Thach Tran

Dr. Thach Tran is a Senior Research Fellow at the Global and Women’s Health unit within the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University. He holds a PhD in International Health from the University of Melbourne and has extensive experience in public health research, including over a decade at the Research and Training Center for Community Development in Vietnam (1998–2010). His research focuses on maternal mental health, child development, adolescent health, and the social determinants of health in low- and middle-income countries. Dr. Tran leads large-scale studies like the NHMRC-funded Resourceful Adolescent Program in Vietnam and collaborates globally on projects addressing early childhood development and maternal health.

Education:

• PhD in International Health, University of Melbourne (Award Date: 3 Aug 2014)

Research Interests:

Dr. Tran’s work centers on the intersection of social determinants and mental health outcomes. He examines interventions to improve maternal and child health in resource-poor settings, including culturally adapted programs for adolescents and mothers. Specific areas include:

• Adolescent mental health resilience
• Perinatal depression screening
• Economic analyses of early childhood interventions
• Psychosocial support in humanitarian contexts

Key Projects:

• Early Journey of Life (EJOL) – Vietnam (2025–2028)
• Research Enabling Children in Ethnic Minorities (2024–2028)
• Early Childhood Development in Fiji (2024–2025)

Awards:

• Monash Strategic Bridging Fellowship (2020)
• Early Career Fellowship (2016)
• Damien Jolley Award for Early Career Research Excellence (2015)

Advisory Roles:

Dr. Tran advises the World Health Organization on maternal mental health and early childhood development. He also serves on editorial boards for PLOS ONE and BMC Public Health.

Labs/Teams:

He leads the Global and Women’s Health unit’s statistical advisory group, supporting PhD candidates and colleagues in research design and analysis.