Meet our researchers: Peta Holly
Stories
Meet our clinicians: Peta Holly
On International Nurses Day, we’re celebrating the nurses who are working to advance clinical trials and ensure patient wellbeing.
What is your role at Cerulea?
As Cerulea’s Senior Clinical Research Nurse, I work closely with clinical trial staff and investigators, supporting a variety of nurse-specific tasks, including coordinating angiography within ophthalmic trials.
My experience spans several areas – having coordinated trials in uveitis, geographic atrophy (‘dry’ age-related macular degeneration) and, more recently, ocular melanoma.
What do you love most about your role?
I truly value being part of the collaborative and dedicated trial team at Cerulea. It’s an environment that fosters professional growth, deepens my understanding of the clinical trial landscape and prioritises the wellbeing of its nursing staff.
I deeply appreciate the opportunity to build strong, supportive relationships with patients – guiding them through the research process, addressing their concerns and ensuring their wellbeing throughout their participation.
What inspired you to become a nurse?
After working as an orthoptist for over a decade, I pursued further studies to expand my healthcare career and become a registered nurse. I had always envisioned a future where I could integrate my expertise across both disciplines.
Initially, this vision didn’t materialise, as I transitioned into oncology nursing, where I worked for several years. In 2017, I discovered a pathway to specialise in ocular oncology – first as a nurse and later as a research nurse coordinator in ophthalmic trials at the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA).
I’ve been fortunate to draw on my combined backgrounds in ophthalmology, general nursing and oncology nursing – allowing me to contribute meaningfully to clinical practice and ophthalmic research at CERA and now Cerulea.
How did you make the move to research nursing?
During my time as an Ocular Oncology Nurse Coordinator in the USA, I worked with numerous patients involved in oncology clinical trials who required regular ophthalmic assessments as part of their treatment protocols. This experience allowed me to collaborate closely with trial coordinators in both oncology and ophthalmology.
Upon returning to Australia in 2019, I was thrilled to discover the opportunity to join the Clinical Trials Research Centre at CERA – which later developed into Cerulea Clinical Trials – and I haven’t looked back since!
What do nurses bring to clinical trials – and what would you say to someone considering a similar career?
A career in clinical trials enables nurses to maintain their clinical skills and contribute to the development of safe clinical trial environments. It presents an opportunity to work closely with researchers, physicians and other healthcare professionals promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and holistic patient care.
It also provides an opportunity to be up to date with the latest advancements in their field of practice, which fosters professional development.
