Rate My Professor Tim Slade

Professor Tim Slade is a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. He serves as Director of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use. Slade holds a PhD from UNSW Sydney, completed in 2003. His career includes prior positions at the University of New South Wales starting from 2007. Since December 2018, he has held the position of Professor at the University of Sydney. As an academic biostatistician, he has contributed significantly to papers from the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing and the PATH through life study. His research encompasses epidemiology and classification of mental disorders, with a focus on psychiatric epidemiology. On Google Scholar, his work has garnered over 38,000 citations, reflecting substantial influence in the field.

Slade's key publications include 'The structure of common DSM-IV and ICD-10 mental disorders in the Australian general population' (Psychological Medicine, 2006, co-authored with D. Watson), a seminal paper on mental disorder comorbidity. Recent contributions feature 'The epidemiology of mental and substance use disorders in Australia: findings from the 2020–2022 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing' (Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2024), analyzing prevalence and correlates; 'Treatment rates and delays for mental and substance use disorders: results from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing' (Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 2025, co-authored with C. Chapman); and 'A cross-cohort comparison of trends in co-occurrence of mental disorders and substance use disorders from 1997 to 2020–2022' (JCPP Advances, 2024). He is Chief Investigator for the PREMISE Next Generation Centre of Research Excellence, aimed at preventing mental illness and substance use disorders. Previously recognized as Program Lead in Biostatistics for the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, Slade also shares the 2015 NSW Mental Health Matters Award for Research and Evaluation with Cath Chapman. At the Matilda Centre, he supervises PhD students and leads a team of 18 staff members. His epidemiological analyses inform Australian mental health policy and practice.