Catherine Hill

Catherine Hill

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Professor Catherine Hill is a clinical rheumatologist, epidemiologist and expert in evidence-based healthcare.

She trained in clinical rheumatology and general medicine at TQEH/RAH, research fellowship and Masters of Science (Biostats & Epidemiology) at Boston University and MD (University of Adelaide).

She leads the Rheumatology Research Group at the Basil Hetzel Institute with research expertise in population epidemiology, randomised clinical trials, qualitative research, biobanking and quality improvement. The Research Group has experts in epidemiology, statistics, biobanking, qualitative methods and evidence-based medicine. It is the South Australian hub of Australian Arthritis and Autoimmune Biobank (A3BC).

She is immediate past President of Australian Rheumatology Association (2020-22); professional society of rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals. She is Chair of the Education Committee of Asia Pacific League Against Rheumatism (APLAR).

She has experience and expertise in health technology assessment having been Chair of South Australian Medicines Evaluation Panel (SAMEP; 2011-2023), member of Australian Committee for Prescription Medicine (TGA, 2004-2015) and member of Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (2016-2023).

She is a Board Member of the Australian and New Zealand Vasculitis Society as a founding Board Member. This is a collaborative organisation of physicians, scientists, and communities that focuses on research, education, and clinical practices in vasculitis.

She has recently been appointed as Medical Advisor (2022- ) of THRF-Arthritis and Board Member of The Hospital Research Foundation.

As Chief Investigator of the North West Adelaide Health Study (NWAHS), she has instrumental in adding the musculoskeletal data collection to this study. Work from this study has been published as part of the Global Burden of Disease study published in the Lancet (2012), which identified musculoskeletal diseases one of the three most important diseases in terms of global disease burden.

Prof Hill is part of a national OA trials collaborative (Monash University, University of Tasmania, University of Sydney, University of WA) with current and previous NHMRC funding of interventional clinical trials for knee and hand osteoarthritis. She has collaborations with CSIRO and University of SA for innovative trials of knee OA. Previous trials have been reported in JAMA and Ann Rheum Dis. Further to this work, she is part of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Hand OA classification criteria Working group.

Giant Cell Arteritis is the most common vasculitis in the elderly that can lead to blindness and stroke. She established the South Australian Giant Cell Arteritis Registry in 2009 which has resulted in further knowledge about this condition in Australia for the first time and has resulted in both national and international collaborations; and the first Australian data regarding incidence and prevalence of this condition.

She is involved in OMERACT (Outcome Measures in Rheumatology) which is an independent initiative of international health professionals interested in outcome measures in rheumatology since 2014. She co-chairs 4 working groups for OMERACT (PMR, glucocorticoid impact, hand OA, POLOS) and is also part of the Technical Advisory Group of OMERACT.

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2017 - ongoing Member Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee
    2016 - ongoing Clinical Professor University of Adelaide
    2016 - ongoing Head, Rheumatology Research Group The University of Adelaide
    2016 - ongoing Head, Rheumatology Unit The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
    2015 - ongoing Staff Consultant Rheumatologist Royal Adelaide Hospital
    2011 - 2022 Chair South Australian Medicines Evaluation Panel, SA Health
    2010 - 2016 Clinical Associate Professor University of Adelaide
    2000 - ongoing Staff Consultant Rheumatologist The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2022 Award Parr Prize for Outstanding Rheumatology Research Australian Rheumatology Association Australia -
  • Language Competencies

    Language Competency
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2009 - 2009 University of Adelaide Australia Doctor of Medicine (MD)
    1998 - 2000 Boston University United States Masters of Science (Epidemiology and Biostatics)
    1983 - 1988 University of Adelaide Australia MBBS
  • Postgraduate Training

    Date Title Institution Country
    FRACP Royal Australasian College of Physicians Australia
  • Research Interests

