Renate Thienel, PhD (Science), Master of Clinical and Professional Psychology, is a researcher and Clinical Psychologist Registrar affiliated with the University of Newcastle’s College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing. Her expertise spans translational neuroscience, clinical psychology, mental health, ageing and dementia, and Indigenous health. Her work integrates cognitive and clinical neuroscience with psychologically informed and culturally responsive approaches, with a focus on translating research into meaningful clinical and community outcomes.
Renate’s research encompasses clinical and cognitive assessment, behavioural measures, neuroimaging, EEG and other neuroscientific approaches. She has an established track record in research, competitive funding, interdisciplinary collaboration, and mentoring and supervising students and emerging researchers.
Since 2019, Renate has been Research Manager within the Systems Neuroscience Group at the HMRI Imaging Centre, where she oversees a broad portfolio of neuroscience and clinical research and manages the local Australian Dementia Network (ADNeT) screening program. Since 2025, she has also worked as a Clinical Psychologist Registrar in Community Mental Health, providing psychological assessment and intervention for people with complex mental health presentations.
Her combined research and clinical roles reflect her commitment to translational, equitable and culturally informed approaches to improving health, mental health, ageing and dementia outcomes.