ACE investigators



The Australian Colonic Endoscopic Resection Study (ACE) is a collaboration of 10 academic tertiary endoscopy centres around Australia.

The lead centre investigator is Professor Michael Bourke at Westmead Hospital in Sydney. At Westmead, under the stewardship of Professor Bourke, a group of Advanced Endoscopy Fellows and Consultants research different aspects of the endoscopic resection of early cancer




Lead ACE Investigators


Name Role Centre Bio
Professor Michael Bourke Chief Investigator Westmead Hospital, Sydney Michael Bourke is Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Sydney and Director of Gastrointestinal Endosccopy at Westmead Hospital, Sydney. He is an internationally renowned leader in gastrointestinal endoscopy, colonoscopy, ERCP and advanced endoscopic tissue resection with a reputation for pioneering endoscopic therapy techniques and research to influence clinical practice, particularly in the field of endoscopic resection of advanced mucosal neoplasia in the colon, oesophagus, duodenum, and papilla. He has held many national leadership roles within Gastroenterology and Endoscopy in Australia. He is Co-editor of the journal Endoscopy (Journal of the European society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 2011-2017) He is a co-founder of The National Endoscopy Training Initiative (NETI, 2007) and convenor of the Sydney International Endoscopy Symposium (SIES), Australia’s 2nd largest gastroenterology meeting, now in its 10th year with a delegation of more than 600 registrants. He has been the senior author on more than 150 peer reviewed research publications and book chapters, published in the leading journals in the field such as Gastroenterology, Gut, AJG, GIE and Endoscopy. He has received numerous awards including the Gastroenterological Society of Australia Outstanding Clinician Award for contributions to the specialty, research, and the Society and the British society of Gastroenterology Christopher Williams medal in 2017.
Dr Nicholas Burgess Associate Investigator Westmead Hospital, Sydney Dr Nick Burgess is a staff specialist gastroenterologist and interventional endoscopist at Westmead Hospital. He recently completed a University of Sydney PhD examining endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) of large colonic polyps. Key aspects of his research include the subtypes of large sessile colonic polyps, complications associated with their removal and novel techniques to reduce bleeding. This research has resulted in several publications in high impact international journals. He is actively involved in ongoing research, teaching and education at Westmead Hospital.
Dr Eric Lee Associate Investigator Westmead Hospital, Sydney Dr Eric Lee is a Staff Specialist Gastroenterologist and Interventional Endoscopist at Westmead Hospital with expertise in ERCP, EUS, advanced polypectomy techniques, and endoscopic therapies for Barrett’s neoplasia. His commitment to the field of endoscopic oncology underpins his passion for research and teaching in gastrointestinal endoscopy. This has led to numerous presentations at national and international meetings and publications in peer-reviewed journals.  He has been an invited speaker and chair for numerous sessions at these scientific meetings.  A medical graduate of the University of New South Wales, he trained in Gastroenterology at Westmead and Royal North Shore Hospitals in Sydney before undertaking the prestigious Clinical Fellowship in Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy with the University of Toronto, Canada. He currently serves on the Australian Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Association (AGEA) Committee and the Education Committee of the World Endoscopy Organization (WEO).
Dr Stephen Williams Associate Investigator Westmead Hospital, Sydney Current position: Senior VMO in Gastroenterology at Westmead Hospital and honorary therapeutic endoscopy consultant at Westmead Children’s Hospital.   Previous Positions: include Head of Department and Director of Endoscopy at Westmead Hospital as well as Chairman of The Australian Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Association.   Current clinical practice : includes all aspects of gastroenterology and therapeutic endoscopy with a particular interest in biliary and pancreatic disease and the role of endoscopy in the diagnosis and therapy of these conditions.   Training: Long term commitment to the training of gastroenterology at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level as well as training registrars and fellows in the art and science of endoscopy. Also committed to training fellow gastroenterologists at the tertiary level having convened and participated in multiple endoscopy workshops both nationally and internationally.   Research interests have resulted in a Doctorate in Medicine at Sydney University and over 65 publications in peer-reviewed journals as well as multiple presentations at national and international conferences
Dr Farzan Bahin Associate Investigator Blacktown Hospital, Sydney Dr Farzan Bahin is a consultant gastroenterologist with accreditation in gastroscopy, colonoscopy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiography and capsule endoscopy. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and Member of the Gastroenterological Society of Australia and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. He completed his gastroenterology training at Westmead Hospital which included an advanced endoscopy fellowship in the world renowned Westmead Hospital Endoscopy Unit. He is the recipient of a National Health and Medical Research Council scholarship and numerous research related prizes. He is due to complete his PhD on the safety and efficacy of endoscopic resection of early stage gastrointestinal cancers. Dr Bahin has presented at international conferences and extensively published in peer reviewed journals and book chapters. He is a reviewer for a number of high-impact gastroenterology journals. Dr Bahin is passionate about high quality consultation, comprehensive patient care and excellence in gastrointestinal endoscopy. He has a strong research and teaching background and continues to improve patient outcomes through his own research involvement. His interests span the breadth of gastroenterology, hepatology and advanced gastroentestinal endoscopy.
A/Prof Luke Hourigan Associate Investigator Greenslopes Private Hospital, Brisbane

Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane		 A/Prof Luke Hourigan practices privately at Greenslopes Private Hospital (associate of Queensland Gastroenterology). He is also the Clinical Director of Endoscopy at Princess Alexandra Hospital.
His areas of special interest include diagnostic gastroscopy and colonoscopy, large colonic polypectomy, ERCP, SpyGlass cholangioscopy, endoscopic ultrasound, endoscopic submucosal mucosal resection (ESD), per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), management of Barrett's dysplasia, palliative gastrointestinal stent placement, capsule endoscopy, endoscopic oncology and bowel cancer screening.
A/Prof Hourigan completed his advanced training in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Mater Hospital and Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane (1996-1998). He completed postgraduate training in Interventional Endoscopy at Westmead Hospital, Sydney and St Michael's Hospital (Wellesley), Toronto, Canada (1999-2001). A/Prof Hourigan is a past president of the Gastroenterology Society of Queensland. He is actively involved in the supervision of gastrointestinal endoscopic training, endoscopic research and the Australian Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Association.
A/Prof Raj Singh Associate Investigator Lyell McEwan Hospital, Adelaide Clinical Associate Professor Rajvinder Singh is a visiting Gastroenterologist at the Gawler Health Service, the Calvary Central Districts Hospital and consults at the Nunyara House Specialist Medical Centre where he sees all patients with gastroenterology or hepatology related problems. He is the Director of Gastroenterology at the Lyell McEwin and Modbury Hospitals, South Australia and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Adelaide, Australia.
Upon completion of his GI training, he received the Lancet International Fellowship, which enabled him to undertake a higher research degree on Narrow Band Imaging in Barrett’s Oesophagus at the University of Nottingham, UK. He has a keen interest in Endoscopic research focusing mainly on Advanced Endoscopic Imaging Techniques and Endoscopic Treatment of premalignant and malignant lesions in the gastrointestinal tract.  He has been successful in obtaining various grants nationally to further investigate the utility of novel endoscopic imaging techniques in the detection of dysplasia and early cancer.
A/Prof Singh has made a substantial contribution to research with over 100 high quality scientific journal publications. Amongst these are senior authorship of national and international consensus guidelines in both Australia and the Asia Pacific Region. Present ongoing research includes multicentre national and international collaborative studies on the detection, characterisation and endoscopic treatment of Colon Polyps, Early Gastric Cancer and Barrett’s Oesophagus. His global reputation has led to speaking engagements and ‘live endoscopy’ demonstrations around the world including in the USA, UK, Japan, Korea, India, Singapore, New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, and Myanmar amongst other countries.
He is an Editorial Board member of Endoscopy, a Co-Editor of Endoscopy International Open, the Contributing Associate Editor in Chief of the World Journal of Gastroenterology and an Editorial Board member of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. He is the current chair of the Australian Gastroenterology Endoscopic Association (AGEA) and a committee member of the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy’s International Initiative.
Dr Spiro Raftopoulos Associate Investigator Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth Dr Spiro Raftopoulos is a gastroenterologist with subspecialty interest in all aspects of interventional endoscopy including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In addition to this he prides himself in the delivery of expert management in all aspects of general gastroenterology, therapeutic endoscopy and high quality colonoscopic services. His specific interests are patients with Barrett’s Oesophagus with access to the latest endoscopic techniques including endoscopic mucosal resection and radiofrequency ablation, Advanced Colonic Polyps, Achalasia, Pharyngeal Pouches (Zenker’s Diverticulum) and Eosinophilic Oesophagitis including dilation. Dr Raftopoulos completed his gastroenterology training in Perth. He subsequently undertook fellowship training at the prestigious St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto Canada in interventional endoscopy. Dr Raftopoulos also has a private appointment at Peel Health Campus in Mandurah, a public appointment at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and an appointment at The University of Western Australia as Clinical Lecturer of Medicine. He is actively involved in multicenter clinical trials including being an active member in the Australian and New Zealand Endoscopy Leaders Forum (ANZELF). He is currently on a number of national advisory committees including the Cancer Council of Australia, the Royal Australasian College of Pathologists and The Australian Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Association (AGEA).
A/Prof Gregor Brown Associate Investigator The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne Associate Professor Gregor Brown MBBS, PhD, FRACP is a physician gastroenterologist who combines public practice as Head of Endoscopy at The Alfred Hospital with a private Gastroenterology practice in inner Melbourne. His main interests are in luminal gastroenterology, and the endoscopic management of these conditions, including interventional gastroscopy/colonoscopy, capsule endoscopy and balloon enteroscopy. He has been on the AGEA Executive Committee for 4 years and is active in colonoscopy training in Australia as one of the instigators and developers of the current NETI program, and is a member of the inaugural NETI Committee. His current research interests include capsule endoscopy, balloon enteroscopy, familial polyposis syndromes, and new treatments for coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
Dr Alan Moss Associate Investigator The Western Hospital, Melbourne A/Professor Alan Moss is a gastroenterologist and interventional endoscopist. He performs colonoscopy, gastroscopy, ERCP, endoscopic ultrasound and luminal stenting. His main research interest is endoscopic resection of large or advanced polyps. He is the Director of Endoscopy at Western Health. A/Prof Moss has a special interest in gastroscopy and colonoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound, endoscopic resection and radiofrequency ablation for Barrett’s oesophagus with high grade dysplasia or early carcinoma, bowel cancer screening, endoscopic removal of large and complex polyps, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), stenting (oesophageal, gastric, duodenal or colonic). His training included a MBBS (Hons) Monash University and endoscopy fellowships at Westmead Hospital, Sydney and St Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada
Dr Nick Tuttici Associate Investigator The QEII Hospital, Brisbane Dr Nick Tutticci completed a Science then Medical degree with honours at the University of QLD. He completed General Gastroenterology training in Queensland at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The Townsville Hospital and Prince Charles Hospital before going on to undertake an Interventional Fellowship at the Royal Perth Hospital and a subsequent Fellowship at Westmead Hospital, Sydney. Dr Tutticci is an Interventional and General Gastroenterologist. He holds positions at Mater Private Hospital South Brisbane, Sunnybank Hospital and Eastern Endoscopy Centre. Dr Tutticci is a staff specialist at QEII Jubilee Hospital. Additionally, Dr Tutticci is a researcher at the University of QLD in the area of serrated colonic polyps. He teaches Gastroenterology Registrar Doctors and sits on the Advanced Trainee Committee with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. In addition to General Gastroenterology, Dr Nick Tutticci has special interest and expertise in: • High quality colonoscopy and endoscopy for polyp detection and cancer screening; • Colonoscopy in FOBT/Bowel screen positive patients; • Detection and endoscopic management of polyposis syndromes; • Advanced endoscopy for removal of large polyps and early cancers; • Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and ERCP.

Westmead Fellows


Name Role Centre Bio
Investigator Westmead Hospital, Sydney