Catriona McLean

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Catriona McLean

Adjunct Prof

 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0302-5727
1989 …2025

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Biography

Catriona McLean is currently Professor and Director of the Department of Anatomical Pathology at The Alfred, Director of the Victorian Brain Bank based at the Howard Florey Neurosciences Institute (where she holds a Professorship), and Director of the Victorian Neuromuscular service based at the Alfred, as well as pathologist to the Victorian Melanoma Service.

She is the past Chair of the Pathology Board for Monash University, and past Director of the Australian Brain Bank Network. Catriona is currenlty the Vice President of the International Society of Neuropathology and senior editor for the Journal Pathology journal

She has developed multiple pathology curricula for undergraduate and post-graduate medicine. Her qualifications include BSc, MBBs, FRCPA, MD, FFSc (RCPA), FAHMS.

She works collaboratively with the Cancer Council Victoria and colleagues within The Alfred, the MHRI, Melbourne University, Sydney University and Monash University Biomedicine Discovery Institute. She is involved in many on-going research projects into malignancies, disorders of muscle and neurodegeneration.

Catriona has a strong track record with 612 published articles, more than 41,000 citations and an H-Index of 97. She has 3 patents in the field of breast cancer diagnosis

Monash teaching commitment

Catriona has developed a series of teaching innovations for current technologies to enable relevant and compelling learning of Pathology at a national and international level. She uses visual and clinically integrated approaches to learning of a core subject within the medical curriculum. These innovations conform to the Monash University vision of continuing ‘to enhance teaching and learning by development and application of advances in information technology’ and applying ‘such advances to increase flexibility in teaching and learning whether on or off-campus’.

  • Member of the Year 3 curriculum committee Monash MBBS
  • Tutor for the Year 3 program
  • Coordinator of State-wide MBBS tutorial program
  • Development of Year 5 module (2007)
  • Modification of program for Monash Malaysia (2006)
  • Member of new Theme 3 committee (2007 - 2011)
  • Modification for Monash Traralgon program Year A and Year B (2007)
  • Development of ‘Basis of disease modules’ for Year 2 MMBS
  • Year 5 module audit  (2011)
  • Revaluation of course and IT requirements (2011)
  • On-line Practical developed (2012)
  • Initiation of novel on-line assessment method for submissions developed (2012)

University Service

University and Professional Activities

  • President of the Asian and Oceania Society of Neuropathology,
  • Vice President of the International Society of Neuropathology
  • Editor of Pathology journal
Alfred Hospital_Anatomical Pathology
  • Routine diagnostic workload of 4,000 cases reported per annum includes frozen sections and cytology
  • Oversee consultant pathologists, scientific staff and trainees
  • Administration of department
  • Implementation of a Molecular laboratory 2014 NATA accredited for testing of solid tissue
  • Diagnosis and Report writing for molecular Pathology
  • Attendance at numerous multi-disciplinary meetings each week; Specifically, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Rheumatology, Oncology, Lung transplantation
  • Weekly review of all Melanoma cases for the State Melanoma service
  • Submission of regular Quality assurance program (QAP)
  • Recent quality audit initiatives; molecular MASSarray sensitivities in limited human samples, autopsy and clinical accuracy correlation
Royal Childrens Hospital 
  • Visiting honorary Specialist Neuropathologist
  • Presenting paediatric cases of rare neuromuscular diseases
Monash Health
  • Visiting honorary Neuropathologist to oversee all diagnoses of brain and muscle diseases
  • Running fortnightly Multi-disciplinary meetings
  • Teaching of Neurosurgical trainees

Community service

Professor McLean regularly engages with the public to help promote Neuroscience and brain research. A summary of some of her activities is listed below:

20233AW radio interview about Multiple Systems Atrophy
2018Catriona McLean – The Conversation.
2015

Catalyst January 2015– Powering the Mind.  | Ambassador’ for the Fred Liuzzi Foundation of Rare Neuromuscular disorders

2013

774 ABC Melbourne and Perth Conversation Hour, Jon Faine. Brain banking July 2013 

2012

ABC Radio Canberra. Brain donation in ACT February 2012

2011

Triple R radio interview. February 2011.  The role of an Anatomical Pathologist | Parkinson’s Victoria Annual Meeting, donation acknowledgement.

