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Dr Sarah Hellewell

Senior Research Fellow
Curtin Medical Research Institute

Neurotrauma

Dr Sarah Hellewell is a Senior Research Fellow in Neurotrauma and Stan Perron People Fellow at Curtin University and the Perron Institute in Perth. She is the Deputy Lead of the Neurotrauma Research Group, where she leads a dynamic team of 17 researchers. Recognised by Expertscape.com as the top-ranked expert in traumatic brain injury in Western Australia and among the top 0.4% of experts globally, Dr Hellewell’s research explores the full spectrum of brain injury, from subconcussive impacts to severe traumatic brain injury, across athletes, military personnel, and the general population. Her work integrates multimodal MRI, fluid biomarkers, and functional assessments to investigate how brain injury affects structure, function, and cognitive performance. She leads multiple clinical and preclinical studies aimed at translating discoveries from bench to bedside and back again, improving understanding and outcomes in traumatic brain injury.  

About

Dr Sarah Hellewell is a Senior Research Fellow in Neurotrauma at Curtin University and the Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science. She is an internationally recognised researcher specialising in traumatic brain injury, with a particular focus on concussion and its long term effects.


Dr Hellewell’s work sits at the intersection of clinical and laboratory science. Her research programmes span the full spectrum of brain injury, from mild concussion through to severe traumatic brain injury, allowing her to connect real world clinical challenges with advanced scientific investigation. This “bench to bedside” approach underpins her goal of improving diagnosis, treatment and recovery outcomes for patients.


Dr Hellewell is widely regarded as a leading expert in neurotrauma research. Her work contributes to major national and international collaborations aimed at improving outcomes for people living with brain injuries.


She is particularly committed to translating research into practical impact, including improving clinical care, informing public health strategies, and guiding policy around concussion and brain injury management. Her research highlights the significant societal burden of traumatic brain injury and the urgent need for more targeted and personalised treatment approaches

Dr Sarah Hellewell is actively involved in several leading research institutes and international scientific communities focused on brain injury and neuroimaging. Her affiliations support collaborative research aimed at improving the diagnosis, treatment and long term outcomes of traumatic brain injury.

Institutional Affiliations

  • Senior Research Fellow, Neurotrauma Research Group, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science
  • Research Fellow, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University
  • Research Lead within the Neurodegeneration and Pain domain, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute

Research Networks and Collaborations

  • Investigator and collaborator in national traumatic brain injury research initiatives, including the Australian Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative
  • Contributor to longitudinal concussion recovery studies such as the Concussion Recovery Study

Professional and Scientific Communities

  • Member of the international neuroimaging research community through participation in the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

Through these affiliations, Dr Hellewell collaborates with clinicians, neuroscientists and researchers across Australia and internationally to advance understanding of concussion and traumatic brain injury and to develop improved diagnostic and treatment approaches.

  • Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund
    WA Near-Miss Awards: Emerging Leaders (WANMA EL) Grant
    Amount: AUD $100,000
    Year: 2023
    Project focus: Improving quality of life for people with mild traumatic brain injury who experience long term symptoms. The project uses advanced MRI techniques to examine brain changes and predict recovery outcomes.
  • Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF)
    Mission for Traumatic Brain Injury Grant
    Amount: AUD $2.99 million (consortium grant)
    Role: Chief Investigator within a national research consortium
    Project focus: Developing digital predictive models to improve care pathways and outcomes for people with mild traumatic brain injury. The project integrates neuroimaging, biomarkers and clinical data to personalise treatment.
  • Telethon7 Perth Trust Research Grant
    Year: 2025
    Project: Inside and Out: Multifaceted Exploration of Adolescent Concussion
    Focus: Understanding concussion in young people through multidisciplinary research involving imaging, clinical and biological measures.
  • Perron Foundation Health Research Grant
    Year: 2024
    Project: Illuminating the Impact: Investigating the Contribution and Consequences of Brain Inflammation and White Matter Damage to Child and Adolescent Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms
    Focus: Investigating how brain inflammation and structural brain changes contribute to ongoing concussion symptoms in children and adolescents.
  • Cooperative Research Centre Projects Grant (Industry collaboration)
    Amount: AUD $1.2 million (project funding)
    Collaboration with Argenica Therapeutics and Curtin University
    Focus: Development of a potential therapeutic drug (ARG-007) aimed at reducing brain damage and neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury. Dr Hellewell contributed to the research programme as part of the project team.

 

  • Business Events Perth Aspire Award (2021)
    Dr Hellewell was a recipient of the prestigious Aspire Award, recognising emerging leaders in research and supporting international collaboration and professional development.
  • Perron Institute Aspire Award (2021)
    Awarded through the Aspire Awards programme for her work in concussion, traumatic brain injury and neuroimaging, supporting her participation in the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine conference.
  • WA Near-Miss Awards: Emerging Leaders (WANMA EL) Grant (2023)
    While primarily a funding scheme, this award is highly competitive and recognises promising early and mid career researchers who narrowly missed national NHMRC funding, highlighting research excellence and leadership potential.

