Professor Richard Woodman

Professor in Biostatistics & Epidemiology

College of Medicine and Public Health

+61 8 7221 8537

richard.woodman@flinders.edu.au

Health and Medical Research Building

GPO Box 2100, ADELAIDE, SA, 5001

Professor Richard Woodman is an academic biostatistician, health data scientist, and Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at Flinders University. With over 25 years bridging medicine and mathematical statistics, he harnesses advanced analytical methodologies to address complex clinical challenges and improve patient outcomes.

Research & Innovation in Healthcare AI

At the forefront of health data science, Professor Woodman applies Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (using Python) to precision medicine. His research program specializes in graph machine learning, comorbidity networks, and knowledge graphs to map complex patient phenotypes in frail and multimorbid populations. By developing novel graph-based recommender systems and clinical decision support tools, his work guides personalized prescribing, enhances risk prediction, and reduces avoidable hospital readmissions.

Clinical Trial Leadership & Health Policy Translation

Grounding advanced analytics in practical healthcare, Professor Woodman has provided statistical leadership for over 100 clinical trials and major observational studies using linked health data. His trial collaborations have driven direct translational impact - from landmark sleep apnoea research in JAMA that informed international clinical guidelines, to pioneering models of care for chronic liver failure implemented across South Australian public hospitals. Nationally, he serves on the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQHC) Patient Safety Reporting Expert Technical Group.

Academic Track Record & Global Standing

His research productivity includes 440 peer-reviewed journal articles (165 since 2021; 96 RCTs), garnering over 19,000 Google Scholar citations (h-index 70) and 9,000 Scopus citations. As Chief Investigator, he has secured AUD$32.8M in competitive external funding (career track record exceeding $40.1M). He publishes consistently in leading journals, including JAMA, Annals of Internal Medicine, Nature Communications, Thorax, Chest, and Stroke. He served 13 years as Head of Biostatistics at Flinders University (2010–2023), is a past President of the Statistical Society of Australia (SA Branch), and serves as Statistical Editor for Nature Communications and European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Teaching & Mentorship

A dedicated educator, Professor Woodman created and leads postgraduate topics at Flinders including PHCA8010 (Practical AI for Digital Health: App and Agent Development) and PHCA9525 (AI for Medicine and Public Health). He has supervised 26 postgraduate research students to completion (15 PhD, 6 MD, 5 Masters) and actively mentors early-career researchers.

Qualifications

PhD (Medicine) (UWA)

M.Biostats (Sydney)

M.Med.Sci (Sport and Exercise Science) (Sheffield)

B.Sc. (Maths and Physics) (Exeter)

Honours, awards and grants

2013

Co-first author of Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease publication selected for media release by the editor: “Lifestyle holds key to predicting women’s brain health” in IOS Press, Dec 19^th 2013. [Link].

Publication: AHY Lo, RJ Woodman, NA Pachana, GJ Byrne, PS Sachdev. Associations between lifestyle and cognitive function over time in women aged 40-79 years. J Alzheimers Dis 2014; 39 (2): 371-83. DOI 10.3233/JAD-130971.

2010

Co-author on Australian Diabetes Society “Best Clinical Poster” at Australian Diabetes Society and Australian Diabetes Educators Association Annual Scientific Meeting. 1st – 3rd September, 2010, Sydney

2005

Pfizer-Biostatistics Collaboration of Australia (BCA) 2005 Annual Award for Excellence

2003

Royal Perth Hospital, Young Investigator of the Year Oral Presentation, runner-up.

1999

Royal Perth Hospital, Young Investigator of the Year Oral Presentation, runner-up.

High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia (HBPRCA), Melbourne

Robert Vandongen Travel Award: Best Young Investigator presentation from Western Australia.

Key responsibilities

Supervision of staff in the Flinders Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics (FCEB)
Biostatistical consulting
Lecturing in Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Postgraduate supervision
Chair of the FCEB Journal Club (2012-present)
Statistical reviewer for Southern Adelaide Clinical Human Research Ethics Committee (2007-present)

Teaching interests

Biostatistics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Digital Health

Topic coordinator

MMED9151 Advanced Studies: Biostatistics

PHCA9525 AI for Medicine and Public Health

PHCA8010 Digital Health for Practitioners

Topic lecturer

PHCA8010 Digital Health for Practitioners

MMED9151 Advanced Studies: Biostatistics

PHCA9525 AI for Medicine and Public Health

Professional engagement

Professional Society roles