Research Funding
2022-2027 MRFF Chronic Musculoskeletal Conditions in Children and Adolescents A3BC for Kids. Chief Investigators: March L, Whittle SL, Shrestha R, Saffery R, Thomas R, Buchbinder R, Neeland M, Lassere M, Mittinty M, Murray K, Munro J, Keen HI, Singh-Grewal D, Hill CL, Novakovic B Five years. $2,496,875.50
2021-2025 NHMRC Centres of Research Excellence - Clinical Research CRE for Better Outcomes in Inflammatory Arthritis Chief Investigators: March L, Thomas R, Lassere M, Buchbinder R, Hill CL, Keen H, Wechalekar M, Munro J, Figtree G, Schofield D Five years. $2,500,000
2021-2024 NIHR-NHMRC Collaborative Research Grant Steroid-Reducing Options for ReLapsING PMR (STERLING-PMR): a pragmatic, randomised trial to compare the clinical and cost-effectiveness of adding immunosuppression to steroid-tapering treatment for patients with relapsing PMR, versus steroid-tapering. Chief Investigators: Hill CL, Keen H, Owen C, Liew D, Manaski-Nankervis J, Stocks N, Reudiger C Four year project grant. $890,000
2020-2025 MRFF Preventive and Public Health Research Healthy Choices: Co-designed community programs to enhance healthy lifestyle choices for people with chronic conditions. Chief Investigators: Hiller S, Olds T, Maher C, Gill T, Esterman A, Khadka J, Adams R, Hill CL, Keogh J Five years. $780,670
2020-2023 The Hospital Research Foundation Project Grant Round Does light treatment improve sleep and pain? Chief Investigators: Gill T, Adams R, Hill CL, Lovato N Three years. $129,653
2020 The Hospital Research Foundation Allied Health Research Collaboration Grant Rocker sole footwear for the treatment of painful midfoot osteoarthritis: a pilot randomised controlled trial. Chief Investigators: Arnold, JB, Cooney, M, Bourke, J, Ferris, L, Hill C, Milanese S, Gill T, Walsh, T One year. $34,000
2020 Arthritis Australia, Australian Rheumatology Association Project Grant The patient experience of glucocorticoids for the treatment of rheumatic diseases and the development of a patient reported outcome measure (PROM). Hill CL, Black R, Robson J, Goodman S One year. $15,000
2019-2021 NHMRC Project Grant Targeting unhelpful pain beliefs to promote physical activity in people with knee osteoarthritis: a multicentre, randomised controlled trial with cost-effectiveness analysis. Chief Investigators: Stanton T, Moseley G, Hill CL, Ratcliffe J, Smuck M, Tomkins-Lane C. Three year Project Grant. $1,190,000
2019 Arthritis Australia Grant-in-aid Comparison of dietary oils in osteoarthritis patients: a feasibility study. Davis C, Hill CL, Ruediger C, Murphy K. One year. $15,000
2018- 2020

NHMRC Project Grant

DICKENS

A randomised controlled trial of DlaCerein to treat KneE osteoarthritis with enfusioN-Synovitis

Chief Investigators: Aitken D, Jones G, Cicuttini F, Winzenberg T, Keen H 

Three year project grant $1,309,503
2018 Arthritis Australia Project Grant - 1147370 Does targeting pain-related beliefs in people with knee osteoarthritis increase physical activity. Chief Investigators: Stanton T, Moseley GL, Hill CL, Bennell K. One year project grant. $15,000
2017- 2021

NHMRC Project Grant

Australia and New Zealand Musculoskeletal (ANZMUSC) - 1134856

Clinical Trials Network   Five year project grant. $2,497,653
2017- 2020

NHMRC Project Grant

METHODS - 1127981

A randomised clinical trial of METhotrexate to treat Hand Osteoarthritis with Synovitis   Four year project grant $770,013
2017- 2019 1134125 Optimising therapy in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis   Three year project grant $124,676
2017 Arthritis Australia Project Grant. A randomised clinical trial of colchicine in inflammatory hand osteoarthritis Chief Investigators: Hill CL, Ruediger C One year project grant $40,000.
2017 Arthritis Australia Project Grant. A randomised clinical trial of colchicine in inflammatory hand osteoarthritis. Chief Investigators: Hill CL, Ruediger C. One year project grant, co-funded by The Hospital Research Foundation. $50,000
2016- 2017 NHMRC Project Grant 1102732 A randomised trial of krill oil for osteoarthritis of the knee, $751,491. Chief Investigators: Jones G, Cicuttini F, Hill CL Two year project grant. $569,927
2014-2015 NHMRC Project Grant 1068023 Dissecting the great ophthalmic masquerade: The Global Giant Cell Arteritis Genomics Consortium. Chief Investigators: Hewitt A, Hill CL, Evans D, Merriman T, Morgan A, Smith K, McKelvie P, Martin J Two year project grant. $569,927
2013-2017 NHMRC Project Grant 1048581. Does statin use have a disease modifying effect in symptomatic knee osteoarthritis? A multicentre randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Chief Investigators: Wang Y, Cicuttini F, Tonkin A, Hill CL, Ding C. Three year Project Grant. $971,019.95
2013-2016 NHMRC Project Grant 1045415. A randomised trial of zoledronic acid for osteoarthritis of the knee. Chief Investigators: Jones G, Cicuttini F, March L, Hill CL, Dore D. Three year project grant. $954,596.66
2016 Arthritis Australia Project Grant. Customising pathways to self-management support for people with osteoarthritis Chief Investigators: Hoon E, Oliver F, Hill CL. One year project grant.
2015 Arthritis Australia Grant. Developing a patient reported outcome measure in polymyalgia rheumatic. Chief Investigators: Hoon E, Hill CL, Gill TK. One year project grant. $10,000.
2014 NHMRC Project Grant Dissecting the great ophthalmic masquerade: The Global Giant Cell Arteritis Genomics Consortium.   Two year project grant $569,927
2014 Arthritis Australia Grant. Suprascapular nerve block for the treatment of adhesive capsulitis Chief Investigators: Shanahan EM, Hill CL, Gill TK. One year project grant. $30,000.
2013- 2015 NHMRC Project Grant A randomised trial of zoledronic acid for osteoarthritis of the knee.   Three year project grant. $954,596
2013- 2015   Does statin use have a disease modifying effect in symptomatic knee osteoarthritis? A multicentre randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial   Three year project grant. $971,019
2013 Arthritis Australia Grant. Genetics of Giant Cell Arteritis. Chief Investigators: Brown M, Hewitt A, Merriman T, Rischmueller M, Hill CL. $25,000.
2012 Arthritis Australia Grant-in-Aid. Pilot study of MRI in shoulder pain. Chief Investigators: Gill TK, Hill CL, Shanahan M, Allison D. $15,000.
  Arthritis Australia Grant. Association of n-3 fatty acid levels and serum COMP levels with inflammation, symptoms and cartilage volume in knee Chief Investigators: Hill CL, Cleland LG, Jones G, March LM. $35,000.
2009- 2014 TQEH Research Foundation The Health Observatory. Chief Investigators: Adams RJ, Wilson DW, Hill CL, Visvanathan R, Ruffin RE, Wittert G Five year program grant. $1,250,000.
2008 - 2011 NHMRC Grant No 451900. Fish Oil in knee osteoarthritis. Chief Investigators: Hill CL, Cleland LG, Jones G, March LM. Three year project grant. $618,625
  North West Adelaide Health Study Arthritis Subgroup. Human Services Research Initiatives (HSRIP) grant. Co-investigators: A. Taylor, T. Gill, M. Shanahan  
2007 NHMRC Project Grant Fish oil in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.   Four year project grant $702,726
2006 Arthritis Australia Grant-in-Aid. Quality of Life and disability of people waiting for joint replacement surgery’. Chief Investigators: Osborne R, Buchbinder R, Hill CL. $15,000.

