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Dr Louise Birrell

​I am a NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow at the Matilda Centre for research in mental health and substance use, at the University of Sydney. My research focuses on the prevention of mental and substance use disorders, with a focus on using digital technologies to change the way we prevent and disseminate evidence-based prevention for youth. I have extensive experience running school-based trials of substance use and mental health prevention programs and developing eHealth programs. I have led the co-design of two mHealth mobile apps.​

 

I work across multidisciplinary teams with a number of key stakeholders including: Government departments, schools, philanthropy, digital agencies and national peak bodies for mental health prevention. I am also academic co-lead of the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Prevention and Early Intervention in Mental Illness and Substance Use (PREMISE) Youth Advisory Board.

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Over my academic career, I have secured >$25M in research funding, >$15M as a Chief Investigator including $1.1M as CIA

Louise Birrell

Media

Dr Louise Birrell, winner of the 2025 Rising Star Award from Society for Mental Health Research
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Expert quoted in “How much pressure is too much for adolescents?”
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‘Not snowflakes’: Severe mental disorders surge among young people
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Cracks in the Ice - Highly Commended for the Excellence in Indigenous Engagement Award
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How much do friends influence teens’ mental health? What a new study can (and can’t) tell us
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Tall Poppy Award Recipient 2025
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