Researcher

Associate Professor Natalie Taylor

My Expertise

Expertise: As an implementation scientist, I develop, apply, and advance methods to support and study optimal ways to translate evidence into practice, primarily in healthcare settings, to improve care and outcomes for patients. My work involves collaborating with academic, health, and non-profit organisations across NSW, Australia, and internationally.

Approaches: I am pioneering a combination of implementation research with statistical modeling and health economics to test the cost-effectiveness of implementation interventions and explore ways to identify the active ingredients behind successful implementation of new treatments, technologies, policies, and guidelines. I develop and deliver behaviour change workshops and toolkits for healthcare professionals to facilitate and test the impact of the transfer of research evidence into practice. I currently lead a program of work focusing on implementation in genetics, genomics, and cancer care.

Impact: My methodologies have been applied to a range of real-world problems and innovations, resulting in significant and sustained improvements in care and reductions in adverse events. 

Specific areas of expertise include:

  • Measurement of behaviour and behavioural drivers
  • Intervention and implementation strategy design
  • Consumer involvement and co-design
  • Mechanisms of behaviour change and active ingredients of intervention success
  • Process evaluation
  • Implementation science frameworks
  • Implementation outcomes
  • Healthcare delivery process mapping
  • Clinical audit data collection
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Healthcare implementation cost
  • Meta-analyses and systematic reviews 

Keywords

Fields of Research (FoR)

Health systems, Implementation science and evaluation, Patient safety, Health services and systems not elsewhere classified, Health promotion, Health psychology

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Biography

As an implementation scientist, I develop, apply, and advance methods to support and study optimal ways to translate evidence into practice to improve care and outcomes for patients. I am the Director of Research in the School of Population Health at UNSW, developing and enacting a research strategy for the school with a team of multidisciplinary academics, clinicians, and professional staff.

My research includes designing and evaluating an...view more

As an implementation scientist, I develop, apply, and advance methods to support and study optimal ways to translate evidence into practice to improve care and outcomes for patients. I am the Director of Research in the School of Population Health at UNSW, developing and enacting a research strategy for the school with a team of multidisciplinary academics, clinicians, and professional staff.

My research includes designing and evaluating an evidence-based framework for the implementation of patient safety guidelines in the NHS, as well as an intervention and training package for the prevention of childhood obesity. I am currently overseeing, as the lead investigator, an MRFF Rapid Applied Research Translation project to integrate precision oncology into routine cancer care, and am the convenor for the new Implementation Science course which sits in the Master of Health Leadership and Management and Master of Public Health programs at UNSW.

I manage a team of three senior academic staff, and seven research and professional staff and PhD students, in addition to leading a range of initiatives to build capacity and presence of research within the school. Outside of my University role, duties extend to my role as Co-Chair of the NSW Cancer Conference (Sept 2022) and Chair of the SPHERE Implementation Science Platform Scientific Advisory Panel.


