College of Medicine and Dentistry News and stories From North Queensland to Global Neuroscience: How JCU Shaped Dr Harris Eyre's Vision

From North Queensland to Global Neuroscience: How JCU Shaped Dr Harris Eyre's Vision

Dr Harris Eyre at Radical Health

When Dr Harris Eyre began his medical journey at James Cook University, he never imagined he’d one day lead global conversations on mental health, neuroscience, and public policy from the world’s largest medical centre in Houston, Texas.

“I was a solid but not amazing high school student,” he reflects.

“Through the experiences at JCU in book learning, patient care, multidisciplinary teams, science, and great mentorship, my life trajectory completely changed. Something seems to have been unlocked inside of me thanks to JCU.”

Campus Connections and Clinical Beginnings

Dr Eyre’s time at JCU Medicine was filled with formative moments that continue to shape his identity as a clinician, innovator, and global leader.

“The wonderful campus life in my early years of college, making friends with people from diverse disciplines and from all around the world, is vivid,” he says. “The college sports were a highlight, as well as cross-country mountain biking on the Mount Stuart Range.”

It was his clinical placements, however, that had the most lasting impact.

“My experiences in a large variety of clinical settings with multidisciplinary teams were transformational for me, from rural communities like Atherton and Palm Island to the experiences in advanced neurosurgery in Townsville,” he says. “My time working as a mental health researcher was powerful and led me ultimately into a career in neuroscience.”

Exceptional mentorship was also a hallmark of his JCU journey.

“Professors like Ajay Rane, Richard Murray, Tarun Sen Gupta, Peta-Ann Teague, Sarah Larkins, Ian Wronski and others spurred me into a global and innovative career pathway,” he says.

Early Experiences That Shaped a Global Mission

After graduating in 2011 with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery with Honours, Dr Eyre explored medicine across Central, Northern, and Far North Queensland. These experiences, he says, gave him “a strong appreciation for health equity and issues in tropical health.”

His career then took a global turn, including a PhD and Fulbright Scholarship in neuroscience at The University of Adelaide and UCLA, roles in medical administration at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and a leap into brain technology entrepreneurship at the Texas Medical Center. But it all came back to a critical issue: mental and neurological health.

“I felt like the escalating mental and neurological disorders afflicting global populations was like a big ‘elephant’ that needed to be tackled,” he says. “There is no silver bullet. Systems change is needed — including technology, science, clinical innovation, public health and policy.”

Pioneering the Brain Economy

Dr Eyre is a JCU Outstanding Alumni and now leads global efforts in what he calls the “brain economy.”

“We are entering a new era shaped by the rise of the brain economy, where brain capital — comprising brain health and brain skills — serves as the cornerstone of sustainable economic growth,” he says. “According to the McKinsey Health Institute, prioritising brain health and fostering brain capital has the potential to unlock $26 trillion in global economic opportunities.”

Dr Eyre is the Director of Neuro-Policy and a senior fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, the top-ranked university think tank in the world. He leads the Brain Capital Alliance and Brain Economy Hub, collaborating with governments, corporations, and institutions across Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and Australia.

Dr Eyre is also a Forbes 30 Under 30 alumnus and a Fulbright Scholar, recognised with the prestigious EB1A Green Card, typically reserved for Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners. He has authored more than 200 scientific publications and is lead editor of the Oxford Press book Convergence Brain Health.

Dr Harris Eyre at Conference

Gratitude for a Life-Changing Education

Despite the global scope of his work, Dr Eyre credits JCU for shaping his values and leadership style.

“My work leading global reforms in mental health and neurological disorders is shaped by my training in health equity,” he says. “JCU Medicine has produced many hard-working, passionate, smart, and job-ready graduates. They make a great impact in their communities and around Australia and the world.”

As JCU celebrates 25 years of medicine, Dr Eyre is honoured to be part of the story.

“A great deal. JCU transformed my life,” he says.

“No one, certainly not me, would have ever predicted I’d be doing what I’m doing now. For that I will be forever grateful.”