Stephen McDonald

Stephen McDonald

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

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


Professor McDonald is the Director of the Adelaide EpiCentre (Centre for Clinical Epidemiology). Based at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, this is a collaborative platform across the University of Adelaide, Central Adelaide LHN and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute. Established in January 2024, its aim is to support clinical research with has a focus on using biostatistics, clinical epidemiology, health economics.
He is Executive Officer of the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) Registry, based at the South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute, and leads a research group around the ANZDATA and associated Registries. The National Indigenous Kidney Transplant Taskforce is also located with this group.
In his clinical role he is a Senior Staff Nephrologist at the Central Northern Renal and Transplantation Service (based at the Royal Adelaide Hospital), and Clinical Director of Renal Services for the Country Health SA Local Health Network.
His research interests focus around use of Clinical Quality Registries to improve medical care, in particular access to and outcomes of dialysis and kidney transplantation. Within his research group there are a variety of projects using tool from complex biostatistical methods to qualitative approaches. Associated research activities span a variety of projects including data linkage, exploration of patient-reported outcomes and Registries, the role of consumers in research and improving access to transplantation.

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2024 - ongoing Director, Adelaide EpiCentre University of Adelaide
    2024 - ongoing Professorial Research Fellow University of Adelaide
    2015 - ongoing Principal Research Fellow SA Health & Medical Research Institute
    2014 - 2023 Director of Dialysis Central Northern Adelaide Renal and Transplantation Service
    2014 - 2024 Clinical Professor University of Adelaide
    2010 - ongoing Senior Staff Specialist Central Northern Adelaide Renal and Transplantation Service
    2009 - ongoing Clinical DIrector, Renal Services Country Health SA LHN
    2006 - ongoing Executive Officer ANZDATA Registry
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2021 Award Advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Maori Equity Award Australia & NZ Society of Nephrology Australia -
    2015 Award T J Neale award ANZ Society of Nephrology Australia -
    2006 Award Kidney Health Australia Award Kidney Health Australia Australia -
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    University of Adelaide Australia MBBS(Hons)
    Flinders University Australia PhD
    Royal Australasian College of Physicians Australia FRACP
  • Research Interests

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

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 Principal Supervisor Administration of Enoxaparin to Prevent Extracorporeal Circuit (ECC) Thrombosis in haemodialysis – determining the optimal dose and route of administration. Master of Philosophy (Medical Science) Master Part Time Miss Rachel Yi Ping Tan
    2019 Co-Supervisor The Benefits and Burdens of Kidney Transplantation for First Nations Australians Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Samantha Bateman
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2016 - 2021 Principal Supervisor Identification of factors affecting access to Kidney transplant waiting list and outcomes among Indigenous Australians Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Namrata Khanal
    2014 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Favourable cardiac remodeling and functional cardiac benefits assessed with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging following ligation of arteriovenous fistula in stable kidney transplant recipients: a randomised, controlled, open label study Master of Philosophy (Medical Science) Master Part Time APrf Nitesh Nikilesh Rao
    2007 - 2012 Principal Supervisor Endothelial Progenitor Cells, Uraemic Toxins and the Development of Endothelial Dysfunction in Chronic Kidney Disease Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Shaundeep Sen
  • Other Supervision Activities

    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2016 - ongoing External Supervisor Epidemiology of chronic kidney disease in Queensland Univeristy of Queensland PhD Doctorate Part Time Kensoon Tan
    2009 - 2013 External Supervisor Outcomes of kidney transplantation University of Sydney PhD Doctorate Part Time Philip Clayton
  • Committee Memberships

    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2019 - ongoing Member Clinical Quality Registry Framework Advisory Committee Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care Australia
    2018 - ongoing Chair Registries Special Interest Group Australasian Clinical Trials Alliance Australia
    2016 - 2019 Member Research Advisory Committee Australia & NZ Society of Nephrology Australia
    2016 - ongoing Member Clinical Research Sub-Committee SA Academic Health Science and Translation Centre Australia
    2016 - 2018 Member Renal Medicine Clinical Committee MBS Review Taskforce, Commonwealth Department of Health Australia
    2013 - ongoing Member Expert Advisory Committee, Chronic Kidney Disease Data monitoring Centre, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Australia
    2010 - ongoing Member Senior Examiners' Panel Royal Australasian College of Physicians Australia
    2004 - 2010 Member National Examiners' Panel Royal Australasian College of Physicians Australia
  • Editorial Boards

    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2004 - ongoing Associate Editor Nephrology - Australia

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