
Professor Nick Townsend
BSc, MSc, PGCE, PGDip, PhD, FHEA
Current positions
Professor
School for Policy Studies
Contact
Press and media
Many of our academics speak to the media as experts in their field of research. If you are a journalist, please contact the University’s Media and PR Team:
Research interests
Nick specialises in the development and implementation of evidence-informed policies to address public health challenges, with a strong focus on population-level strategies for preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). His work spans the entire policy lifecycle: from identifying health needs and designing targeted interventions to adapting these solutions to local contexts, ensuring effective implementation, and scaling them sustainably over time.
Central to Nick’s research is an emphasis on addressing the social and structural determinants of health through collaborative, multi-sectoral approaches to health promotion. His work takes a global perspective, with a particular focus on improving health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.
Nick has collaborated extensively with leading international organisations, governments, NGOs, and academic institutions, including the World Health Organization (WHO) at global and regional levels, the World Bank, the European Society of Cardiology, and both UK and international policymakers. His expertise bridges academic research and real-world policy action, contributing to transformative health improvements worldwide.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Community Participatory Research for Adolescent Health Promotion in Diverse Communities in Bangladesh
Principal Investigator
Role
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
31/10/2024 to 31/03/2025
Thesis supervisions
Publications
Recent publications
07/10/2024European Society of Cardiology
European Heart Journal
Socio-economic inequalities in the breadth of internet use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults in England
PLoS ONE
Announcing The Lancet Regional Health-Europe commission on inequalities and disparities in cardiovascular health
The Lancet Regional Health - Europe
Clustering of metabolic and behavioural risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among the adult population in South and Southeast Asia
The Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia
‘I can feel myself coming out of the rut’
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders