Asri's research examines how environmental and social conditions shape non-communicable diseases and mental health, with a sustained focus on low- and middle-income countries. Her work bridges two pillars. On the environmental side, she studies the health consequences of air pollution, open waste burning, microplastics, and climate-related hazards such as flooding and heat, linking these exposures to cardiovascular disease and mental distress. On the global health side, she designs and evaluates integrated, community-based models of NCD and mental health care, drawing on community health workers and digital health to reach underserved populations.

Asri is a physician, epidemiologist and academic. She qualified in medicine at the University of Brawijaya, Indonesia. She worked as a GP in Indonesia for 10+ years. She completed a Master's in Hospital Management at Universitas Brawijaya and taught public health there as a Lecturer before moving to the UK for doctoral study. She was awarded her PhD in Applied Social Research from the University of Manchester in 2015.

She held research positions in the Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology and the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work at Manchester, and was Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology and Public Health at Manchester Metropolitan University, before returning to the University of Manchester as a Lecturer in 2023. Her research has grown from healthy ageing, cognitive function and frailty into a broader programme on the environmental and social determinants of NCDs and mental health across LMICs.

Asri is Lead and Coordinator of CONNECT4HEALTH, a Horizon Europe consortium (€4.7M) on integrated NCD and mental health care across Indonesia, Nepal, Uganda, and Ethiopia. She is a Co-Investigator on several multi-millions projects funded by the Wellcome Trust (Just Green Transition programme) and the NIHR (Global Health Research Centre on NCDs and Environmental Change and lSTAND programme on anxiety and depression in Indonesia). She has also led several projects funded by ISPF on climate-related flooding and maternal mental health in Nigeria and British Heart Foundation on air pollution due to waste and plastic burning and cardiovascular diseases in Indonesia. 

MD, PGCert, PhD

Research Grants

As Principal Investigator:

CONNECT4HEALTH: Coordinated NCD Care Transformation through Community and Networked Health Platforms in Indonesia, Nepal, Uganda, and Ethiopia. EU Horizon – GACD (€4.7M, 2026-2030)

Exploring links between climate-related flooding, maternal mental health and early childhood development to inform policy and service priorities in Nigeria. International Science Partnerships Fund ( Jan–Mar 2026)

The impact of air pollution due to open waste burning on cardiovascular health in rural populations. British Heart Foundation Manchester Centre for Research Excellence (2025–2026)

Frailty, Socioeconomic Status, and Health Inequalities in Later Life. Manchester Institute for Collaborative Research on Ageing (2019-2020)

As Co-Investigator:

Financing a Just Green Transition: Leveraging Critical Mineral Revenues and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform for Health and Climate Equity in Indonesia. Wellcome Trust (£1.5M, 2026–2030)

NIHR Global Health Research Centre on Non-Communicable Diseases and Environmental Change (WP Lead: Healthcare Interventions, Indonesia). NIHR (£9.9M, 2022–2027)

Sustainable Care for Anxiety and Depression in Indonesia (WP Lead: Epidemiology). NIHR Global Health Research Group (£2.9M, 2022–2026)

Dementia Research Programme. Three NIHR Research Schools (£244K, 2022–2023)

Scaling up CVD risk management in primary care, Indonesia. NHMRC, Australia / GACD (AUD $750K, Apr 2019–2025)

Health Systems Response to COVID-19 in Indonesia. Indonesian Science Fund ($209K, 2021–2024)

System-level interventions to improve the availability, accessibility and quality use of essential medicines for cardiovascular disease prevention in Indonesia. (AUD $150K, 2019–2020)

Award

FBMH Heroes Award (Knowledge category, 2025) 

The University of Manchester Making a Difference Award (2024) for the SMARTHealth cardiovascular programme in Indonesia  

Fellow, Royal Statistical Society (2021–present)

Fellow, Royal Society for Public Health (2021–present)

Member, International Health Economics Association (2025–present)

Member, British Society of Gerontology (2019–present)

Mental Health Research Group (MHRG), Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work.

https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/research/nursing-groups/mental-health-research-group/

PhD Students

Completed:

Guannan Li

Sasha Johns

Current:

Vanisa Senesathith (Main Supervisor) — President's Doctoral Scholarship

Wahyu Triadmajani (Main Supervisor) — Bicentenary PhD Studentship

Tung Le (Main Supervisor) — recipient of the FBMH Doctoral Academy's Best Outstanding Research Contribution award

Matthew Cant (Co-Supervisor) — Soc-B PhD Scholarship

Azim Harun (Co-Supervisor)