Laura is a tenured Professor, NHMRC Investigator Grant (L1) holder and Dame Kate Campbell Fellow for research excellence in the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne. She also holds a Faculty-level leadership role as Co-Lead of the Curing Chronic Disease Impact Area. She heads the Downie Laboratory: Anterior Eye, Clinical Trials and Research Translation Unit at the University of Melbourne and co-leads the FrontTear Research Centre with A/Prof Holly Chinnery. She is also Director of a Cochrane Eyes and Vision Centre for Evidence-Based Vision Care, one of nine such centers recognised for excellence in leading the translation of high-quality research evidence into eye care practice 

Laura graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Optometry in 2003 and a PhD in 2008. After completing her PhD, she undertook 5 years in full-time optometry practice, developing expertise in ocular disease as the basis for a research career in the field. Working in academia for the past 13 years, she has rapidly gained international recognition as a leading clinician scientist for her translational research in tear biomarkers, ocular immunology, ophthalmic imaging and ocular surface disease, with national and international awards, patents, highly-cited papers in leading journals and speaking engagements at leading international conferences. Her research expertise spans three domains: laboratory-based science, clinical research and research translation. 

Since 2013, she has secured >$14M in nationally-competitive, philanthropic and industry funding as Chief Investigator; >$12M of this funding has been as Lead Investigator. She has achieved international recognition for her research, including with the award of the 2024 American Academy of Ophthalmology Secretariat Award, 2019 Korb-Exford Dry Eye Career Development Award from the American Optometric Foundation, 2017 Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) International Young Investigator Award and 2014 Irvin and Beatrice Borish Award from the American Academy of Optometry, the pre-eminent optometric body worldwide. She is a TFOS Global Ambassador for Oceania, Editor for 7 peer-reviewed journals, including Ophthalmology, and has been a WHO Technical Lead for Dry Eye Disease. 

Laura has published >150 peer-reviewed papers, 5 book chapters in leading international textbooks and been an invited speaker at >80 national and international conferences over the past ten years. She also provides didactic and clinical training to Doctor of Optometry students and clinical leadership within the Cornea clinic at the University of Melbourne Eyecare Clinic. 

Outside of academia, Laura loves spending time with her fiancé, Tim, pursuing travel, going to concerts and shows, discovering new Melbourne’s restaurants, going for picnics and playing Scrabble.