Barwon Centre for Orthopaedic Research and Education
Dedicated research centre for orthopaedic surgery and musculoskeletal health research
How our research enables healthier environments
The Barwon Centre for Orthopaedic Research and Education (B-CORE) is a research group based in the Education and Research Centre at St John of God Hospital and University Hospital Geelong in Victoria, Australia. B-CORE is also affiliated with Deakin Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation and the School of Medicine.
Our unit is one of the most thorough and active research groups dedicated to orthopaedic and musculoskeletal health research in Australia. Our research empowers communities and improves the lives of people with musculoskeletal conditions.
Our research capabilities
Our researchers explore musculoskeletal health, including conducting clinical trials of new treatments and population-wide studies of prevention.
Surgery and technology
We advocate for the use of innovative technology for orthopaedic surgery. We explore the use of biomaterials, 3D printing, biokin motion tracking, biofilms in infection and joint biomechanics to deliver effective and reliable quality care.
Chronic disease
We investigate how chronic diseases – such as arthritis, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol – interact with common musculoskeletal conditions and treatments, like osteoarthritis, tendon disease and joint replacement surgery.
Joint replacement
We run one of Australia’s oldest joint replacement registries – Barwon Joint Registry (BJR) – monitoring people following joint replacements. The registry contains over 14,000 patients and helps to evaluate the effects of joint replacement surgery.
Shoulder problems
Our researchers investigate shoulder conditions such as rotator cuff disease, arthritis, frozen shoulder and injuries from sport and other trauma.
Sports injury
We explore the impact of sports trauma and injury on people of all ages. We work to identify the most cost efficient and effective surgical treatments to allow patients to return their usual activities with minimal disability as soon as possible.
Our bench to bedside research program is integrated into clinical and surgical practice, which enables us to explore and answer real world orthopaedic and musculoskeletal health issues. This flows on to improve the quality of care at a regional, national, and international level by integrating with our patients and global research partners.
Director of B-CORE
Help us address health challenges
Study a research degree or PhD with Deakin’s Faculty of Health and help improve the lives of people living with chronic diseases and conditions.
I believe curiosity is the foundation of better healthcare, and research is how we turn curiosity into meaningful evidence-based change.
Researcher at B-CORE
Our research team
Our researchers are renowned academics and practicing industry professionals working across multiple disciplines who collaborate to advance the science of musculoskeletal health.
Professor Richard Page is an orthopaedic shoulder and upper limb surgeon and founding director of B-CORE. He has over 25 years of active research and surgical education experience, teaching medical students, registrars, surgical Fellows and supervises graduate researchers.
Associate Professor Stephen Gill is a researcher with B-CORE and a senior clinician physiotherapist with Barwon Health, with a focus on clinical and health services research.
Dr Rachael McMillan is a clinician researcher who works academically in the School of Medicine at Deakin University and clinically as a Senior Clinician Physiotherapist in public Emergency Department and Urgent Care settings.
Dr Vicky Kuriel teaches in the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences. Her research interests relate to metabolic physiology and health, and the associated clinical implications.
Dr Liam Halliday is an affiliate senior lecturer in the School of Medicine.
Associate Professor Kevin Eng specialises in surgery of the upper limb including the shoulder, elbow and hand.
Featured projects
Our researchers explore all elements of orthopaedic musculoskeletal health, as well as making scientific progress against other diseases and conditions.
Reverse or anatomical joint replacement for painful shoulder osteoarthritis (RAPSODI)
This research study compares two common shoulder replacement surgeries for people aged over 60 with painful arthritis. Participants are randomly assigned to receive one of the two surgeries that are commonly performed in Australia. Researchers track how people recover over two years, including their pain, movement, quality of life and whether they need further treatment.
Australian football injury surveillance and prevention
B-CORE partnered with Deakin and the AFL to conduct Australia’s largest study investigating female Australian rules football players to determine the types of injuries they sustain when compared to males. Our research insights were disseminated widely across publications, national and international conference presentations, and media outlets. The team is now analysing 2025 data and netball injuries to compare risks and inform community understanding.
Joint replacement study
Our partnerships
We partner with leading universities, healthcare organisations, clinical registries and international institutions to advance orthopaedic research and data-driven clinical outcomes. These collaborations enable large-scale data integration, innovation in patient care, and the translation of research into real-world health improvements.
- University of Melbourne
- Monash University
- University of Sydney
- University of Queensland
- Queensland University of Technology
- University of Western Australia
- La Trobe University
- Evidence-Based Medicine Analytics (EBMA)
- Australian Football League
- Australian Orthopaedic Association
- Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry
- Australian and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry
- Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry
- Victorian Orthopaedic Foundation
- Shoulder and Elbow Society of Australia
- Patient Registry of Upper Limb Outcomes
- Adrian Costa Clinical Trials Centre
- University of Oxford
- Kaiser Permanente
- Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (Geneva University Hospital)
Contact us
Our team is here to answer your questions and help you learn more about B-CORE.
