Rate My Professor Murielle Kluge

Dr. Murielle Kluge serves as Conjoint Associate Lecturer in the School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, at the University of Newcastle, Australia. In her role as Strategy and Research Coordinator at the Centre for Advanced Training Systems, she leads large-scale projects developing and evaluating community-focused teaching and training solutions using mixed reality (XR) technologies. These encompass virtual reality, augmented reality, 360-degree video, and biofeedback mechanisms to build participant confidence and competence in simulated high-risk environments. Her work spans the full program lifecycle, from concept analysis and design to technology development, testing, implementation, and evaluation, incorporating data collection and participant feedback for ongoing adjustments and viability. Kluge fosters complex partnerships among technology experts, clinical psychologists, educators, academics, and industry groups to synthesize knowledge effectively.

Kluge holds a Master of Science from Philipps University of Marburg, Germany, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Anatomy from the University of Newcastle, completed in 2018 after arriving in Australia in 2014 on a research scholarship with Professor Rohan Walker. Her PhD research examined the contribution of microglia, the immune cells of the brain, to chronic phases after stroke. She maintains interest in neuro-molecular mechanisms, particularly microglia's roles in stress, inflammation, and stroke pathology. Transitioning from basic science, her current efforts emphasize stress management as a trainable life skill, utilizing virtual reality platforms to deliver evidence-based training and dispel myths of inherited stress resiliency. Notable publications include "Evaluating combined VR-based stress management and de-escalation training for mental health nurses" (2025, Health Education in Practice: Journal of Research for Professional Learning), "The acceptability of virtual reality mindfulness for the treatment of insomnia: clinicians and patients’ attitudes" (2025, International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology), "Rollout of a statewide Australian telestroke network including virtual reality training is associated with improved hyperacute stroke workflow metrics and thrombolysis rate" (2024, Frontiers in Stroke), "Implementation and sustainment of virtual reality stroke workflow training for physician trainees at comprehensive stroke centres" (2024, BMC Medical Education), "Evaluation of a Virtual Reality Platform to Train Stress Management Skills for a Defense Workforce" (2023, Journal of Medical Internet Research), and "Development of a modular stress management platform (Performance Edge VR) and a pilot efficacy trial of a bio-feedback enhanced training module for controlled breathing" (2021, PLOS ONE). She has held her professional appointment since March 2018.