Our Researchers

Clinical Professor Carol Bower MBBS, MSc, PhD, FAFPHM, DLSHTM, FFPHA
Senior Principal Research Fellow, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research
Clinical Professor, Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia
Medical Specialist and Head, Western Australian Register of Developmental Anomalies, Women and Newborn Health Service

As one of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research founding senior researchers, Professor Bower has been a driving force behind its epidemiological research program, in particular in the establishment of the WA Birth Defects Registry (now known as the Western Australian Register of Developmental Anomalies).

In the 1990's, Professor Bower was part of the international team that showed the link between folate intake during pregnancy and the reduction in neural tube defects and in 2007 was awarded a Leadership Award from the Flour Fortification Initiative for her folate advocacy role. 

In addition to folate, Professor Bower is also leading research projects into other factors that can influence health outcomes of newborn babies including alcohol consumption, prescription medication and in-vitro fertility treatment.

Dr Raewyn Mutch MB ChB, DipRACOG, FRACP, PhD

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research

Consultant Paediatrician, Refugee Health Service, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth

Consultant Paediatrician, State Child Development Service, WA Department of Health Adjunct Senior Lecturer,  School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Australia

Raewyn has worked in WA for over 20 years and completed her paediatric training and specialisation in paediatric respiratory medicine and completed a PhD on Familial Asthma and Allergy. Raewyn works as a consultant paediatrician with the Refugee Health Service of PMH and with the Child Development Service.

Raewyn was a member of the working party developing the FASD Model of Care for WA and is a member of the Australian FASD Collaboration developing a nationally agreed screening and diagnostic tool for Australia.  She is also a member of the child development service team helping with planning the transition from a multidisciplinary diagnostic capacity considering FASD into an interdisciplinary capacity.

In her research work Raewyn currently has a grant to survey the knowledge, attitudes and practice of the judicial services across WA with respect to FASD and a separate project looking at the Prevalence of FAS in Western Australia.

Dr Colleen O'Leary BSc, MPH, PhD
NHMRC Post-Doctoral Fellow, Centre for Population Health Research at Curtin University

Research Associate, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research



Ms Jan Payne SRN (UKCC), Post Grad Dip (Health Admin), MSc (Public Health)
Senior Research Officer, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research
Adjunct Lecturer, University of Western Australia

Jan has worked in nursing and child health and her research interest is the prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Dr Rochelle Watkins BAppSc (Phty), PhD, GradDipMgnt
Consultant Epidemiologist
FASD Project Analyst, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research

Rochelle graduated as a physiotherapist in 1993, and after amusing patients in both metropolitan and regional Western Australia she completed a PhD in social epidemiology at Curtin University in 1999 and a Diploma of Management in 2010.

She was previously Senior Research Fellow and Area Head of the Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre at Curtin University, working predominantly in the fields of applied infectious disease epidemiology and behavioural epidemiology.

Dr Amanda Wilkins MBBS, FRACP, MPH
Child Development Specialist, Koondoola Child Development Centre
Adjunct Senior Lecturer with the School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Australia

Amanda completed her medical degree in 1986 and obtained her fellowship with the College of Paediatrics, RACP in 2001. She completed a Masters in Public Health in 2005.

Amanda has worked in the field of child development and disability medicine since 1993 and as a specialist Developmental Paediatrician since 2001. She has been involved in developing policy guidelines for the Health Department on the identification and management of child abuse and neglect and more recently in developing a Model of Care for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.

Her research interests have included early childhood intervention practices, early childhood determinants of health-related quality of life and screening and diagnosis of FASD.