Background

I am a consultant gastroenterologist at St Vincent’s Hospital and The Royal Melbourne Hospital, with a research interest in liver cancer and viral hepatitis. I completed my PhD exploring the role of the innate immune system in hepatitis C disease post liver transplantation. I received an NHMRC Sidney Sax Early Career Research Fellowship for post-doctoral studies at Imperial College London (Department of Hepatology), where I worked with a team on public health projects targeting reduction of HBV-related liver disease and liver cancer in Sub-saharan Africa and exploring genetic mutation analysis of circulating free tumour DNA in liver cancer in collaboration with Cologne University (Germany). I am currently working on further projects exploring genetics of liver cancer and the epidemiology of liver disease and liver cancer under the mentorship of Professor Margaret Hellard. I am involved in hepatology training and public health projects in Fiji.

Appointments

• Post doctoral fellow, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne
• Honorary post doctoral fellow, Imperial College London, UK
• Consultant gastroenterologist/ hepatologist, St Vincent’s Hospital and the Royal Melbourne Hospital
• FRACP
• Masters student, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (MSc Epi, Post Grad Dip Public Health)

Positions

• Post doctoral fellow, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne
• Honorary post doctoral fellow, Imperial College London, UK
• Consultant gastroenterologist/ hepatologist, St Vincent’s Hospital and the Royal Melbourne Hospital
• Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
• Committee member of the Australian Liver Association (ALA), Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine (ASHM) and Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA)

Qualifications

• MBBS (Hons)
• PhD (Medicine)
• FRACP - Gastroenterology

Awards

• 2013 NHMRC Early Career Research Fellowship Bushell/ GESA Post Doctoral Research Scholarship
• 2012 RACP CRB Bushell Scholarship Astra-Zeneca/ GESA Grant-In-Aid Scholarship Young Investigator Bursary, European Association for the Study of the Liver.
• 2011 GESA Frenesius Kabi Travel Bursary
• 2009 GESA (Gastroenterology Society of Australia) Clinical Research Scholarship (PhD)
• 1998 National Heart Foundation Summer Scholarship
• 1999 Anti-Cancer Council Summer Research Scholarship
• 2002 MBBS with First Class Honours Deans Honour’s List Jamieson Prize for best student in Clinical Medicine; Tom Keen Prize for best student in Chemical Pathology
• 2001 Deans Honour’s List
• 2000 Deans Honour’s List
• 1998 Deans Honour’s List Novartis Prize for best student in Behavioural Science

Projects (7)

Current (3)

• Barriers to hepatocellular carcinoma screening uptake in Victoria
  In this study, we explore barriers to hepatocellular carcinoma screening adherence.
• EC Partnership: Eliminate Hepatitis C Partnership
  Informing the elimination of HCV through a community-based nurse-led model of care and treatment.
• Rapid-EC hepatitis C Pilot Study
  Investigating the feasibility of providing rapid point-of-care testing for hepatitis C in community clinics.

Past (4)

• Estimation of hepatitis B virus among pregnant women
  This study involves developing a strategy to estimate HBV prevalence among pregnant women.
• Hepatitis B infection in Australian prisons
  In this study, the seroprevalence of hepatitis B and D infection among prisoners will be determined.
• Hepatitis B virus infection and immunisation among gay, bisexual and MSM
  This study involves analysis of data to determine the proportion of GBM who have been vaccinated for HBV.
• Validation of name classification software to identify CALD communities
  This study involves the validation of name classification software and its use to screen people for HBV.

Publications (23)

2019 (1)

• Aiming for the elimination of viral hepatitis in Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Territories: where are we now and barriers to meeting WHO targets by 2030.
  Howell J, Pedrana A, Cowie BC, Doyle J, Getehun A, Ward J, Gane E, Cunningham C, Wallace J, Lee A, Malani J, Thompson A, Hellard ME
  J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019 Jan; 34(1):40-48

2017 (6)

• Reaching hepatitis C virus elimination targets requires health system interventions to enhance the care cascade.
  Scott N, Doyle JS, Wilson DP, Wade A, Howell J, Pedrana A, Thompson A, Hellard ME
  Int J Drug Policy. 2017 Sep; 47:107-116
• Review article: delivering precision oncology in intermediate-stage liver cancer.
  Pinato DJ, Howell J, Ramaswami R, Sharma R
  Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2017 Jun; 45(12):1514-1523
• Hepatocellular carcinoma after sustained virologic response: Leave no one behind.
  Howell J, Thompson AJ
  Gastroenterology. 2017 May; 152(6):1282-1284
• Integration of the cancer-related inflammatory response as a stratifying biomarker of survival in hepatocellular carcinoma treated with sorafenib.
  Howell J, Pinato DJ, Ramaswami R, Arizumi T, Ferrari C, Gibbin A, Burlone ME, Guaschino G, Toniutto P, Black J, Sellers L, Kudo M, Pirisi M, Sharma R
  Oncotarget. 2017 Feb; 8(22):36161-36170
• On-target sorafenib toxicity predicts improved survival in hepatocellular carcinoma: a multi-centre, prospective study.
  Howell J, Pinato DJ, Ramaswami R, Bettinger D, Arizumi T, Ferrari C, Yen C, Gibbin A, Burlone ME, Guaschino G, Sellers L, Black J, Pirisi M, Kudo M, Thimme R, Park JW, Sharma R
  Alimentary Pharmacology and therapeutics. 2017 Jan; 45(8):1146-1155
• The clinical role of circulating free tumor DNA in gastrointestinal malignancy.
  Howell JA, Khan SA, Knapp S, Thursz MR, Sharma R
  Transl Res. 2017 Jan; 183:137-154

