Linda Denehy

Professor Linda Denehy is Professor of Physiotherapy in the Department of Physiotherapy, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, at the University of Melbourne. A registered physiotherapist, she also holds a joint appointment as Professor of Health Services Research: Allied Health at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Her academic background includes a Bachelor of Applied Science in Physiotherapy, Graduate Diploma in Physiotherapy from Lincoln Institute, and Doctorate from the University of Melbourne. Denehy has a distinguished career history, having served as Head of the Melbourne School of Health Sciences from 2017 to 2021 and Head of the Department of Physiotherapy from 2011 to 2017, during which she introduced the Doctor of Physiotherapy program at the University of Melbourne. She was Past President of the Council of Physiotherapy Deans ANZ and Deputy Chair of the Victorian Health Deans Committee. With extensive teaching experience at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, she has mentored over 40 graduate research students and seven post-doctoral researchers to completion.

Denehy's research specializations encompass acute care prehabilitation and rehabilitation in oncology, perioperative medicine, and critical care, emphasizing the role of exercise, physical activity, and rehabilitation to improve patient outcomes for individuals with cancer and survivors of critical illness. She leads the CanRex research group and has secured over AUD 22 million in grants as chief investigator, including NHMRC-funded randomized controlled trials. Her scholarly output exceeds 250 publications and 40 invited papers, with key contributions such as "Standards for reporting research methods, interventions, and Outcomes in Surgical Prehabilitation studies (SOS-Prehab)" (British Journal of Surgery, 2026), "Prehabilitation Practices for Patients Undergoing Cancer Surgery—An International Survey" (World Journal of Surgery, 2026), "Expert Consensus on Self-Reported Physical, Nutritional, and Psychological Screening Tools for Prehabilitation in Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery: An International Delphi Study" (Annals of Surgical Oncology, 2026), and guidelines for rehabilitation in critical care. Denehy serves on editorial boards for Physiotherapy Research International, Physical Activity, Exercise and Cancer Journal, and Current Oncology. Her influence is evident in international collaborations with institutions in the UK, USA, and Vietnam, over 50 invited presentations, and major honors including election as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (2024), designation as a highly cited researcher by Clarivate (2024), and ranking in the top 0.1% of global rehabilitation experts by Expertscape (2020).

Professional Email: l.denehy@unimelb.edu.au