Nicolas Cherbuin

Prof Nicolas Cherbuin holds the position of Professor and Head of the Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing at the Australian National University (ANU), within the College of Science. As Associate Director (Research) at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, he co-leads the Department of Health, Economics, Wellbeing and Society and directs the Neuroimaging and Brain Lab. His research focuses on identifying modifiable risk factors (e.g., lifestyle, chronic diseases, environmental exposures) impacting brain structure, cognitive function, and mental health across the lifespan. Key interests include dementia risk reduction, early screening for cognitive decline, and epidemiological factors influencing Multiple Sclerosis progression.

Education: PhD in Neuroscience. Research projects include randomized controlled trials targeting biological and cognitive aging. Collaborations span global health initiatives, such as the Global Burden of Disease Study, and involve multidisciplinary teams investigating factors like sleep, diet, and social engagement. His work has produced over 230 publications, with recent studies exploring visual acuity-cognitive decline links, magnesium's neuroprotective role, and the impact of sun exposure on pediatric MS relapses. He leads projects on healthy aging frameworks in diverse populations, including Ethiopia, and has contributed to policy-relevant analyses on global disease burden projections.

Grants and Projects: 19 active and completed projects, including studies on MS fatigue interventions, dementia risk reduction tools, and health service utilization in aging populations. His research has been published in high-impact journals like The Lancet and Neurology, with citations exceeding 3,756. Current efforts emphasize translational research to bridge clinical and population health outcomes.

Labs/Teams: Neuroimaging and Brain Lab (specializing in structural neuroimaging and biomarker analysis), and collaborations within the COSMIC consortium for dementia research. Future work includes expanding digital health interventions for neurodegenerative conditions and refining predictive models for aging-related health trajectories.