Meet and Mingle Networking Event Highlights 13 May 2026

The Meet and Mingle: Spotlighting translation outcomes of Hopkins Centre research

Researchers, clinicians, people with lived experience and community members recently came together at The Hopkins Centre's latest Meet & Mingle networking event on the 13 May at Griffith University’s South Bank campus. The evening celebrated the theme, “Spotlighting Translation Outcomes of Hopkins Centre Research”, showcasing the real-world impact of seed-funded projects and fostering meaningful conversations around rehabilitation research, innovation and collaboration.

Featured presentations included research exploring complications following flap surgery for people with spinal cord injury, presented by Dr Evgeniya Zakharova-Lunev; a project examining how patients personalise inpatient neurorehabilitation rooms to support wellbeing and recovery, presented by Dr Mike Norwood and Chelsea Marsh; and work focused on co-producing resources to improve information access and decision-making for people with spinal cord injury in Queensland, presented by Dr Kelsey Chapman and Dr Kelly Clanchy.
Attendees also heard from Louise Bassingthwaighte and Izak Hollins about research investigating the experiences of navigating rail transport after acquired brain injury, highlighting opportunities to improve accessibility and community participation.

Learn more about each of the seed projects outcomes and findings below.

 

Creating comfort and connection in rehabilitation spaces  

 

At the Meet and Mingle, Dr Michael Norwood and Chelsea Marsh presented findings from a Hopkins seed grant project led by Kaitlyn Spalding exploring how patients personalise inpatient neurorehabilitation rooms to support comfort, identity and wellbeing during recovery. The project highlighted the importance of more person-centred rehabilitation environments and led to the development of a practical patient resource, Personalising Your Space, to help patients create more familiar and supportive rehabilitation settings. 

   

You CAN Ask That: Supporting Patient-Led Rehabilitation Conversations

 

The Hopkins Centre’s seed project, You CAN Ask That: Co-producing resources for people with spinal cord injury, explored ways to improve communication and access to information for people with spinal cord injury during rehabilitation. Co-designed with patients, families and clinicians, the project identified more than ninety common rehabilitation questions and developed practical resources to support patient-led conversations and decision-making. The project also led to a digital Question Builder prototype for the Metro South Health patient entertainment system. Findings and outcomes were presented by Dr Kelsey Chapman and Dr Kelly Clanchy at The Hopkins Centre’s recent Meet & Mingle event, generating strong discussion around patient-centred rehabilitation.  

   

Supporting community mobility after brain injury

 

The Hopkins Centre’s seed project, Navigating Rail Transport After Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), explored how people with ABI use trains soon after leaving hospital. The study focused on cognitive accessibility, highlighting challenges such as attention, fatigue, wayfinding, and decision-making. It also identified key features that helped people feel safe when travelling by train. These findings have led to the development of a practical clinical workbook, Getting Out in the Community: Using the Train, which will support rehabilitation and help build confidence in community mobility after ABI. The research is also contributing to design guidance for public transport spaces to better meet the needs of people with cognitive impairment and create more accessible and inclusive transport systems and infrastructure. The findings were recently presented at The Hopkins Centre’s Meet & Mingle event by Louise Bassingthwaighte and Izak Hollins.

 

Complications of post-flap surgery in people with spinal cord injury

 

This Hopkins Seed Grant project, led by Dr Evgeniya Zakharova-Luneva explored ways to improve outcomes for people with spinal cord injury undergoing flap surgery for pressure injuries. Through research reviews, patient audits and interviews with people with lived experience and clinicians, the team developed a new Clinical Pathway to guide care in the Spinal Injuries Unit. Key findings highlighted the importance of patient education, psychosocial support, pre-admission assessment, weight management, and specialised multidisciplinary care, along with strategies to support wellbeing during prolonged bed rest. The project presentation at the Hopkins Meet & Mingle, sparked some exciting discussions around future research and rehabilitation innovations.