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Our Team
Our multidisciplinary team brings together clinicians and researchers with a shared mission to improve outcomes for PMR and GCA.
Rheumatologist
Dr Claire Owen
MBBS (Hons), PhD, FRACP, CCPU
Dr Claire Owen is the Director of Rheumatology at Austin Health and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at The University of Melbourne.
Since commencing her PhD studies in 2014, Claire has developed internationally-recognised expertise in the use of imaging modalities including ultrasound, MRI, and whole-body PET/CT for both PMR and GCA.
Claire leads the dedicated PMR/GCA Clinic at Austin Health, which offers an evidence-based, protocolised model of care, delivered alongside a research program focusing on advancing the diagnosis and management of these rheumatic diseases.
Since 2017, Claire has also been an active contributor to the PMR Working Group of OMERACT, an international collaboration of clinicians, researchers and patient partners committed to improving outcome measures in rheumatology, and presently serves as the Group's Co-Chair.
Claire also serves as Secretary for the Australasian Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Large Vessel Vasculitis Interest Group (APLIG).
Rheumatologist & Clinical Pharmacologist
Dr David Liew
MBBS, BMedSc, FRACP
Dr David Liew is a rheumatologist, clinical pharmacologist and early career researcher based at Austin Health, and is currently a research doctoral candidate, with experience in clinical and laboratory research, as well as running and participating in national and international research collaboratives.
His research interests include PMR, immune-related adverse events from checkpoint inhibitors for cancer, value-based rational prescribing/quality use of medicines, and pharmaceutical drug safety.
David is the founding project lead of the Medicines Optimisation Service at Austin Health, and is a clinical contributor to public policy, including authoring reports for the Victorian Government and serving as a member of the Australian Government’s PBAC Drug Utilisation Subcommittee.
Since 2023, David has served as Medical Director of Arthritis Australia, the country's peak arthritis body and leading national arthritis charity.
David is also a medical speciality media communicator with active written, audio, and video commitments, including guest series editor at Rheumatology Advances in Practice and editorial board member at both The Lancet Rheumatology and Drug Safety.
Rheumatologist
Dr Jessica Leung
MBBS, BMedSc, FRACP
Dr Jessica Leung is Deputy Director of Rheumatology at Austin Health, where she manages both outpatient clinics and inpatient ward service, as well as being Clinical Trials Lead for the Rheumatology Department.
She is currently undertaking a PhD examining PMR, for which she was awarded the Ronald John Gleghorn Bursary by The University of Melbourne.
Jessica has an interest in managing a broad range of rheumatological conditions and has particular expertise in PMR and GCA.
Rheumatologist & Clinical Pharmacologist
Dr Christopher McMaster
MBBS, BSc/BA, GradDipBiostats, CHIA, FRACP
Dr Chris McMaster is a rheumatologist at Austin Health. He is also a PhD student in the Centre for Digital Transformation of Health and School of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne, where he focuses on machine learning in medicine, both applications and methods development.
His clinical research interests include pharmacovigilance, medication stewardship, imaging in rheumatic diseases and clinical informatics applied to the electronic medical record. His machine learning interests are varied, ranging from computer vision to natural language processing.
Rheumatologist
A/Prof Russell Buchanan
MBBS (Hons), MD, FRACP
A/Prof Russell Buchanan is a rheumatologist and former Director of Rheumatology at Austin Health, as well as an Honorary Principal Fellow in the Department of Medicine at the University of Melbourne.
A/Prof Buchanan completed his specialist training in Australia and Canada, with fellowships at McMaster University and the University of Toronto, before establishing his clinical and academic practice in Melbourne.
Over a career spanning several decades, his work has focused on transforming patient outcomes through advanced diagnostics and clinical research.
Rheumatologist
Dr Bonnia Liu
BSc (Hons), MD, FRACP, AANMS
Dr Bonnia Liu is a dual-trained consultant rheumatologist and nuclear medicine physician at Austin Health and Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Since 2025, she has been a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne, supported by an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship. Her research focuses on advancing the use of molecular imaging in PMR and GCA.
She developed international research collaborations during a research fellowship at the University Medical Centre Groningen, Netherlands, where she is investigating the application of PET/CT-derived radiomic biomarkers in PMR.
Rheumatologist
Dr Victor Yang
MBBS (Hons), FRACP
Dr Victor Yang is a rheumatologist at Austin Health and PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne.
His doctoral research is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Postgraduate Scholarship.
Victor is also a Fellow of the OMERACT PMR Working Group, contributing to the development of a core outcome set for PMR research.
Rheumatology Advanced Trainee
Dr Saskia Rowson
MBBS (Hons), BMedSci (Hons), DipLang (Japanese)
Dr Saskia Rowson is a final year Rheumatology Advanced Trainee with a special interest in PMR.
She has specialty experience working in busy tertiary services including Monash Health, Austin Health, and Northern Health.
She is completing her specialty training via a PhD on PMR and its functional impacts, supported by an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship.
Nuclear Medicine Physician
Dr Aurora Poon
MBBS, FRACP
Dr Aurora Poon is a senior Nuclear Medicine Physician within the Department of Molecular Imaging and Therapy at Austin Health. She holds an academic affiliation with the Department of Medicine at the University of Melbourne.
Aurora has built a distinguished career combining clinical practice with highly collaborative molecular imaging research. Her work bridges advanced nuclear medicine technologies and targeted diagnostic strategies, focusing on systemic inflammatory conditions and neurodegenerative disorders.