Congratulations to Helen Liley for her promotion to Professor by The University of Queensland.

Professor Liley has an impressive track record in research, teaching and clinical leadership in Newborn Medicine, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to quality care and medical research within Australia, as well as to medical education and medical training.

She has excelled in forward thinking and the creation of opportunities, with a particular focus on neonatal resuscitation and ensuing critical care, and on patient blood management. Helen has driven profound innovations in these areas, including Australia’s first formal course of training in neonatal resuscitation, which inspired similar courses nationwide. Helen has also played a critical role in the development of evidence-based national and international guidelines.

Professor Liley is currently leading the PAEAN study (Preventing Adverse outcomes of Neonatal hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) with Erythropoietin) which aims to reduce the severity of brain injury in babies who have suffered too little oxygen or blood supply to the brain during birth. 

Her research is opening a critical opportunity for Australia to continue building its reputation and capacity for interventional studies, to match our steady output of observational and follow-up research. Examples such as the PAEAN study are one of the most tangible proofs of Helen’s commitment to improving the outcomes of infants who need resuscitation at birth and subsequent intensive care.

We very much look forward to seeing Professor Helen Liley in her future publications, and many other professional activities.

Professor Liley is a member of the Neonatal Task Force of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, the Australian Resuscitation Council and its Executive, the Policy Committee of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand and the National Blood Authority Patient Blood Management Guidelines Expert Working Group.