Chief Operating Officer (COO)

As Chief Operating Officer, Dr Christine De Nardo leads and manages the institute’s Research Support function and staff, which includes Finance, Procurement, Legal, Human Resources, Information Technology, Communications and Marketing, Philanthropy and Fundraising, Research and Governance, Laboratory Operations and Facilities Management. With a strong focus on quality, productivity, and stakeholder relationships, her role is to facilitate the delivery of quality services that support the institute in meeting its strategic, operational, compliance, and risk management objectives.

Dr De Nardo completed her bachelor’s degree (Hons) in Biological Sciences at La Trobe University and a PhD in Life Sciences at the University of Melbourne. She brings over 15 years of experience to the role of COO, in research, operational management and leadership; across academic, medical research, and biotechnology sectors in both Australia and Germany. She has a strong track record in coordinating and managing complex, collaborative research programs, securing significant funding, and establishing strong partnerships within the industry.

Prior to joining the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, she was Manager for the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health and Sub-Faculty of Clinical and Molecular Medicine and held the position of General Manager at biotechnology start-up, oNKo-innate Pty Ltd.