Professor Leanne Robinson
Program Director, Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness; Senior Principal Research Fellow, Group Leader, Vector-Borne Diseases and Tropical Public Health
Working groups

Background
Professor Leanne Robinson BSc Adv (Hons) PhD MPHTM is a leading vector-borne diseases researcher. An NHMRC Fellow and Senior Principal Research Fellow, Leanne is Co-Program Director of Health Security and Head of the Vector Borne Diseases and Tropical Public Health Group in the Health Security and Disease Elimination Programs at Burnet Institute.
Leanne is a recognised expert in malaria epidemiology and implementation research for the control and elimination of malaria and neglected tropical diseases. She leads a highly collaborative and inter-disciplinary research program, with strong links to disease control programs.
Leanne spent 10 years living and working in Papua New Guinea (PNG), leading the implementation of novel cohort studies and intervention trials at the PNG Institute of Medical Research. She is committed to strengthening the capacity of researchers and health workers in endemic countries and has supervised and mentored numerous scientists around the world.
Qualifications
- 2011: Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Australia
- 2009: Doctor of Philosophy, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research & University of Melbourne, Australia
- 2002: Bachelor of Advanced Science (Hons), University of Sydney, Australia
Appointments
- Member, World Health Organization Vector Control Advisory Group Co-Program Director, Health Security, Burnet Institute
- Member of PNG Executive Committee and Chair of PNG Technical Oversight Committee, Burnet Institute
- IVCC Indo-Pacific Scientific Advisory Committee
- ACE-NTDs (NHMRC CRE) Executive Committee
Awards
- 2020 Burnet Institute Gust-McKenzie Medal
- 2019 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Infectious Diseases Research
- 2018 NHMRC Career Development Fellowship Level 2
- 2018: Gust Translational Fellowship
- 2018: NHMRC Career Development Fellowship
- 2014: Young Alumnae Award, The Women’s College, University of Sydney
- 2012-17: Craven & Shearer Award, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
- 2011: CJ Martin Early Career Research Fellowship, National Health and Medical Research Council
- 2005: Dora Lush Biomedical Postgraduate Scholarship, National Health and Medical Research Council
- 2003: University Medal, University of Sydney
Positions
- Senior Principal Research Fellow, Burnet Institute
- Working Group Head, Burnet Institute
- Laboratory Head, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
- Honorary Principal Research Fellow, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
- Adjunct A/Professor, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Honorary Research Fellow, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Reports + Policy Briefs
2022 (1)
- COVID-19 and its impacts on primary health services and public health infectious disease programs in Papua New Guinea. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Newland J, Neuendorf N, , Vallely L, Mek A, Vengiau G, Farquhar R, Boli-Neo R, Seymour M, Wratten M, Aeno H, Nake Trumb R, Kerry Z, Huang KL, Maalsen A, Homer C, Robinson L, , Majumdar S, Vallely A, Laman M, Pomat W, Kelly-Hanku A. WHO Papua New Guinea Commisioned Report. December, 2022.
2021 (1)
- COVID-19 Global Trends and Analyses Volume 1:- Global Epidemiology and Trends. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Toole M, Umali S, Majumdar S, Robinson L, Menon V. Know-C19 Burnet Institute. March, 2021.
Reports and other work
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COVID-19 and its impacts on primary health services and public health infectious disease programs in Papua New Guinea. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT)
The global total number of reported cases is 184 million and the grim milestone of four million deaths has been reached. The cumulative number of cases is equivalent to 23.5 per 1,000 population.
COVID-19 and its impacts on primary health services and public health infectious disease programs in Papua New Guinea. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT)
Burnet publications
View 83 moreBaseline assessment of front-line health system capacity in vector-borne disease surveillance and response in Papua New Guinea
PLOS Global Public Health
Rachael Farquhar et al
Protecting global health partnerships in the era of destructive nationalism
PLOS Global Public Health
Maya Adam et al
Impact of mass drug administration with ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, and albendazole for lymphatic filariasis on hookworm and Strongyloides stercoralis infections in Papua New Guinea
PLoS neglected tropical diseases
Jannet A. Tobon Ramos et al
Current projects
View 9 more
STRIVE: stronger surveillance for vector-borne pathogens
Infectious diseases are an increasing global health threat, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
ADVANCE: improving access to malaria diagnosis tools in the Indo-Pacific
We work to increase access to new diagnostic tools for malaria, reduce health inequities and accelerate malaria elimination.
Identification and assessment of anti-malarial transmission blocking antigens
This project will identify the most efficacious gametocyte antigens to prioritise for TBV development, determine which gametocyte antigens induce a natural immune response.
Past projects
Evaluating a highly sensitive rapid malaria diagnostic in PNG
This project compares the performance of novel high sensitivity Plasmodium falciparum rapid diagnostic tests with conventional tests.

NATNAT: Newly Adapted Tools and Network Against Mosquito Borne Disease Transmission
The project aims to to reduce malaria and other vector-borne infectious diseases in the South-Pacific i