2010

ABC radio, Brain Donation for research.  C McLean & B Dean.  | ABC Gippsland, Brain Donation for research.  C McLean & B Dean |Yahoo 7 News Queensland, Brain Donation for research.  C McLean & B Dean.

Research interests

Neuropathology of disease, Pathology of Cancer

Consulting

Consulting for Victorian Neuromuscular service, Victorian Melanoma service

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being

Education/Academic qualification

Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery, MBBS

Bachelor of Science, BSc.

Doctorate of Medicine, MD

External positions

CJD Neuropathologist (Honorary), Department for Health and Wellbeing (trading as SA Health) (South Australia)

2018 → …

Professor, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health (FINMH)

1 Jan 2014 → …

Honorary Consultant Neuropathologist , Monash Health

2013 → …

Chief Pathologist, Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital

2009 → …

Inspector – National Authority for Laboratory testing (NATA), National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA)

2008 → …

Head of Anatomical Pathology, Alfred Hospital

1 Jan 2004 → …

Honorary Pathologist , Burnet Institute (Australia)

2004 → …

Head of Victorian Neuromuscular service

Research area keywords

  • Malignancies
  • Muscle disorders
  • Neurodegeneration
  • Pathology of Cancer
  • Neuropathology of disease

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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View all 23 projects

  • Common variants in breast cancer risk loci predispose to distinct tumor subtypes

    Ahearn, T. U., Zhang, H., Michailidou, K., Milne, R. L., Bolla, M. K., Dennis, J., Dunning, A. M., Lush, M., Wang, Q., Andrulis, I. L., Anton-Culver, H., Arndt, V., Aronson, K. J., Auer, P. L., Augustinsson, A., Baten, A., Becher, H., Behrens, S., Benitez, J. & Bermisheva, M. & 142 others, Blomqvist, C., Bojesen, S. E., Bonanni, B., Børresen-Dale, A. L., Brauch, H., Brenner, H., Brooks-Wilson, A., Brüning, T., Burwinkel, B., Buys, S. S., Canzian, F., Castelao, J. E., Chang-Claude, J., Chanock, S. J., Chenevix-Trench, G., Clarke, C. L., Collée, J. M., Cox, A., Cross, S. S., Czene, K., Daly, M. B., Devilee, P., Dörk, T., Dwek, M., Eccles, D. M., Evans, D. G., Fasching, P. A., Figueroa, J., Floris, G., Gago-Dominguez, M., Gapstur, S. M., García-Sáenz, J. A., Gaudet, M. M., Giles, G. G., Goldberg, M. S., González-Neira, A., Alnæs, G. I. G., Grip, M., Guénel, P., Haiman, C. A., Hall, P., Hamann, U., Harkness, E. F., Heemskerk-Gerritsen, B. A. M., Holleczek, B., Hollestelle, A., Hooning, M. J., Hoover, R. N., Hopper, J. L., Howell, A., Jakimovska, M., Jakubowska, A., John, E. M., Jones, M. E., Jung, A., Kaaks, R., Kauppila, S., Keeman, R., Khusnutdinova, E., Kitahara, C. M., Ko, Y. D., Koutros, S., Kristensen, V. N., Krüger, U., Kubelka-Sabit, K., Kurian, A. W., Kyriacou, K., Lambrechts, D., Lee, D. G., Lindblom, A., Linet, M., Lissowska, J., Llaneza, A., Lo, W. Y., MacInnis, R. J., Mannermaa, A., Manoochehri, M., Margolin, S., Martinez, M. E., McLean, C., Meindl, A., Menon, U., Nevanlinna, H., Newman, W. G., Nodora, J., Offit, K., Olsson, H., Orr, N., Park-Simon, T. W., Patel, A. V., Peto, J., Pita, G., Plaseska-Karanfilska, D., Prentice, R., Punie, K., Pylkäs, K., Radice, P., Rennert, G., Romero, A., Rüdiger, T., Saloustros, E., Sampson, S., Sandler, D. P., Sawyer, E. J., Schmutzler, R. K., Schoemaker, M. J., Schöttker, B., Sherman, M. E., Shu, X. O., Smichkoska, S., Southey, M. C., Spinelli, J. J., Swerdlow, A. J., Tamimi, R. M., Tapper, W. J., Taylor, J. A., Teras, L. R., Terry, M. B., Torres, D., Troester, M. A., Vachon, C. M., van Deurzen, C. H. M., van Veen, E. M., Wagner, P., Weinberg, C. R., Wendt, C., Wesseling, J., Winqvist, R., Wolk, A., Yang, X. R., Zheng, W., Couch, F. J., Simard, J., Kraft, P., Easton, D. F., Pharoah, P. D. P., Schmidt, M. K., García-Closas, M., Chatterjee, N., NBCS Collaborators, ABCTB Investigators & kConFab/AOCS Investigators, 1 Dec 2022, In: Breast Cancer Research. 24, 1, 13 p., 2.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

