Rachel HuxleyView profile
Professor
Rachel Huxley is Deakin Distinguished Professor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health at Deakin University, a role she has held since October 2019. She leads the Faculty of Health and is based at the Melbourne Burwood Campus. She previously served as Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research) at La Trobe University, Chair in Epidemiology at the University of Queensland, and Head of the School of Public Health at Curtin University. She holds honorary appointments at the George Institute for Global Health (UNSW) and the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford. Education: Undergraduate studies at St John's College, Oxford Doctorate in Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Oxford University Post-doctoral training at Oxford University Professor Huxley's research centers on epidemiology and public health, with a focus on chronic disease risk factors, sex and ethnic disparities, and the health impacts of climate change and air pollution. Her work spans cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, women's health, and environmental determinants of health. She has published over 200 research articles and maintains an h-index of 58 (Web of Science). The 15 most recent publications reflect a strong interdisciplinary focus on environmental health, mental health, cardiometabolic disease, and health policy. Key themes include air pollution and child obesity, climate change and asthma, green space and psychiatric disorders, and sex disparities in coronary heart disease care. Her research increasingly integrates planetary health, policy reform, and equity considerations. Scientific Awards and Fellowships: Inaugural Career Development Fellowship from the Heart Foundation and NSW Office for Science and Medical Research Career Development Award ($400K) from NSW and National Heart Foundation of Australia (2009–2010) Professor Huxley has secured over $2.5 million as Chief Investigator A and contributed to more than $5 million in co-investigator grants. Current and recent projects include NHMRC-funded studies on obesity, prediabetes, electronic cigarettes, women's health data, CT scanning risks, and coronary heart disease management. She supervises several doctoral students and is actively involved in national and international advisory boards, including the Telethon Kids Institute and the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance. She leads or contributes to major research initiatives such as the Centre of Research Excellence on Women and Non-communicable Disease (CRE WaND) and the Breathe Melbourne citizen science project. Her leadership extends to policy engagement, with research influencing public health strategies on air quality, climate change, and sex and gender equity in research.
