Dr Krista Siefried
RN; BSc; GCert Continuing Care; GDip Coronary Care; PhD
Clinical Research Lead and Deputy Director, the National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs (NCCRED). Senior Lecturer, UNSW National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), and St Vincent's Hospital Sydney Centre for Applied Medical Research (SVHS AMR) and Alcohol and Drug Service.
Dr Siefried is a leader in clinical research and clinical trials in populations at risk of harms due to substance use disorders. In her role as Clinical Research Lead and Deputy Director at NCCRED her extensive HIV, Infectious Diseases, Drug and Alcohol, and Public Health experience enable her to direct a program of clinical research and translation; facilitate the establishment of a national clinical research network; and oversee the NCCRED clinical research capacity building grants, seed funding grants, and clinical research fellowships and scholarships.
Dr Siefried has extensive experience in clinical research, healthcare, and clinical project management. Prior leadership roles include: Senior Clinical Project Manager (SVHS AMR); Clinical Research Manager (SVHS AMR Clinical Research Program); and Nurse Unit Manager (Immunology and Infectious Diseases). Prior clinical experience includes Research Nurse and Clinical Trials Coordinator; Registered Nurse / Clinical Nurse Specialist; Heart/Lung Transplant Coordinator; ICU and CCU Registered Nurse (in Australia and Canada).
Broad clinical research interests include pharmacotherapies, comorbidities and treatment outcomes in people living with methamphetamine dependence.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
NHMRC: $2,928,298
Other Public and Industry: $20,874,009
Faculty of Medicine, UNSW
2022: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre Prof Richard Mattick Award
St Vincent’s Clinic Foundation
2016: Nursing Excellence Award - Clinical Researcher on St Vincent’s Campus
Gilead
2013-2014 Fellowship: Awarded for research on factors associated with suboptimal outcomes in antiretroviral therapy (CIA)
Current research:
An open-label safety and feasibility pilot trial of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for methamphetamine use disorder (the KAPPA trial) (pending recruitment, info to follow)
An open-label safety and feasibility pilot trial of oral naltrexone-bupropion combination pharmacotherapy for methamphetamine use disorder (the NABU trial) (open to recruitment, info here)
GHB cultures, experiences and practices quantitative survey (closed to recruitment, info here)
Safety, tolerability, and feasibility of psilocybin-facilitated treatment for methamphetamine use disorder: a pilot study (closed to recruitment, info here)
Implementation of time-limited parenteral hydromorphone in people with treatment-resistant injecting opioid use disorder: feasibility, safety, cost (closed to recruitment, info here)
Feasibility and efficacy of the S-Check App: a harm reduction and early intervention smartphone application for methamphetamine use (closed to recruitment, info here)
- Established the National Methamphetamine and Emerging Drugs Clinical Research Network Working Group, engaging multi-disciplinary stakeholders to collaborate towards multi-centre clinical research
- Developed, implemented and oversee the NCCRED seed funding grants, awarding over $2.7M in competitive funding over four rounds
- Developed, implemented and oversee the NCCRED clinical research fellowships and scholarships programs, supporting 6 AOD clinical scholars to conduct research and contribute to UNSW through their adjunct positions
- Active member of the:
- St Vincent’s Hospital Alcohol and Drug Service Research Committee
- NDARC Strategic Advisory Committee
- St Vincent’s Health Sydney Inclusive Health Committee
My Research Supervision
PhD
Liam Acheson - Pharmacotherapy for adults during acute withdrawal from methamphetamine (Primary Supervisor. Co-Supervisors: Prof Michael Farrell, A/Prof Rebecca McKetin, Conjoint Prof Nadine Ezard)
Jack Freestone - Exploring sexualised drug use among LGBTQ populations and examining the impact of peer led interventions to address related harms (Joint Supervisor with Dr Mohamed Hammoud. Co-Supervisors: Prof Garrett Prestage, Dr Adam Bourne)
Craig Rodgers - Feasibility, safety and cost of time-limited parenteral hydromorphone in people with treatment-resistant injecting opioid use disorder (Primary Supervisor. Co-Supervisor: Prof Greg Dore)
My Teaching
Current - UNSW Medicine Year 4 Research Project
Mohamed Budebes (2024) - A quantitative study of the experience of GHB consumption, GHB-related harms, and harm reduction practices (Co-Supervising with Dr Brendan Clifford)
Completed - UNSW Medicine Hons Project
Sophie van der Helder (First Class Hons) - Co-designing psychedelic-facilitated psychotherapy studies with Australians with lived experience (Co-supervised with A/Prof Jonathan Brett) (2023)
Vincent Chauvet (Hons) - Outcomes and measures used in research of psychedelic medications for mental health and addiction (Co-supervised with A/Prof Jonathan Brett) (2023)
Keaton Buhagiar (First Class Hons) - Gamma-hydroxybutyrate cultures, experiences and practices in heterosexual cis and transgender people living in Australia (Co-supervised with A/Prof Jonathan Brett) (2022)
Oliver Harris (First Class Hons) - Gamma-hydroxybutyrate overdose in inner-Sydney emergency departments: a retrospective review (Co-supervised with A/Prof Jonathan Brett) (2021)
Completed - Notre Dame Medicine Year 2 Research Project
Rhiannon Lindsey - A retrospective audit of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) withdrawal in an inner-city Sydney hospital (Co-supervised with A/Prof Jonathan Brett) (2022)
Completed - UNSW Medicine Year 4 Research Project
Amy Healey - Drug use at music festivals (Co-supervised with A/Prof Jonathan Brett) (2020)
Angus Tolhurst-McKiernan - Methamphetamine use and its associations with insomnia and psychosis (Co-supervised with Prof Nadine Ezard and A/Prof Jonathan Brett) (2019)
Clinical
Nursing preceptorships; Clinical Psychology Students (research supervision and clinical supervision); Nursing student supervision (clinical)