Professor Christian Brizard

Director, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Cardiac Surgery Unit - RCH

MD, MS.

Senior Research Fellow, CNN - MCRI
Professor, Department of Paediatrics - University of Melbourne

Professor Christian Brizard is Director of the Cardiac Surgery Unit at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Senior Research Fellow at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, and Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Melbourne. Since 2000, he has led one of Australia’s busiest paediatric cardiac centres, performing over 700 heart operations each year with a focus on neonatal and complex congenital heart conditions. Internationally recognised for his surgical expertise and research, Professor Brizard has published more than 230 scientific papers and pioneered advances in areas such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome, Fontan physiology, and stem cell therapies. He is also dedicated to improving surgical tools and fostering global collaborations, ensuring that children and families benefit from cutting-edge care and innovation.

Professor Igor Konstantinov

Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Cardiac Surgery Unit - RCH

MD, PhD, FRACS

Senior Research Fellow, CNN, MCRI

Director, Melbourne Children's Centre for Cardiovascular Genomics and Regenerative Medicine

Professor, Department of Paediatrics - University of Melbourne

Professor Igor E. Konstantinov, MD, PhD, FRCS, is a leading Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon in the Cardiac Surgery Unit at the Royal Children’s Hospital and a full Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Melbourne. With an international reputation in paediatric cardiac surgery, his academic contributions include more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters focusing on heart failure, transplantation, univentricular palliation, and outcomes in congenital heart disease. He also directs the Melbourne Centre for Cardiovascular Genomics and Regenerative Medicine and leads the National Paediatric Heart Transplantation Transcriptome Bank—key initiatives advancing genomics and stem cell research for childhood heart conditions. Professor Konstantinov’s expertise spans neonatal and complex redo congenital heart operations, aortic and truncal valve repair, tracheoplasty, and molecular cardioprotection against ischaemia–reperfusion injury. His insight and innovation continue to shape the future of paediatric cardiac care and research at the RCH.

Dr. Edward Buratto

Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Cardiac Surgery Unit - RCH

MBBS, PhD, FRACS

Fellow - CNN - MCRI

Principal Fellow, Department of Paediatrics - University of Melbourne

Professor Edward Buratto, MBBS, PhD, FRACS, is a highly respected Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon within the Cardiac Surgery Unit at the Royal Children’s Hospital and holds an appointment at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. He specialises in paediatric and adult congenital cardiothoracic surgery, with particular expertise in atrioventricular septal defects, aortic valve surgery in children and young adults—including Ross procedures and tissue-engineered valve prostheses—as well as the surgical management of pulmonary atresia. A/Prof Buratto completed his PhD on atrioventricular septal defects in 2019 and continues to lead research in congenital heart disease. His clinical and scholarly contributions are a vital part of advancing thoughtful, evidence-based paediatric cardiac care at RCH.

Dr. Stephanie Perrier

Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Cardiac Surgery Unit - RCH 

MD, MBBS, FRACS

Dr Stephanie Perrier, MD, MBBS, FRACS, is a distinguished Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon in the Cardiac Surgery Unit at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, as well as a Fellow with the Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour (CNN) and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) Royal Children's Hospital. Specialising in paediatric and congenital cardiac surgery, Dr Perrier brings exceptional clinical care and compassion to her role. Her journey from training in France to life-changing surgical innovations is featured in HeartKids’ “From the Heart” podcast, where she reflects on the magic of the heart, surgical routines, and fast-track recovery methods YouTube.

In her work, Dr Perrier is committed to delivering excellence in both surgery and family-centred care—sharing insights in resources such as HeartKids’ “CoHD Explained” video series, where she provides practical guidance on what families can expect before, during, and after open-heart surgery HeartKids. Her thoughtful approach and dedication to innovation make her a vital member of RCH’s cardiac surgery team.

Perfusionists

Dr. Stephen B. Horton

PhD, CCP(Aus), CCP(USA), FACBS

Associate Professor | Director of Perfusion
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Paediatrics - University of Melbourne  
Honorary Research Fellow - Murdoch Childrens Research Institute

Martin Bennett

B.App.Sc., CCP

Simon Augustin 

B.App.Sc., CCP

Bradley Schultz

B.App.Sc., CCP

Stephen Bottrell

B.App.Sc., CCP

Juthawan Suthumporn

B.App.Sc., CCP

Amber Darwinkel-Wodson

B.App.Sc., CCP

Cardiac Surgery Fellows

Dr Carolina Freire Rodrigues

Dr Amine Mazine

Dr Emanoel Pimentel Cruz

Cardiac Theatre Nurses

May Chan - Clinical Nurse Consultant

Bambang Kurnia - Associate Unit Manager

Sarah Downie - Clinical Nurse Specialist