From research to prevention

Meet Professor Anne-Louise Ponsonby

Public health physician.

Epidemiology research pioneer.

Head

Renowned for her expertise in molecular epidemiology, Professor Anne-Louise Ponsonby is on a mission to better prevent chronic disease and mental health disorders.

Her research tackles population-scale questions by investigating and building evidence on disease-contributing factors and understanding how they interplay in different diseases. This field of research, known as epidemiology, means her skills can combine with other research fields to investigate brain disorders and healthy development of brain structure and function.

Professor Ponsonby is investigating key issues including possible adverse impact of modern chemical exposure on brain development, child disorders such as autism, and how environments can contribute to multiple sclerosis onset and progression. Her goal is to not only generate new evidence in these disease areas but also contribute to better preventative activities at an individual and population level.

Her work so far has contributed to the way that researchers and health practitioners understand, treat and prevent conditions in many disease areas. It has informed Australian and international public health policies and preventative guidelines bringing benefit to people across the globe.

Professor Ponsonby demonstrates the power that epidemiological studies bring to understanding disease and converting research knowledge to primary disease prevention.