Dr Lesley McKarney
Dr Lesley McKarney obtained her PhD in stem cell biology from Monash University in 1996. Following that, she undertook a postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada, where she studied dopamine-related illnesses such as schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, and Tourette syndrome. Her research training in developmental biology and neuroscience provided the opportunity to develop transferable skills such as problem solving, analytical skills, report writing and project management skills; the ability to present her work at scientific and in-house meetings; publish in peer-reviewed journals; and communicate with peers and collaborators, including physicians and scientists.
In 2000, Dr McKarney left bench research to pursue a career in medical and scientific communication. For two years, she was the Editorial Director at Geriatrics & Aging, a leading Canadian continuing medical education (CME) journal that publishes review articles specific to the care of aging adults. The Journal reaches over 10,000 family physicians and specialists in Canada alone. Her duties included overseeing the production of the Journal and its sponsored supplements, as well as directing and developing CME presentations for the website through collaboration with geriatricians in Canada and the United States. During her time as editor of this journal, Dr McKarney became very familiar with not only the health conditions common to the ageing population, but also issues surrounding access and availability of care for this cohort.
Lesley has broad knowledge of primary care and extensive experience in the area of oncology and diabetes pharmaceuticals. For example, she has produced branded pharmaceutical promotional material and non-branded educational material for oncology specialists, pharmacists, nurses, and regional sales representatives. She has many years’ experience in research and development of medical educational materials for pharmaceutical clients and for government agencies.