My Grants

  • Goldstein D, Boyle F, Grimison P, Harris C, Huyn W, Kiernan M, King T, Koczwara B, Mendoza-Jondes P, Mizrahi D, Morrow A, Park S, Robinson L, Taylor N (AI). Enabling Implementation of a Clinical Pathway for Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy Assessment and Management MRFF 2023 Clinician Researchers: Applied Research 2032106 $978,702 (2024-2028)
  • Grebely J, Dore G, Lloyd A, Matthews S, Kingsland M, Taylor N, Marshall A, Shih S, Gray R, Cunningham E, Treloar C, Lafferty L, Causer L, Henderson C, Cunningham P. Enhancing scale-up of point-of-care testing for hepatitis C infection MRFF Rapid Applied Research Translation RRART000099 $4,999,886 (2024-2028)
  • Sansom-Daly U, Anazodo A, Bradford N, Fardell J, Fernando R, Harrison R, Herbert A, Hetherington K, Hynson J, Rosenberg A, Ryan J, Taylor N, Thomas J, Wiener L, Ziegler. Improving quality of life for young people with cancer across the care trajectory through integrated patient-centred palliative care: A stepped-wedge trial of a new model of care MRFF 2023 MRFF Clinician Researchers - Applied Research in Health 2032214 $1,499,625 (2024-2028)
  • Turbitt E, Amor D, Callinan E, van den Hoven E, Hemsley B, Palmer E, McEwen A, Morrow A, Heussler H. Taylor N (AI). NurtureNextGen: Co-design of a digital tool to support families of children with genetic neurodevelopmental conditions to receive balanced prognostic information. MRFF 2023 Consumer Led 2031116 $598,101 (2024-2026)
  • Bavinton B, Grulich A, Wright E, Cornelisse V, Medland N, Stoove M, Taylor N, Fairley C, Lewis D, McNulty A. Implementation science to guide the effective introduction of long-acting injectable HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Australia. NHMRC Partnership GNT2024770 $1,499,911.22 (2023-2028)
  • Curtis J, Castle D, Rosenbaum S, Ward P, Sara G, Taylor N, Harris M, Teasdale S, O'Shea P, Delbaere K. No-one left behind - Integrated Physical Health Care for People living with Severe Mental Illness NHMRC TCR Improving Physical Health of People with a Mental Illness GNT2025162 $2,996,738.25 (2024-2029)
  • Taylor N, Parkinson B, Ungerer J, Jeet V, Shum B, Watts G, Pang J, Bauer, McGill B, Peterson A, Mazariego C, Wakefield C, Dobbins T. Targeted, Adaptive Genomics for Ethical, Evidence-based Expansion of Newborn Screening: a type II hybrid effectiveness- implementation trial MRFF Clinical Trials Activity 2022871 $2,993,818.99 (2023-2026)
  • James P, Yanes T, Chenevix-Trench G, Best S, Taylor N, Jackson V, Blackburn J, Willis A, Ilias G, Fox S, Fan HM, McLanders M, Terrill B, Southey M, Young MA. Trial Integration of Polygenic Scores for Common Cancers into Standard Clinical Care MRFF Genomics Health Futures Mission MRF2024994 $2,870,237 (2023-2027)
  • Shinde A, Taylor N. Driving Change: A scoping study investigating perspectives and behaviours of electric vehicle adoption in NSW Digital Grid Futures Institute Seed Fudning Award $15,000 (2023)
  • Mazariego C, Taylor N, Ziegler D, Cowley M, Curran B, Tyedmers E. Automating Literature Identification and Drug Profiling for ProCure: A Knowledge Graph Approach UNSW Medicine & Health Population Health Seed Grant $10,000 (2023)
  • Mazariego C, Delaney G, Koczwara B, Taylor N, Hayes S, Avery S. Patient centred care in action: Development of a national strategy and pathway for adoption of patient reported outcome data collection into routine cancer care in Australia UNSW FMH Health Systems Research Theme Collaborative Grant $79,807.50 (2023)
  • Harrison R, Clay-Williams R, Braithwaite J, Westbrook J, Taylor N, Manias E, Mitchell R, Lawton.  Smarter hospitals: Unlocking the promise of virtual models of care through infrastructure innovation in Australian healthcare facilities NHMRC Partnership GNT2015544 $1,276,987 (2022-2026)
  • Taylor N. 2022 NSW Premier’s Awards for Outstanding Cancer Research – Outstanding Cancer Research Fellow – Career Development Fellow $10,000 (2022)
  • Kimonis E, Kohlhoff J, Taylor N, Walsh B, Websdale S. Testing the scailablity of a new approach to addressing disruptive, anti-social, and unsafe student behaviour at school. UNSW Science Industry Network Seed $31,288 (2022-2023)
  • Lingham R, Christie A, Hiscock H, Boyle D, Hu N, Hodgins M, Lawson K, McMillan F, Taylor N, Woolfenden S, Meyers Morris T, Smithers-Sheedy H. SUSTAIN - Sustaining strengthening care for children. NSW Health Translational Research Grants Scheme.  $499,733.74 (2022 - 2024)