    Open Access
    21 Citations (Scopus)

  • Characterisation of the expression of P2X7 receptor, cancer stem cell markers and immunological mediators in human high-grade gliomas

    Kan, L. K., Drill, M., Muscat, A., Sanfilippo, P., Sequeira, R. P., Jayakrishnan, P. C., Vo, A., Wong, N. C., Todaro, M., McLean, C., Drummond, K. J., Hunn, M., Williams, D. A., O’Brien, T. J. & Monif, M., Dec 2025, In: BMC Neuroscience. 26, 1, 15 p., 59.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

    Open Access

  • Correction: Lipid Metabolism Is Dysregulated in the Motor Cortex White Matter in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Metabolites, (2022), 12, 6, (554), 10.3390/metabo12060554)

    Sadler, G. L., Lewis, K. N., Narayana, V. K., De Souza, D. P., Mason, J., McLean, C., Gonsalvez, D. G., Turner, B. J. & Barton, S. K., Jul 2025, In: Metabolites. 15, 7, 1 p., 486.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Other › peer-review

    Open Access

  • Erratum: Author Correction: Functional mechanisms underlying pleiotropic risk alleles at the 19p13.1 breast-ovarian cancer susceptibility locus (Nature communications (2016) 7 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12675.)

    Lawrenson, K., Kar, S., McCue, K., Kuchenbaeker, K., Michailidou, K., Tyrer, J., Beesley, J., Ramus, S. J., Li, Q., Delgado, M. K., Lee, J. M., Aittomäki, K., Andrulis, I. L., Anton-Culver, H., Arndt, V., Arun, B. K., Arver, B., Bandera, E. V., Barile, M. & Barkardottir, R. B. & 235 others, Barrowdale, D., Beckmann, M. W., Benitez, J., Berchuck, A., Bisogna, M., Bjorge, L., Blomqvist, C., Blot, W., Bogdanova, N., Bojesen, A., Bojesen, S. E., Bolla, M. K., Bonanni, B., Børresen-Dale, A. L., Brauch, H., Brennan, P., Brenner, H., Bruinsma, F., Brunet, J., Buhari, S. A., Burwinkel, B., Butzow, R., Buys, S. S., Cai, Q., Caldes, T., Campbell, I., Cannioto, R., Chang-Claude, J., Chiquette, J., Choi, J. Y., Claes, K. B. M., Cook, L. S., Cox, A., Cramer, D. W., Cross, S. S., Cybulski, C., Czene, K., Daly, M. B., Damiola, F., Dansonka-Mieszkowska, A., Darabi, H., Dennis, J., Devilee, P., Diez, O., Doherty, J. A., Domchek, S. M., Dorfling, C. M., Dörk, T., Dumont, M., Ehrencrona, H., Ejlertsen, B., Ellis, S., Engel, C., Lee, E., Evans, D. G., Fasching, P. A., Feliubadalo, L., Figueroa, J., Flesch-Janys, D., Fletcher, O., Flyger, H., Foretova, L., Fostira, F., Foulkes, W. D., Fridley, B. L., Friedman, E., Frost, D., Gambino, G., Ganz, P. A., Garber, J., García-Closas, M., Gentry-Maharaj, A., Ghoussaini, M., Giles, G. G., Glasspool, R., Godwin, A. K., Goldberg, M. S., Goldgar, D. E., González-Neira, A., Goode, E. L., Goodman, M. T., Greene, M. H., Gronwald, J., Guénel, P., Haiman, C. A., Hall, P., Hallberg, E., Hamann, U., Hansen, T. V. O., Harrington, P. A., Hartman, M., Hassan, N., Healey, S., Heitz, F., Herzog, J., Høgdall, E., Høgdall, C. K., Hogervorst, F. B. L., Hollestelle, A., Hopper, J. L., Hulick, P. J., Huzarski, T., Imyanitov, E. N., Isaacs, C., Ito, H., Jakubowska, A., Janavicius, R., Jensen, A., John, E. M., Johnson, N., Kabisch, M., Kang, D., Kapuscinski, M., Karlan, B. Y., Khan, S., Kiemeney, L. A., Kjaer, S. K., Knight, J. A., Konstantopoulou, I., Kosma, V. M., Kristensen, V., Kupryjanczyk, J., Kwong, A., de la Hoya, M., Laitman, Y., Lambrechts, D., Le, N., De Leeneer, K., Lester, J., Levine, D. A., Li, J., Lindblom, A., Long, J., Lophatananon, A., Loud, J. T., Lu, K., Lubinski, J., Mannermaa, A., Manoukian, S., Le Marchand, L., Margolin, S., Marme, F., Massuger, L. F. A. G., Matsuo, K., Mazoyer, S., McGuffog, L., McLean, C., McNeish, I., Meindl, A., Menon, U., Mensenkamp, A. R., Milne, R. L., Montagna, M., Moysich, K. B., Muir, K., Mulligan, A. M., Nathanson, K. L., Ness, R. B., Neuhausen, S. L., Nevanlinna, H., Nord, S., Nussbaum, R. L., Odunsi, K., Offit, K., Olah, E., Olopade, O. I., Olson, J. E., Olswold, C., O'Malley, D., Orlow, I., Orr, N., Osorio, A., Park, S. K., Pearce, C. L., Pejovic, T., Peterlongo, P., Pfeiler, G., Phelan, C. M., Poole, E. M., Pylkäs, K., Radice, P., Rantala, J., Rashid, M. U., Rennert, G., Rhenius, V., Rhiem, K., Risch, H. A., Rodriguez, G., Rossing, M. A., Rudolph, A., Salvesen, H. B., Sangrajrang, S., Sawyer, E. J., Schildkraut, J. M., Schmidt, M. K., Schmutzler, R. K., Sellers, T. A., Seynaeve, C., Shah, M., Shen, C. Y., Shu, X. O., Sieh, W., Singer, C. F., Sinilnikova, O. M., Slager, S., Song, H., Soucy, P., Southey, M. C., Stenmark-Askmalm, M., Stoppa-Lyonnet, D., Sutter, C., Swerdlow, A., Tchatchou, S., Teixeira, M. R., Teo, S. H., Terry, K. L., Terry, M. B., Thomassen, M., Tibiletti, M. G., Tihomirova, L., Tognazzo, S., Toland, A. E., Tomlinson, I., Torres, D., Truong, T., Tseng, C. C., Tung, N., Tworoger, S. S., Vachon, C., van den Ouweland, A. M. W., GEMO Study Collaborators, emBRAce, The Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Research Group Netherlands (HEBON), kConFab Investigators & Australian Ovarian Cancer Study Group (AOCS), 8 Sept 2025, In: Nature Communications. 16, 1, 2 p., 8237.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Other › peer-review

    Open Access

  • Histiocytoid Sweet Syndrome – A systematic literature review of the clinical and histological characteristics and treatment outcomes

    Wong, T. C., Liu, Z. F., McLean, C. A., Gin, D. & Chew, C. Y. M., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 4 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › Other › peer-review

View all 582 research outputs
View all 11 prizes
  • 2 Professional association or peak discipline body
  • 2 Peer review responsibility
  • 1 Committees and working groups