Researcher biography

Dr Lisa McHugh is an early career post-doctoral research Fellow at the UQ School of Public Health. As an early career research Fellow in the NHMRC funded APPRISE Centre for Research Excellence, Lisa's Fellowship Project is investigating the impact of influenza and whooping cough (pertussis) vaccinations recommended in pregnant First Nations women, and identifying key factors affecting their uptake in pregnancy. Lisa is also chief-investigator on a multi-jurisdictional NHMRC funded project called 'Links2HealthierBubs'. This Australian project has created the largest linked cohort of individual mother-infant pairs to investigate the uptake, safety and effectiveness of influenza and pertussis vaccines. The project is also examinng the geographical, ethnic and socio-economic influences of vaccine uptake.

Lisa is also co-investigator on a NHMRC funded, multidisciplinary project called COVID-19 Real-time Information System for Preparedness and Epidemic Response (CRISPER). The CRISPER project has recently developed an interactive dashboard that maps COVID-19 cases, and is being widely utilised by multiple state and terrirory public health users.

Lisa's research experience and interests include clinical midwifery, First Nations health research, infectious diseases and perinatal epidemiology, and maternal vaccination. She has been a menber of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) since 2014.