I am a geriatrician whose research, clinical, and teaching career has focused on the integration of medicine, exercise physiology, and nutrition as a means to improve health status and quality of life across the lifespan. I have held the inaugural John Sutton Chair of Exercise and Sport Science in the Faculty of Health Sciences, and Professorship, Sydney Medical School, at the University of Sydney since 1999, with continuing appointment as Senior Research Associate at Harvard-Affiliate Hebrew Institute for Aging Research since 1987.

The focus of my work over 40 years has been the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia and its clinical sequelae in older adults, in particular both physical and cognitive frailty, with anabolic exercise-high intensity progressive resistance training (PRT)- and other lifestyle interventions. I have designed and led many clinical trials and longitudinal studies in Australia, the USA, Norway, and France, including large multi-centre trials of exercise and chronic disease prevention and treatment.

From the beginning of my career, as a practising geriatrician, I have recognised the need for timely and evidence-based dissemination of my work, translating the results of my trials into clinical programs, health care professional courses and accreditation standards, position stands, education of lay consumers with multi-media materials, and policy recommendations regarding government funding for exercise as medicine.

As one of the founders of the original Centre for Strong Medicine in 1999 at Balmain Hospital  along with my husband Dr. Nalin Singh, as well as through my role continuing as Director of the Centre for Strong Medicine in Pymble in 2022 after Nalin’s  sad passing, my vision is to provide the highest quality holistic and empathic care possible for everyone we have the opportunity to serve. The care we provide is based on evidence we and many others have published over the last 4 decades about the value of incorporating robust exercise and good nutrition as well as optimisation of medications into a comprehensive geriatric assessment process and ongoing support. Our dedicated and highly skilled team of exercise physiologists and nutritionist work together with me to offer a unique program of health care that is tailored to each individual at whatever level of fitness or frailty you may find yourself.

Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors

Positions and Scientific Appointments

• 2022-present Member of the Order of Australia for Service to Geriatric Medicine and Teaching
• 2022-present Director, The Centre for Strong Medicine, Pty, Ltd NSW, AU
• 2018- present Associate Editor, Frontiers in Public Health
• 2018-present Editorial Board, Geriatrics; Frontiers in Public Health
• 2018- present Member Frailty Task Force, Resistance Training Task Force, Nutrition for Frailty Task Force, Polypharmacy Task Force, and Virtual Exercise Advisory Committee: Agency for Clinical Innovation, NSW Health
• 2016- present Member of the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China (ETAC) and the Australian Advisory Board to End Organ Pillaging (EOP)
• 2012- present Member of the Refugee Action Coalition, leader of Doctors and Allied Health Professionals against the Border Force Act
• 2008- present Medical Advisory Board of Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH)
• 1999-present Inaugural John Sutton Chair of Exercise and Sport Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, and Professorship, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney
• 1992-present Founder and Director, Fit for Your Life Foundation, Ltd
• 1987-present Senior Research Associate, Hebrew SeniorLife (formerly Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for Aged, Boston, MA, USA
• 1987-present Member, Gerontological Society of America and American Geriatric Society
• 2000-2008 Editorial Board, The Journals of Gerontology, Medical Sciences
• 2008-2014 Editorial Board, J of the American Medical Directors Association
• 2000- 2020 Medical and Scientific Advisory Board, Osteoporosis Australia
• 2008-2018 Leader of Exercise Division, BODEN Institute, Charles Perkins Centre, USYD, Sydney, AU
• 1992-2002 Assoc Prof of Medicine, Tufts Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
• 1987-2002 Scientist III, II, I, Chief of Exercise Physiology and Body Composition Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
• 1990-1998 Assistant Prof of Medicine, Division on Aging, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
• 1987-1989 Instructor in Medicine, Division on Aging, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
• 1987-1991 Assistant Prof of Medicine, Tufts Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

Awards and Honors

• 2022- present Member of the Order of Australia
• 2001- present Fellowship, Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP)
• 1988-present Fellowship, Gerontological Society of America, Clinical Medicine Section
• 1996 Herbert A. DeVries Research Award
• 1995 USDA Scientist of the Year
• 1990 American Geriatric Society New Investigator Award
• 1988 Pfizer/American Geriatric Society Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1988
• 1988-1991 Brookdale Foundation National Fellowship in Geriatrics, 1988-1991
• 1980 Edward Henderson Memorial Student Award of the American Geriatrics Society, 1980
• 1975 Phi Beta Kappa, Stanford University, 1975