Professor Sophia Zoungas is Executive Director of The George Institute for Global Health Australia and a practising endocrinologist.

A clinician scientist and trialist, she is internationally recognised for her leadership in diabetes, cardiorenal health, and healthy ageing, and for research that has shaped clinical practice and public health policy globally.

Her work focuses on large-scale clinical trials and cohort studies addressing the prevention and management of chronic disease, with particular impact on global clinical guidelines for blood pressure and glucose control in diabetes.

Professor Zoungas has led major international initiatives, including the ADVANCE and ADVANCE ON studies, and serves as lead of the Australian Diabetes Clinical Quality Registry, which promotes best-practice diabetes care.

She is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, with prior senior academic leadership roles at Monash University.
 

Madhuri is the Head of Strategic Partnerships and Commissioned Research at The George Institute for Global Health India and leads research management and capacity building initiatives. She is an India Research Management Initiative (IRMI) Fellow, supported by the DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance. Madhuri is part of the global CORE unit and works with colleagues from other regional offices of the institute.

She has a PhD in life science and a decade of research management experience from her previous positions at the DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance, Public Health Foundation of India and Indian Institute of Health Management Research. She has contributed to several courses, workshops and training programmes in research skills, for early career researchers. Madhuri is interested in creating institutional processes that facilitate quality research and an enabling research environment.

Associate Professor Cheryl Carcel is the Head of the Brain Health Program at The George Institute for Global Health. She also works part-time as a clinical neurologist. Cheryl is an NHMRC Emerging Leader Fellow, an Australian and New Zealand Stroke Organisation Emerging Stroke Clinician and Scientist and a World Heart Federation Emerging Leader in Stroke. Other appointments include editorial board member for Stroke journal, guest editor for Cerebrovascular Diseases journal and World Stroke Organization co-chair for the scientific statement on Sex Differences in Stroke. 

A/Prof Carcel’s research focuses on health equity, in particular working on sex and gender differences, women’s brain health and policies encouraging disaggregation of data by sex and gender. She has extensive experience and interest in clinical trials, stroke prevention and treatment, migraine and cognition as well as supervising and mentoring students and junior colleagues.

Jacek is a Research Fellow with a primary focus on housing and health in the  Guunu-Maana (Heal), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program. They are committed to advocacy and developing culturally-grounded solutions to improve housing and health, directly informed by the priorities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities in Sydney and across NSW. Their practice is informed by collectivist, respectful, reciprocal, and relational elements akin to Indigenous and decolonising approaches to research.

Jacek’s PhD was guided by Dharawal and Bidjigal people at La Perouse, aiming to understand the meanings of home and priorities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in mainstream (not Aboriginal-community-controlled) social housing in Sydney. Together with Aboriginal social housing tenants, tenant advocates and social housing providers, they developed free housing resources to support tenants navigate NSW's complex social housing system.

As of 2026, Jacek is involved in housing research projects and collaborations, working cross-institutionally alongside colleagues in public health, the built environment, law, and human geography. They sit on the Management Committee of the Eastern Area Tenants Service, a Sydney-based tenant advocacy service, are part of the HEAL Network and a member of UNSW’s Australian Human Rights Institute. 

Jacek joined The George Institute for Global Health in 2018, initially as a Project Officer supporting commissioned research, and the early development of the Institute’s practice of consumer and community engagement in health research. Subsequently they were a Research Associate in the Injury Program, and Coordinator of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, before undertaking their PhD between 2021 and 2025. In addition to research, Jacek has led organisational change, establishing and Chairing the Institute’s first Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Working Group in 2019, and spear-heading initiatives to improve cultural safety with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, gender equity and LGBTQI+ inclusion. 

Dr Trieu is a leading expert in global food policy and sodium reduction, currently serving as the Co-Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Population Salt Reduction at The George Institute for Global Health. With a distinguished career in public health, Dr Trieu has advanced nutrition policies and programs aimed at reducing diet-related diseases worldwide, particularly among disadvantaged populations.

Dr Trieu holds a PhD in Medicine from The University of Sydney, Australia and has received several prestigious fellowships, including the NHMRC Early Career Fellowship and the National Heart Foundation of Australia Postdoctoral Fellowship.

As Program Lead - Nutrition Implementation Research at The George Institute, Dr Trieu plays a pivotal role in shaping effective food policies and innovative nutrition programs. Her work focuses on the practical application and implementation of evidence-based nutrition approaches. This includes leading a program of work to change the world’s salt supply from regular to potassium-enriched salt as a strategy to reduce cardiovascular diseases.  As well as developing and adapting Food is Medicine programs for disadvantaged communities in Australia. Her expertise extends internationally, providing guidance and support to many low- and middle-income countries in implementing evidence-based strategies for better health outcomes.

In addition to her research, Dr Trieu serves as a Conjoint Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales, where she contributes to the academic development of future public health leaders.

Dr Trieu continues to make significant impact on improving global nutrition and reducing the burden of diet-related diseases through strategic policy and research.

Alexandra Jones is a public health lawyer and researcher leading a program of work on regulatory strategies to promote healthier, more sustainable diets. Her work uses an innovative mix of law and science to generate evidence that supports policymakers to design and implement policies with maximum public health impact. She works closely with UN agencies, national and state governments, public health and consumer organizations, and academic collaborators to translate evidence into effective action.

Ali’s current research interests include food labelling, composition, pricing and marketing policies. She also supports the Institute’s growing work on the commercial determinants of health. Her PhD explored Australia’s Health Star Rating system and similar front-of-pack nutrition labels used worldwide. Its impact can be seen in important reforms to the Health Star Rating system, and in the terms of international food standards being developed in this area.

Ali has previously worked on global tobacco control, and in health and human rights. She holds a PhD in Medicine and Health from the University of Sydney, a Master of Laws in Global Health Law from Georgetown Law (Washington, D.C.), and a Bachelor of Arts/Law from the University of Sydney. Ali is currently supported by an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellowship.