Lauren Giles

Neurologist Lauren Giles joined the Launceston General Hospital neurology team in 2019. After studying medicine at Monash University in Melbourne, she worked as a junior doctor in Darwin before returning to Melbourne to study neurology at the Austin Hospital and Royal Melbourne Hospital.

She went on to complete a clinical fellowship in neurophysiology and neuroimmunology at the Austin Hospital. Her move to Tasmania offered somewhat of a “tree change” to escape the big city, with Dr Giles pursuing a passion for providing access to specialist health care outside of a metropolitan region.

Dr Giles’ interest in research started during her neurology training in Melbourne. Here, she worked on multiple sclerosis therapeutic trials at the Austin Hospital as a neurology fellow - an experience that gave her insight into the research process and the benefit to the individual patient.

Her current areas of research interest are in Motor Neurone Disease and MS, in particularly collaborating with fellow researchers in Hobart and interstate to improve Tasmania’s access to multi-centre trials. This includes the Clifford Craig Foundation-funded Lighthouse II project – a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled Phase 3 trial of Triumeq in MND. It is the first time an international multi-centre MND therapeutic trial has been offered locally in Tasmania – and a first for the LGH.

The larger study will look at how effective the treatment is at slowing down progression in MND. Dr Giles is also working on an MND database collaboration called MiNDAus which will enhance clinical care and improve patient access to clinical trials, as well as an MS trial using magnetic stimulation to improve brain remyelination, collaborating with Menzies in Hobart.