Karen trained as a Specialist in Rheumatology. Her PhD about neck /upper limb disorders in working-aged adults sparked a lifetime passion for health and work research. She migrated to Australia December 2021 to become Professor of Occupational Rheumatology and Director of the Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (SPHPM) at Monash University. The Centre has an international reputation for its research into workplace hazards, including silicosis, coalmine workers pneumoconiosis, firefighters, petroleum workers and aluminium workers.