Marlien Varnfield

Principal Research Scientist CSIRO Australian e-Health Research Centre

Marlien Varnfield is a Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO and currently serves as Group Leader, Digital Therapeutics and Care, at the Australian eHealth Research Centre. In this role, Marlien oversees all aspects of virtual care, leading 5 teams in investigating emerging technologies to support and improve healthcare. Marlien also holds the position of Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Queensland's School of Public Health. Marlien is recognised for her innovative work in the field of digital health and healthcare interventions. She leads state-of-the-art research aimed at optimising technology assisted management strategies in improving health outcomes for priority populations, including pregnant women, infants, individuals living with disabilities or chronic illnesses, and older people. Marlien is passionate about empowering patients and support clinicians, ensuring innovations are sustainable and integrated into routine care. Marlien’s work using mobile technologies to monitor patients at home post cardiac events was the first validation of remote delivery of cardiac rehabilitation and led to the spinout of a successful company (Cardihab). Subsequently, Marlien and her team have co-created digital solutions to support management of diabetes, heart failure, stroke, cancer, trauma and mental health. Marlien, in collaboration with QLD Health, redesigned the traditional model of care for women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus. The new digitally based model of care, named M♡THer, has benefited >14000 women since June 2020. The M♡THer innovation has seen Marlien being awarded the 2023 Research Australia, Digital Health Technologies award and the 2024 CSIRO Health & Biosecurity Entrepreneurship award.