Michelle Lim

Associate Professor Michelle Lim is an academic at the University of Sydney, based in the Sydney School of Public Health within the Faculty of Medicine and Health. She holds dual roles as Principal Research Fellow and Scientific Chair/CEO of Ending Loneliness Together, a national nonprofit addressing chronic loneliness. Her research focuses on loneliness, social isolation, mental health, and public health interventions, with particular emphasis on digital solutions and cross-sector collaboration.

Key affiliations include leadership of the Social Health and Wellbeing Group at the Prevention Research Collaboration and co-direction of the Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection (GILC). Her work informs government policies and corporate strategies through landmark reports like the Australian Loneliness Report (2018) and the 2023 State of the Nation Report on Social Connection.

Research themes emphasize loneliness interventions, social determinants of health, and technology-driven solutions. Notable projects include the Peer Tree digital intervention for youth and the Nextdoor Kind Challenge community initiative. Her publications (over 120 articles) span loneliness's impact on cognitive function, cardiovascular health, and mental health across lifespan stages.

Grants include the NHMRC-funded ALIVE Research Translation Centre. Current priorities involve scaling loneliness reduction strategies and advancing loneliness as a global health priority through policy advocacy and interdisciplinary collaboration.