Lucia D'AmbruosoView profile
Senior Lecturer
Dr. Lucia D'Ambruoso is a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Applied Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen. She is based at the Aberdeen Centre for Health Data Science and leads international research on health systems, participatory methods, and verbal autopsy. She holds honorary and visiting positions at the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), Umeå University (Sweden), and Stellenbosch University, and serves on multiple international research and policy committees. PhD in Public Health, University of Aberdeen (2011) MSc in Public Health and Health Services Research, University of Aberdeen (2003) BSc (Hons) in Pharmacology, University of Aberdeen (1997) Her research focuses on health policy and systems, social determinants of health, and participatory action research, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. She uses qualitative and mixed methods to understand how health systems can be made more equitable and responsive through community engagement, inter-sectoral action, and innovative data systems like verbal autopsy. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on community-led health research, digital health platforms for emergency care, school-based mental health, and mortality data systems. She leads major NIHR and GCRF-funded programmes in South Africa and Rwanda, aiming to strengthen primary care and injury response systems through participatory methods. Scientific Awards: University of Aberdeen Interdisciplinary Research Award (2024) University of Aberdeen Outstanding Research Award (2024) Fellow, Stellenbosch Institute of Advanced Study (2025) Fellow, Royal Society for Public Health (2021) Fellow, Higher Education Academy (2017) Dr. D'Ambruoso teaches across global health, health policy, and research methods at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She supervises PhD students and is Deputy Director of the Centre for Global Development at the University of Aberdeen. She is actively involved in community engagement through NHS Grampian and serves on the editorial board of Global Health Action and the Steering Committee of the Politics of Health Group. Her research is supported by NIHR, MRC, Wellcome Trust, and international philanthropies. She leads the Verbal Autopsy with Participatory Action Research (VAPAR) initiative, which connects communities, researchers, and policymakers to generate actionable evidence on health equity. Her team works closely with the Agincourt HDSS in South Africa and has developed innovative tools for community health worker training and data collection.







