Professor Patria Hume ONZM, FRSNZ, PhD

Professor Patria Hume is an internationally recognised leader in sports science, injury prevention, and brain health research, and serves as Principal Investigator of the Women’s Health & Neuroscience (WHN) research programme at AUT, New Zealand. Her work sits at the intersection of human performance, clinical neuroscience, and translational health innovation, with a strong focus on advancing objective tools to understand and monitor brain health across the lifespan.

A central strand of Professor Hume’s current research is the application of brain biomarkers including blood-based markers, cognitive profiling, and multi-modal physiological measures to detect early neurological change and improve risk stratification for cognitive decline. Through flagship initiatives such as the Brain Warrant of Fitness (Brain-WOF), she leads multidisciplinary efforts to integrate biomarker science with real-world health screening, with particular relevance for populations exposed to repeated head impacts, high-performance sport, and other risk environments.

Professor Hume’s WHN programme brings together expertise in neuroscience, sports medicine, biomechanics, and population health to address sex-specific and life-course influences on brain health. Her research is designed to translate rapidly into practice informing clinical pathways, wearable and diagnostic technologies, and preventative health strategies aligned with industry and health sector priorities.

She has an extensive publication and funding track record, and has supervised numerous postgraduate researchers to completion. Her contributions to science and sport have been recognised through multiple honours, including appointment as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to sports science, recognition as a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi (FRSNZ), and the International Society of Biomechanics Geoffrey Dyson awardee. 

At Co:Lab 2026, Professor Hume will share insights into the future of biomarker-driven brain health assessment, highlighting opportunities for innovation, industry collaboration, and scalable health solutions particularly relevant to diagnostic and technology partners such as Abbott New Zealand.