Dr Leigh Walker

Biography
Dr Leigh Walker is an NHMRC emerging leader fellow at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. Leigh completed their undergraduate and honours degree at Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) before moving to Australia to undertake a PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Melbourne. Leigh’s research investigates the neurobiology of anxiety and alcohol use disorders. She is particularly interested in sex differences and the role of neuropeptide systems. To address this, Leigh uses various behavioural models and viral techniques to record from and manipulate neuron populations. She has been awarded University of Melbourne ECR, Brockhoff Foundation and a NHMRC research funding to pursue her research.
Research projects
Awards and achievements
- 2021 NHMRC Emerging Leader Fellowship
- 2021 International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism Early Career Investigator Award
- 2020 NHMRC Ideas Grant
- 2020 Asia-Pacific Society of Neurochemistry, Young Investigator award
- 2019 VESKI Victoria Fellowship
- 2017 Harold Mitchell Postgraduate Fellowship Award