Susanna Proudman

Susanna Proudman

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

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

Dr Susanna Proudman graduated from Adelaide University in 1987 and trained in rheumatology at the Royal Adelaide Hospital where she is now Rheumatology Unit Director. As an ARA Michael Mason Fellow, she trained with Professor Paul Emery in Leeds, establishing one of the first Early Arthritis Clinics in the world.

Recent research interests include “best practice” management of early rheumatoid arthritis with an emphasis on “treat-to-target” therapy, the role of omega-3 fatty acids and periodontal disease and standardized management of systemic sclerosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension. In establishing a “Centre of Excellence” for the treatment of PAH in SSc and as Chair of the Australian Scleroderma Interest Group, she established the Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study in 2007 with collaborations such as the International Systemic Sclerosis Inception Cohort (INSYNC) and the Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium Damage Index working group. She is Medical Director of Arthritis Australia and Chair of the Actelion Clinical Excellence Program.

My Research

Susanna Proudman graduated from Adelaide University in 1987 and trained in rheumatology at the Royal Adelaide Hospital where she is now Rheumatology Unit Director. As an ARA Michael Mason Fellow, she trained with Professor Paul Emery in Leeds, establishing one of the first Early Arthritis Clinics in the world.

Recent research interests include “best practice” management of early rheumatoid arthritis with an emphasis on “treat-to-target” therapy, the role of omega-3 fatty acids and periodontal disease and standardized management of systemic sclerosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension.  In establishing a “Centre of Excellence” for the treatment of PAH in SSc and as Chair of the Australian Scleroderma Interest Group, she established the Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study in 2007 with collaborations such as the International Systemic Sclerosis Inception Cohort (INSYNC) and the Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium Damage Index working group. She is Medical Director of Arthritis Australia and Chair of the Actelion Clinical Excellence Program.

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2016 - ongoing Head of Unit Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide
    2012 - 2014 Clinical lead Central Adelaide Local Health Network
    2011 - ongoing Clinical Associate Professor University of Adelaide
    2011 - 2015 Research Scientist - Grade 5 Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide
    1998 - ongoing Senior Staff Specialist, Rheumatology Royal Adelaide Hospital

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2014 Award Taverner Award for best presentation - - -
    2013 Award State ARA award for best clinical presentation - - -
    2012 Award Award for Best Clinical Paper - - -

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    1994 Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Sydney Australia Fellow
    1990 Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Sydney Australia Part I; Fellowship Examination
    University of Adelaide Australia MBBS (Hons)

  • Certifications
    Date Title Institution name Country
    2014 Fellow Royal Australasian College of Physicians -

  • Research Interests
    Cardiac, Respiratory and Vascular Health Musculoskeletal Health Immunology and Infection Innovative Therapeutics
Grants and Funding
2009-2012 Identification of microRNAs in Scleroderma. Goodall Y, Goodall G, Proudman S, Hissaria P NHMRC Project Grant ID 626945 $138 500 p.a.
2010-2013 Unrestricted educational grant, Actelion Australia Proudman S, Stevens W, Roddy J, Youssef P, Gabbay E. Australian Scleroderma Interest Group $450 000
2011 Therapeutic drug monitoring of leflunomide Wiese M, Proudman S, O’Doherty, James M, Cleland L Arthritis Australia Barbara Cameron Memorial Grant $15 000
2011 A novel screening biomarker in screening for PAH in SSc Stevens W, Proudman S, Nikpour M. Arthritis Australia project grant $20 000
2011 SSc serum microenvironment dysregulates endothelial progenitor cell migration and tubulogenic ability and contributes to vasculopathy Hissaria P, Bonder C, Proudman S, Patterson K. Arthritis Australia grant-in-aid $20 000
2011-2014 How are periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis inter-related? Bartold M, Smith M, Haynes D, Proudman SM App. No. 023747 NHMRC $544,261.00
2013 Therapeutic drug monitoring in intensive therapy for rheumatoid arthritis using methotrexate loading Proudman SM, Wiese M Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Foundation $35 000
2014 Identification of factors that influence efficacy and toxicity with leflunomide in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis Wiese M, Proudman SM, Shanahan M Arthritis Australia Grant in Aid $14, 000
2014-2016 A Clinical Trial of Anticoagulation in Scleroderma Heart-Lung Disease Nikpour M, Buchbinder R, Prior D, Nandurkar H, Williams T, Gabbay E, Proudman S, Nash P, Zochling J, Stevens W. NHMRC APP1062638 $ 1,139,571
2015 The effect of biological agent treatment of rheumatoid arthritis on periodontal disease. Proudman S, Bartold M RAH Research Fund $35 000
2015 VCAM1 as a therapeutic target in scleroderma Brown M, Kenna T, Proudman S, Stevens W, Nikpour M Arthritis Australia PG422015 $25 000
2016 Intracellular Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drug Concentrations in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Proudman S, Moghaddami M, Wiese M Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Foundation $49 118

