Professor Katherine Samaras

Professor Katherine Samaras is an endocrinologist and clinical scientist, and Theme Leader for Healthy Ageing Research at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, where she is also Lab Leader for the Clinical Obesity, Nutrition and Adipose Biology Lab. She is a senior staff specialist in the Department of Endocrinology, St Vincent’s Hospital and the Founder and Director of the Australian Centre for Metabolic Health (St Vincent’s Campus) addressing the conditions of diabetes and metabolism. Her work on diabetes and obesity prevention and early intervention have translated to novel metabolic rehabilitation services on St Vincent’s Campus, early intervention services, and influences treatment guidelines and practice internationally.

Katherine’s research focuses on how healthy ageing is affected by diabetes and metabolism, particularly brain ageing and dementia, in work that extends from the bedside to the laboratory bench. Notably, she is the lead investigator in the MetMemory Study, a study bringing together some of Australia’s most respected dementia experts, aimed at halting cognitive decline in older people through repurposing of old, safe metabolic medications. Katherine’s PhD studies were undertaken at Garvan under the supervision of Professor Lesley Campbell. Prior appointments include St Thomas’ Hospital, London and the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston. She has previously served as Chairman, Specialist Advisory Committee for Endocrinology, Royal Australian College of Physicians and a number of other national committees, specialist societies, grant funding bodies and scientific journals. She has been the recipient of numerous NHMRC and other respected government grants.

Katherine has extensive collaborative links within St Vincent’s Hospital and Garvan, but also with the Centre for Healthy Brain and Ageing, UNSW Sydney, CSIRO, the Kirby Institute UNSW, the University of Sydney and other groups internationally.