Professor Clara Gaff PhD FHGSA | Deputy Chair
Professor Clara Gaff is the Executive Director of Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance, a twelve year change program funded by the Victorian Department of Health and ten collaborating member organisations (leading hospitals, academic and research organisations). Clara has been at the forefront of introducing genetic innovation into health services since the beginning of her career. She leads a diverse portfolio of education, genomic information, and research activities, successfully accelerating the implementation of genomics into the health system.
Under her leadership, the Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance provided the first real-time evidence for genomics in patient care, informed state and federal funding for genomic tests, produced internationally-adopted education resources, and commercialised a world-leading clinical genomic data management platform.
An experienced genetic counsellor, Clara has contributed internationally to ethical and responsible policy, practice and public engagement. She has served on national and international advisory committees on health translation, ethics and genomics, for bodies such as the National Health and Medical Research, Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) and Genome Canada.
Professor Gaff undertook her PhD research at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and postdoctoral research at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. She holds postgraduate qualifications in health service research and evaluation, is a registered Genetic Counsellor and has an honorary appointment at the University of Melbourne. She established the Royal Melbourne Hospital Familial Cancer Centre with oncology colleagues. Her international leadership has been recognised by the National Society of Genetic Counsellors (USA).