Research

Exploring the biological systems shaping cognition, healthy ageing and human function.

Lauren's research explores how biological systems influence cognition across the lifespan, with a particular focus on female brain health, cognitive ageing, menopause and dementia risk. Drawing on neuroscience, bioenergetics and lifestyle medicine, her research examines how hormonal, metabolic and neurobiological processes shape cognitive function, resilience and long-term brain health. Underlying this work is a broader interest in the biological systems that govern how humans think, function, perform and age — and how these systems shape health, leadership and modern life.

Research Philosophy

Looking upstream.

Lauren's research is guided by a simple premise: many of the challenges we attribute to motivation, behaviour or personal resilience have biological origins that are poorly understood. Rather than examining cognition, ageing and health as isolated phenomena, her work explores the underlying systems that shape them. This includes the interaction between neurobiology, endocrinology, metabolism and environment, and how these relationships influence human function across the lifespan.

The goal is not only to understand what happens, but why it happens. By identifying the mechanisms driving cognitive change, resilience and decline, research can move beyond description toward more precise prevention, intervention and decision-making. Central to this approach is translational science: ensuring that biological insight does not remain confined to academic literature, but informs clinical practice, public understanding and the systems that shape everyday life.

Current Research Themes

Four domains. One systems lens.

Cognitive Ageing and Resilience

How do biological systems influence cognitive function across the lifespan? This research explores the mechanisms that shape cognitive resilience, decline and dementia risk. Areas of interest include bioenergetics, inflammation, metabolic health, neuroplasticity and lifestyle-related determinants of long-term brain health. The goal is to better understand why some individuals maintain cognitive function into later life while others become increasingly vulnerable to decline, and how these trajectories may be influenced across the lifespan.

Menopause, Cognition and Female Brain Health

How does the menopause transition influence the ageing female brain? This research examines menopause as a significant neuroendocrine transition with implications for cognition, mood, sleep and long-term brain health. Areas of interest include subjective cognitive decline, dementia risk, hormonal influences on brain function and the lived experience of cognitive change during midlife. The broader objective is to improve understanding of women's cognitive ageing trajectories and advance a more nuanced scientific understanding of female brain health across the menopausal transition.

Skin Science and Longevity

What can the skin reveal about the biology of ageing? This work explores skin as both an organ system and a visible reflection of broader biological processes. Research interests include extracellular matrix biology, collagen metabolism, inflammation, oxidative stress and the emerging science of skin longevity. The broader objective is to understand how systemic ageing processes become expressed through the skin and what this reveals about healthspan, longevity and whole-body health.

Cognitive Infrastructure and the Future of Work

How do modern environments shape cognitive performance? This emerging area explores the biological systems underpinning sustainable cognitive function in contemporary work environments. Topics include cognitive load, attentional fragmentation, stress physiology, recovery, executive function and organisational cognition. The research asks how workplaces can better align with the biological realities of human cognition rather than inadvertently depleting the resources on which performance, decision-making and long-term cognitive health depend.

Current Studies

Active research.

Featured Study · Randomised Controlled Trial

MENOCOG Clinical Trial

What does creatine monohydrate supplementation do to cognition, mood and quality of life in postmenopausal women experiencing subjective cognitive decline? The MENOCOG Trial is a randomised controlled trial designed to investigate the feasibility, acceptability and safety of this intervention — and to generate early evidence on whether metabolic support of this kind has a meaningful role in the management of cognitive symptoms in postmenopausal women.

The study sits at the intersection of neuroendocrinology, cognitive ageing and women's health — areas where the evidence base has historically been thin and where the need for rigorous, well-designed trials is acute. The MENOCOG Trial contributes to that evidence base. Visit www.menocog.com.au for more information.

Institution Western Sydney University · NICM Health Research Institute
Study Type Randomised Controlled Trial
Status Active

Further studies will be listed as they progress.

Publications & Academic Outputs

Peer-reviewed work and academic contributions.

Selected publications and presentations. A full list is available on request.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Journal · Advances in Nutrition

The Efficacy of Ketogenic Therapies in the Clinical Management of People with Neurodegenerative Disease: A Systematic Review

Dewsbury, L., Lim, C., Steiner, G.

2021 Journal Article View article -->

Journal · Cannabis & Cannabinoid Research

The Effects of Cannabinoids on Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokines: A Systematic Review of In Vivo Studies

Dewsbury, L., Henshaw, F., Lim, C., Steiner, G.

2021 Journal Article View article -->

Conference Presentations & Invited Talks

UPCOMING: Conference · Sydney · Aesthetics 26

Beyond Skin Deep: The Biology Driving Skin Ageing

Dewsbury, L.

2026 Oral Presentation

UPCOMING: Conference · Sydney · Australasian Menopause Society Congress

"Unseen and Unheard": A Qualitative Study on Cognitive, Affective and Occupational Impacts of Menopause.

Dewsbury, L.

2026 Invited Talk

Full publication list and academic CV available on request. Contact

Research Collaborations

Selective academic and industry partnerships.

Lauren engages in research collaborations where there is genuine scientific alignment and a shared commitment to rigorous, translational inquiry. Current and previous partnerships span academic institutions, clinical research environments and science-led industry — including work in cognitive neuroscience, women's health, longevity science and the interface of human physiology and modern life.

The most valuable collaborations often emerge where different disciplines, perspectives and sectors intersect. Lauren is interested in research that advances scientific understanding while also informing how people live, work, age and make decisions. Partnerships are approached selectively, with an emphasis on intellectual alignment, scientific quality and meaningful contribution.

Research Collaboration Enquiry