Research Projects Manager/Scientist 
Senior Clinical Research Coordinator, Sinclair Dermatology

Laita is a highly-skilled research scientist with more than 16 years’ experience across the fields of Dermatology, Endocrinology, Sleep Medicine and Neuroscience. She completed her research Masters degree at the University of Sydney and commenced her research career investigating the effects of ischemic stroke in animal models and therapeutic options to promote recovery of the injured brain. She is trained in anatomy, physiology and neuroscience with a proven track record in conducting data analyses, reporting and maintaining study progress. Making a move to clinical research in 2015, Ms Bokhari focused her research in the field of dermatology, utilizing her skills to design and conduct clinical studies, prepare and submit ethics submissions, trial notifications and TGA applications.

Laita has published several scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals such as the International Journal of Dermatology, Stem Cell Research & Therapy, Journal of Neurology and Neurophysiology, PLoS One and Brain Pathology relating to neural stem cells, stroke and clinical studies on treatment for hair loss. She has recently presented at the 11th World Congress for Hair Research, Sitges, Barcelona and the Australian Society for Dermatology Research (ASDR) 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting. Among the conferences she has previously presented at include the Australian Neuroscience Society Annual Scientific Meeting and the Australian Diabetes Society and the Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADS-ADEA) Annual Scientific Meeting.

Laita is a current member of the Australasian Hair and Wool Research Society and ARCS Australia. She currently manages investigator-initiated research projects and is a senior clinical study coordinator for pharmaceutical-sponsored studies in Australia’s largest Dermatology Research Centre, Sinclair DIRECT. Laita remains committed to research, understanding and discovering new treatments for dermatological conditions.

Dermatologist, Sinclair Dermatology

Samantha is a general dermatologist who has had more than 20 years experience in all aspects of dermatology. She commenced her dermatology training in London, at the Royal Free, and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, and completed her degree at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, graduating with FCDerm(SA) in 2008.  She continued practising there as a sessional consultant and was instrumental in setting up and running the first public skin laser service in South Africa as well as providing support and consultations for the Teledermatology service provided to rural practitioners. She was awarded a Galderma Research Grant by the Dermatological Society of South Africa to undertake further research into Teledermatology in underserviced areas.

In 2012, she relocated with her family to Melbourne and obtained her FACD. Samantha practices at Sinclair Dermatology.  She specialises in general dermatology with an interest in Hair and Nail Disorders, undertaking a hair fellowship with Professor Rod Sinclair in 2013.  She is also currently involved as an Investigator in Sinclair Dermatology’s Clinical Trial Centre. She has published in international dermatology and medical journals and has also authored book chapters. She is actively involved in GP and nurse education in dermatology, presenting at meetings and conferences, locally and internationally.

Trichologist

Kay is a qualified hairdresser and trichologist specialising in hair and scalp conditions offering camouflage techniques. She has something to suit anyone no matter how severe their hair loss condition is. Kay worked with Professor Sinclair since 2013 and has a passion and commitment for hairdressing, trichology, camouflage, wigs, hair pieces and products.
Kay is always researching new and effective products, weeding out the ineffective ones. Her aim is to give clients instant relief with camouflage, so they can go back to their everyday lives feeling more confident about themselves.

Kay interacts with her patients with the heart of a teacher, not a pushy salesperson. She has vast experience in hair loss conditions, having consulted with thousands of patients and working alongside other World Leaders in the Hair Loss industry. This has given Kay the tools and experience to be able to provide her patients with the support to manage their hair loss condition Her approach is all about making patients feel safe and supported.

Her goal is to unite dermatologists, trichologists and hairdressers to truly make a difference to everyone’s lives who are suffering from hair and scalp conditions.

Consultant Dermatologist, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne
Consultant Dermatologist, Skin Health Institute

Dr. Jack Green is a Consultant Dermatologist at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, and at the Skin Health Institute where he runs a Hair Disorders Clinic. He is also an Adjunct Honorary Senior Lecturer at the Notre Dame Medical School. He has published on a wide range of hair disorders including alopecia areata, pili annulati, monilethrix and papular atrichia. He also manages a busy private practice in the outer west of Melbourne.

Professor Clinical Research, Epworth Healthcare

Professor Leslie N. Jones has expertise in electron microscopy, cell biology, microbiology and biochemistry with MSc and PhD higher research degrees awarded from the RMIT University and University of Melbourne respectively and is internationally recognised for his research contributions to understanding hair structure, composition and biology in health and disease.  He has recently been project leader in the CRC for Premium Quality Wool involving research into the effects of nutrition and transgenic manipulations on wool growth and properties.  He has been awarded and invited to work as a visiting scientist in various international laboratories including the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Sweden, the University of Rochester, Rochester USA, Unilever UK, the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda USA, University of Hamburg, Germany.  He is past President of the Australasian Hair and Wool Research Society involving, Dermatologists, Hair Transplant Surgeons and Research Scientists.  This society has conducted the first international conferences linking the Hair Research Societies of Europe, the USA, Japan and Australasia and is organising the next International Congress of Hair Research, 2010.  He is also currently a member of the European Hair Research Society and the University of Melbourne, Medical Society.  He has been invited to write numerous reviews and book chapters concerning hair structural biology and is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Experimental Dermatology.  He has published more than 115 scientific papers in the field relating to hair structure and biology. Appointed as Principal Research Fellow (Associate Professor) in Department of  Medicine, University of Melbourne (2004).

