Jennifer Byrne
Director of Biobanking
Professor Jennifer Byrne is Director of Biobanking with NSW Health Pathology and conjoint Professor of Molecular Oncology in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. Jennifer has extensive experience in biobanking, from both the perspective of a cancer researcher who has employed biospecimens throughout much of her research career, and through establishing, overseeing and networking cancer biobanks. Her current research interests include improving the operations of human biobanks, and the detection and analysis of wrongly identified reagents in the biomedical research literature.
Candace Carter
Operations Manager
As Operations Manager, Candace oversees the quality, cost and operational integrity of the biobank, as well as certification, HR, business & resource management. Candace has worked in clinical research since 1999 and has managed national and international clinical trials at the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, the University of Sydney and the University of NSW. Candace has been instrumental in establishing and managing the operation of biobanks in Australia and Canada, including the Melanoma Institute Australia Biobank and the GI Biobank at the Vancouver General Hospital.
Beth Caruana
Senior Research Scientist
As the Senior Research Scientist, Dr Beth Caruana leads the Biobank laboratory team. With a PhD in cell biology and industry experience in antibody drug development, Beth oversees all laboratory operations, including method validation, equipment management, staff training, SOP and database development, and onboarding of new studies. Her dedication to efficiency has been crucial to maintaining the high sample throughput at NSWHSB and the build of the biobanks LIMS system SABRE. A recognised leader in the field, Beth was awarded the Australasian Biobanking Networking Association (ABNA) Emerging Biobanking Leader Scholarship in 2024 and is the current (2025/2026) Vice President of ABNA.
Kathleen Phillips
Quality and Research Engagement Manager (QaREM)
Equipped with a BSc (Hons) and a background working in Anatomical Pathology, Kat’s biobanking journey began in 2012 consenting patients and collecting biospecimens for research. With her experience in biobanking service management and focus on sample quality and process improvements, Kat embarked on her current role as the Quality and Research Engagement Manager where she is passionate about developing and maintaining effective quality control and assurance processes that ensure biobanking services conform to regulatory requirements and exceed researcher expectations.
Michael Evtushenko
Client Services Manager
Michael has a PhD in blood protein purification and virus removal from human plasma products, as well as extensive experience managing large translational cancer research collaborations. He will take you through all the steps to onboard your research study, including pricing, quotation and organisation of study agreements. Don't forget to ask Michael about subscribing to the Statewide Biobank Seminar Series and other education and training initiatives.
Laszlo Irinyi
Senior Project Officer
Laszlo has a background in molecular mycology research including databases and culture collections. He played a pivotal role in establishing global reference DNA databases to improve the molecular-based identification of infectious agents. As a Senior Project Officer, Laszlo works on a project funded by the Office for Health and Medical Research to create virtual registries for cell and gene therapies as well as childhood dementia.
Sarah Holroyd
Biobank Application and Reporting Specialist (BAaRS)
Sarah is the Biobank Application and Reporting Specialist, with a Bachelor of Science (Cell Pathology) and a background in medical research operations. She is a digital innovation enthusiast with a passion for delivering meaningful, innovative digital solutions and empowering those around her to do the same. She designs intuitive, low-code apps that solve business problems using UX/AI principles, and takes colour palettes and fonts very seriously.
Kiki Li
Research Scientific Officer
Kiki is a research scientific officer at the Biobank, with a Bachelor of Medical Science (Hons) from UNSW in 2021. She is skilled in blood processing including PBMC isolations, DNA/RNA extraction, and has a strong interest in automating laboratory processes to improve lab efficiency and sample reproducibility. Kiki is also the biobank food and theme day organizer.
Maria Villalva
Research Scientific Officer
Maria Villalva is a Research Scientific Officer at the Biobank who has a Master of Research in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in Neurodegenerative Diseases. With her research background, she is proficient in processing and analysing specimens, assisting in the development of SOPs, and leads the way for equipment validation and maintenance. Maria’s specific interests lie in PBMC isolation, quality management, and maintaining WHS regulations in the laboratory.
Dennis Tao
Research Technical Officer
Dennis is an experienced research technician with a Bachelor of Science from Osaka University. Prior to joining the Biobank, Dennis spent 4 years at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre processing blood and bone marrow specimens for multiple myeloma clinical trials. Having worked closely with Principal Investigators, Dennis' experience brings insight into optimizing Biobank processes for downstream quality.
Alana Mcgrath
Research Technical Officer
Alana is a Research Technical Officer at the NSW Health Statewide Biobank. A double degree from UTS in Forensic Science, majoring in Biology, and International Studies, majoring in France, as well as time spent studying abroad has left her with a passion for environmental sustainability and keen to implement more working ‘green’ practices. Alana has previous experience working within NSW Health Pathology through her time at the Microbiology Department at RPA Hospital and has well-developed skills in management of specimen reception, data entry and processing of high specimen throughput.
Luke Bonser
Research Technical Officer
With a Bachelor of Science in Genetics and Genomics, and Honours in Medical Science and Biotechnology, Luke brings expertise in the laboratory and an enthusiasm for science to his role as Technical Officer at the Biobank. He previously worked as a Research Assistant at another institution and have a keen interest in biological research. He also has a creative mindset that allows for out-of-the-box thinking.
Jessica Dai
Research Technical Officer
Jess graduated from UNSW with a Bachelor of (Advanced) Science and an Honours project investigating the impact of petroleum on Antarctic soils. Having dabbled in many projects, Jess specialises in adaptability and believes in maintaining meticulous organisation and efficiency in laboratory-based work. She has previously worked on a bee vaccination project at USYD and a cell imaging project at Tokyo Tech, interned in a pathology lab in Malaysia, and spent 3 years optimising yeast strains as a bioprocess scientist at Microbiogen.
Phoebe Dworjanyn
Research Technical Officer
Phoebe is a Research Technical Officer at the NSW Health Statewide Biobank. Graduating from UNSW with a Bachelor of Medical Science, majoring in Human Anatomy, she has developed a keen interest in all things anatomy, pathology, and histology. Phoebe has previously spent 3 years as a research assistant at NeuRA, supporting work published for NHMRC grants and scientific papers, primarily working with histology slides, fresh tissue, and neuroanatomical delineations.