984)
• Research interests: Psychogeriatrics; Medical education; Assessment and primary care psychiatry
• Contact: Ian.Presnell@monash.edu

Dr David Tofler

• Appointment(s): Adjunct Senior Lecturer - Aged Mental Health Research Unit
• Qualifications: MBBS, MRCPsych, FRANZCP
• Research interests: Psychogeriatrics
• Contact: David.Tofler@monash.edu

Dr Tanya Davison

• Appointment(s): Senior Research Fellow - Aged Mental Health Research Unit
• Qualifications: D Psych (Clinical)
• Research interests: Depression and dementia, with a particular focus on improving the detection and treatment of depression and behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia among older adults in residential care
• Contact: Tanya.Davison@monash.edu

Honours students:

• Alex Creighton Weimin Ouyang

PhD candidates:

• Kanvar Nayer (Project: The development and testing of personalised entertainment devices for persons with dementia)
• Renee Kharsas (Project: A randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a support group intervention in the reduction of symptoms of depression, anxiety and burden in spouses / partners of aged care residents)