David Mitchell has long been a proponent of rapid recovery surgery, which improves both the quality and speed of recovery after hip and knee replacement. These techniques have been added to other areas of his surgery such as osteotomies around the knee, and cruciate ligament reconstruction. He is a member of the Australian Knee Society.

In 2000, David was awarded the Charnley Clinical Research Fellowship, and worked under Mike Wroblewski at Wrightington Hospital in England. This is the spiritual home of hip replacement, where Charnley developed the first truly successful hip replacement by 1962. David’s work there included revision hip replacement, and single stage revision hip arthroplasty for infection. Whilst the discipline & thinking processes remain the same, surgical approach has been changed to achieve faster, easier recovery. He has published research on rapid recovery surgery after joint replacement surgery.

David’s long standing connection with Ballarat started when rotated here as a registrar in 1995. He’s been an orthopaedic surgeon in private practice since 2000, he’s director of orthopaedics at Ballarat Base Hospital, involved in Ballarat Day Procedure Centre, and has held positions for the Australian Orthopaedic Association.

Whether it is day surgery such as knee arthroscopy, ACL reconstruction, or joint replacement surgery (which is on the verge of day surgery) David takes personal responsibility for individualised patient care.

Mr Luke Spencer is an Australian and internationally trained orthopaedic surgeon. He specialises in sports orthopaedic surgery including shoulder, hip, knees and primary joint replacement surgery.

Luke completed his medical degree, in 2000, at the University of Melbourne. He was awarded the Clinical Committee Prize in 2006 for the first part of the FRACS examination. Following orthopaedic training in Victoria, he was admitted as a Fellow of the Australasian College of Surgeons in 2012.

Luke then completed further training overseas at the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Centre in Ontario, Canada. Here he developed an interest in managing sporting injuries, ligament reconstruction, biological knee reconstruction (cartilage and meniscal transplant), lower limb re-alignment surgery, patella stabilisation, shoulder tendon repair and stabilisation surgery.

His training further included hip arthroscopy for labral repair and CAM impingement, shoulder arthroplasty and osteotomy.

Luke has presented his work at both national and international meetings. In 2012, he was appointed as a Clinical Senior Lecturer at Deakin University.

Upon returning to Ballarat in 2014, Luke undertook further local fellowship in primary joint arthroplasty.

He is a fellow of the Australian Orthopaedic Association, a member of the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine and ISAKOS (International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sport Medicine).

A Director, Board Advisory and CEO with over a decade of board level experience in the medical and research and regulatory industries. Board highlights include: Non-executive director on AFLPA hardship fund Board. Board Advisor to the Novar Research Institute and Western Health Orthopaedic Research. At board level what I do is help organisations grow through providing detailed industry knowledge and commercial experience.

In an executive capacity I am currently the CEO of Pure Play Orthopaedics having previously been the COO and Head of Research. Here I have grown the business and led 20% growth for the last three years. Previously, the Founder of Cordingley Consulting where I provided expert advice to develop clinical research projects and manage the regulation review process. Earlier, I was the Head of Clinical Research (Regulatory & Quality) with Global Orthopaedic Technology where I contributed to the strategic development of the organisation and provided expertise across clinical research, quality, and regulation.

Finally, I have a PhD, a Bachelor of Science, and a Graduate Diploma in Surgical Assisting. I have also graduated from the AICD’s Company Directors course

Robin Hutchinson joined NMRI as the Head of Research in mid-2021. He is an experienced researcher with a background in neuroscience, experimental psychology, and human factors research. Driven by the joy of problem solving, discovering new knowledge, and improving the human condition, Robin takes pride in developing the foundational protocols, procedures and methods that form the basis of the NMRI’s activities.

Overseeing and managing the institute’s research program, Robin is motivated by the desire to better understand patient recovery and to improve patient outcomes.

On the weekend Robin likes to shred bush trails on his electric unicycle.