Dr James Connell 

Master of Philosophy (Surgery), The University of Adelaide: commenced February 2021

Thesis title: Ecological interactions between fungal and bacterial elements in chronic rhinosinusitis

Supervisors: Professor Alkis Psaltis, Professor PJ Wormald and Associate Professor Sarah Vreugde

James is an Adelaide based doctor with a strong interest in ENT. He most recently worked as an ENT service registrar at Modbury Hospital (2020.) In 2021 he is undertaking a Master of Philosophy (Surgery) at the Basil Hetzel Institute with the ENT research department. His research focus will be in the field of fungal and bacterial interactions in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis.

Fungi is an established and ubiquitous organism in the sinus ecosystem. It has been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis, at least within a clinical subset of individuals with severe disease. Our research will explore the interactions between aspergillus and staphylococcus to determine the existence of a synergistic or inhibitory relationship. Building on previous research within the ENT research group, we hope to determine whether cross-kingdom interactions between these ubiquitous sinonasal organisms have a pathological role in chronic rhinosinusitis.

2013: Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), The University of Adelaide

Professional Associations

2016 – present: Member, Royal Adelaide Hospital Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Research Group

2019 – present: Meeting coordinator, Royal Adelaide Hospital Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Research Group

• ResearchGate: James Connell