Biography
Academic Background and Clinical Expertise
Associate Professor Stuart Kostalas relocated with his family to Port Macquarie in 2013. His academic credentials include an undergraduate medical degree, a Master of Medicine (Clinical Epidemiology) from the University of Sydney, a Master of Science in Evidence-Based Health Care (Medical Statistics) from the University of Oxford, Master of Biostatistics from the University of Queensland (Biostatistics Collaboration of Australia), and Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. He is currently pursuing his doctoral research at the University of Oxford, focusing on "Colonic serrated lesions: Epidemiology, optimal detection methods, psychological well-being impacts, and effective surveillance strategies."
Clinical Training and International Collaboration
A/Prof Kostalas trained extensively across New South Wales hospitals and maintained clinical excellence through professional development at prestigious international centers. He advanced interventional endoscopy in Australia by bringing renowned Japanese experts to Port Macquarie.
- Established collaborations with Professor Noriya Uedo to supervise advanced endoscopic procedures (Uedo visit)
- Hosted Professor Takashi Toyonaga, a global authority in endoscopic cancer resection, for educational visits in 2018 and 2019 (Toyonaga 2018, Toyonaga 2019)
- Conducted an advanced endoscopy masterclass with Professor Toyonaga in 2020 (Toyonaga 2020)
- Founded the Port Macquarie Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) Course in 2024, providing specialized hands-on training for Australian gastroenterologists (Toyonaga 2024)
- Expanded the PMEC program in 2025 to include multiple Japanese experts for comprehensive training (Toyonaga 2025)
Clinical Excellence and Expertise
A/Prof Kostalas has performed over 20,000 endoscopic procedures, including more than 15,000 colonoscopies. His advanced therapeutic experience includes:
- 500+ Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) procedures with a 92% R0 resection rate
- 2,000+ Complex Endoscopic Mucosal Resections (EMR)
- 1,000+ ERCPs with a 96% cannulation success rate
His quality indicators consistently exceed national benchmarks, with:
- Adenoma Detection Rate of 80%
- Sessile Serrated Lesion Detection Rate of 49%
- Cecal Intubation Rate of >99%
He specializes in all aspects of luminal gastroenterology, the diagnosis and management of inflammatory bowel disease, and colorectal cancer screening and prevention.
Clinical interests
Endoscopic resection of early gastrointestional neoplasia / Full thickness resection of gastrointestional tract lesions / Advanced interventional Endoscopy
Quality in Endoscopy
Serrated Polyps / Serrated Polyposis Syndrome (SPS)
Colorectal cancer screening and prevention
Optical diagnosis and monitoring of gastrointestional epithelial lesions
Leadership and Current Appointments
A/Prof Kostalas is a Conjoint Associate Professor of medicine at the University of New South Wales and serves as:
- Director of Endoscopy/Head of Department (Gastroenterology) at Port Macquarie Private Hospital and Port Macquarie Base Hospital
- Gastroenterology representative on the Medical Advisory Committee at Port Macquarie Private Hospital
- Working group member on the NSW scope of clinical practice in Gastroenterology and Hepatology
- Primary supervisor of Gastroenterology Advanced Trainees at Port Macquarie
- NSW Gastroenterology Heads of Department Advanced Training Selection Committee Member
- Australian and New Zealand Endoscopy Leaders Committee Member
- Founder and Convenor of the Port Macquarie ESD Course (PMEC)
- Founder & Principal Investigator of the Port Macquarie Gastroenterology Research Group
Research Output and Publications
A/Prof Kostalas pursues current evidence-based practice in Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He has published numerous original research articles focusing on serrated polyposis syndrome, advanced endoscopic techniques, and gastrointestinal diseases. His recent publications include work on determinants of sessile serrated lesion detection, health anxiety in serrated polyposis syndrome patients, and the epidemiology of this condition.
Teaching and Academic Leadership
A/Prof Kostalas is deeply committed to medical education, serving as:
- Regional Examiner for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians Clinical Exam
- Phase 1, 2, and 3 Examiner at UNSW Rural Clinical School
- Advanced Trainee Supervisor in Gastroenterology
- UNSW Independent Learning Project (ILP) Supervisor
His teaching excellence has been recognized with multiple awards, including the Wiley Blackwell Publishing Award for "Clinical Excellence in Adult Medicine" from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 2012, Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching from the University of Newcastle (2008/2011), and "Registrar of the Year" Teaching Award from Gosford Hospital (2008).
Professional Memberships
As part of his commitment to ongoing learning and the pursuit of best practice, A/Prof Kostalas is a member of many international gastroenterological societies, including the American Gastroenterology Association, European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Japanese Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society, and Gastroenterological Society of Australia.
Qualifications
MBBS (Hons1)
MM (Clin Epi)
MSc (Oxon)
MBiostatistics
FRACP
Certifications
GESA conjoint committee recognised for training in Gastroscopy (Adult), Colonoscopy (Adult), and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
GESA Colonoscopy Recertification in Adult Colonoscopy 2016 – 2019
GESA Colonoscopy Recertification in Adult Colonoscopy 2019 – 2023
GESA Colonoscopy Recertification in Adult Colonoscopy 2023 – 2026
A word on teamwork
Underpinning our core value of excellent patient care, Port Macquarie Gastroenterology (PMQ Gastro) recognises that the best medical care is delivered by a team. A/Prof Kostalas works with his colleague Dr Sundaralingham (PMQ Gastro's pancreatobiliary expert), Dr Josh McCarthy, and Clyte (PMQ Gastro's specialised IBD nurse) along with a carefully chosen group of outstanding Anaethetists, Nurses, Radiologists and Surgeons. The goal of his team is to provide exceptional, current, and relevant care. Outcomes cannot be guaranteed, however when referral is necessary, we refer to other experts who we know share the same vision for our patients. A/Prof Kostalas and his team look forward to delivering the best medical care to you and your family.
