Dr Joan O'Donnell

Lecturer
PhD MSc(Med) BAppSc(OT)

Email: joan.odonnell@nd.edu.au
ORCID

  • Biography

    Dr Joan O'Donnell is a lecturer at the University of Notre Dame of Australia and an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Sydney. Joan teaches in undergraduate and post-graduate Occupational Therapy programmes. Joan is a registered occupational therapy driver assessor and a practicing clinician. Joan has a BAppSc(OT) and MSc(Med) from the University of Sydney and a PhD in Clinical Medicine from Macquarie University.

    During her candidature, Joan was awarded a Post-Graduate Research Fellowship and the Dean's Award for Excellence in Higher Degree Research. Joan's research focussed on quality of life and medical fitness to drive following neurological disorders and cerebrovascular surgery. Joan has worked in public and private institutions in neurosurgery, neurology, oncology, orthopaedics, aged care, occupational rehabilitation and driving assessments. Her current research projects include driving after spinal surgery, older drivers' use of advanced vehicle technology (MOVETech) and cognitive assessments to screen fitness to drive.

  • Teaching areas

    • Professional Communication
    • Neuroscience for occupational therapy practice
    • Driver screening for occupational therapists
    • Evidence-based practice
    • Cognitive assessment and interventions

  • Research expertise and supervision

    • Medical conditions and fitness to drive
    • Functional outcomes measurement
    • Quality of life
    • Function after Cerebrovascular neurosurgery
    • Functional cognition
    • Neuroscience for occupational therapy

  • Journals articles and proceedings

    • Pearce G., O'Donnell J. M., Pimental R., Blake E., Mackenzie L. Interventions to Facilitate Return to Work after Stroke: A Systematic Review (2023) International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(15) 6469. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20156469
    • O'Donnell J.M., Morgan M.K. Manuguerra M., Bervini D., Assaad N.A., (2021) Patient functional outcomes and quality of life after surgery for unruptured brain arteriovenous malformation. Acta Neurochirurgica, 163(7), 2047-2054. DOI: 10.1007/s00701-021-04827-x
    • Johnston B.J., O'Donnell J.M., Manuguerra M., Davidson A.S., (2021) Test–retest reliability of touchscreen DriveSafe DriveAware. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 68(2), 106-114. DOI: 10.1111/1440-1630.12706
    • O'Donnell J.M., Morgan M.K., Manuguerra M., (2019) Patient functional outcomes and quality of life after surgery for unruptured intracranial aneurysm: a prospective cohort study. Journal of Neurosurgery, 130(1):278-285 ISSN: 0022-3085; DOI:10.3171/2017.8.JNS171576
    • O'Donnell, J. M., Al-Shahi Salman, R., Manuguerra, M., Assaad, N., & Morgan, M. K. (2018). Quality of life and disability 12 months after surgery vs. conservative management for unruptured brain arteriovenous malformations: Scottish population-based and Australian hospital-based studies. Acta Neurochirurgica, 160:559-66: doi:10.1007/s00701-017-3451-2.
    • Morgan M.K., O'Donnell J.M., Heller G.Z., Rogers J. M. (2018) Comparing outcome scales for unruptured intracranial aneurysms: A prospective cohort study. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience 58: 56-63.
    • O'Donnell J. M., Morgan M.K., Bervini D., Heller G.Z., Assaad N.A. (2016) The Risk of Seizure After Surgery for Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: A Prospective Cohort Study. Neurosurgery 0:1–8, 2015; DOI: 10.1227/NEU.0000000000001176
    • O'Donnell J. M., Morgan M.K., Heller G.Z. (2017), The risk of seizure following surgery for brain arteriovenous malformation (bAVM): A prospective cohort study. Neurosurgery 81(6): 935-948 https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/neuros/nyx101
    • O'Donnell J., Morgan M.K.,(2015) Reply to Letter to the Editor: Quality of life of patients affected by unruptured brain AVMs. Journal of Neurosurgery  122(4), 984-986 http://thejns.org.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/doi/full/10.3171/2014.9.JNS141969
    • Lai, L. T., O'Donnell J., Morgan M.K. (2013). "The risk of seizures during the in-hospital admission for surgical or endovascular treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms." Journal of Clinical Neuroscience 20(11): 1498-1502.
    • O'Donnell J., Morgan M.K., et al, DriveSafe/DriveAware: A Normal Population Test Retest Reliability Study (2013). "Wednesday 24th July." Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 60: 1-50.
    • O'Donnell J., Morgan M.K., et al DriveSafe/DriveAware: A Normal Population Test Retest Reliability Study (2013). "Wednesday 24th July." Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 60: 1-50.
    • O'Donnell J., Morgan M.K., et al Fitness to drive After Surgery for Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms and Brain AVMs: Pre and Post Treatment Results on DriveSafe/DriveAware (2013). "Wednesday 24th July." Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 60: 1-50.

