Laboratory head
Student research opportunities
Meet the team
Research staff
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Dr Tigestu Alemu Desse Postdoctoral Research Fellow
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Elly Francis-Pester Research Assistant
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Dr Tilahun Nigatu Haregu Research Fellow
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Dr Chris Lynch Research Fellow
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Kevin Mao Research Assistant
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Kai Wallens Research Assistant
Students
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Dr Josephine Birungi
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Getu Debalkie Demissie PhD student
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Nick Kashyap Research Assistant
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Mayuko McMillin PhD student
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Dr Abha Shrestha PhD student
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Jocelynne Young
Honoraries, Collaborators and Visiting Academics
About the Non-Communicable Diseases and Implementation Science laboratory
Chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are rising at an unprecedented rate, placing increasing pressure on health systems and communities worldwide.
Our laboratory exists to make a change to that trajectory.
We focus on generating and translating high-quality evidence into real-world impact - developing and researching strategies that improve prevention, enhance quality of life, and strengthen healthcare delivery for people living with chronic conditions in Australia and globally.
Beyond research, we are committed to building capacity in implementation science and non-communicable disease control. We train researchers, support practitioners, and collaborate across disciplines and countries to accelerate the uptake of effective, evidence-based solutions.
Our work sits at the intersection of science and practice - turning evidence into action to meaningfully improve health outcomes at scale.
Our collaborative approach
We are an international, multidisciplinary team working in close collaboration with researchers, healthcare practitioners, policymakers, and members of the public across a wide range of projects.
Our competitive advantage lies in how we work: collaboratively across disciplines, countries, settings, and career stages to design, implement, and scale interventions, programs, and policy solutions that improve health in Australia and globally.
We are affiliated with Dr Quan Huynh.
Community engagement
We collaborate with the Baker Institute’s Community Engagement Group to embed meaningful consumer and community perspectives throughout our research. This engagement is central to our commitment to equitable health improvement. It helps shape our implementation and translation strategies, refine community-based programs, and ensure our work is relevant, accessible, and impactful for people affected by non-communicable diseases in Australia and beyond.
Our mission
We are passionate about effective, cost-effective and equitable health improvement at the population level. We strive to implement evidence-based health solutions across contexts and settings, ensuring research discoveries translate into real-world benefits for communities.
We are open to collaboration with other teams and stakeholders who share our vision and mission of improving health outcomes for people living with chronic conditions.
What is implementation science?
Implementation science is the study of methods and strategies that promote the systematic uptake of research findings and evidence-based practices into healthcare and public health settings. It focuses on closing the gap between what we know works and what is delivered in practice.
Rather than stopping at discovery, implementation science asks how effective interventions can be integrated into real-world systems - ensuring that proven solutions reach the people who need them most, in ways that are practical, scalable and sustainable.