Jo Antoniades

Dr. Jo Antoniades is an Associate Professor of Health Communication in Society at La Trobe University's Humanities & Social Sciences School. With a strong academic background bridging public health, psychology, and primary care, she has established herself as a leading researcher in culturally diverse health communication, particularly focused on dementia care and mental health. Her work emphasizes community engagement and co-design approaches to create impactful health interventions that address the specific needs of multicultural communities.

Dr. Antoniades completed her academic training at Monash University, earning:

• PhD in Psychology
• Honours in Psychology
• BSc in Psychology and Physiology

Dr. Antoniades' research primarily centers on cultural diversity, dementia awareness and care, mental health, and community engagement in multicultural communities. A consistent theme throughout her work is fostering meaningful collaboration with research participants to produce accessible, impactful outcomes that can effect real change in their lives. She frequently employs innovative storytelling methods through films and comics to convey health information, enhancing engagement and retention among diverse populations. Her approach emphasizes co-design principles, ensuring that interventions are culturally appropriate and community-driven, with particular focus on South Asian communities in Australia and internationally.

Her recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward developing culturally adapted, multimedia-based interventions that address specific challenges in dementia awareness and care. There's a notable emphasis on co-design methodologies, digital health solutions, and addressing health disparities through culturally sensitive approaches. Her work spans multiple countries including Australia, India, and other South Asian nations, reflecting a global perspective on dementia care challenges while maintaining strong community-level engagement.

Dr. Antoniades has received significant recognition for her research contributions:

• NHMRC EL1 fellowship for co-designing a navigation and decision-making tool for aged care tailored to South Asian seniors

Dr. Antoniades currently leads multiple major research initiatives funded by prestigious organizations including the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHA). Her flagship projects include the MindCare program (MRFF funded) and MindCare4Women (DoHA funded), which focus on developing community-driven dementia risk reduction education initiatives in collaboration with multicultural Australian communities. She also holds an NHMRC EL1 fellowship for developing culturally appropriate aged care navigation tools for South Asian seniors, demonstrating her commitment to addressing specific cultural needs in healthcare systems.

While specific lab names aren't mentioned in the provided text, Dr. Antoniades leads a research team focused on health communication and culturally diverse dementia care. Her work involves extensive collaboration with multicultural communities, particularly South Asian populations, and she has established partnerships with organizations across Australia and internationally. Her research methodology emphasizes co-design approaches, working closely with community members to develop interventions that address specific cultural needs and preferences, ensuring that research outcomes are both scientifically valid and practically useful for the communities served.