  • Bolton P, Gale M, Courtney R, Lintzeris N, Thorburn K, Shakeshaft A, Curtis J, Taylor N, Sitas F, Ward P, Kerr N, Ricketss M, Fibbins H, Croft T, Oei J, Tran A, Settumba Stolk S, Kwan B, Hua M, Spooner C, Murray A. Stop Smoking, Start Living. NSW Health Translational Research Grant Scheme. $499,776.87 (2022-2024)
  • Nightingale C., … Taylor, N (AI). “It’s a gamechanger” – using HPV self-collection to improve equity and participation in Australia's National Cervical Screening Program. 2021 NHMRC Targeted Call for Research - Participation in Cancer Screening Programs. $1,527,321 (2022-2025). APP2015178
  • Whop L., …Taylor N (AI). Embedding community driven models  to increase cervical screening via HPV self-collection to improve cervical cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 2021 NHMRC Targeted Call for Research - Participation in Cancer Screening Programs. $1,579,683 (2022-2025). APP2014908
  • Feletto E, Taylor N, Canfell K, Lew J-B, Trevena L, Durkin S, He E, Goodwin B, Jenkins M, Young J. MAIL, GP, and SCALE: Mobilising nAtIonaL bowel cancer screeninG Program participation through combining individual, health ServiCe, and populAtion Level intervEntions. 2021 NHMRC Targeted Call for Research - Participation in Cancer Screening Programs. $1,749,059 (2022-2025). APP2014964
  • Smith AL, Boyle F, Daly M, Dinner F, Hirsch P, Hobbs K, Kirsten L, Lewis S, Mazariego C, McAuley R, O’Brien M, O’Reilly M, Taylor N, Tobin L. Partnering with patients and healthcare professionals to improve availability and access to high-quality support groups for people living with metastatic breast cancer across Australia. University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine and Health – Professor Martin Tattersall Early Career Researcher Award Scheme for research in cancer. $132,000 (2022-2023).
  • Tan, S., Vardy, J., Bauman, A., Kiely, B., Dhillon, H., Yee, J., Taylor, N., De Abreu Lourenço, R.. A phase 2 feasibility study evaluating a structured telehealth Lifestyle intervention (Exercise And Diet) for early-stage breast cancer survivors (LEAD-4-BCs) undergoing neo-adjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy. University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine and Health – Professor Martin Tattersall Early Career Researcher Award Scheme for research in cancer. $149,800 (2022-2023).
  • Taylor, N., Thomas, D., Tucker, K., Ballinger, M., Zaheed, M., Lin, F., Goldstein, D., Morrow, A., Leaney, K., Gough, M., Schroeder, L., Butow, P., Young, J., Middleton, S. P-OMICs-flow: Integrating precision oncology into clinical programs. MRFF Rapid Applied Research Translation Grant. $5,868,917 (2022-2027). RARUR000125
  • Jenkins, M., …Taylor, N. Tackling Australia’s low screening participation to prevent bowel cancer morbidity and deaths. NHMRC Synergy Grant. $5,000,000 (2022-2027)
  • Fardell J.E., Ellis S.J., Sansom-Daly U., Patterson, P., Chard, J., Bhadri, V., Docking, K., Wakefield, C.E., Koh, ES., Taylor, N., Cumming T., Cohen, J., Dhillon, H., Walwyn, T., Shaw, J., O’Reilly, J., Speers, N., Schilstra, C.E. BRIDGES-4AYA: An online information resource to bridge the gaps between treatment and education/ employment for Adolescent and Young Adults (AYAs) with cancer. Cancer Australia. $120,000 (2021-2024).
  • Mazariego CG, Smith DP, Taylor N, Evans S, McIntosh M, White A, White F, Egger S. Assessing the population-based unmet supportive care needs of prostate cancer patients and partners: A mixed-methods approach to explore prevalence, barriers and facilitators. Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia - Priority Impact Research Award – Young Investigator. $140,000 (2021-2023)
  • Patel M, Juraskova I, Smith D, Taylor N, Schofield P, Mazariego C, White A. Implementing Navigate in NSW: An implementation study of a decision-aid for men with prostate cancer. Research and Education Network. $25,000 (2021-2022)
  • Wakefield C, McLoone J, Signorelli C, Cohn R, Walwyn T, Taylor N, Johnston K, Thornton-Benko E, Kellie S, Webber K. A new nurse-led intervention to re-engage childhood brain cancer survivors. Medical Research Future Fund. $1,941,576 (2020-2023)
