Louisa Degenhardt

Louisa Degenhardt is a Scientia Professor and NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales, where she serves as Deputy Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC). Her research focuses on the epidemiology of substance use, mental health comorbidities, and public health interventions for drug-related harms.

With honorary appointments at multiple institutions including the University of Melbourne and University of Washington, her work examines patterns of drug use, treatment effectiveness, and global burden of disease. She leads large-scale studies on opioid dependence, harm reduction strategies, and the intersection of substance use with mental and physical health.

Her recent publications address emerging issues in substance use epidemiology, including self-harm risk factors, infectious disease prevention, and healthcare utilization patterns among people who use drugs.