 

Teaching
Undergraduate Medical students Year III clinical skills, Year IV rheumatology tutorials and Clinical Examiner, Year IV, Year V
Postgraduate basic physician trainees Written examination preparation tutorials, Clinical examination short case and long case preparation
Rheumatology Advanced Trainee Supervision Supervision of advanced trainees in rheumatology

 

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Co-Supervisor Prevalence, incidence, and associated factors of neck pain in the Australian population: A two-phase cohort study Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Nasibeh Sorkhi Kojabed
    2023 Principal Supervisor The influence of socioeconomic factors on medication use and health outcomes in Australians with rheumatoid arthritis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Oscar Kenneth Russell
    2023 Principal Supervisor Patient Reported Experience Measures in Australian outpatient rheumatology care Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Madeleine Bryant
    2022 Principal Supervisor Rheumatoid Arthritis and Exercise in Australia Master of Clinical Science Master Part Time Dr Julia New-Tolley
    2021 Principal Supervisor Epidemiology, Clinical Phenotype and Treatment Implications of Giant Cell Arteritis in Australia and New Zealand Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Suellen Anne Lyne
    2017 Co-Supervisor Giant Cell Arteritis - Understanding Mechanisms of Disease, Improving the Diagnostic Certainty, and Optimising Management through Fast Track Clinics Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Jem Verghese Ninan
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2018 - 2024 Principal Supervisor Understanding the Longitudinal Characteristics of Chronic Pain in Arthritis:
    The Role of Intensive Longitudinal Methods in Analysing Pain and the Attributable Burden of Persistent Pain on Treatment and Health Outcomes
    Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Huai Leng Pisaniello
    2017 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Optimising management in ANCA-associated vasculitis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Joanna Tieu
    2015 - 2019 Co-Supervisor The establishment of an automated, electronic data-collection system for the purpose of qualifying, evaluating and improving post-operative surgical outcomes and evidence-based surgery Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr James Marcus McLean
    2013 - 2019 Co-Supervisor The Epidemiology and Patient Perspectives of Glucocorticoid Use in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Inflammatory Diseases Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Rachel Joelle Black
  • Other Supervision Activities

    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2018 - ongoing External Supervisor The association between allostatic load and osteoarthritis University of South Australia Masters by Research Master Part Time Sarah Schwetlik
  • Mentoring

    Date Topic Location Name
    2017 - ongoing Midfoot osteoarthritis University of South Australia John Arnold
  • Board Memberships

    Date Role Board name Institution name Country
    2022 - ongoing Member Board Member and Medical Advisor Arthritis SA Australia
    2020 - 2022 President Australian Rheumatology Association ARA Australia
    2019 - ongoing Member Australian and New Zealand Vasculitis Society Australian and New Zealand Vasculitis Society Australia
    2018 - 2020 Vice-President Australian Rheumatology Association ARA Australia
    2016 - ongoing Secretary Australian Rheumatology Association - Australia
  • Committee Memberships

