Economic, social and cross cultural issues in non-pharmaceutical protection of front line responders to pandemic influenza and emerging infections. The protection of front line responders in a pandemic is essential to underpin an effective response. This research is the only work internationally which will address a key gap in evidence. This research has major implications for the national stockpile and for management of front line responders in a pandemic. These data are urgently needed, not ju ....Economic, social and cross cultural issues in non-pharmaceutical protection of front line responders to pandemic influenza and emerging infections. The protection of front line responders in a pandemic is essential to underpin an effective response. This research is the only work internationally which will address a key gap in evidence. This research has major implications for the national stockpile and for management of front line responders in a pandemic. These data are urgently needed, not just in Australia, but globally to inform pandemic planning and disease control policy around emerging infections and bioterrorism.Read moreRead less
Using mathematical modelling to inform HIV/AIDS public health policy. This research will directly inform HIV/AIDS policy officials on the most effective strategies for preventing new cases in HIV in the community. Consequently, there are health benefits for Australia and for the other countries in which the research is being conducted. HIV/AIDS community groups, educators, and other advocacy groups will also be engaged in the research, leading to the development of focussed prevention campaigns ....Using mathematical modelling to inform HIV/AIDS public health policy. This research will directly inform HIV/AIDS policy officials on the most effective strategies for preventing new cases in HIV in the community. Consequently, there are health benefits for Australia and for the other countries in which the research is being conducted. HIV/AIDS community groups, educators, and other advocacy groups will also be engaged in the research, leading to the development of focussed prevention campaigns by these stakeholders to inform the appropriate communities. Reducing the health burdens of HIV/AIDS will also have economic benefits.Read moreRead less
Domestic air quality: towards the setting of guidelines. Air quality standards have been developed to protect human health. Although people spend most of their time indoors there are no standards and only a few guidelines for indoor air pollution (IAP). The aim of this study is to investigate the levels of IAP that may worsen asthma in children. Childhood asthma will be used as a health indicator due to its high prevalence, cost to the healthcare system and implications for respiratory morbidity ....Domestic air quality: towards the setting of guidelines. Air quality standards have been developed to protect human health. Although people spend most of their time indoors there are no standards and only a few guidelines for indoor air pollution (IAP). The aim of this study is to investigate the levels of IAP that may worsen asthma in children. Childhood asthma will be used as a health indicator due to its high prevalence, cost to the healthcare system and implications for respiratory morbidity in adult life. We expect to identify levels of IAP that will represent a health risk as well as the factors that may contribute to increased IAP in homes.Read moreRead less
Towards a healthier food supply: achieving policy change and industry action. This research aims to identify mechanisms by which to improve the quality of the Australian food supply. The findings will have the potential to inform government and industry policies on healthier foods with the aim of decreasing chronic disease.
Discovery of Novel Respiratory Viruses Causing Influenza-Like Illness in Healthy Australian Adults Aged 18 to 64 Years. This work will inform our understanding of the causes of acute respiratory illnesses in Australia at the present time by looking for both known and previously undiscovered respiratory viruses. Increasing the knowledge base regarding causes of disease will have downstream relevance for health policy planners seeking to assess the burden of disease due to different causes. Early ....Discovery of Novel Respiratory Viruses Causing Influenza-Like Illness in Healthy Australian Adults Aged 18 to 64 Years. This work will inform our understanding of the causes of acute respiratory illnesses in Australia at the present time by looking for both known and previously undiscovered respiratory viruses. Increasing the knowledge base regarding causes of disease will have downstream relevance for health policy planners seeking to assess the burden of disease due to different causes. Early identification and description of new diseases will allow pre-emptive evaluation of new public health threats. This information will help to ensure availability and marketability of vaccines to prevent infection.Read moreRead less
Building child health through maternal wellbeing. Chronic diseases partly originate in the health & social circumstances of previous generations, during pregnancy, and in conditions during infancy and childhood. This project will draw from three community studies the researcher established to investigate how aspects of women's health affect their children's health and identify new opportunities for disease prevention.
Using molecular tools to understand and control the transmission of Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium is the major public health concern of water utilities as the parasite has a global impact on the health and survival of millions of people and animals worldwide. It is resistant to chlorine and there are no effective drugs against it. Control strategies therefore rely on understanding how it is transmitted. This project will conduct a comprehensive study utilising molecular tools to determine if ....Using molecular tools to understand and control the transmission of Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium is the major public health concern of water utilities as the parasite has a global impact on the health and survival of millions of people and animals worldwide. It is resistant to chlorine and there are no effective drugs against it. Control strategies therefore rely on understanding how it is transmitted. This project will conduct a comprehensive study utilising molecular tools to determine if the Cryptosporidium in humans is the same as that derived from water contamination sources (animals, sewage etc). The outcomes of this project will result in the development of more targeted, cost-effective preventive measures to minimize exposures to infections, accurate risk assessment, and scientific management of the watershed.Read moreRead less
Epidemiological modelling of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in Australia. With Australia's population ageing and becoming increasingly obese, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are predicted to be a massive burden on our already stretched health system. Preventing the onset of disease is clearly the best management strategy, but we also need effective treatment strategies for those with these diseases, and we need to ensure that we are spending our healthcare dollars in the most effectiv ....Epidemiological modelling of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in Australia. With Australia's population ageing and becoming increasingly obese, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are predicted to be a massive burden on our already stretched health system. Preventing the onset of disease is clearly the best management strategy, but we also need effective treatment strategies for those with these diseases, and we need to ensure that we are spending our healthcare dollars in the most effective and cost-effective manner to achieve these aims. This research will evaluate how best to do this in a specifically Australian context.Read moreRead less
Understanding spatial trends in HIV/AIDS infections in South Africa and Australia. This project will develop quantitative methods that will be used to inform public health officials in understanding past and current HIV/AIDS epidemics as well as planning for the future of these epidemics. It will understand not only the behavioural and demographic characteristics of importance as risk factors for HIV infection in South Africa, the epicentre of the global HIV pandemic, but also the geographical s ....Understanding spatial trends in HIV/AIDS infections in South Africa and Australia. This project will develop quantitative methods that will be used to inform public health officials in understanding past and current HIV/AIDS epidemics as well as planning for the future of these epidemics. It will understand not only the behavioural and demographic characteristics of importance as risk factors for HIV infection in South Africa, the epicentre of the global HIV pandemic, but also the geographical spatial locations in which HIV cases are likely to emerge in the future. This project will also forecast the future geographical trends in Australia's changing HIV epidemic in order to plan for intervention strategies and prepare clinical practice appropriately.Read moreRead less
Modelling disease evolution and emergence. Approximately 75% of all emergent diseases have established in humans having switched from other species: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Malaria, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), Ebola, West Nile Virus and many more. Further, cross species infections put our biodiversity and economy at risk: plant and animal diseases entering Australia can destroy crops and at-risk native species. This project will provide for the first time the statistica ....Modelling disease evolution and emergence. Approximately 75% of all emergent diseases have established in humans having switched from other species: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Malaria, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), Ebola, West Nile Virus and many more. Further, cross species infections put our biodiversity and economy at risk: plant and animal diseases entering Australia can destroy crops and at-risk native species. This project will provide for the first time the statistical framework for scientists to assess risk of such diseases entering Australia as a key to combating them.Read moreRead less