ProfessorRebecca Giallo

Professor Giallo's vision is to optimise the health of children and their families affected by intergenerational trauma and social adversity
across the life course. She is leading research that is informing investment in evidence-based, cost-effective and scalable interventions for families
during pregnancy and the critical early years of their child's development.

Her integrated program of life course epidemiological and clinical intervention research is:

(1) determining the relative contribution of early life adversity, including the COVID-19 pandemic, to poor family health and common child health problems (poor mental health, asthma, obesity) that are of significant burden to children, families and the health care system,

(2) identifying what promotes resilience in children and families experiencing social adversity, and

(3) designing and trialing scalable interventions for harder-to-reach and neglected cohorts such as fathers, families receiving child protection
services, and those affected by family violence.

This research program is generating high-quality evidence to reduce health inequalities in socially disadvantaged children and break intergenerational cycles of poor family heath.

Knowledge Areas
Life course epidemiology
Family-based interventions
Men's health in early fatherhood
Interparental conflict and intimate partner violence
Parenting, coparenting and family functioning

Recently funded projects and initiatives include:

The Family Foundations Rural Trial  (Lead Investigator - MRFF Mental Health Research Grants) 

The Working Out Dads Trial - Promoting men's health in early fatherhood (Lead Investigator - MRFF Million Minds Mission Suicide Prevention)

Stronger Futures CRE in Intergenerational Trauma (Co-Investigator, NHMRC CRE)

Mothers and Young People's Study (formerly, the Maternal Health Study; Co-Investigator, NHMRC Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies)