Leah Gilbert

Dr. Leah Gilbert is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Fribourg, affiliated with the Faculty of Science and Medicine and the Food Research and Innovation Center. Previously, she held roles as a Research Affiliate at the Sydney Medical School and as a Principal Investigator at the Charles Perkins Center in Sydney, Australia.

• Master in Child and Adolescent Psychology (2016), University of Lausanne
• PhD in Life Sciences (2021), University of Lausanne (awarded Summa Cum Laude)

Her research explores the bidirectional relationships between maternal mental health and metabolic outcomes in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), with a focus on offspring obesity risk, intervention design, and cross-cultural epidemiology. She employs systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, and prospective cohort studies to identify modifiable risk factors and develop interdisciplinary interventions.

Recent publications highlight her work in maternal stress biomarkers, intuitive eating as a lifestyle intervention, and neonatal cardiovascular health in GDM pregnancies. Her studies span institutions in Australia, Switzerland, and the UK.

Scientific awards:

• Summa Cum Laude for PhD thesis (2021)
• Swiss National Science Foundation Postdoc.Mobility grant (2021–2024)
• Travel grant for ADIPS oral presentation (2024)
• Jury prize in My Thesis in 180 Seconds (2018)

She also serves as a clinical lifestyle coach, mentoring over 50 women in perinatal dietary and mental health, and teaches motivational interviewing to nurse practitioners at the Institute of Higher Education and Research in Healthcare, Lausanne. Her work bridges clinical psychology, metabolic medicine, and public health policy.