Professor Michelle Farrar
MBBS (Hons) FRACP PhD
Michelle Farrar is Professor of Paediatric Neurology at UNSW Sydney and specialist child neurologist at Sydney Children’s Hospital, leading the rare neurological diseases clinical and research programs.
Michelle’s team is focused on developing and translating innovative ways of providing the best possible care from the time of diagnosis, through treatment and beyond to people with rare neurological conditions, including neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and genetic diseases. The research program also integrates interdisciplinary genomics research, together with community and consumer involvement.
The team is involved in clinical trials investigating potential drug treatments, coupled with studies to define biomarkers to monitor therapeutic effect and genomics in newborn screening.
Society Memberships & Professional Activities:
- Member of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists
- Member of the Australia and New Zealand Child Neurology Society
- Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
- Treat NMD Neuromuscular Network
- Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists Educational and Training EEG and Clinical Neurophysiology Committee member
- International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC) Member of the Therapies Scientific Committee
- Sydney Children’s Hospital Scientific Advisory Committee member for the Human Research Ethics Committee
- Member of the Scientific and Medical Advisory Committee, Childhood Dementia Initiative
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
2021-2027NRMRC Investigator Grant: Improving health outcomes for neurological diseases in children with genomic technologies
2022-2027 MRFF:A national functional diagnostic program for therapy development in congenital muscle disease
2022-2026 MRFF:NEWBORN GEN SEQ TRAIL: NEWBORN GENomic SEQuencing in screening: Therapy Ready And Information for Life
- Michelle Beets Memorial Silver Award (2018) NSW Health and Humpty Dumpty Foundation for improving health outcomes for children
- Leonard Cox Award, Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists (2017) for contributions to Australian neuroscience
- School of Women’s and Children’s Health, UNSW Sydney Best publication award (2017)
- Dean’s Rising Star Award, UNSW Medicine, UNSW Sydney (2016)
- Asian Oceanian Myology Centre Fellowship award for outstanding presentation (2016)
- James Lance Young Investigator Award, Australia and New Zealand Association of Neurologists (2010)
Prof Farrar is a leading researcher in paediatric neuromuscular and rare neurogenetic disorders, successfully translating research to improve health practice and outcomes for patients, their families and the community. Her multidisciplinary team of researchers and clinicians lead projects to:
- Improve early diagnosis and advance genomics in screening
- Improve health outcomes for children
- Apply genetic technologies for the discovery of novel biomarkers for clinical translation
- Develop and implement new therapies
- Develop the clinical and translational capability of paediatric precision medicine in neurology
- Improve the understanding of patient and family experiences of new and emerging health technologies
- Improve the understanding of the ethical and social issues related to emerging health technologies
- Rapidly translate evidence into clinical practice and health policy
To undertake this work, Michelle’s team uses a variety of research designs and technologies including:
- International multicentre clinical trials
- Prospective cohort studies
- Cross-sectional studies
- In depth qualitative analyses
- Systematic reviews of the literature
- Implementation science evaluations
- Economic evaluations and cost effectiveness analyses
- Clinical and neurophysiological assessments
- Cutting-edge high-throughput genomic sequencing
Michelle’s team also applies their clinical research approach to other neurological conditions, such as neurodevelopmental disorders, epilepsy and neuro-oncology and are passionate about creating an environment where people affected by these disorders are actively involved across all stages and types of research.
Michelle also has a strong commitment to improving the practice of medicine, thus connecting her research achievements to her activities in medical education and community and consumer engagement. As a regular contributor to the media, Professor Farrar is raising awareness in the community about early diagnosis and treatment of paediatric neuromuscular disorders and possibilities for carrier screening to allow couples to make reproductive choices.