Dr Lewan Parker

Early Career Outstanding Alumni, College of Healthcare Sciences

Growing up in Townsville Lewan completed secondary school at Pimlico State High, going on to study and complete a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science with Honours at JCU in 2009, and completing his PhD at Victoria University in 2017. He is currently a National Health and Medical Research Council and Heart Foundation Early Career Research Fellow in the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at Deakin University, and is Group Leader of the “Redox regulation of health and disease” research group at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition.

Despite the early stage of his career, Dr Parker has developed an international profile for cutting-edge research on vascular health and function, inflammation, bone and glucose metabolism, and the effects of exercise and nutrition on altering these factors for the prevention and treatment of chronic disease. Lewan’s research has helped pave the way for new and more effective therapeutic interventions that have life-changing implications for individuals with chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

The impact of Lewan’s research is evident by 39 publications, over 23 national/international conference presentations, and securing over $2 million in competitive research funding from the likes of Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, and NHMRC. He has received over 13 awards/prizes that recognise his scientific contribution including Early Career Research Awards from Exercise and Sports Science Australia, European College of Sports Science, Victoria University, and the United Kingdom Physiology Society.

In recognition of his mentorship and supervision of young researchers, he was awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research and Research Training and was invited to deliver seminars and workshops for early career researchers on behalf of Deakin University, Victoria University, and both the United Kingdom and Australian Physiological Societies.