Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Associate Professor Darshini Ayton leads the Ageing and Health Services Team at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. She is a Chief investigator on an NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence and is the Primary Investigator on an ARC Discovery Project, Medical Research Future Fund and National Centre for Healthy Ageing grants and a Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Tender. Darsh also has multiple industry, health service and aged care provider partnerships. Darsh was a former National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) emerging leader fellow (2021-2025).
Her program of research links acute care to community and residential aged care and encompasses dementia prevention, innovative diagnostics for dementia and sector-spanning models of care to improve quality of care and quality of life.
Darshini has a strong track record in health and social care research, with expertise in qualitative methods, consumer and community involvement, clinical registries, randomised controlled trials, and implementation science. Her work is grounded in co-design principles and participatory action research approaches, ensuring that interventions are not only evidence-based but also meaningful to those who use and deliver care.
Currently, Darshini is exploring the potential of medical technologies and artificial intelligence to transform aged care and health service delivery. Her research focuses on how these innovations can be ethically and effectively integrated to enhance person-centered care, improve workforce support, and drive system-wide improvements.
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, MONASH UNIVERSITY
Award Date: 24 Sept 2013
Master of Public Health, MONASH UNIVERSITY
Award Date: 21 Dec 2009
Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Hons), MONASH UNIVERSITY
Award Date: 1 Dec 2005
Research area keywords
- Dementia
- Chronic disease
- Health services
- Patient experience
- Consumer and Community Involvement
- Implementation Science
- Program planning and evaluation
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 2 Zero Hunger -
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 5 Gender Equality -
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation -
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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CRE-VALUE-ICU: A Centre of Research Excellence for Value Based Care in Critically Ill Patients
Hodgson, C. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Cooper, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), French, C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Peake, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Cheng, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Marshall, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Higgins, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Udy, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Serpa Neto, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), See, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Needham, D. M. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Rose, L. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Duke, G. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Ridley, E. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Ayton, D. (Associate Investigator (AI)), White, K. C. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Anderson, S. (Associate Investigator (AI)), McDonald, C. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Fan, E. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Reid, C. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Trapani, T. (Project Manager)
1/07/26 → 30/06/31
Project: Research
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EMBED Consultancy - Silverchain
Ayton, D. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Hatzikiriakidis, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Watson, E. (Project Manager)
17/06/26 → 31/12/26
Project: Research
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AGED CARE COSTING EVIDENCE-BASED SAMPLING STRATEGY (ACCESS)
Ayton, D. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Brusco, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Earnest, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Long, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bowden, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Cheng, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Rawson, H. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Watson, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hatzikiriakidis, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Valdehueza, M. (Chief Investigator (CI))
26/05/26 → 26/09/26
Project: Research
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Improving Dementia Diagnosis for people with Down syndrome
Healy, M. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)) & Ayton, D. (Supervisor)
1/03/26 → 1/03/28
Project: Research
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EVIDENCEA - an evidence based AI powered digital platform for aged care
Ayton, D. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Krishnaswamy, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Zoungas, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Tate, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Xu, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Greenway, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Dao, J. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/02/26 → 30/06/27
Project: Research
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Beyond the incident: examining criminal and coronial court documents to explore the impact of workplace fatalities on coworkers
Rawlings, J., Muir, C. & Ayton, D., Apr 2026, In: Illness, Crisis & Loss. 34, 2, p. 239-254 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Understanding Trauma-Informed Care Across Settings: A Contemporary Definition, Values, Model, and Framework From an Integrative Review
MacRae, A. (Leading Author), O’Connor, A., Berkovic, D., Ryan, J., Woolford, M., Ayton, D. & Morris, H. (Leading Author), 2026, (Accepted/In press) In: Trauma, Violence, and Abuse. 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus) -
Workplace fatalities and their impact: a discourse analysis
Rawlings, J., Muir, C. & Ayton, D., 2026, In: Labour and Industry. 36, 2, p. 174-192 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
A clinician implementation protocol for BetterBrains: An online, person-centred risk factor management program to prevent cognitive decline
Pirotta, S., Barker, A., Morello, R., Rosenich, E., Perin, S., Araugo, S. D., Lim, Y. Y. & Ayton, D., Mar 2025, In: Australasian Journal on Ageing. 44, 1, 13 p., e70005.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Other › peer-review
Open Access -
A Scoping Review of the Barriers and Facilitators to Clinician Engagement in Hospital-Based Palliative Care in Australian Hospitals
Meehan, E., Parker, C., Ayton, D., Katz, N., Gold, M., Wang, Y., Ralapanawa, D., Kwok, X. & Banaszak-Holl, J., Aug 2025, In: American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. 42, 8, p. 814-825 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access
Prizes
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Henry Krum Award for Mid Career Research Excellence
Ayton, D. (Recipient), 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine Teaching Excellence Award – Lecturer of the Year
Ayton, D. (Recipient), 2014
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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The Sir Richard Peto Prize for Best Conference Abstract - International Health Congress, Oxford, United Kingdom
Ayton, D. (Recipient), 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)