Dr Tigestu Alemu Desse is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the NCDs and Implementation Lab at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. He obtained his PhD from Deakin University, Australia, in 2023. Prior to pursuing his PhD, he served as a lecturer, researcher, and practising clinical pharmacist at Addis Ababa University and Jimma University in Ethiopia.
Tigestu’s research focuses on exploring consumer and health system factors influencing the management of complex chronic conditions, particularly cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and the development and evaluation of tailored and scalable strategies for managing these conditions. He has led projects involving a wide range of methodologies, including mixed-methods research, co-design, qualitative and quantitative research, randomised controlled trials, and digital health research. His PhD explored consumer- and health system-related factors influencing the management of type 2 diabetes and developed a complex intervention for effective management of this condition.
Following his PhD in 2023, he joined the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, where he substantially contributed to a hybrid type 2 implementation trial that evaluated the effectiveness of a digital health intervention on health outcomes of people with heart disease in Australia. He has also contributed to global health research in India and served as an Adjunct Research Fellow and Academic Tutor at La Trobe University, Australia.
He has published in reputable journals and presented at national and international conferences. His work has contributed to the field of non-communicable diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease and diabetes, by advancing understanding of health systems and supporting improvements in healthcare delivery across diverse settings. He has coordinated and taught several courses in Australia and overseas (Ethiopia), and has mentored honours students and supervised undergraduate and Master’s students. He currently works on an NHMRC-funded digital social prescribing program to improve the health and well-being of people with cardiometabolic multimorbidity in Australia.
Scholarships and Awards
- Deakin University Postgraduate Research Scholarship (2018–2022)
- PhD Tuition Fee Scholarship, Deakin University, Australia (2018–2022)
- Best Paper Award, Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Reviews (2022)
- Finalist, Australian Diabetes Society Clinical Science oral Poster Award (2021)
Scholarships and Awards
- Deakin University Postgraduate Research Scholarship (2018–2022)
- PhD Tuition Fee Scholarship, Deakin University, Australia (2018–2022)
- Best Paper Award, Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Reviews (2022)
- Finalist, Australian Diabetes Society Clinical Science oral Poster Award (2021)
