Lisa Foa

Professor Lisa Foa is the Head of the School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Tasmania. She holds a PhD (Deakin University, 1996) and has held leadership roles including Associate Head of Research in Medicine (2014-2019) and Acting Head of School (2019). Her research focuses on nervous system development, calcium signaling in neurons, and neuroregeneration using zebrafish models. She established the Developmental Neurobiology Laboratory with Dr. Robert Gasperini, training numerous students and securing NHMRC funding (2008-2022). Key projects include studying growth cone navigation via calcium signaling and axon regeneration after injury.

Research interests include developmental neurobiology, Alzheimer’s disease mechanisms, and the role of serotonin in axon guidance. Her work bridges basic science and clinical applications, such as therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. Awards include the 2006 Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award and the 2022 Leadership Award. She has supervised over 20 doctoral students and expanded access to psychology education across Tasmania.

Major grants include $790k for mental health workforce training (2023-2025) and $432k for optogenetic calcium manipulation in axon regeneration (2019-2022). Her lab’s collaborations span Tasmania, Melbourne, and international institutions. She co-directs the Tasmanian Centre for Mental Health Service Innovation, enhancing mental health service delivery statewide.