Sarah Coggan- Project Officer

Sarah Coggan has been working at the George Institute since 2012 on a number of academic collaborations. She has experience in clinical trials as well as non-interventional health systems research in Chronic Kidney Disease and Diabetes. At TGI, Sarah facilitates qualitative and quantitative research studies, including randomised clinical trials, data linkage based projects and a needs-based analysis of current health-care models.

Sarah works as a Site Monitor for the PRESERVE study, focused on the Prevention of Serious Adverse Events following angiography, but also has been closely involved in site start up and continually streamlining operational processes throughout the study duration. From her exposure to a range of study designs and further postgraduate study in public health, Sarah has accumulated a broad knowledge basis of the clinical research field in Australia and New Zealand.

How long have you been working at The George Institute?  
2 ½ years

What attracted you to working at The George Institute? 
I wanted to work in the Clinical Trials Industry and for an organisation that is focused on improving patient healthcare, not solely motivated by corporate gain.

What are you currently working on? 
At present four different projects are keeping me busy. Three are in the area of chronic kidney disease, and my main project looks at the prevention of adverse events in patients undergoing angiography (the PRESERVE study). I love the diversity of projects that I work on, which include an interventional trial, qualitative research, registry studies and Data linkage projects.

What is a recent highlight?  
Working within a killer renal team in expanding the PRESERVE study to international sites based in New Zealand and Malaysia. 

What difference will this make to healthcare and why? 
When this study is completed the results will have the power to influence how contrast-induced kidney injury is prevented for all patients undergoing routine angiograms. This will answer an age-old question and potentially improve healthcare internationally.

What is your professional background? 
I have completed a Bachelor of Science in Physiology and Pharmacology, as well as a Masters of Public Health.

Why do you enjoy working at The George Institute?  
Having a job that makes you think out of the box and problem-solve every day. And TGI people are my sort of people – pragmatic, flexible and creative.