Melbourne Paediatric Specialists

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Prof John Massie

Respiratory Paediatrician
Professor John Massie - Respiratory Paediatrician, Melbourne Paediatric Specialists at the Children's

Prof John Massie

MBBS FRACP PhD

Respiratory Paediatrician

Clinical Interests

Professor John Massie sees children from infancy to adolescence with airway and breathing problems, including, for example: asthma, recurrent chest infections, cough, chronic neonatal lung disease, congenital lung and airway diseases, cystic fibrosis, obstructive sleep apnoea and respiratory complications of neuromuscular weakness.

Background and experience

John graduated from the University of Sydney in 1990. He trained in paediatrics at The Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children (Sydney) and completed his fellowship in paediatric respiratory medicine at the Children’s Hospital Westmead (Sydney) and Royal Children’s Hospital (Melbourne). John undertook a PhD at the University of Sydney (1999), “The Early Diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis”. He has been a consultant in the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) since 1999.

John is an honorary Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne and a Research Fellow at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute. John is the deputy chair of the RCH Clinical Ethics Committee.

Practice Philosophy

John is a strong patient advocate, ensuring that patients receive the best possible care.

Research Interests

John has published extensively on the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (newborn screening, sweat testing and genotype-phenotype correlation) and population based carrier screening for cystic fibrosis. He has also published work in the development of early lung disease and the psychosocial impact of cystic fibrosis. He has numerous publications in various aspects of paediatric respiratory medicine and bioethics.

Select Publications & Book Chapters →

  • John Massie, Martin Delatycki. The Guttmacher-Lancet Commission on sexual and reproductive health and rights: how does Australia measure up? Md J Aust 2019 (in press)
  • Huff n’Puff, John Massie. As You Take it. The Seven Sages of Coffee. J Paed Child Health 2019 (in press)
  • John Massie. Colin Robertson. Virus Induced Hypersecretion of Mucous. Pediatr Pulmonol 2019 (online)
  • Andrew Eden, Tom Connell, Phil Robinson, Nigel Curtis, John Massie, Colin Robertson, Jo Harrison, Shivanthan Shanthikumar, Penelope Bryant, Mike Starr, Andrew Steer, Amanda Gwee. Pulmonary Mycobacterium abscessus complex in children with cystic fibrosis: a practical management guideline. J Paed Child Health 2019 doi:10.1111/jpc.14427
  • Martin Delatycki, Nigel Laing, John Massie, Alsion Archibald, Edwin Kirk. Pre-conception and antenatal carrier screening for autosomal and X-linked recessive conditions. Aust J Gen Prac 2019; 48 (3): 106-110
  • Ajay Kevat, Rosemary Carzino, John Massie, Joanne Harrison, Amanda Griffiths. Decline of patients with Australian epidemic strain pseudomonas aeruginosa in a single paediatric cystic fibrosis centre. J of Cystic Fibrosis 2018; 53:1498-1503
  • Archibald, A.D., Smith, M.J., Burgess, T., Scarff, K.,; Elliott, J.,; Hunt, C.; McDonald, Z.BSc, Barns-Jenkins, C; Holt, C., Sandoval, K., Siva Kumar, V;  Ward, L.;Allen, E.; Collis, S.,Cowie, S.; Francis, D; Delatycki, M.B; Yiu, E, Massie, J.,du Sart, D. Bruno, D., Amor, D.J., Reproductive genetic carrier screening program for cystic fibrosis, fragile X syndrome and spinal muscular atrophy in Victoria: experience with 12,000 patients. Genetics in Medicine 2018 20(5) 513-523
  • MRπ: Inside the meat pie. John Massie, Michael keen, Timothy Cain. J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol 2018; 63: 361-363
  • Jennifer Yan , Ajay Kevat, Nicky Teese, Kareena Johnson, Sarath Ranganathan, John Massie, Andrew J Daley. Investigating transmission of mycobacterium abscessus amongst children in an Australian cystic fibrosis centre. J of CF 2018 (in press)
  • David Amor. John Massie. Why it’s important to encourage pre-conception screening. Technology now allows for parents to be tested for life-threatening diseases. How To Treat. Australian Doctor. March 2018.
  • Greaves RF, Jolly L, Massie RJ, Scott S, Wiley VC, Metz MP Mackay RJ. Laboratory performance of sweat conductivity for the screening of cystic fibrosis. Clin Chem Lab Med 2018 56(4): 554-559
  • Jake T.B. Collie, R. John Massie, Oliver A.H. Jones, Paul D. Morrison and Ronda F. Greaves. Sweat travels: the issue of sweat chloride transportation. Clin Chem Lab Med 2018 56(2) e36-e38
  • Massie RJ, Greaves RF, Jolly L, Mackay RJ, Metz MP, Wiley VC. Australasian guidelines (2nd edition): an annex to the CLSI and UK guidelines for the performance of the sweat test for the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. Clinical Biochemist Review 2017; 38(3) :115-130
  • John Massie. Leonardo da Vinci and the curious tale of the spherical uterus. Hektoen International. July 2017.
  • John Massie. Shortness of Breath in Children. Australian Doctor. October 5 2017
  • Frayman K, Massie J. Primary care for young people with cystic fibrosis. Respiratory Medicine Today 2017; 2(2): 8-12.
  • Shivanthan Shanthikumar, John Massie. A Review of Treatments That Improve Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Function.  Clinical Medicine Insights: Therapeutics. 2017; 9:1-7
  • Clement Ren, Drucy Borowitz, Tanja Gonska, Michelle Howenstein, Hara Levy, John Massie, Carlos Milla, Anne Munck, Kevin Southern.Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator –related metabolic syndrome and cystic fibrosis screen positive, inconclusive diagnosis. J Pediatrics 2017 Supplement (Feb) S45-S51
  • Danya Vears, Clare Delany, John Massie, Lynn Gillam. “They just want to know” – Genetic health professionals’ beliefs about why parents want to know their child’s carrier status. J Genet Counselling 2017; 26(6):1314-1323.

Public / Private Hospital Appointments

  • Department of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Children’s Hospital
  • Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne
  • Infection, Immunity and Environment theme, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
  • Deputy chair of the RCH Clinical Ethics Committee

Practitioner Consultation Fees & Appointment Availability

Professor John Massie:

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[Updated: 25 January 2024]

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