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Emerging thought leaders

Our emerging thought leaders are passionate about driving change and taking on current challenges to improve health worldwide. As early and mid-career professionals, they offer new perspectives and innovative ideas to push boundaries and make advancements in health research, treatments and policy. Meet our emerging thought leaders and discover how they are making meaningful change. 2025 Cohort Alejandra PiragautaResearch Assistant, The George Institute for Global HealthMore info about Alejandra PiragautaResearch Assistant, The George Institute for Global HealthAlejandra Piragauta is a Research Assistant within the Injury Prevention team in the UK. She is a qualified dentist from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and holds two Master’s degrees: one in Anthropology, Health, and Community Development from the Universidad de Salamanca in Spain, and another in Public Health from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, UK.Alejandra has contributed to various research projects, primar

Centre for Research, Evidence and Skills Training (CREST)

We provide research, evidence, evaluations and training solutions on a consultancy basis to help leaders in government, industry, and community sectors navigate complex health challenges and improve health services for people and communities. Working as one team across our offices in Australia, India and the UK, and leveraging our global network of partners, we will bring together the right mix of expertise you need. Our collaborative consulting model, coordinated by our Centre for Research, Evidence and Skills Training, utilises our extensive global academic and operational expertise and ensures rigorous quality assurance. With a proven track record in high-quality research and impact across diverse fields - including chronic conditions, injury and trauma, health systems, food policy, women’s health, and health equity- our team is well-placed to collaborate with you to support informed, evidence-based decision-making and capacity building. Our experts hold advanced academic a

Scaling peritoneal dialysis equitably across India

News / Media release

Professor Vivekanand Jha

Profile

Professor Jha is Executive Director at The George Institute for Global Health, India, Chair of Global Kidney Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, and the past President of the International Society of Nephrology.

He has wide-ranging research interests, including understanding the health and societal impact of kidney diseases around the world and the development of affordable, scalable and sustainable primary and secondary prevention tools. 

He has worked with many organisations including the WHO to develop clinical practice guidelines and advocacy papers, has lectured extensively around the world, and is a prolific writer and editor.

Session 1: Voices of Practice - A series on meaningful community engagement

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About us

OUR MISSIONTo improve the health of millions of people worldwide. At The George Institute, we believe everyone has the right to a healthy life. We are a research organisation that finds solutions to some of the world's biggest health challenges. With major centres in Australia, the UK, China, and India, and over 400 active projects in more than 60 countries, we work with partners and communities across the world to conduct rigorous, high-quality research to make a real difference to people’s health, particularly those facing the most barriers. From pioneering clinical trials to transformative digital health innovations, translating evidence into scalable solutions, shaping health policies and advocating for change, we’re focused on a future where health equity is a reality, not just an aspiration. At the heart of our mission to improve the health of millions worldwide is a belief in the power of change. Together, we’re building a healthier, more just world. Members of

Our impact

DRIVING CHANGEMaking an impact locally and globally At The George Institute, we strive to make a meaningful impact through every program, project, and initiative we undertake. We work with communities to ensure our research is relevant, actively engage decision makers, and identify opportunities for influencing. We build global networks of collaborators, work with global experts, foster discussions that stimulate debate, and strengthen our researchers’ capacity to drive change at local, regional and global levels. Our work addresses the diverse health challenges experienced by communities to ensure everyone has the best opportunity to access high-quality care, when they need it. We understand that lasting change requires a systems approach, grounded in collaboration with local experts and people with lived experience. Learn how our efforts are improving health around the world, from influencing food policy to empowering healthcare workers in rural communities with AI technology.

Experts come together for urgent action on perinatal mental health in India

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Heart Foundation recognises George Institute researchers with latest grant funding

News / Funding success

Professor Alta Schutte

Profile

Alta Schutte is a SHARP Professor and Theme Lead for Cardiac, Vascular and Metabolic Medicine at UNSW Sydney; and Professorial Fellow at The George Institute Australia. She holds honorary appointments at the North-West University and University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. She is the Past President of the International Society of Hypertension, Company Secretary of the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance, and Co-Chair of the Australian National Hypertension Taskforce.

Alta is a leading researcher with extensive experience in clinical trials and population-based studies in the field of blood pressure, hypertension and cardiovascular health. She has been the Chief Investigator of several multidisciplinary studies, published >450 papers in the field, and supervised over 85 postgraduate students. She is Chief Investigator of several Australian-funded trials and is a NHMRC Investigator Grant Leadership Fellow.

She is involved in numerous international consortia, such as the Global Burden of Disease study, the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, May Measurement Month global blood pressure screening campaign, World Health Organization working groups and the Lancet Commission of Hypertension. She is the senior author of the 2020 International Society of Hypertension Global Hypertension Guidelines. She is Associate Editor of the journal, Hypertension, and has received numerous international awards for her work, most recently the 2022 American Heart Association’s Harriet Dustan Award, and 2023 Peter Sleight Excellence Award in Hypertension Clinical Research from the World Hypertension League.

Prof Jason Wu

Profile

With a PhD in Biomedical Sciences and MSc in Biostatistics, Jason received post-doctoral training in nutrition epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. He is a Professor and the Head of the Nutrition Science Program at the George Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales. His research and teaching focuses on reducing diet-related diseases through implementing innovative ‘Food is Medicine’ interventions, modelling the impact of population-level food policies, and determining the role of dietary factors for cardiometabolic diseases prevention and treatment. Jason's research has been published in top medical and nutrition journals including Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, BMJ, Circulation, and American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. He has over 150 publications and has received many highly competitive awards, fellowships and grants, with total research funding of more than $14million to date.

How do we turn global promises on NCDs and mental health into real change in our region?

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