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Areas of our research

At The George Institute, our areas of research address some of the world’s biggest health challenges, focusing on areas like women’s health, planetary health, and food policy. Each program is designed to tackle specific health concerns through targeted research initiatives that aim to improve prevention, detection, and care. By focusing on these key areas, we work to deliver practical solutions that enhance health outcomes globally. Brain healthAdvancing research to prevent, detect, and manage brain-related diseases, improving care and quality of life for people globally. Learn more CancerEnsuring everyone globally has the opportunity to fight cancer by actively working to remove barriers and create sustainable solutions. Learn more Cardiovascular healthTargeting the primary risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Learn more Critical careResearch focused on every aspect of critical illness manag

Ubuntu initiative

Research suggests that social determinants can influence 30-55% of health outcomes, often outweighing healthcare or lifestyle choices. Key social determinants of health range from income and social protection to education, food insecurity and access to affordable healthcare.

Beyond the body episode 3 When Tax Becomes a Tool of Abuse: Unpacking Economic Abuse and Financial Control

Podcast

UNSW Sydney and The George Institute for Global Health sign expanded 10-year affiliation agreement

News / Media release

Beyond the body episode 1 Not One-Size-Fits-All: How Sex and Gender shape our health

Podcast

Beyond the body episode 2 Caring & Careers: The hidden load of carers

Podcast

One in five US foods and drinks contain synthetic dyes, study shows

News / Media release

Dr Elizabeth Dunford

Profile

Elizabeth Dunford is a Project Consultant for The George Institute for Global Health’s Food Policy Division, Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina.

She is known internationally for her work in monitoring the global food supply and in the development of novel technologies to support this work in both developed and developing countries. She led the development of the Australian and US FoodSwitch food composition databases which are used to monitor changes in the nutritional composition of the food supply. The Australian database she developed in her PhD was used to create the FoodSwitch smartphone application; an innovative tool that helps consumers select healthier food choices. FoodSwitch has been downloaded >1,000,000 times and has been launched in multiple countries.

Elizabeth has an undergraduate degree in Human Nutrition, a Masters degree in Public Health, and a PhD in Public Health from The University of Sydney. In the 10 years following the completion of her postgraduate qualification in Public Health, Elizabeth has published 100+ peer-reviewed journal articles and has authored multiple commissioned policy documents for the World Health Organization, Access to Nutrition Initiative, World Bank and Unicef. 

Meta-research and evidence synthesis unit

Program overview: The meta-research and evidence synthesis unit is dedicated to improving healthcare and the knowledge ecosystem through: Meta-research(research on research) : to analyse the philosophical basis, methods, reporting, evaluation, and incentives for research. We also specialise in research priority setting, and core outcome set development. Evidence synthesis: conducting scoping reviews, evidence gap maps, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, rapid evidence synthesis, and qualitative evidence synthesis. Capacity building: On evidence synthesis , meta-research, and its application. Program objectives: The overarching objectives of this program are to: To improve the quality of primary research, evidence synthesis, and knowledge translation. To foster pro-justice and pro-equity approaches in the knowledge ecosystem. To conduct high quality evidence synthesis using fit for purpose methods to inform policy, and practice.

Health systems strengthening for Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

Program overview: Our global Health Systems Strengthening for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program is focused on the conduct of multidisciplinary collaborative research to support countries’ strategic progression towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3.8: Universal access to high-quality essential health care. Led by Dr Laura Downey, our global team comprises health economists, health policy specialists, epidemiologists, statisticians, and clinician researchers. We have active research and advocacy partnerships with academia, civil society organizations, government departments, health service providers, and multilateral organizations in every continent, where our research predominantly focuses on taking a primary healthcare approach to ensure that everyone can equitably access the essential health services they require without experiencing financial hardship in doing so. The types of research we conduct fall broadly into the following domains: Designing an

Evaluation and system reform

Program overview: System reform is complex, long-term, and involves multiple stakeholders. Traditional evaluation methods, which often focus on short-term outcomes and linear cause-effect relationships, are often not well suited to informing or evaluating system change. The George Institute’s Evaluation and System Reform Program focuses on furthering the role of evaluation in system reform in recognition of the power of evaluative data to contribute to social change - this has implications for what is evaluated and how evaluations are conducted. There is an implicit equity agenda – recognising that systems need to reform to benefit those who need them most. We are concerned with: Conducting ‘mission critical’ evaluations, which in practice means scale, reach and equity Using participatory approaches at all stages, since this increases the potential of evaluation findings being relevant and used Building regular and timely cycles of feedback to imple

Economic evaluation and health technology assessment

Program overview: Economic evaluation involves an assessment of the costs of outcomes of health sector interventions to determine their value for money to governments and other payers. This involves cost effectiveness or cost-utility or cost-benefit studies, carried out alongside intervention trials. The evidence from such studies is critical in informing government to optimize their investment decisions in the health sector. Health technology assessment (HTA) is a framework which governments use to embed the use of cost-effectiveness evidence in their decisions to fund new drugs, devices and medical procedures. It is increasing being used by governments around the world to ensure evidence-based investment of scarce health care resources and provides them a tool to achieve universal health coverage in a financially sustainable manner. We have an extensive ongoing program of economic evaluation and HTA studies led by our team of health economists along with researchers at the Insti