Vicki Flood

Professor Vicki Flood is Head of the Clinical School at Northern Rivers and Director of the University Centre for Rural Health (UCRH) within the Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney. Her work spans education, research, and workforce development across a large rural NSW region.

• Education: BAppSc, Grad Dip Nutr&Diet, MPH, PhD; Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD)
• Professional roles: President-elect of Nutrition Society of Australia (NSA), Director of Australian Rural Health Education Network (ARHEN)

Research interests focus on nutrition's role in aging, eye disease, disability, neurodegenerative conditions, and food security. She leads implementation science projects addressing chronic disease prevention and Aboriginal health disparities.

Recent publications analyze coffee/tea consumption and diabetes risk, allied health student placements in rural settings, Mediterranean diet interventions for older adults, and nutritional determinants of depression. Her work combines epidemiological methods with health services research across diverse populations.

• Scientific awards:
  • Fellow, Nutrition Society of Australia (2020)
  • International travel award for Nutrition Leadership Workshop (2012)

Current projects include ARC-funded Aboriginal disability support in Central Australia, anti-inflammatory diets for liver disease, and multidisciplinary approaches for motor neurone disease quality of life. She supervises research students in topics like cardiac rehabilitation nutrition and malnutrition in youth.