Annika Theodoulou

I work as a Systematic reviewer for the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and with the Health Behaviours team on research aiming to improve health through behaviour change. I am also a DPhil candidate reading for a DPhil in Primary Health Care.

My research interests are focussed on evidence synthesis, and on interventions for smoking cessation and weight management. I joined the department in 2018 and have contributed to multiple evidence syntheses including a large review aimed at evaluating long-term weight regain following behavioural weight management programmes. I also work with the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group on multiple projects. These have included a living systematic review investigating the use of electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation and more recently a component network meta-analysis on pharmacological interventions for smoking cessation.

Doctoral research

My doctoral research focusses on investigating socioeconomic inequalities in smoking cessation behaviours and outcomes to address health inequalities caused by smoking-related disease. I undertake this research under the supervision of tobacco control and evidence synthesis experts, Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Dr Nicola Lindson.  I am supported by the Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA) and was previously supported by The Rotary Foundation as a Rotary Scholar.

Background

Prior to joining the department, I worked as an orthopaedic researcher in Australia. I contributed to clinical trials and led systematic reviews investigating a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions, from surgical treatments through to post-operative care.  

I completed a Master of Clinical Science with The Joanna Briggs Institute at the University of Adelaide and was awarded the Dean’s Commendation for Master of Research Thesis Excellence. My research demonstrated the increased risk of complication and poorer outcomes in patients with obesity and diabetes undergoing upper-limb arthroplasty. My work was supported by a merit-based scholarship granted by the Australian Government Research Training Program.

In 2012, I graduated from a Bachelor of Health Sciences at the University of Adelaide in Australia. Majoring in Pharmacology and Psychology, I was awarded for achieving the highest mark for each major and, in addition, was awarded the Dean’s Certificate of Merit.

• Award for Excellence, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford (2022)
• Light Senior Scholarship 2022-23, St Catherine’s College, University of Oxford (2022)
• Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA) PhD studentship (2022)
• Light Senior Scholarship 2021-22, St Catherine’s College, University of Oxford (2021)
• Global Grant Scholar, The Rotary Foundation (2020)
• Dean's Commendation for Master by Research Thesis Excellence, University of Adelaide (2018)
• Faculty Divisional Scholarship – Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship, University of Adelaide (2018)
• Dean’s Certificate of Merit for the Bachelor of Health Sciences, University of Adelaide (2012)
• Highest mark in the Bachelor of Health Sciences - Pharmacology, University of Adelaide (2012)
• Highest mark in the Bachelor of Health Sciences - Psychology, University of Adelaide (2012)
• Outstanding Achievement Award in the Bachelor of Health Sciences, University of Adelaide (2012)