Advancing progress on health and chronic conditions in a polycrisis
News
Professor Anthony Rodgers
Profile
Professor Rodgers has a track record in cardiovascular disease prevention, innovation and public-private partnerships, with an interest in scale-able interventions to address major risks to health. He is currently Acting Director of the Cardiovascular Division at The George Institute, Australia and Chair of Clinical Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College of London.
After graduating in medicine in the United Kingdom he trained in epidemiology and public health in New Zealand. He was the Principal Author of the 2002 World Health Report, the main annual publication for WHO. Professor Rodgers has led developments of an affordable four-in-one cardiovascular combination pill ('polypill'). He led a clinical trial program in economically developed and developing countries, funded by the Wellcome Trust, European Union and others.
Professor Rodgers also developed a world first cell phone based smoking cessation programme for youth, which disseminated proven health support messages in an age-appropriate, affordable medium. Over 6,000 patients were involved in clinical trials that demonstrated a 50% increase in quit rates. The service has been rolled out by Departments of Health in NZ, UK and India, with over 2 million users to date. A follow-on program delivering cognitive behavioural therapy for depression prevention was successfully trialled among 1,200 at-risk teenagers.
Is the Hypertension Polypill the breakthrough we need for global blood pressure control?
Podcast
Pratishtha Singh
Profile
Pratishtha Singh is a public health researcher in the Injury Division at The George Institute for Global Health, India. Her research focuses on road traffic injuries and burns, with a strong emphasis on equity, gender, and structural determinants of health. She is particularly interested in how mobility systems intersect with gender and social marginalisation, and has previously worked on reproductive health, gender-based violence, and health systems strengthening. Pratishtha is an incoming PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, where her research will explore sustainable solutions to improve transit safety for women and transgender persons in urban India. She is an Emerging Voices for Global Health (2024) Fellow of Health Systems Global.
CREST - Health Policy, Systems & Evaluation
Our services span the development and analysis of health policies and programs, as well as the design and delivery of policy and program evaluations to inform more effective, equitable, and sustainable health outcomes.
Our expertise includes:
Research design - primary and secondary, qualitative and quantitative
Large scale qualitative and quantitative studies
Health system assessments and gap analyses
Health policy and program design services
Retrospective and prospective health policy analysis and evaluations
Large-scale health program evaluations and reform (process, outcome, and impact)
Economic evaluations, analyses and strategy
Health technology assessments (HTA) and training
Health workforce economics
Implementation research and healthcare systems reform to strengthen Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and improve equity in health systems, including the Institute’s Health Equity Action Lab
Who we work with:
CREST - Meta Research and Evidence Synthesis
Our specialised researchers have deep expertise in conducting systematic reviews, evidence synthesis, and meta-analyses to support high-quality, evidence-based decisions in health systems and policies locally and globally.
Our services include:
Rapid reviews for funding priorities, health policies, and programs
Evidence briefs for senior policymakers
Meta-analyses and systematic reviews
Qualitative evidence synthesis
Who we work with:
Local, state and national governments
Global health agencies, multilaterals and foundations
Industry and private organisations
Academic and medical research institutions
NGOs and community organisations
Contact us to find out more
Learn more about our Meta Research and Evidence Synthesis unit
Our Researchers
CREST - Statistics & Data Science
Our global team of biostatisticians, statisticians and data scientists conduct complex statistical analyses to support health and medical research, ensuring its quality, validity, and reliability. Our data experts can provide the quantitative, qualitative, and statistical analyses needed to answer your complex research questions and support data driven decision-making.
Our services include:
Study Design: Developing robust research plans and complex trial designs.
Data Collection: Gathering data through surveys, administrative records, web scraping, or other means.
Data Management & Governance: Ensuring data quality, validity, and long-term accessibility.
Statistical & Data Analysis: Applying complex statistical models, machine learning, and bioinformatics techniques to analyse data and draw insights.
Predictive analytics: for research and program outcomes
Data Visualization: Creating interactive displays to explore and communicate findings.
CREST - Research training
Our globally recognised Research Training Programs blend academic rigour with practical, real-world application to build research capacity and drive evidence-based healthcare. Developed and delivered by experts at The George Institute for Global Health, these programs empower early career researchers, clinicians, public health professionals, clinical trial staff, and policymakers to lead impactful research across diverse health systems. Offered face-to-face, online, or in blended formats, each course is designed to be globally informed while tailored with regional context to ensure practical relevance. Whether undertaken individually or as part of a broader training pathway, these programs foster innovation, strengthen expertise, and support meaningful collaborations that advance global health outcomes.
Our programs are ideal for:
Clinicians and allied health professionals new to research
Research managers and coordinators
Policy makers and public health practitioners
CREST - First Nations Research and Consulting
Specialising in First Nations research and engagement, The George Institute’s Guuna Maana team supports culturally safe, Indigenous-led and co-designed research grounded in Indigenous knowledges, values and priorities.
We work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations to ensure respectful, inclusive research design and methodology, as well as equity-centred program development and implementation.
Our services include:
Community-led research centered in Indigenous methodologies
Translational research, data analysis and program evaluation
Equity-centred policy and program design, recommendations and implementation
Training and capacity building, including in Indigenous research methodologies, cultural safety and community engagement
Who we work with:
Local, state and national governments
Public health agencies and networks
Policy planners and senior program managers
Aborigi
CREST - Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy
Our Impact and engagement team excels at facilitating meaningful advocacy, consultations and stakeholder engagement with decision-makers and the communities they serve. We bring key stakeholders together to co-create impactful, context-driven policy recommendations and solutions that drive real changes to healthcare.
Our approach supports both retrospective and prospective policy consultations on priority issues including chronic disease, health equity and access. We develop comprehensive policy briefs and foster inclusive dialogue, turning evidence and research into actionable outcomes for health policies and programs.
Our services include:
Stakeholder consultation and strategic engagement
Organisation, convening and facilitation of dialogues and meetings
Policy briefs
Community engagement and involvement strategies
Advocacy support for evidence-informed policies
Who we work with:
Local, state and national governments
Public
CREST - Research Training Facilitators
Our course facilitators
Consumer and Community Advisory Committee
About the Consumer and Community Advisory Committee (CCAC)
The George Institute for Global Health, Australia's Consumer and Community Advisory Committee (CCAC) has been providing consumer leadership since December 2021. The Committee functions at the organisational level and works with Institute leaders.
The objective of the CCAC is to ensure the research The George Institute does is relevant, important and makes the biggest difference to the Australian population.
The CCAC has been instrumental in developing a CCI framework and strategy for the Institute. These resources guide the work of the CCI Program, and the development and engagement of the Consumer and Community Network.
Aim1. Inform the Institute’s programs of work including identifying areas of need within the community2. Inform CCI strategies and support functions to facilitate partnerships between researchers, consumers, and community members3. Promote the Institute’s work, ensuring that relevant communic