Staff

Dr Wally Ahmar- MBBS, BSc(Hons), Phd , FRACP, Cardiologist

Dr Wally Ahmar specialises in interventional and general cardiology. He undertook advanced cardiology training at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. His interventional training was conducted at MonashHeart Monash Health with particular emphasis on acute and chronic percutaneous coronary intervention procedures and intravascular ultrasound. He also has an interest in acute coronary syndrome and interventional cardiological procedures. View full profile

Dr Garry Barron – MBChB, FRACP, Cardiologist

Dr Garry Barron is originally from New Zealand, where he attended the University of Otago. The plan was for surgical training following his part 1 FRACS but fate intervened. He undertook his advanced cardiology training in Christchurch. In 1996 Garry moved to Australia to undertake a fellowship in interventional cardiology at Monash Medical Centre for two years. View full profile

Dr Benjamin Dundon – MBBS, PhD, FRACP, Cardiologist

Dr Benjamin Dundon is an interventional cardiologist with expertise in cardiac imaging utilising cardiac CT and MRI. Ben undertook his undergraduate medical degree at the University of Adelaide, followed by specialist cardiology training at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. He has been practising as a consultant cardiologist since 2006. In 2009, Ben completed a three-year PhD and concurrent 2-year clinical fellowship in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). View full profile

Professor Richard Harper – MBBS(Hons), FRACP, FACC, FCSANZ, Interim Director of Cardiology, Emeritus Director of Cardiology

Professor Richard (Rick) Harper is the Interim Director of MonashHeart, Monash Health and Emeritus Director of Cardiology, Monash Medical Centre and Adjunct Professor of Medicine, Monash University. He is also Chair of the Cardiology Committee of the Medical Benefits Schedule Task Force Review. View full profile

Associate Professor Brian Ko – BSc(Medicine), MBBS(Hons), PhD, FRACP, FCSANZ, Cardiologist

Associate Professor Brian Ko graduated with Honours at the University of New South Wales in 2000 and completed his cardiology training at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney in 2008. Brian undertook further specialist training for five years as the interventional fellow / PhD fellow at MonashHeart, Monash Medical Centre and Monash University. He was awarded his PhD in 2013 for his thesis titled “CT stress myocardial perfusion imaging in stable coronary artery disease”. In 2011 Brian completed his level A training in cardiac CT and joined the reporting team in 2013. View full profile

Ms Maree Lawrence – Clinical Nurse Coordinator, Structural Heart Disease Program, MonashHeart

Ms Maree Lawrence is a long standing member of MonashHeart, having commenced in 1998 as a cardiac catheterisation laboratory nurse. During this time she undertook post-graduate education in critical care nursing as well as gaining extensive experience in roles including the clinical applications manager and as research coordinator. She became the structural heart disease clinical coordinator in June 2014. The structural heart program encompasses cases such as transcatheter aortic valve replacement, percutaneous mitral valve repair, percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation, atrial septal and patent foramen ovale closures. Her role incorporates all aspects of pre and post procedural patient management, case scheduling, facilitating weekly ‘heart team’ meetings and providing ongoing patient education and support.

Dr Michael Leung – MBBS(Hons), PhD, FRACP, Cardiologist

Dr Michael Leung graduated from Monash University with honours in 1995, and has subsequently completed an impressive array of traineeships in clinical cardiology and cardiology research. Michael undertook further specialist training for five years as the interventional fellow/PhD fellow at Monash Medical Centre Clayton, before relocating to South Australia for two years to complete a post doctoral cardiology fellowship in cardiac CT (level 2) and MRI (level 2) with Professor Stephen Worthley at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. View full profile

Dr Yuvaraj Malaiapan – MBBS, MD, MRCPI, FRACP, FCSANZ, Cardiologist

Dr Yuvaraj Malaiapan graduated from Christian Medical College, Vellore, India. He completed his physician training in Ipoh, Malaysia and subsequently undertook cardiology training in Penang Hospital, Malaysia. He completed his interventional cardiology training at Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne. View full profile

Dr Liam McCormick – MBBS, MRCP(UK), MD, FRACP, Cardiologist

Dr Liam McCormick joined MonashHeart as a cardiologist and interventional fellow in 2014. He graduated from the University of Western Australia in 2002 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. After spending his early post-graduate years at Royal Perth Hospital, Liam moved to Cambridge, UK in 2005. From there, he completed physician training at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and advanced clinical cardiology training (specialising in interventional cardiology) at Papworth Hospital – the UK’s largest specialist cardiothoracic hospital. View full profile

Dr David McGaw – MBBS, PhD, FRACP, Cardiologist

Completing his undergraduate education at Monash University, Dr David McGaw went on to undertake both his basic physician training and advanced cardiology training at Monash Medical Centre, Clayton. This was then followed with three years of intensive studies completing a PhD “Activin and Follistatin: Interactions with Anticoagulants and Arterial Restenosis” bridging research between cardiology and the Monash Institute lead by Professor David de Kretser. He subsequently completed his interventional fellowship with the Department of Cardiology, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton. View full profile

Dr James Sapontis – BSc(Hons), MBBch, FRACP, FCSANZ, Cardiologist

Dr James Sapontis is the head of complex coronary intervention at MonashHeart and is a world-renowned expert in this field. His sub-specialty is in chronic total occlusion angioplasty and he is regularly invited to speak at international conferences and performs live case demonstrations in this area. View full profile

Associate Professor Sujith Seneviratne, MBBS, FRACP, FCSANZ, Co-Head of Cardiac CT, Cardiologist

Associate Professor Sujith Seneviratne completed his undergraduate medical degree at University of Melbourne in 1996. He undertook his general cardiology training at Wellington Hospital in New Zealand and interventional cardiology training at MonashHeart, Melbourne. Dr Seneviratne has also completed a research fellowship in cardiac CT at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston USA achieving level 3 competency. View full profile

Dr Tony White – MBBS, PhD, FRACP, Cardiologist

Tony is an academic interventional cardiologist who completed his medical degree at the University of Melbourne. Subsequent basic training and cardiology training was at Royal Melbourne Hospital. In 2000 he was awarded the Bryan Hudson medal for the highest nationwide score in the Royal Australasian College of Physicians examinations. Next, he completed a PhD at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute into biomechanical and genetic markers of coronary plaque instability. View full profile

Associate Professor Dennis Wong – BSc (Med), MBBS (Hons), MD, PhD, FRACP, FCSANZ, Cardiologist

Associate Professor Dennis Wong graduated with honours from the University of New South Wales in 2003. He completed his physician, cardiology and all aspects of cardiac imaging (echocardiography, cardiac MRI and cardiac CT) at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. He then completed a two year interventional fellowship at MonashHeart acquiring skills in coronary stenting, intravascular imaging and fractional flow reserve as well as structural intervention. View full profile

Dr Sarah Zaman – MBBS, PhD, FRACP, Cardiologist

Dr Sarah Zaman is an interventional consultant cardiologist at MonashHeart, Monash Health, with an academic appointment at Monash University. Sarah graduated with a Bachelor of Medi-cine/Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Sydney. View full profile