    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2022 - ongoing Chair Education Committee Asia Pacific League Against Rheumatism Singapore
    2020 - ongoing Board Member Asia Pacific League Against Rheumatism (APLAR) COVID-19 Taskforce The Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology Singapore
    2020 - ongoing Co-Chair Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Hand Osteoarthritis Special Interest Group Canada
    2019 - ongoing Member Hand Osteoarthritis Classification Criteria Working Group European Alliance Association of Rheumatology Switzerland
    2019 - 2022 Chair Consortium Leadership Committee Value in Prescribing bDMARD Program Australia
    2019 - ongoing Member Natural Therapies Expert Advisory Group Commonwealth Government Australia
    2018 - 2020 Chair Policy and Advocacy Committee Australian Rheumatology Association Australia
    2018 - 2019 Member Making Better Care Committee Central Adelaide Local Health Network Australia
    2018 - 2019 Member Expert Advisory Group National Arthritis Strategy Australia
    2018 - ongoing Board Member Australian & New Zealand Vasculitis Society Australian & New Zealand Vasculitis Society Australia
    2017 - ongoing Board Member Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee Australian Government Department of Health Australia
    2017 - ongoing Board Member Research Committee & Research Trust Australian Rheumatology Association Australia
    2017 - ongoing Board Member Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Technical Advisory Group Canada
    2017 - ongoing Board Member Australian Arthritis and Autoimmune Biobank Collaborative (A3BC) Steering Committee Kolling Institute Australia
    2016 - 2015 Member Scientific Review Subcommittee The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Australia
    2016 - ongoing Co-Chair Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Glucocorticoid Impact Working Group Canada
    2016 - ongoing Co-Chair Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Polymyalgia Rheumatica Special Interest Group Canada
    2016 - 2020 Chair Australian Rheumatology Association Database (ARAD) Committee Australian Rheumatology Association Australia
    2016 - 2020 Member ANZMUSC Scientific Advisory Committee Australia & New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network Australia
    2015 - 2017 Member Drug Utilisation Subcommittee Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, Commonwealth Government Australia
    2014 - 2019 Co-Chair Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Patient Perspectives in RA Remission Special Interest Group Canada
    2014 - 2015 President Australian Rheumatology Association (SA Branch) Australian Rheumatology Association Australia
    2014 - 2014 Member NHMRC Assigners Academy National Health and Medical Research Council Australia
    2013 - ongoing Member Drug and Therapeutics Committee Central Adelaide Local Health Network Australia
    2013 - 2018 Member Arthritis Australia Grant Assessment Committee Arthritis Australia Australia
    2011 - 2022 Chair South Australian Medicines Evaluation Panel SA Health Australia
    2011 - 2015 Member NHMRC Grant Review Panel National Health and Medical Research Council Australia
    2011 - ongoing Member South Australian Medicines Advisory Committee SA Health Australia
    2008 - 2012 Member WHO Burden of Disease Osteoarthritis Working Group World Health Organization Switzerland
    2007 - ongoing Board Member Australian Scleroderma Interest Group (ASIG) Scientific Committee Australian Rheumatology Society Australia
    2007 - ongoing Board Member Australian Scleroderma Interest Group (ASIG) Australian Rheumatology Association Australia
    2007 - 2014 Member Epidemiology Abstract Review Panel American College of Rheumatology United States
    2006 - 2010 Chair The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Drugs and Therapeutic Committee The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Australia
    2006 - 2007 President Australian Rheumatology Association (SA Branch) Australian Rheumatology Association Australia
    2005 - ongoing Member Australian Rheumatology Association Database (ARAD) Committee Australian Rheumatology Association Australia
    2004 - 2015 Member Australian Committee for Prescription Medicine Therapeutic Goods Administration Australia
    2004 - 2013 Member The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Drugs and Therapeutic Committee The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Australia
    2004 - 2005 Secretary Australian Rheumatology Association (SA Branch) Australian Rheumatology Association Australia
    2003 - 2015 Member Scientific Subcommittee North West Adelaide Human Ethics Commitee Australia
    2000 - 2018 Member Mortality Review Committee The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Australia
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2019 - ongoing Board Member Australian and New Zealand Vasculitis Society Australia
    2019 - ongoing Member Australian Institute of Company Directors Australia
    2014 - ongoing Member American College of Rheumatology United States
    1996 - ongoing Member Australian Rheumatology Association Australia
    1996 - ongoing Member Royal Australasian College of Physicians Australia
  • Editorial Boards

    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2022 - ongoing Editor Rheumatology Advances in Practice British Society for Rheumatology United Kingdom
    2017 - 2020 Board Member BMC Rheumatology BMC Rheumatology United States
    2017 - 2020 Editor BMC Rheumatology BMC Rheumatology United Kingdom
    2013 - 2016 Board Member Arthritis Care and Research - United States
    2011 - 2015 Editor Arthritis Care and Research American College of Rheumatology United States
  • Review, Assessment, Editorial and Advice

    Date Title Type Institution Country
    2019 - 2020 Research Establishment Fellowships Grant Assessment Royal Australian College of Physicians/Australian Rheumatology Association Australia
    2019 - 2019 Dutch Arthritis Foundation Grant Assessment Dutch Arthritis Foundation Netherlands
    2018 - 2018 New Zealand Research Council Grant Assessment New Zealand Research Council New Zealand
    2018 - 2018 Swiss National Science Foundation Grant Assessment Swiss National Science Foundation Switzerland
    2018 - 2018 United Kingdom Medical Research Council Grant Assessment United Kingdom Medical Research Council United Kingdom
    2007 - 2019 American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting Conference Review American College of Rheumatology Australia

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