  

Teaching

I contribute to undergraduate teaching for the University of Adelaide School of Medicine, with lectures in years 2 and 4 and clinical skills workshops in years 3 and 4. I am the coordinator of the Rheumatology component of the 4th Year Medical Student musculoskeletal teaching programme. I have been involved in year 4, 5 and 6 clinical examinations and setting and marking exam questions.

Postgraduate teaching includes tutorials, short case rounds, long cases and trial examinations for basic physician trainees and supervision of advanced trainees in rheumatology (clinical and research). I have been the advanced training supervisor for more than 15 advanced trainees, and supervised many of these in research projects which have resulted in presentations and awards  at national or international meetings and publications. I have supervised two vacation students, one Honours student and three PhD students.

I have examined one Master of Philosophy Thesis (The RAGE glycine 82 serine polymorphism and cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis, L Carroll, The University of Queensland Student Number 33160957) and one PhD, Monash University 2012.

I have examined for the Australian Medical Council and I am on the National Examination Panel for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians Membership exams.

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2025 Principal Supervisor Improving outcomes in systemic sclerosis-related vasculopathy Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Kimti Kiran Warren
    2024 Principal Supervisor Investigating the association between seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease and myeloid neoplasms. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Lih En Hong
    2022 Co-Supervisor Rheumatoid Arthritis and Exercise in Australia Master of Clinical Science Master Part Time Dr Julia New-Tolley
    2020 Co-Supervisor Cardiopulmonary exercise testing for screening of pulmonary hypertension in a clinical population of Scleroderma patients. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mrs Sarah Ann Madigan

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Outcomes of Proximal Humerus Fractures in Children Master of Philosophy (Surgery) Master Part Time Mr Samuel Richard Abbot
    2021 - 2025 Co-Supervisor Artificial intelligence for the discovery of clinically relevant biomarkers in the assessment of rheumatoid arthritis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Alix Bird
    2017 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Optimising management in ANCA-associated vasculitis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Joanna Tieu
    2005 - 2010 Co-Supervisor Knowledge Engineering Complex Decision Support System in Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Ning Pan
    2002 - 2008 Co-Supervisor Applications of Real Time Musculoskeletal Ultrasonography in Rheumatology Practice Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Anita Lee

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2012 - 2015 External Supervisor OPTIMISING REMISSION AND TREATMENT OUTCOMES IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS Flinders University Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mihir Wechalekar

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2016 - ongoing Member Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium Scleroderma Renal Crisis working group - -
    2015 - ongoing Member Systemic Sclerosis 4th World Congress Scientific Committee - -
    2014 - ongoing Member Medical Director Arthritis Australia - -
    2014 - ongoing Founder The Australian New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Group (ANZMusc) - -
    2014 - ongoing Chair Australian Clinical Excellence Program Steering Committee - -
    2013 - ongoing Member National Examiners Panel, Royal College of Physicians - -
    2012 - ongoing Member Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium Damage Index working group - -
    2011 - ongoing Member Pulmonary Hypertension Society ANZ Steering Committee - -
    2011 - ongoing Member RAH Research Grants Committee - -
    2011 - 2014 Member RAH Outpatient Clinical Leadership Group - -
    2010 - ongoing Member Arthritis Australia Grant Review Committee - -
    2010 - ongoing Member Australian Clinical Excellence Program Steering Committee - -
    2009 - 2014 Member The Connective Tissue Disease associated Interstitial Lung Disease (CTD-ILD) working group of Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) - -
    2006 - ongoing Member Pulmonary Interstitial Vascular, Orphan transplantation (PIVOT) committee Australian Lung Foundation -
    2006 - ongoing Chair Australian Scleroderma Interest Group - -
    1998 - ongoing Member Med IV Musculoskeletal Clinical Sciences Committee - -

  • Memberships
    Date Role Membership Country
    2013 - ongoing Member American College of Rheumatology -
    2009 - ongoing Member Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium -
    2009 - ongoing Member South Australian Salaried Medical Officers Association -
    1997 - ongoing Member Australian Rheumatology Association -

  • Consulting/Advisories
    Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country
    2008 - 2014 ARA Arthritis Research Trust Scientific Advisory Board - - -
Connect With Me
External Profiles