Background

Dr Pedrana BBmedSc (hons), PhD (Public Health) is a senior research fellow and public health practitioner, who co-leads the Public Health discipline at Burnet Institute. She holds an adjunct research fellow position at Monash University and Co-lead’s the Health Services Research and Implementation Platform at Monash Partners.

Her research focusses on Blood-borne virus/Sexually Transmitted Infections epidemiology and the integration of health interventions and evaluation to inform health services and quality of care improvements. Her current work on Hepatitis C elimination uses implementation science and co-design approaches to strengthen health systems and works closely with community organisations to produce evidence to support decision and policy making.

In her current role as coordinator of the Eliminate Hepatitis C Australia Partnership, a $11.3M national project, she leads a multi-disciplinary team of over 80+ researchers, implementation scientists, government workers, and health services and community organisation members to develop a cohesive national response to increase hepatitis C testing and treatment.

She has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles in leading local and international journals, and delivered over 50 presentations at local, national, and international conferences. Over the past five years she has secured $25 million in competitive research grants and tender funds as a lead investigator.

Qualifications

• 2012: PhD Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
• 2005: BA Biomedical Science (Hons), Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
• 2004: BA Biomedical Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Appointments

• 2020 – present: Senior Advisor, Know COVID19 Executive, Burnet Institute
• 2019 – present: Senior Research Fellow, Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute
• 2019 – present: Co-Lead Health Services Research and Implementation Platform, Monash Partners
• 2014 – present: Adjunct Research Fellow, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University

Awards

• 2022: Victorian Near-miss Award recipient
• 2021: Burnet - NHMRC ‘near-miss' fellowship
• 2020: Hepatitis Victoria LiverWELL Individual Contribution Award
• 2014-2017: National Health and Medical Research Council, Early Career Fellowship
• 2013: Monash University Outstanding Support of Peers Award – PhD
• 2013: Monash University Bridging Postdoctoral Fellowship
• 2012: Endeavour Executive Award Holder
• 2012: Scholarship Recipient for the International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infections Conference
• 2012: Monash Postgraduate Publications Award
• 2011: Monash University Postgraduate Travel Grant Award
• 2009: National Health and Medical Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship Award
• 2009: Sidney Myer Health Scholarship Award
• 2009: Burnet Institute Public Health Travel Award
• 2009: Best Oral Presentation: HIV Prevention, Australasian Society for HIV Medicine Australasian HIV/AIDS Conference
• 2005: Runner Up; VicHealth Health Promotion Project Award

Positions

• 2020 – present: Knowledge Translation Lead, Optimise COVID-19 Study
• 2019 - present: EC Partnership Australia Coordinator, Burnet Institute
• 2016 - 2021: EC Partnership Victoria Coordinator, Burnet Institute
• 2014 - 2017: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department Nutrition, Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health
• 2013 - 2018: ICT and Evaluation Advisor, Jhpiego
• 2014 - 2016: mHealth Specialist, SUMMIT Institute of Development
• 2012 - 2015: Visiting Research Fellow and mHealth Advisor, RTI Indonesia
• 2012: Advanced Public Health Officer, Queensland Health, Cairns Public Health Unit, Cairns

Reports + Policy Briefs

2022 (2)

• The Optimise Study: COVID-19 vaccine intention, and adherence to isolation and quarantine recommendations. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Jin D, Saich F, Heath K, Altermatt A, Wilkinson A, Merner B, Ryan R, Pedrana A, Stoové M, Gibney K, Hellard M. Burnet Institute Optimise Study. September, 2022. 

• The Optimise Study: COVID-19 related worry, acceptability of prevention measures and confidence in Government. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Jin D, Saich F, Heath K, Altermatt A, Merner B, Ryan R, Lusher D, Wang P, Pedrana A, Stoové M, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. August, 2022.

2021 (6) 

• The Optimise Study: Vaccination knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Kwong E, Heath K, Altermatt A, Munari S. Merner B, Hill S, Stoové M, Griffiths D, Collie A, Lim M, Eddy S, Meagher N, McDougall C, Marinkovic Chavez K, Carpenter L, Fletcher-Lartey S, Price D, Gibbs L, Shearer F, Power R, Cheong M, Caddy C, Pedrana A, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. August, 2021.
• The Optimise Study: Impact of government restrictions on risk mitigation strategies. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Kwong E, Heath K, Altermatt A, Munari S. Merner B, Hill S, Power R, Cheong M, Caddy C, Griffiths D, Collie A, Stoové M, Pedrana A, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. July, 2021.
• The Optimise Study: The impact of COVID-19 on income and finances. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Kwong E, Heath K, Altermatt A, Munari S. Merner B, Hill S, Griffiths D, Collie A, Stoové M, Pedrana A, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. June, 2021. 
• The Optimise Study: Gendered differences in coping and responding to COVID-19. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Kwong E, Heath K, Altermatt A, Munari S. Merner B, Hill S, Stoové M, Pedrana A, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. May, 2021.
• The Optimise Study: Social networks and mixing patterns. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Heath K, Altermatt A, Munari S, Merner B, Hill S, Lusher D, Radhitio Sadewo G, Wang P, Pedrana A, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. April, 2021. 
• The Optimise Study: Vaccine preparedness. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Heath K, Altermatt A, Merner B, Hill S, Pedrana A, Munari S, Horyniak D, Walker S, Wallace J, Block K, Gibbs L, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. March, 2021.