The best part of my day is when I feel I am doing meaningful work. Whether that is mentoring a novice researcher, leading a research project with a passionate team, providing dietary intervention to participants in a clinical trial, or developing new research ideas to try and give patients better care, I get excited when innovative ideas are brought to life by hard work.
Innovation meets inspiration in Senior Dietitian and clinician‑researcher Dr Sally Griffin [Ph.D.], whose seminal work is paving the way for enhanced patient outcomes and inspiring the next generation of clinician-researchers.
Sally first launched her Dietetics career in 2012 after a serendipitous course move revealed her passion for the field.
“I originally wanted to pursue a career in media or music as they were my passions, but I was always good at science. I changed into an exercise science course and then went onto a masters of dietetics,” she explained.
After four years of practice in Townsville, Sally made the move to Metro South, where she soon found her new home at Logan Hospital’s Nutrition and Dietetics Department.
By 2017, a fateful discovery soon set the course for Sally to embrace research alongside her clinical work.
“My research interests started later in my dietetics career, and only when I found my passion subject: optimising surgical outcomes for patients living with complex obesity,” Sally explained.
“Since that passion was ignited at Logan Hospital in 2017, I’ve had a mixed journey of clinical and research work, and it’s been very rewarding.”
Today, Sally’s 14-plus years of experience, and her innate curiosity are written in multiple innovative research projects, a 2024 Ph.D., and a renewed passion for enhancing patient outcomes.
Importantly, with the support of a collaborative team behind her, Sally’s research work is breaking down professional silos between dietetics and medicine to ensure people living with complex obesity can receive more personalised, holistic, and effective perioperative care.
“Our team’s greatest strength is our collaborative interdisciplinary power,” she said.
“My research team for my current fellowship is a strong collaboration between surgery and dietetics– all team members are passionate about the same thing. We also have a real respect for each other’s expertise which is amazing to have.”
Sally and her research team are exploring new horizons in 2026 with the launch of an MSH-wide research project that challenges the limitations of care delivery.
“Our research team are getting things ready to start a clinical trial across PAH, Logan and QEII hospitals. The trial will help us work out if providing a remotely delivered preoperative weight loss program is safe and acceptable for colorectal cancer patients with excess weight before their surgery,” Sally explained.
Sally looks forward to a future where research and practice are fully integrated to deliver care that is informed and responsive to frontline needs.
“Implementation of research into practice is at the forefront of my mind,” she said.
“There are so many amazing things dietitians are doing in the research world and in their own practice. Dietitians working on the ground are the ones who know the real ins and outs of patient care–and they know if a research idea is a good one. I would love to see these ideas continue to be fostered and supported, so they can be converted into real improvements for patients.”
Background:
Dr Sally Griffin is currently based at the Centre for Functioning and Health Research (CFAHR) while undertaking an MSH Research Fellowship (MSH Research Support Scheme), alongside an Early Career Researcher Grant (MSH Research Support Scheme), and a role as Senior Research Officer at PA Hospital Nutrition & Dietetics Department.