Who we are Our team Investigators Investigators Dr Maan Alwan MBChB FRACP FRCPAHaematologist / Clinical Trials Investigator Lead Dr Maan Alwan is a dual qualified clinical and laboratory haematologist. He completed his specialist training at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney. Dr Alwan has clinical interest in both malignant and non-malignant haematology. He is also strongly involved in clinical trials and research in myeloma, lymphoma, thrombosis and haemostasis as a clinical investigator at Perth Blood Institute. Dr Alwan’s private consulting rooms are based at Western Haematology & Oncology Clinics in West Perth, and he also provides consulting and clinical services at Hollywood Private Hospital in Nedlands. Dr Alwan is also a part-time laboratory haematologist at Western Diagnostic Pathology. Professor Ross Baker MBBS BMedSc FRACP FACP FRCPAHaematologist / Clinical Trials Investigator Founding Director of PBI, Consultant Haematologist Professor Ross Baker has led large international clinical trials and clinical research in blood disorders including thrombosis, leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and haemophilia. He has authored over 100 papers in peer reviewed journals and is a renowned international speaker. He is a founding director and secretary of the Australasian Society for Thrombosis and Haemostasis and served as scientific advisor to the World Health Organisation on DVT in 2001. Dr Paola Polistena MBBS (Hons) FRACPHaematologist / Clinical Trials Investigator Dr Paola Polistena completed her haematology training at the University of Padua in Italy, where she worked for 17 years, before moving to Australia in 2015. Since then, Dr Polistena has extended her professional development in the haematological field, holding several roles in various hospitals throughout Victoria and Western Australia. She has particular interest in malignant haematological conditions, with broad experience in the treatment of thrombotic and haemostatic disorders. This includes extensive knowledge in acute and chronic leukaemia treatments, lymphomas and other haematological malignancies, autologous and allogenic bone marrow transplantation. Dr Polistena brings a wealth of knowledge to her role at PBI, as she was Principal Investigator at the Angel Hospital in Mestre, Italy for clinical trials in acute leukemia and lymphoma therapies. She also held the position of Bone Marrow Transplant Fellow at Fiona Stanley Hospital in 2018. Dr Opelo Sefhore MBBS FRACP FRCPAHaematologist / Clinical Trials Investigator Opelo is accredited as a clinical haematologist as well as a haematopathologist. She completed her Bachelor of Medicine/Surgery degree at Monash University in Melbourne VIC in 2010, and went on to complete her Basic Physician training at Monash Health and Peninsula Health in Victoria. In the last few years Opelo has worked as a Haematology Advanced Trainee at Liverpool Hospital and Calvary Mater/John Hunter Hospital in NSW, where she carried out her specialist training. She is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA). Through her training, she has developed experience in the management of a broad range of haematological disorders including obstetric haematology, haemoglobinopathies, haematological malignancies, and thrombotic and bleeding disorders. She is currently working as the Clinical Trials Fellow through Perth Blood Institute as a sub-investigator for several trials. Dr Anastazia Keegan Haematologist / Clinical Trials Investigator Dr Anastazia Keegan is a Consultant Clinical and Laboratory Haematologist who undertook haematology advanced training at Royal Prince Alfred Training Network in NSW. She moved to WA to undertake a clinical transfusion medicine fellowship at Fiona Stanley Hospital in 2015. Since then, she has worked as a Consultant Haematologist across Australia at five tertiary referral hospitals and has been the Medical Advisor to the Chief Medical Officer of WA in 2020. She is currently the Head of Department, Haematology at King Edward Memorial Hospital, and a Transfusion Medicine Specialist at the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. Dr Keegan is the current Vice President of ANZSBT, Chair of the ANZSBT Education Standing Committee, Chair of the RCPA QAP Transfusion Advisory Committee and the haematologist on the National Blood Authority’s PBM Critical Bleeding Module. Dr Keegan is the Australian Chief Investigator for the CHIlled Platelet (CHIPS) Study which aims to understand the haemostatic efficacy of cold-stored platelets in bleeding patients undergoing complex cardiothoracic surgeries.