Announcing the interim Head of the Melbourne Medical School:

Professor Nicola Lautenschlager appointed interim Head of Melbourne Medical School.

Professor Nicola Lautenschlager joined the University of Melbourne in July 2008 as Professor and Chair of Old Age Psychiatry and Director of the Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age in the Melbourne Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry. 

A clinician-scientist by training, Nicola holds particular research interests in dementia and aged mental health with experience across clinical trials and cohort studies as well as translational and implementation research. 

Nicola is a consultant old age psychiatrist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Director of Research in the Aged Persons Mental Health Program of NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne. 

Nicola, who may already be familiar to many of you through her current role as Deputy Head and Research Director of the Melbourne Medical School, looks forward to diversifying her portfolio in the role of interim Head of the Melbourne Medical School during 2023. 

On behalf of the Melbourne Medical School, Nicola thanks outgoing Head of School Professor John Prins for his strong leadership of the School over the past four years. 

Nicola officially commenced the headship on 24 October 2022.