Professor Deborah Hodgson BA (Hons), MSc, PhD (Macquarie), PsyBA, Professor Deborah Hodgson is the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) at The University of Newcastle, Australia. She is highly published in international journals, is a reviewer for international and national journals and funding bodies with a track record in NHMRC and ARC funding. She is a Neuroimmunologist and Director of The Laboratory of Neuroimmunology. Her primary research focus remains dedicated to understanding the nature of dynamic interactions between the brain and the immune system, and their significance in determining resistance to, and progression of, pathology. Over the past 15 years the research focus of her laboratory has been the role of early life events in the programming of development. Her laboratory has produced an extensive body of literature addressing the impact of maternal and neonatal factors on fetal development and subsequent susceptibility to pathology in later life.