George Institute announces new Women’s Health lead in Australia
The George Institute for Global Health is pleased to announce that Amanda Henry has been appointed to the role of Program Head, Women’s Health (Australia). Currently Associate Professor, Women’s and Children’s Health at UNSW Medicine and Clinical Academic at St George Hospital Sydney, she will be taking up her new Professorial role on May 20.
“I’m delighted to be taking on this opportunity at such an exciting time, with our recent launch of the Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine, and a growing body of research into unmet needs in women’s health,” she said.
Prof Henry has been a women’s health clinician for over 20 years, specialist obstetrician since 2011, gained a Masters in Public Health in 2012, and completed her PhD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 2016. She also finds time to supervise five HDR candidates, one of them at The George, and is Director of the Master of Women’s Health Medicine course at UNSW, Sydney.
Prof Henry is no stranger to The George, having been seconded in a part time capacity to assist with the initial establishment of the Women’s Health Program. This allowed her to make connections and collaborate with a number of the Institute’s researchers both in Australia and globally and she has also been an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at The George since 2020.
An obstetrician and gynaecologist by training, Prof Henry’s own research program focuses on pregnancy and non-communicable diseases, but during her career she has been involved in many other areas of women’s health including sex differences in pain, and domestic and family violence. Prof Henry is also a strong advocate for women’s health and translating research into practice through her leadership roles with professional societies, including as Councillor for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Society of Obstetric Medicine of Australia and New Zealand.
The George Institute’s Women’s Health Program was established in 2018 with a bold vision consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: namely, to improve the health of women worldwide, as well as achieve gender equality and empower all women, by 2030.
Prof Henry also has her own big vision for the future of the women’s healthcare, “I want to break down the silos of care so that women’s health is addressed across the life course, rather than fragmented care delivered in isolation.”
Professor Jane Hirst, Program Director, Women's Health (Global), said:
“With her breadth of experience, her academic connections and her history with The George, Prof Henry is an excellent addition to the Women’s Health Program team and I’m looking forward to working with her to continue to build on the already substantial program of work in Australia.”
