Rob Moodie

Professor Rob Moodie is Professor of Public Health in the School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, at the University of Melbourne, and Professor of Public Health at the College of Medicine, University of Malawi. He earned his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from the University of Melbourne between 1971 and 1976. His extensive career in medicine and public health includes providing health care to refugees in Sudan, working on HIV prevention projects, and serving as CEO of VicHealth from 1998 to 2007, the world's first health promotion foundation established from a dedicated tobacco tax. He previously held the position of inaugural Chair of Global Health at the Nossal Institute, Director of Teaching and Learning at the School of Population and Global Health, and currently chairs the Contemplative Studies Centre Advisory Board. Moodie has provided advisory input to UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, and the Gavi Vaccine Alliance.

Moodie's research focuses on the commercial determinants of health, examining how industries such as tobacco, ultra-processed foods, alcohol, and gambling negatively impact public health and equity. His academic interests include public health leadership skills, health promotion, and road safety. He has co-edited and co-authored several books in public health and developed leadership training programs taught internationally. Notable publications include 'Profits and pandemics: prevention of harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food and drink industries' (The Lancet, 2013, cited over 2100 times), 'Priority actions for the non-communicable disease crisis' (The Lancet, 2011, cited over 2400 times), 'Promoting mental health: concepts, emerging evidence, practice' (2005), and 'Ultra-processed profits: the political economy of countering the global spread of ultra-processed foods' (International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 2021). These works have shaped global policy on non-communicable diseases and corporate influences on health. Moodie chaired the Australian National Preventative Health Taskforce from 2008 to 2011 and received the Public Health Association of Australia Mentor of the Year award in 2023, as well as an Australia Day Honour in 2014 for HIV/AIDS research contributions.

Professional Email: r.moodie@unimelb.edu.au