Associate Professor
Michele CallisayaProfile page
Principal Research Fellow
Menzies Institute for Medical Research
- Principal Research FellowMenzies Institute for Medical Research
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, 362b Medical Science 2 (MS2), Hobart CBD Campuses, TAS
BIO
A/Prof Michele Callisaya is a Principal Research Fellow at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research. Michele leads a program of work aimed at understanding and improving treatments for falls, frailty and neurological disorders such as stroke, dementia and Parkinson's disease. She is also a registered physiotherapist with extensive clinical experience in the areas of neurological rehabilitation and aged care.
Her work addresses the University and Menzies Institute for Medical Research strategic objectives to:
- build and accelerate translational research capacity in brain science, preventive health and chronic disease management to improve health outcomes in Tasmania, nationally and internationally;
- boost partnerships and collaborations to build healthy communities and influence health system change;
- build research capacity in the Tasmanian health sector;
- promote and support consumer and community involvement in all stages of research to improve research focus, feasibility, outcomes and impact.
RESEARCH CAREER
Michele received a PhD in 2010 and has since been supported by a number of competitive fellowships, including an NHRMC Early Career Fellowship (2012-2015 0.6 FTE) and an NHMRC Boosting Dementia Research Leadership Fellowship (2017-2021, 0.6 FTE). Michele is an international research leader in the field of gait, frailty, falls, rehabilitation and dementia. She has successfully obtained over 33 million dollars in research funding (including 6 MRFF grants, 2 NIH and 2 NHMRC grants) and published 178 papers in the fields of falls, frailty and dementia.
She currently leads a one-million-dollar MRFF grant "The right to rehabilitation for people with dementia - tackling stigma and implementing evidence-based interventions" where she is partnering with people living with dementia, Dementia Australia, Dementia Alliance International, National Allied Health Professional organisations as well as Primary Health Networks to investigate ways to ensure people living with dementia are able to access evidence-based therapies to support their independence and quality of life.
Michele’s work also explores 1) how motor biomarkers such as specific gait patterns can help in the early identification of people at risk of falls and dementia, and 2) the educational needs of physiotherapist in dementia care.
CLINICAL CAREER
Michele has over 25 years’ clinical experience as a physiotherapist in the area of general and neurological rehabilitation and aged care. She has also held a number of senior clinical, academic, management and educational leadership roles in her physiotherapy career mainly at the Royal Hobart Hospital in Tasmania and Peninsula Health in Victoria.
QUALIFICATIONS
Bach Appl Sci (Physio), LaTrobe University 1992
Grad Cert Research Methodology, University of South Australia 2004
PhD Medical Sciences, University of Tasmania 2010
AWARDS
Monash University Exceptional Achievement Award (2023)
World Parkinsons Congress Travel award (2023)
Ten of the best Menzies Institute for Medical Research (2019)
Dementia advocates award - Dementia Australia Research Foundation (2019)
Best poster Living with Dementia - Australian Dementia Forum (2018)
Australian government Endeavour Research Fellowship to spend 4 months at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USA (2017)
Stroke Society of Australasia Peter Bladin New Investigator Award (2015 included a travel grant and presentation at the European Stroke Society conference)
Best academic paper Australian Physiotherapy Association conference – Gerontology stream (co-author) (2015)
Early Career observer NHMRC project grant panels (3/40 selected from Monash University) (2014)
Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) Scholarship (2014)
Best oral presentation Australian Physiotherapy Association Conference (2013)
Monash University travel grant (2013)
The International Conference of Vascular Behavioural and Cognitive Disorders – best abstract travel award (2013)
Stroke Society of Australasia – best abstract Nursing and Allied Health (2013)
Professional award for excellence – Department of Health and Human Services - Tasmania (2011)
Student travel grant, University of Tasmania, to attend the International Society of Posture and Gait conference, Bologna (2009)
Emerging Researcher in Ageing (ERA) bursary to attend ERA Master class Brisbane (2009)
University Post-Graduate Scholarship (per year) – 2 years (2008)
Best poster prize – Australian Society of Geriatric Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting, Christchurch (2006)
Professional Education Bursary – Department of Rural Health Uni of Tasmania (2004)
Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) Scholarship (2003)
PROFESSIONAL , GOVERNMENT and COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Professional roles and leadership
Director Parkinson’s Tasmania
National Parkinsons Alliance founding member and governance group
Associate Editor for the Journals of Gerontology Series A - current
Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation committee - previous
Australian Physiotherapy Research Foundation committee - previous
Dementia Australia Research grant committee - previous
Australian and New Zealand Falls Prevention Society Executive -previous
Stroke Society of Australasia Executive - previous
Reviews for a number of leading physiotherapy, gerontology and neurology journals.
Professional associations membership
Australian Physiotherapy Association member
Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART) member
Australian and New Zealand Falls Prevention Society member
Conference committees
World Parkinsons Congress 2026 Comprehensive care Program and scientific committee
ANZ Falls Prevention organising and scientific committees 2014-2020 (lead 2018)
Australian Dementia Forum organising and scientific committee, 2019
Australian Pain Society organising and scientific committee 2013-14 (lead 2014)
International leadership roles
Co-lead of the International Research in Practice and Dementia Physiotherapy Network.
Co-lead (Australia) Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome Consortium
Contribution to policy, education, reports and guidelines
Co-lead Update Clinical Practice Guidelines and Principles of Care for People with Dementia - post diagnostic care 2024-2025
Lead Australian Physiotherapy Association Gerontology Level 1 and 2 dementia curricula.
Contributor and reviewer 2023 World Health Organisation Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation (Dementia)
Contributor and reviewer Dementia Training Australia national education standards of care.
SUPERVISION and TRAINING
Michele has supervised >100 physiotherapy students and physiotherapists in her clinical career. In research settings she has supervised 9 PhD, 3 honours and 2 undergraduate research students to completion. She currently supervises 5 PhD students.
MEDIA
SCHOOL AND PORTFOLIO
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research