  • Ziegler D, Ekert P, Kavallaris M, O’Brien T, Cowley M, Wakefield C, Taylor N, Dawson SJ, Vittorio O, Davies R. Implementing novel therapeutic strategies for childhood brain cancer patients. Cancer Institute NSW. $3,750,000 (2020-2025)
  • Sansom-Daly UM, Kelada L, Wakefield CE, Cohn RJ, McGill BC, Girgis A, Patterson P, Taylor N, Miller A, Beattie A, Schleicher N, Hanbury N. (2020). Partnering with community organisations to deliver online resilience programs for young people and parents after cancer treatment. E/MCR Seed Grant Funding awarded from the Sydney Partnership for Health, Enterprise and Research (SPHERE) Cancer Clinical Academic Group. $50,000 (12 months).
  • Debono D, Travaglia J, Robertson H, Saunders C, Biggs J, Carnemolla P, Taylor N, Phillips J, Luckett T, Svejkar D. Embedding evaluation as part of core business: A customised, co-designed evaluation framework to improve outcomes for people with disabilities, their families and carers. Onemda Project Grant. $ 245,000 (2019-2020).
  • Best S, Gaff C, Taylor N, Brown H. Genomics frameworks: translating research into clinical care. Ministry of Health contract. $30,000 (2019).
  • Taylor N. Conference and Professional Development Grant. Translational Cancer Research Network. $2,500 (2019).
  • Williams R, Tucker K, Wakefield C, Taylor N. CONTACT: CONsultation via Telehealth to Access Cancer geneTic counselling. Translational Cancer Research Network. $77,800 (2018-2020).
  • Taylor N. CCNSW PhD Scholarship for a process evaluation of a randomised controlled trial of an implementation science intervention in hereditary cancer. $100,000 (2018-2021)
  • Taylor N. CCNSW PhD Scholarship in translating genomics into clinical practice for hereditary cancers. $100,000 (2018-2021)
  • Braithwaite J. et al. [AI: Taylor N.] Centre for Research Excellence in Implementation Science in Oncology (CRE-ISO). NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence Grant. $2,495,783 (2018-2022)
  • Meiser B, James P, Kaur R, Dawkins H, Taylor N, Hossack L, Macrae F, Spurdle A, Scott C, Pachter N. A qualitative study to explore patient attitudes and system enablers to establishing a national genomics registry of inherited cancer predisposition. CCNSW Strategic Research Partnership Grant. $219,021.00 (2018-2019).    
  • Westbrook J, Braithwaite J, Day R, Middleton S, Scott D, Rapport F, Mitchell R, Baysari M, Li L, Taylor N. Creating a culture of safety and respect: a controlled, mixed methods study of the effectiveness of a behavioural accountability intervention to reduce unprofessional behaviours. NHMRC Partnership Project Grant. $875,978.40. (2018-2022). ID: 1134459.
  • Taylor N, Tucker K, Macrae F, Gill A, Pachter N, Parkinson B, Solomon M, Shaw T, Kench J. Hide and seek with hereditary cancer: Improving detection of colorectal cancer patients with a high risk of Lynch syndrome. Cancer Australia. $579,140. (2017-2020). ID: 1123924
  • Taylor N. Translating evidence into practice for hereditary cancer. Cancer Institute NSW Career Development Fellowship. $598,251. (2017-2020). ID: 2017/CDF005
  • Taylor N., Gaff C, & Braithwaite J. Implementation of Genomic Sequencing into Clinical Practice. Australian Genomics Health Alliance (secondary funding agreement via NHMRC funding). ($240,000)
  • Taylor N, Long J, Debono D, et al. (2016). Excellence in Translational Cancer Research. NSW Premier’s Awards for Outstanding Cancer Research. ($20,000).
  • Taylor N, Braithwaite J, Chin D, Williams R, & Debono D. (2015). Achieving behaviour change for the prevention and management of Lynch Syndrome. TCRN Cancer Challenge of the Year. ($100,000)
  • Paul C, Dadich A, Wiggers J, Meiser B, Taylor N, et al. (2014) Implementing smoking cessation support for cancer patients in NSW: A feasibility study. Cancer Institute NSW. ($122,000)
  • Grange A, Lawton R, Taylor N, et al. (2014) A new portable, non-invasive device to test naso-gastric tube placement. Regional Innovation Fund, UK ($88,162)
  • Easthall C, Bhattacharya D, Taylor N. (2014). Is IMAB-Q suitable for identifying medication adherence barriers in routine community pharmacy practice? Pharmacy Research UK ($139,543)
  • Georgiou A, Westbrook J, Taylor N, Clay-Williams R, Baysari M, et al. (2014). Evaluating the implementation of a national telehealth service. Healthdirect Australia ($330,000)

