DrLaura Alston

Dr Laura Alston is a Senior Research Fellow at Deakin Rural Health and is the inaugral Director of Research at Colac Area Health. Dr Alston, in collaboration with leaders from Deakin Rural Health and Colac Area Health established one of few rural health services-led research units in rural Australia. The Research Unit has led to multiple publications, grants and research tranlsation. Dr Laura Alston was a National Health Foundation Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (2019-2022) and World Heart Federation Emerging Leader Fellow. Dr Alston is also an Accredited Practising Dietitian and holds both a PhD and a Masters of Business Administration( Health Services Speciality).

Dr Laura Alston is rurally-based and passionate about making a meaningful contribution to rural health both in Australia and globally.

Dr Alston's research on rural health equity and rural health services has significantly advanced the evidence base, increased recognition of rural health services research, and has influencing policy and clinical practice. Dr Alston is an early/mid-career researcher (5 years post PhD) that has built a comprehensive research program with partnerships across health services, governments and University Departments of Rural Health.

Dr Alston is the recipient of two competitive fellowships, is an investigator on $33.1 million in research funding and has more than 120 publications.

Dr Alston has won academic awards including Heart Foundation Collaboration award (2021), 020-2021-National Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (102530); 2019 Honoured as the Inaugural Director of Research, Colac Area Health; 2019 World Heart Federation Emerging Leader; 2019 NHMRC Centre For Research Excellence (RE-FRESH) Early Career Knowledge Translation Award; 2018 Graduate Women Victoria PhD Research award; 2018 Western Alliance Associate Research Fellowship; 2018 Nomination Best Review Award Heart Lung and Circulation