Associate Professor Gustavo Machado is an NHMRC Investigator (EL2) and Robinson Fellow at the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, Sydney Local Health District, and the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney. He holds a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours Class I) from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and a PhD in Medicine from the University of Sydney. Machado commenced his academic career at the University of Sydney as a Postgraduate Teaching Fellow in the Discipline of Physiotherapy from 2015 to 2017, advancing to postdoctoral fellow and subsequently to his current positions as Fellow and Associate Professor. His teaching encompasses physiotherapy, clinical epidemiology, biostatistics, and research methods.

Machado's research focuses on the effectiveness of interventions for musculoskeletal pain, particularly low back pain, including medicines, physiotherapy, exercise therapy, and psychological interventions in public health, primary care, emergency, and pre-hospital settings. He has authored over 110 peer-reviewed papers in leading journals such as BMJ, Lancet Rheumatology, and JAMA Health Forum, with more than 5,200 citations and an h-index of 32. Key publications include 'Efficacy and safety of paracetamol for spinal pain and osteoarthritis: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo controlled trials' (BMJ Open, 2015), 'Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for musculoskeletal pain' (BMJ, 2021), 'Effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention to improve emergency department care of low back pain: a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial' (BMJ Quality & Safety, 2021), 'Shifting from opioids to simple analgesics for emergency care of patients with low back pain: a secondary analysis of the SHAPED cluster randomized trial' (JAMA Health Forum, 2024), and 'Back pain: a target for reducing hospital admissions' (Lancet Rheumatology, 2023). He leads major MRFF-funded projects including SMART-ED ($4.7 million), ADAPT-ED ($3.2 million), RESHAP-ED ($2.8 million), and Back@Home. His work has influenced NICE guidelines, featured in The New York Times, and prompted editorials in NEJM. Awards include the 2025 Sax Institute Research Action Award, 2023 Research Australia Health Services Research Award, 2022 ANZMUSC Trial of the Year Award, and 2019 NSW Health Award for Value Based Health Care. Machado serves on the Faculty of Medicine and Health Board, Emergency Care Institute Research Advisory Committee, and RPA Virtual Hospital Research Steering Committee.

Professional Email: gustavo.machado@sydney.edu.au