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Young child in a high chair engaging in an interactive play experience that supports learning and development.
March 25, 2026

Meet the experts behind CPAdvance™

World-leading researchers creating practical learning that transforms lives.

Behind every CPAdvance™ course is decades of research, thousands of hours working alongside children and families, and a shared commitment to improving outcomes for infants and young children with cerebral palsy (CP). 

CPAdvance brings together some of the world’s leading experts in early intervention, translating the latest evidence into practical learning that clinicians can confidently apply in everyday practice. 

Among those leading this work are Professor Nadia Badawi AM, Professor Iona Novak AM and Professor Cathy Morgan – internationally recognised researchers whose work has fundamentally changed how cerebral palsy is identified, understood and treated around the world.

Professor Nadia Badawi AM

Changing the future of cerebral palsy through research

nadia badawi

Professor Nadia Badawi AM is one of Australia’s most respected paediatric neurologists and a global leader in neonatal medicine and cerebral palsy research. 

As the founding Chair of the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Institute, Nadia has dedicated her career to improving outcomes for children through earlier diagnosis, earlier intervention and world-class research. 

Her vision has helped position the Research Institute as one of the world’s leading centres for cerebral palsy research, bringing together clinicians, researchers and families to accelerate discoveries that improve lives. 

“Research only changes lives when it changes practice.” This philosophy underpins CPAdvance. 

By making high-quality evidence accessible to clinicians everywhere, Nadia’s work continues to influence how children receive care – not just in Australia, but across the globe.

Professor Iona Novak AM

Turning evidence into everyday clinical practice

Iona Novak

Professor Iona Novak AM is internationally recognised for her work translating research into practical, evidence-based care for children with cerebral palsy. 

She is Cerebral Palsy Alliance Chair of Allied Health at The University of Sydney, and co-founder of the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Institute. A Fulbright Scholar, Professor Novak established Xcellerate, a US-Australia stem cell research consortium advancing regenerative therapies for cerebral palsy.  

Ranked the number one cerebral palsy expert globally by ScholarGPS, her work spans early diagnosis, effective interventions, and neurorehabilitation.  

Her systematic reviews and clinical guidelines have shaped practice worldwide, helping clinicians identify which interventions work, which don’t, and where future research should focus. 

Iona has spent her career answering one fundamental question: How can clinicians confidently deliver the right intervention, at the right time, for the right child? 

Her work has transformed how allied health professionals think about: 

  • Evidence-based intervention  
  • Goal-directed therapy  
  • Family-centred practice  
  • Clinical decision making  
  • Knowledge translation  

These principles form the foundation of many CPAdvance courses. 

Rather than simply presenting research findings, CPAdvance helps clinicians understand how to apply evidence in real clinical situations, giving them confidence to make informed decisions with every child and family they support.

Professor Cathy Morgan

Helping children learn through movement and everyday life 

Professor Cathy Morgan

Adjunct Associate Professor Cathy Morgan is Principal Research Fellow and Program Lead, Early Detection & Intervention at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Institute. For more than 20 years, her research has transformed how cerebral palsy is diagnosed and treated, helping children access evidence-based intervention from as early as three months of age. 

Cathy has championed the implementation of General Movements Assessment (GMA) across Australia, led the establishment of the country’s first early diagnosis clinic, and continues to lead world-first research into early intervention for infants with CP. 

Through CPAdvance™, Cathy translates this globally recognised research into practical, evidence-based learning that gives clinicians the confidence to identify children earlier, deliver effective intervention sooner, and improve outcomes for children and families. 

Her research has influenced clinicians worldwide in areas including: 

  • Early intervention  
  • Neuroplasticity  
  • Task-specific training  
  • Home programs  
  • Family coaching  
  • Participation-focused therapy  

Through CPAdvance, Cathy translates this research into practical learning that clinicians can immediately apply with children and families. 

The result is therapy that is not only evidence-based, but realistic, meaningful and achievable within everyday family life. 

More than researchers, they're educators

While each expert has made extraordinary contributions to cerebral palsy research, what makes CPAdvance unique is their shared commitment to education. 

The courses explain how the evidence matters and: 

  • how it applies in practice  
  • what clinicians can do differently tomorrow  

This focus on practical implementation helps bridge one of healthcare’s greatest challenges: translating research into everyday clinical practice. 

Learning from the people shaping the future of cerebral palsy care

Evidence continues to evolve. New research, new technologies and new approaches are continually changing how clinicians support children and families. 

CPAdvance ensures clinicians are able to learn directly from the experts generating that evidence. 

Whether you’re beginning your journey in early intervention or looking to deepen your expertise through Accreditation, you’ll gain practical knowledge from internationally recognised leaders who have shaped clinical practice around the world. 

Bringing world-leading expertise to clinicians everywhere

At Cerebral Palsy Alliance, we’re committed to ensuring the latest research reaches the clinicians who need it most. 

Through CPAdvance, the knowledge of experts like Nadia Badawi, Iona Novak and Cathy Morgan is no longer confined to journals or conferences, it is available to clinicians around the world through flexible, practical, evidence-based learning. 

Because when research reaches practice, children and families benefit. 

Continue your learning

Discover how world-leading evidence can strengthen your clinical practice. Explore CPAdvance™ and learn from the experts shaping the future of early intervention. 

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