InforMD's A/Prof Wendy Ingman spoke to Mariella Attard about new U.S. research study suggesting that premenopausal women with a strong family history of breast cancer are more likely to have dense breasts.
Read the full article here.
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Dr Leigh Guerin
Director of the Board
Dr Leigh Guerin is a registered patent attorney and Senior Associate at the firm of Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick with 15 years’ experience in a large range of biomedical technologies. He graduated with a PhD in Medicine from the University of Adelaide in 2010 and obtained a Masters of Intellectual Property Law from the University of Melbourne in 2014. Prior to his current role, Leigh was a post-doctoral research fellow at Harvard University in the department of Stem Cells & Regenerative Biology and the department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, researching immune mechanism at the fetal-maternal interface during pregnancy.
Gerda Evans OAM
InforMD Member
Gerda is the InforMD Breast Cancer Community Advisor. She has a personal and strong family history of breast cancer and was diagnosed in 1989, and three of her four sisters and other close relatives have also had breast cancer. Gerda has represented Breast Cancer Network Australia since its establishment in 1998 and has contributed to familial and genetic cancer studies on local, national, and international committees. With her background in oncology nursing (Clinical Nurse Specialist in I.V. and chemotherapy at the Royal Marsden Hospital UK and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre), and her personal and family experience of breast cancer, Gerda has credibility with researchers, clinicians, research participants, the community, and people affected by breast cancer. Gerda is currently the co-chair of the Australian Breast Density Consumer Advisory Council (ABDCAC) and interested in issues around breast cancer risk, detection, and management.
Associate Professor Kara Britt
InforMD Member
Kara leads a team at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre researching breast cancer risk in an effort to develop preventative therapies. Kara’s research has been supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council, National Breast Cancer Foundation, and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Her research interests include understanding why parity (childbearing) decreases breast cancer risk, and why breast density, estrogen exposure, obesity and age increases risk. Kara is interested in defining the initiation steps of breast cancer in an effort to block them therapeutically.
Professor Rik Thompson
InforMD Member
Rik has been researching breast cancer for over 30 years and is currently Professor of Breast Cancer Research at the Queensland University of Technology. He has developed clinically relevant models to help understand how high breast density contributes to increased breast cancer risk, assessed novel technology for measuring breast density, and has an interest in clinical utility of breast density in predicting hormomal therapy response. His research has been supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council, National Breast Cancer Foundation, The Translational Research Institute and the Princess Alexandra Hospital Foundation.
Kathryn Keen
Director of the Board and Secretary
Kathryn Keen has over 25 years of global operational administration and leadership experience spanning architecture, defence and engineering. As a Partner with UK-headquartered Foster + Partners, Kathryn managed multi-country teams and administrative operations. Returning to Australia in 2020, she led Lockheed Martin’s national administration team and now leads people-centred administrative operations as Group Administration Manager at Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec (WGA).
Recognised for her practical, solutions-focused approach, Kathryn translates strategic objectives into clear processes and measurable outcomes. She is passionate about inclusion and community, mentors through the SA chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction and volunteers with Reconciliation SA and parkrun.
Kathryn’s governance experience includes 5 years as Director and Secretary for UK-based charity Corinthian Chamber Orchestra. Kathryn co-chairs WGA’s Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group and serves on the Security Committee and Operational Risks and Opportunities Committee.
Associate Professor Jennifer Stone
Director and Deputy Chair of the Board
Jennifer is a cancer epidemiologist/biostatistician and Head of the Genetic Epidemiology Group at the University of Western Australia in Perth, Australia. As a Cancer Council WA Principal Research Fellow, her research aims to improve breast cancer screening by accumulating translatable evidence for the clinical use of risk factors, like breast density and body mass index, to tailor screening and improve breast cancer outcomes through early diagnosis and risk-reducing strategies. Jennifer established (and co-chairs) the Australian Breast Density Consumer Advisory Council in 2019 to provide a community perspective on the research activities across Australian institutions interested in breast density research and breast cancer screening.
Professor Wendy Ingman
Director and Chair of the Board
Wendy is a leading breast expert conducting multi-disciplinary research at Adelaide University in breast cancer, breastfeeding and breast development. Her work has challenged existing paradigms in how breast density is established during pubertal development, ethical considerations about breast density notification policy, and the underlying causes of lactational mastitis.
Driven by a passion for translating science into impact, Wendy advocates for community education and empowering women to take charge of their breast health. She collaborates with government agencies, healthcare professionals, and community groups to bridge the gap between research and real-world outcomes.
Wendy co-founded InforMD in 2016 as a national alliance of breast cancer researchers dedicated to raising public awareness about breast density and influencing health policy. In 2025, she led establishment of InforMD Limited as a not-for-profit organisation. Through this initiative, she champions informed decision-making and works to ensure that the latest scientific knowledge reaches the communities who need it most.