Email: Sarah.Hellewell@curtin.edu.au
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Research Focus

Dr Hellewell’s research focuses on traumatic brain injury, a condition with significant long term impacts on individuals, families and healthcare systems. Her work aims to better understand how brain injuries occur, how they evolve over time, and how recovery can be improved. A central area of her research is concussion, particularly in sport and everyday settings, where even mild or repeated head impacts can lead to measurable changes in brain structure and function.

Her research is organised around three interconnected themes:

Across these areas, Dr Hellewell’s research also includes:

Through this work, Dr Hellewell aims to develop more accurate, evidence based tools for diagnosing and managing brain injury, particularly in cases where symptoms may be subtle, complex, or delayed.

Research Team

Prof. Melinda Fitzgerald

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research

Dr Chidozie Anyaegbu

Research Fellow

Dr Brittney Lins

Research Fellow

Dr Amanda Jefferson

Lecturer

Dr Jemma Keeves

Research Fellow

Dr Jacinta Thorne

Research Fellow

Roley Myers

Communications Officer

Grace Bliesner

Research Assistant

Kinta Pinchin-Yamada

University Associate

Atyab Alansari

PhD Student

Charlotte Sofield

PhD Student

Blake Rippon

Honours Student

Hardi Vyas

Honours Student

Katherien Frazer

Honours Student

May Majimbi

Research Assistant

Melissa Papini

PhD Student

Caerwen Ellery

PhD Student

Andre Avila

PhD Student

Reece Granger

Masters Student

Publications

ABSTRACT

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a prevalent condition with symptoms spanning physical, psychological, cognitive, and sleep domains. Altered functional brain networks have been implicated in mTBI, but the relationship between these network changes and post-concussive symptoms remains poorly understood. This study is a systematic scoping review, adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines, assessing current literature on the association between brain network dysfunction and mTBI-related symptoms. Searches across ProQuest, Web of Science, and PubMed yielded 41 studies for full review, with most (n = 39) employing resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to examine brain networks. The default mode network (DMN) was a primary focus, with studies reporting heterogeneous findings of increased and decreased connectivity both within and outside this network. Over 85% of studies used mTBI-specific symptom measures, and 50% employed detailed questionnaires for emotional and physical symptom assessment. Of these, 23 studies identified significant correlations between symptom scores and network connectivity. However, methodological inconsistencies, including variable analytic approaches, highlight the need for standardization in this field. Key areas for future research include incorporating multimodal imaging techniques, conducting longitudinal studies or extending recruitment time points, and stratifying analyses by sex to optimise identification of connectivity changes. Addressing these gaps is crucial for advancing our understanding of functional network alterations in mTBI and their clinical implications, ultimately supporting improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Ellery, C. S., A. N. Avila, M. G. Papini, M. Fitzgerald, and S. C. Hellewell. 2026. Establishing the link between post-concussive symptoms and brain network dysfunction: A systematic scoping review of neuroimaging evidence.Neuroimage Clinical 49
ABSTRACT

The Australian Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative (AUS-TBI) aims to co-design a data resource to predict outcomes for people with moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) across Australia. Fundamental to this resource is the data dictionary, which is an ontology of data items. Here, we report the systematic review and consensus process for inclusion of biological markers in the data dictionary. Standardized database searches were implemented from inception through April 2022. English-language studies evaluating association between a fluid, tissue, or imaging marker and any clinical outcome in at least 10 patients with moderate-severe TBI were included. Records were screened using a prioritization algorithm and saturation threshold in Research Screener. Full-length records were then screened in Covidence. A pre-defined algorithm was used to assign a judgement of predictive value to each observed association, and high-value predictors were discussed in a consensus process. Searches retrieved 106,593 records; 1,417 full-length records were screened, resulting in 546 included records. Two hundred thirty-nine individual markers were extracted, evaluated against 101 outcomes. Forty-one markers were judged to be high-value predictors of 15 outcomes. Fluid markers retained following the consensus process included ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), S100, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Imaging markers included computed tomography (CT) scores (e.g., Marshall scores), pathological observations (e.g., hemorrhage, midline shift), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) classification (e.g., diffuse axonal injury). Clinical context and time of sampling of potential predictive indicators are important considerations for utility. This systematic review and consensus process has identified fluid and imaging biomarkers with high predictive value of clinical and long-term outcomes following moderate-severe TBI.

Bagg, M. K., S. C. Hellewell, J. Keeves, A. Antonic-Baker, A. McKimmie, A. J. Hicks, A. Gadowski, V. F. J. Newcombe, K. M. Barlow, Z. J. Balogh, and 16 more contributors. 2025. The Australian Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative: Systematic Review of Predictive Value of Biological Markers for People With Moderate-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.Journal of Neurotrauma 42 (21-22): 2116-2137.

International Women's Day 2026

Dr Sarah Hellewell

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