2016 (1)

• The increasing burden of potentially preventable liver disease among adult liver transplant recipients: A comparative analysis of liver transplant indication by era in Australia and New Zealand.
  Howell J, Balderson G, Hellard M, Gow PJ, Strasser SI, Stuart KA, Wigg A, Jeffrey G, Gane E, Angus PW
  J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2016 Feb; 31(2):434-441

2015 (2)

• PROLIFICA: a story of West African clinical and research collaborations to target hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma in West Africa.
  J Howell, N G Ladep, S Nayagam, M Lemoine, D A Garside, M M E Crossey, E Okeke, R Njie, M M Ka, M Taal, M R Thursz, S D Taylor-Robinson
  QJM. 2015 Jun; Epub ahead of print
• Prevention of Liver Fibrosis and Cancer in Africa: The PROLIFICA project - a collaborative study of hepatitis B-related liver disease in West Africa.
  Howell J, Ladep NG, Lemoine M, Nayagam S, Toure PS, Diop MM, Daveiga JA, Sall AS, Lo G, Crossey MM, Thursz MR, Taylor-Robinson SD, Ka MM
  S Afr Med J. 2015 Jan; 105(3):185-186

2014 (4)

• An overview of hepatitis B prevalence, prevention and management in the pacific islands and territories.
  Howell J, Van Gemert C, Lemoine M, Thursz M, Hellard M
  J Gastroent Hepatol. 2014 Aug; 29(11):1854-1866
• Prevention of materno-foetal transmission of hepatitis B in sub-Saharan Africa: the evidence, current practice and future challenges.
  Howell J, Lemoine M, Thursz M
  J Viral Hepat. 2014 Jun; 21(6):381-396
• Role of toll-like receptors in liver transplantation.
  Jessica Howell, Paul Gow, Peter Angus, Kumar Visvanathan
  Liver Transpl. 2014 Mar; 20(3):270-280
• Hepatitis C recurrence: the Achilles heel of liver transplantation.
  J Howell, P Angus, P Gow
  Transpl Infect Dis. 2014 Feb; 16(1):1-16

2013 (6)

• Identifying the superior measure of rapid fibrosis for predicting premature cirrhosis after liver transplantation for hepatitis C.
  J Howell, R Sawhney, P Angus, M Fink, R Jones, B Z Wang, K Visvanathan, P Crowley, P Gow
  Transpl Infect Dis. 2013 Dec; 15(6):588-599
• Cyclosporine and tacrolimus have inhibitory effects on toll-like receptor signaling after liver transplantation.
  Jessica Howell, Rohit Sawhney, Adam Testro, Narelle Skinner, Paul Gow, Peter Angus, Dilip Ratnam, Kumar Visvanathan
  Liver Transpl. 2013 Oct; 19(10):1099-1107
• Paracetamol overdose in Victoria remains a significant health-care burden.
  Siddharth Sood, Jessica Howell, Vijaya Sundararajan, Peter W Angus, Paul J Gow
  J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 Aug; 28(8):1356-1360
• Pegylated interferon plus ribavirin versus standard interferon plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C infection: a meta-analytical systematic review.
  Quinn B, Doyle JS, Howell J, Chow SM, Aspinall EJ, Hutchinson SJ, Hellard ME
  Technical Report for the World Health Organisation, Global Hepatitis Programme, Geneva. 2013 Jul
• The role of natural killer cells in hepatitis C infection.
  Howell J, Visvanathan K
  Antiviral Therapy. 2013 Jul; 18(7):853-865
• Toll-like receptors in hepatitis C infection: implications for pathogenesis and treatment.
  Jessica Howell, Peter Angus, Paul Gow, Kumar Visvanathan
  J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 May; 28(5):766-776

2012 (1)

• Early-onset versus late-onset nonanastomotic biliary strictures post liver transplantation: risk factors reflect different pathogenesis.
  Jessica A Howell, Paul J Gow, Peter W Angus, Robert M Jones, Bao-Zhong Wang, Michael Bailey, Michael A Fink
  Transpl Int. 2012 Jul; 25(7):765-775

2011 (1)

• Type 2 diabetes does not worsen prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.
  J Howell, M Yiu, R Gibson, B Thomson, D Stella, A Gorelik, P J Prichard, A J Nicoll
  Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol. 2011 Mar; 35(3):214-220

2009 (1)

• A novel role for human leukocyte antigen-DP in chronic hepatitis B infection: a genomewide association study.
  Jessica A Howell, Kumar Visvanathan
  Hepatology. 2009 Aug; 50(2):647-649

News Articles (5)

2019 (1)

• Lancet Commission on viral hepatitis

2018 (3)

• ACH2 grants a fabulous outcome
• WISH for hepatitis elimination is achievable
• Hepatitis elimination efforts in great hands

2016 (1)

• New pilot project to improve hep B outcomes for at-risk patients