The College of Nursing and Health Sciences is thrilled to welcome internationally renowned cancer nursing leader and researcher Professor Ray Chan to the inaugural role of Director of the Caring Futures Institute (CFI).
Professor Chan will commence at Flinders on 3 August and play a crucial part in driving the research priorities of the Institute to lead to better self-care and caring solutions across the lifespan.
Professor Chan joins Flinders from the Queensland University of Technology’s School of Nursing where he held a joint position as Chair in Cancer Nursing at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital.
Professor Chan says he is looking forward to leading an innovative team of researchers in the CFI.
“I am excited about our interdisciplinary efforts to enable better self-care and caring solutions across the lifespan,” he says. “I endeavour to create and facilitate an optimal environment for our innovations to grow!”
CNHS Vice President and Executive Dean and CFI Foundational Director Professor Alison Kitson’s vision for the Institute is to create better lives, communities, care and systems across the population’s lifespan.
Professor Kitson says she is confident the appointment of Professor Chan will help build the Institute’s capacity and vision for change in how we care for ourselves and others.
“Professor Chan has all the qualities we are looking for in a transformational leader who will set the path towards excellence in all that we do in CFI,” says Professor Kitson. “His reputation is exceptional and we look forward to welcoming him, his family and his research team to CFI, Flinders and South Australia.
“Our CFI vision is to change care in the world and with Ray on board we are one step closer to achieving this.”
Professor Chan is an NHMRC Investigator Fellow, with his program of research focusing on optimising models of care for survivors of cancer.
Among many impressive feats, Professor Chan has published more than 150 peer-reviewed articles and two book chapters, as well as attracting more than $23.2 million in research funding as a Chief Investigator.
Professor Chan holds many other national and international leadership roles. He is currently an adviser to Cancer Australia, the Australian Government, and as a Board Director for the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care. In March 2021, he was inducted to the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.
Professor Chan, who began his nursing career in Brisbane almost 20 years ago, has recently worked on an NHMRC-funded, national implementation of cancer follow-up care shared between general practitioners and cancer specialists.
His recent clinical trial work also led to the widespread adoption of a novel silicone-based gel dressing to prevent and better manage radiation treatment side effects in cancer patients.