About
At the Melbourne Centre for Clinical Trials (MCCT), we bring together a consortium of world class clinical trial groups to deliver exceptional trials. What truly sets us apart is our commitment to maintaining the unique identity and business operations of each of our valued members. Professor Jane Gunn, Interim Provost
Who We Are
Make a global impact
MCCT has world-leading clinical trial experts, ensuring top-tier research and medical innovation.
Adaptive Platform Trials
The MCCT houses seven of Australia’s largest adaptive platform trials.
The Consortium
The MCCT is a collaborative powerhouse, uniting top-tier research institutions and experts and setting a benchmark in its field for scale and expertise.
Expertise and resource network
Provides a point of access to expertise and resources within The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Academic Centre of Health (MACH) clinical trials community by leveraging collective knowledge and diverse skills.
Our Purpose
The primary purpose of the MCCT is to facilitate best practices in the conduct of clinical trials, supporting stakeholders through collaboration with the MCCT. Providing access to a collaborative network and extensive resources that streamline and elevate every stage of clinical trial execution. At MCCT, innovation merges with efficiency to advance healthcare and medical research.
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- Strengthen the collaborative clinical research sector by connecting clinical researchers and methodology experts involved in the design and implementation of clinical trials.
- Improve quality assurance and compliance with systems by collating and maintaining a central resource of standardized operating procedures (SOPs) for the conduct of clinical trials, including protocol development, participant recruitment and safety, data management, and regulatory compliance.
- Streamline communication and dissemination of the review and approval processes for clinical trial protocols by relevant ethics committees and regulatory authorities.
- Promote the MCCT consortium partners and their events, short courses, and clinical trials education to support the development and training of staff involved in clinical trial activities, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and guidelines.
- Facilitate collaboration with external partners, including industry sponsors (pharmaceutical companies and biotech firms), contract research organizations (CROs), and other research institutions, to enhance MCCT members capacity for conducting clinical trials.
Prof Julie Simpson
Methodology Director
Methodology Director Prof Julie Simpson (FAHMS) has >30 years experience as a biostatistician contributing to clinical and population health research. Previously she has worked at St Thomas's Hospital, London, Mahidol-Oxford Research Programme in Thailand, University of Aberdeen, and Cancer Council of Victoria. Her main research areas are: the integration of biostatistics and mathematical modelling to improve the control of infectious diseases and statistical methods for handling missing data. Julie is Head of the Biostatistics Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Director of the Methods and Implementation Support for Clinical and Health research Hub and recipient of NHMRC Investigator Grants (Leadership L1, 2021-5; L2, 2026-30).
Prof Adam Deane
Clinical Director
Professor Adam Deane is an internationally recognised intensive care physician and leading critical care researcher. He trained in Intensive Care Medicine and Internal Medicine in Melbourne, Adelaide and Oxford (UK). Adam’s research focuses on clinical trials and outcomes following critical illness. He is Deputy Director and Head of Research at the Intensive Care Unit at The Royal Melbourne Hospital. At the University of Melbourne, he serves as Deputy Head of the Department of Critical Care, leads the Intensive Care Medicine stream, and is Clinical Lead for the MISCH Clinical Trials Node. Adam is a recipient of a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grant (Leadership Level 1).
Prof Steven Tong
Head of Adaptive Platform Trials
Professor Steven Tong is an infectious diseases physician with the Victorian Infectious Diseases Service and Co‑Head of the Clinical and Health Services Research division at the Doherty Institute. He leads large‑scale global clinical trials for common infectious diseases and holds leadership roles across multiple adaptive platform trials, including as lead of the Staphylococcus aureus Network Adaptive Platform (SNAP) trial and the Australasian COVID‑19 Trial (ASCOT). Steven’s research achievements include the discovery and naming of two new Staphylococcus species, identification of a novel hepatitis B genotype in Indigenous Australians, and the conduct of landmark clinical trials in MRSA bloodstream infections, COVID‑19 and impetigo, enrolling more than 5,000 patients with Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections. His research interests span skin and hospital pathogens, Indigenous health, viral hepatitis and influenza, with a strong focus on applying cutting‑edge science to clinically driven questions.
Renata Phyland
Clinical Trials Manager
Renata Phyland is the Clinical Trials Manager for the Melbourne Academic Centre for Health (MACH) and the Melbourne Centre for Clinical Trials (MCCT) network. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Melbourne. Renata has extensive experience in clinical trial governance and ethics across a wide range of therapeutic areas. She leads initiatives that streamline trial processes and improve regulatory compliance while fostering collaboration across institutions. Renata enjoys working closely with a variety of stakeholders to find practical solutions that meet everyone’s needs. Her work supports high quality patient centred research across Victoria and contributes to national efforts that enhance clinical trial efficiency and innovation.