  • Conference papers

    • Tschochner M*, Strautins K, James I, Leary S, Choo L, Clark H, Dunn D, Chopra A, Cooper D, Kermode A, Carroll W, Nolan D. Contribution of EBV infection to Multiple Sclerosis Pathogenesis: Human leukocyte antigen restricted, EBV epitope-specific T cell responses in Multiple Sclerosis. Science on the Swan, 3-5 May, 2016, Perth, Western Australia
    • Strautins K*, Tschochner M, Berry, James I, Leary S, Choo L, Clark H, Pedrini M, Kermode A, Carroll W, Nolan D. Identifying novel potential cross-reactive targets in Multiple Sclerosis. Science on the Swan, 3-5 May, 2016, Perth, Western Australia
    • Tschochner M*, Strautins K, James I, Leary S, Choo L, Clark H, Dunn D, Chopra A, Cooper D, Kermode A, Carroll W, Nolan D. Investigating the Role of Epstein-Barr Virus in Multiple Sclerosis Pathogenesis. SWAN 18 April, 2016. Perth, Western Australia
    • Tschochner M*, Strautins K, Berry C, James I, Leary S, Choo L, Clark H, Chopra A, Cooper D, Kermode A, Carroll W, Nolan D. Investigating the role of EBV infection in multiple sclerosis pathogenesis. Symposium of WA Neuroscience, 30 September 2014. Perth, Western Australia (oral presentation).
    • Strautins K*, Tschochner M, James I, Choo L, Dunn D, Pedrini M, Kermode A, Carroll W, Nolan D. Combining genetic risk factors, gender and anti-Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) antibody profiles, using a novel anti-EBV nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1) B cell epitope ELISA, to stratify Multiple Sclerosis risk. Sixth Congress of the Pan-Asian Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (PACTRIMS), 6-8 November 2013, Kyoto, Japan.
    • Tschochner M*, Leary S, Strautins K, Clark H, Cooper D, Chopra A, Choo L, Carroll W, Kermode A, Nolan D, Multiple Sclerosis Patient Sequence Variation In Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigen 1 Using 454 FLX technology, Sixth Congress of the Pan-Asian Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (PACTRIMS), 6-8 November 2013, Kyoto, Japan.
    • Plauzolles A*, Gaudieri S, Chopra A, Merani S, Pfafferott K, Tschochner M, Cooper D, Applegate T, Matthews G, ATAHC study group, HCV adaptation to host T-cell immune responses during acute infection: relevance to infection and treatment outcomes. Combined Biological Science meeting (CBSM) 30. August 2013, Perth, Western Australia (oral presentation).
    • Tschochner M*, Leary S, Strautins K, Clark H, Chopra A, Choo L, Carroll W, Kermode A, Nolan D. Identifying Epstein-Barr virus EBNA-1 sequence variation using 454 FLX technology in Multiple Sclerosis patient samples. Keystone Symposia, January 11 - January 16, 2013. Big Sky, Montana, USA, abstract 3011. Strautins K*, Tschochner M, Berry C, Nolan D. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific antibodies in multiple sclerosis patients, including targeted investigation of a candidate EBV nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1) B cell epitope. 28th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS). 10-13 October, 2012. Lyon, France, abstract 349.
    • Matthews GV*, Applegate T, Tschochner M, Plauzolles A, Mallal S, Grebely J, Hellard M, Lloyd AR5, Kaldor JM, Dore GJ and Gaudieri S, on behalf of the ATAHC Study Group. Ultra- deep sequencing analysis of treatment naive subjects with recently acquired hepatitis C infection demonstrates widespread amino acid variation at key protease and polymerase sites occurring at low frequency. American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases 62nd Annual Meeting, 4-8.November 2011, San Francisco, California.
    • Castley A, Tschochner M*, James I, Kermode A, CarrollW, Sayer D, Christiansen F, Witt C, Nolan D. Investigation of promoter HLA-DRB1 polymorphism in relation to a putative VDRE motif: HLA-DRB1 allele associations and influence on risk of multiple sclerosis. ECTRIMS & ACTRIMS 2011 Congress, 19-22 October 2011 Amsterdam, Netherlands, abstract 941.
    • Tschochner M*, Leary S, Nolan D. Identifying potential targets for Epstein-Barr virus-associated molecular mimicry in T cell-mediated autoimmunity of Multiple Sclerosis. ECTRIMS & ACTRIMS 2011 Congress, 19-22 October 2011 Amsterdam, Netherlands, abstract 720.
    • Tschochner M*, Rohrbach J, Cooper D, Merani S, Chopra A, Witteck A, Battegay M, Furrer H, Günthard H, Mallal S, Rauch A, Gaudieri S, and the Swiss HIV Cohort Study. Characterisation of Hepatitis C Virus evolution in HIV/HCV Coinfected Individuals Using Deep Sequencing Technology: Relevance for New Antiviral Drugs and Disease Outcome. 22nd Annual Australasian Society for HIV Medicine Conference (ASHM), 20-22 October 2010, Sydney, Australia, abstract 590 (oral presentation).
    • Tschochner M, Rohrbach J, Cooper D, Chopra A, Merani S, Witteck A, Battegay M, Günthard H, Furrer H, Mallal S, Rauch A, Gaudieri S* and the Swiss HIV Cohort Study. Identification of HCV Minority Species in HIV/HCV Coinfected Individuals using Deep Sequencing Technology: Relevance for new Anti-HCV Drugs and Host Immune Responses to HCV. 17th International Meeting on Hepatitis C Virus and Related Viruses, 10-14 September 2010, Yokohama, Japan, abstract 210.
    • Rohrbach J*, Tschochner M, Chopra A, Shahzma Merani, Witteck A, Battegay M, Günthard H, Furrer H, Gaudieri S, Rauch A and the Swiss HIV Cohort Study. Influence of HAART on Hepatitis C Virus escape from CD8+ T cell immune pressure. 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. 16-19 February 2010, San Francisco, USA.
    • Tschochner M.*, James I., Almeida CA., Keane NM, Roberts S, Bronke C, Chopra A, Maiden TM., Ahmad IF., Gaudieri S., Furrer H, Günthard HF., Mallal S., Rauch A, John M., Effects of HIV-1 Immune Selection on Susceptability to Integrase Inhibitor Resistance. 12th European AIDS Conference/EACS., 11-14 November, 2009, Cologne, Germany.

  • Awards

    • 2015 Macquarie Uniersity Post-Graduate Research Scholarship
    • 2018 Macquarie University Dean's Award for Excellence in Higher Degree Research