Sophie Andrews

Biography

Dr Sophie Andrews is a Senior Lecturer and Lead of the Healthy Brain Ageing Research Program in the Thompson Institute. She is a cognitive neuroscientist, registered clinical neuropsychologist, and course coordinator within the Mental Health and Neuroscience Postgraduate Programs. Her research is currently supported by a Discovery Early Career Research Award (DECRA), funded by the Australian Research Council.

Sophie’s research is focused on how lifestyle can improve brain and cognitive health and reduce risk for dementia, and how best to support people to change their lifestyle habits. In 2024 Sophie was awarded a QLD Young Tall Poppy Award from the Australian Institute of Policy and Science, and in 2023-2024 she was a selected for the national Superstar of STEM program, run by Science and Technology Australia. The Healthy Brain Ageing research program uses cutting-edge neuroscience techniques, including MRI, EEG and TMS, to investigate the effectiveness of multi-modal lifestyle interventions for dementia risk reduction and brain health in older people. Sophie also investigates the cognitive neuroscience of habit formation and change in ageing, and investigates how to better support healthy ageing in rural and regional communities, using co-design approaches.

Prior to joining UniSC and commencing her DECRA, from 2019 – 2021 Sophie was a Research Fellow at Neuroscience Research Australia and University of New South Wales School of Psychology, Sydney, where she worked within the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Cognitive Health. From 2014 – 2018 Sophie was a Research Fellow in the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University, Melbourne, where she completed a Huntington’s Disease Society of America Fellowship, investigating the effects of exercise on neuroplasticity and cognition in Huntington’s disease. Her additional research interests include understanding the relationships between neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms in neurodegenerative diseases.

In 2013, Sophie completed a DPsych (Clinical Neuropsychology) at Monash University. Her doctoral thesis investigated the mirror system in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder using TMS and EEG.

Potential research projects for HDR students

• Investigating the cognitive neuroscience of habit formation and change in ageing
• Habit formation and change in Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease
• Developing a personalized medicine approach to behaviour change support for healthy lifestyles in ageing
• Investigating neuroplasticity in response to lifestyle interventions in healthy ageing and mild cognitive impairment

Teaching and Supervision

Sophie is available as a primary or co-supervisor for Honours, Masters or PhD students. Potential research topics:

• Investigating the cognitive neuroscience of habit formation and change in ageing
• Habit formation and change in Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease
• Developing a personalized medicine approach to behaviour change support for healthy lifestyles in ageing
• Investigating neuroplasticity in response to lifestyle interventions in healthy ageing and mild cognitive impairment

Awards and memberships

• Registered clinical neuropsychologist
• Associate Editor for Journal of Alzheimer's Disease

Expert media commentary

Dr Sophie Andrews' specialist areas of knowledge include: Healthy brain ageing; benefits of physical activity for brain health; healthy lifestyles for dementia risk reduction; strategies to create and maintain healthy lifestyle habits; Mild Cognitive Impairment; cognitive changes in Huntington’s disease.