Dr Heather Cleland, FRACS, Plastic Surgeon, Melbourne VIC

Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery, Reconstructive Microsurgery, Congenital Melanocytic Naevus

Dr. Cleland’s research interests are primarily focussed on burn injury and its management She has been a co-investigator in clinical trials examining the effect of intravenous lignocaine and virtual reality on pain management in burn injury and co-authored several reviews relevant to the treatment of burn injury published in the Cochrane database of systematic reviews and clinical journals.

In 2008, she re-established the Skin Tissue culture laboratory at the Alfred Hospital, which is currently involved in basic research into the characteristics of skin stem cells and culturing of keratinocytes, in collaboration with the Epithelial Stem Cell Biology laboratory at Peter McCallum Hospital. She has also collaborated with the Monash Institute for Medical Research in researching the role of inflammatory cytokines in burn injuries. She is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the Department of Surgery, Monash University, and a member of the Court of Examiners, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

She is a reviewer for the journal Burns and peer referee for the Cochrane Wounds Group. She was instrumental in establishing the Bi-national Burns Registry, a clinical registry aimed at improving the standard of burn care in Australia and New Zealand through monitoring and benchmarking outcomes in all ANZ burns units, and is a member of the steering committee for this registry.