My Qualifications

PhD in Health Psychology (Graduated 2011, University of Leeds). Thesis: Promoting Physical Activity in University Staff and Students.
MSc (2005). Thesis: Physical self-perceptions and sources of competence information in overweight/obese adolescents.
BSc (1st Class Honours) (2004)


My Awards

  • Taylor N, (2022) NSW Premier’s Awards for Outstanding Cancer Research – Outstanding Cancer Research Fellow – Career Development Fellow
  • Taylor N, Long J, Debono D, et al. (2016). Excellence in Translational Cancer Research. NSW Premier’s Awards for Outstanding Cancer Research. ($20,000).
  • Taylor N. (2014). Bradford Institute for Health Research Annual Research Visit Award. Invited speaker for ABC for Patient Safety Workshop, June. ($4,000).
  • Taylor N, Lawton R, Mon-Williams M, & Wright J. (2013). PhD awards for improvement science. Health Foundation ($530,000)
  • Taylor N. (2012). Bradford Institute for Health Research Annual Research Visit Award. ($2,000)

My Research Activities

As CIA I lead a Cancer Australia and Cancer Institute NSW funded randomised controlled trial of two implementation approaches to improve referral practices in cancer genetics in seven hospitals across NSW, Vic and WA. I also lead the implementation component to two grant funded projects implementing novel interventions in cancer care (Wakefield C, et al. A new nurse-led intervention to re-engage childhood brain cancer survivors. Medical Research Future Fund. 2020-2023; Ziegler D, et al. Implementing novel therapeutic strategies for childhood brain cancer patients. Cancer Institute NSW. 2020-2025). I currently contribute implementation and behaviour change expertise to several Category 1 funded project in areas as diverse as genomics, unprofessional workplace behaviour, and bowel cancer screening.


My Research Supervision


Supervision keywords


Areas of supervision

I supervise PhD, Masters, Honours and Independent Learning Project students (including Medicine) undertaking research in the areas of implementation science, healthcare improvement, behaviour change,  and health systems research. I am clinical area agnostic but have a particular focus in genetics, genomics, and oncology.


Currently supervising

I currently supervise nine PhD student projects (5 full time, 4 part time) with an implementation science focus:

  • Joseph Elias: A new nurse-led intervention to re-engage childhood brain cancer survivors (Primary supervisor)
  • Ely Tydemers: Implementing novel therapeutic strategies for childhood brain cancer patients (Primary supervisor)
  • Nada Mirkovic: Integrated care for rare conditions in Australia
  • Chloe Jennett: The impact of individual and environmental factors on participation in the Renewed Australian National Cervical Screening Program. 
  • Rebecca Purvis: Development of an Evidence-based Implementation Strategy for the Translation of Polygenic Risk Scores into Clinical Cancer Genetics Practice
  • Surbhi Grover: Outcomes of cervical cancer and chemoradiation in patients with or without HIV
  • Andrew Grant: Implementation of a nurse coordinated cancer genetics clinic
  • Siobhan Donnelly: Developing an evidence-based co-designed best-practice model of care for burn patients across the continuum of care in NSW
  • Abigail Acosta: Improving survival outcomes for women with epithelial ovarian cancer in the context of homologous recombination repair

My Engagement

Implementation science engagement and service

  • Faculty Member for the Training in Implementation and Dissemination Research in Health course (University of Newcastle; 2020, 2021)
  • Invited to provide expert feedback for the Intervention Population Ontology research project as part of the Human Behaviour-Change Project (2018).
  • Invited member to the University of Newcastle Centre for Evidence and Implementation: Think Tank on Optimisation and Adaptation of Interventions - Progressing the field of implementation science in public health: providing best-practice guidance (2018).
  • Invited speaker at the Lynch Syndrome Australia conference (2015-18) PC4 implementation science grant reviewer (2020-)
  • Implementation science and consumer involvement advisor at Translational Cancer Research Network (2018), CCNSW consumer in research workshop (2017-2018)
  • Invited mentor to Post-doctoral Career Pathway Workshops (2019, 2020)

 

Media

  • Interviewed by the Cancer Institute NSW about ‘Reducing barriers, improving referrals for Lynch Syndrome Diagnosis’. Translational Cancer Research Network (TCRN) Nexus Newsletter (2019)
  • Guest speaker at CINSW Women in Science (2018) and Fellows events (2017-19)
  • Invited speaker at CCNSW POSH Breakfast fundraiser (2017)

 

Innovation and impact

  • 2012-2016: worked with Leeds Teaching Hospitals and Enteral UK to develop and manufacture a nasogastric tubes safety pack
  • 2013-2016: Steering group member for the development of new technology to safely check the position of nasogastric tubes (funded).
  • A/Prof Taylor’s work led to a reduction in the misinterpretation of X-rays for nasogastric tube placement and indicated estimated savings of £2.56million across 34 UK hospitals
  • A/Prof. Taylor led the development of a training package for the implementation of clinical guidelines, rolled out to over 1000 NHS staff by the Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network (UK)

My Teaching

Through my role with the School of Population Health at UNSW Sydney, I am sharing optimal implementation approaches with students, building more capacity for effective and efficient evidence translation in health.

I am the course convenor for Implementation Science (PHCM9791).

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Location

Medicine & Health

Contact

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ORCID as entered in ROS

orcid_icon https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0280-0883

UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia Telephone +61 2 93851000
Authorised by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)
UNSW CRICOS Provider Code: 00098G ABN: 57 195 873 179

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