Hair Transplant Surgeon, Sinclair Dermatology
Norwood Day Surgery

Dr Mario Marzola has been in the field of hair restoration surgery for 40 years and has pioneered some of the techniques that are used globally. As a member of the Australian College of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS), Dr Mario Marzola is credentialed in hair restoration surgery.

Dr Marzola’s training in hair restoration originated in Australia and America, and he has continued to update his skills and knowledge both locally and internationally. He was the first person in the world to offer a school for international physicians to learn hair restoration procedures (Marzola School of Hair Surgery International). One of nine who has attended all 26 meetings of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) and one of three who has presented at each of these meetings. A devotee of FUT for many years, but FUE only now since 2014 because of less visible scarring.

Dermatology Fellow, Sinclair Dermatology

Dr Nekma Meah obtained her MBChB from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom in 2007. She then undertook her junior doctor training in the West Midlands and North West of England, before entering into the specialist dermatology programme. She qualified as a Consultant Dermatologist in 2017. Dr Meah has also published in peer-reviewed international journals and co-authored dermatology therapeutics textbook chapter. Her primary interest is in the treatment and management of hair and scalp disorders. Dr Meah is currently the Secretary of the British Hair and Nail Society.

Director, International Association of Tricholohists (IAT)

David Salinger is the Director of the International Association of Trichologists (IAT), a non-profit corporation that trains trichology students throughout the world.

He obtained degrees from the University of Birmingham and the London School of Economics before studying to become a trichologist. During 1974/75, he worked at the University of Southern California, developing a trichology course with a group of medical experts. Once the course was completed, it was given to the International Association of Trichologists to administer and he has been the Director of IAT since that time. He has trained students in over 40 countries, including supervising clinical training in Australia, the U.K, USA, Russia, Canada, India, Kenya, Vietnam, South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Jamaica and South Korea.

David’s book ‘Hair Loss Handbook’ has sold throughout the world and he contributed to and was the editor of the book ‘Hairy Tales’ published in 2018.

David was the first person to use L-tyrosine to treat such autoimmune problems as psoriasis and alopecia areata. He runs clinics in Sydney and Adelaide, Australia.

Dermatologist, Sinclair Dermatology

Dr Pooja Sharma is a consultant Dermatologist practicing in Melbourne. Dr Sharma has a 15 year experience in treating hair and skin disorders. Having developed an interest in treating hair disorders early on, her training involved hair transplant as well.

Currently she runs a specialist Hair Clinic at Skin and Cancer Foundation in Melbourne where she trains registrars in managing common and difficult to treat hair disorders, referred mostly by other dermatologists. She works  at Sinclair Dermatology where she provides cutting edge treatment for hair disorders and conducts surgical interventions such as hair transplant and PRP injections. 

Doctor, Sinclair Dermatology

Dr Dmitri Wall is a University College Dublin medical graduate (2004) and obtained Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (UK-London) Diploma in 2008.
After completing higher specialist training with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (2017) he worked as a consultant Dermatologist in St James’s Hospital, Dublin, before taking up a post as a clinical fellow with world expert, Professor Rod Sinclair in Melbourne, Australia. This saw him further develop his sub-specialist interest in hair and nail disease to an international standard. In support of this, he was awarded the City of Dublin Skin and Cancer Hospital Charity international travel fellowship (2017).

This year-long post provided intensive exposure to all forms of hair disease, such as androgenetic alopecia, alopecia areata, telogen effluvium and scarring alopecias, such as frontal fibrosing alopecia and lichen planopilaris. Working in a dedicated hair clinic, attached to a busy clinical trials centre, provided the opportunity to use current and future cutting edge therapies. Since his return to Ireland, Dr Wall has recommenced working in St James’s Hospital and as well taking up a post in Hair Restoration Blackrock with a particular focus on the diagnosis and medical and surgical treatment of hair and scalp disease.

Consultant Dermatologist, Skin Partners Specialist Dermatologists​, Woolloongabba, Queensland

Dr Leona Yip is a Melbourne-trained dermatologist currently in private practice in Brisbane after relocating here in mid-2019. Her subspecialty interest in hair and scalp disorders complements her post-fellowship subspecialty training in the UK and Melbourne, as well as her PhD work on the genetics of female pattern hair loss. Dr Yip is widely published in peer-reviewed medical journals and is an Editorial Consultant for The British Journal of Dermatology. Dr Yip remains committed to dermatology research and academia alongside her busy private practice, and is regularly involved with the supervision and training of dermatology registrars.

She is an appointed media spokesperson for The Australasian College of Dermatologists, and also regularly features on radio and in printed and online media as an independent skin and hair expert. Dr Yip has previously worked in private practice in Melbourne and Canberra, and is experienced in all aspects of general, surgical and laser dermatology. She is also an experienced provider of diplomatic specialist care and has consulted privately for multiple embassies and diplomatic missions in Australia.

Dermatologist, Port Elizabeth, South Africa  

Dr Katherine York is a dermatologist based in private practice in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. She obtained her MBBCh from the university of the Witwatersrand and then went on to complete her dermatology specialist training at the University of Cape Town . Whilst specialising she completed a Masters degree in skin cancer epidemiology and has published research in this area. She is also a board member of the South African Skin Cancer Foundation.

Following the completion of her specialist training, she did a one year hair fellowship under Prof Rodney Sinclair in Melbourne, Australia. She currently runs a private practice in South Africa and is also involved in GP education on hair and scalp disease.  She is a steering committee member of the Global Registry of Alopecia areata disease Severity and treatment  Safety. She is passionate about the field of hair, especially those pathologies affecting the African population and she aspires increase our knowledge and treatment strategies for these diseases.