DrLisa Vaccaro

Dr Lisa Vaccaro is a Lecturer and Research Health Psychologist at the University of Sydney, with expertise in Health Psychology, Psycho-oncology, Pain Management, and Anxiety Disorders. She has a strong track record in applied health research, with 24 peer-reviewed publications (7 since 2020), 566 citations (382 since 2020), an H-index of 14 (11 in the last 5 years), and a FWCI of 0.452. She has contributed to over $3 million in research funding, including $20K as a Chief Investigator. Dr Vaccaro's research experience encompasses both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and she has extensive experience in managing large multi-site RCTs in hospital and community settings.

Dr Vaccaro’s work is focused on improving healthcare access and optimising outcomes through codesigned patient-centred models of care. Her research interests span chronic disease prevention, quality of life, coping with illness, and effective health communication. Dr. Vaccaro also serves as an Honours Coordinator and supervises students undertaking Honours and Research Capstone Programs.

Dr Vaccaro has collaborated extensively across multidisciplinary teams and national initiatives to improve health service delivery. She brings expertise in co-design, implementation science, and consumer engagement. This work includes the development and evaluation of hybrid virtual memory clinics in regional Australia, including DoH and MRFF-funded projects aimed at improving dementia diagnosis and treatment in regional and rural Australia.

Beyond her academic role, Dr. Vaccaro is a significant consumer advocate. Dr. Vaccaro uniquely bridges rigorous research with patient-centered perspectives, ensuring that consumer voices are central to the development of impactful healthcare solutions. She actively participates in the NBCF Consumer Advisory Panel and Research Advisory Committee, influencing national breast cancer research strategy. Her contributions to over twenty research projects and grant applications ensure patient relevance in research. She collaborated with Wiser Healthcare on breast cancer screening experiences, addressing patient information needs. Dr. Vaccaro was a key contributor to the development of the RecoverEsupport intervention at the University of Newcastle, translating consumer needs into practical support for cancer patients. She also engages with the Daffodil Centre on research aimed at optimizing cancer prevention, screening, and early detection. She collaborates closely with researchers in the Replication and Genome Stability Group at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, on projects aiming to improve targeted approaches in therapy resistant disease in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer.