Burnet Institute has a number of collaborations addressing rising multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and novel diseases like avian influenza and pandemic influenza H1N1 (swine flu) and SARS.

Our programs have established a thematic initiative related to these emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases (ERIDs), allowing us to apply our unique blend of biomedical research and public health expertise to address these diseases.

We are a member of the World Health Organization’s Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOARN).

Research and Public Health Focus

• Mapping immune response to pandemic influenza in Australia
• Improving avian influenza capacity of the National Institute of Health and Research Development in Indonesia
• Monitoring drug-resistant tuberculosis in PNG and neighbouring countries
• Vaccine development against influenza
• Identifying novel drug targets and developing antivirals for treatment of respiratory viral pathogens
• Developing rapid point-of-care tests for the detection of respiratory viruses
• Molecular epidemiology of ERIDs in Asia and the Pacific regions
• Studying the determinants of and modelling influenza transmission in households and schools
• Investigating the transmission of drug-resistant tuberculosis in South Africa
• Teaching in qualitative and quantitative methods to research ERIDs
• Providing epidemiological expertise to assist with managing outbreaks of ERIDs.

Current Projects

• Access Point Of Care Initiative
  Increasing access to life-saving treatments for infectious diseases through point-of-care tests.
• ANCP – Kickstarting antimicrobial resistance responses in PNG (KICK AMR)
  Building capacity and strengthening hospital-based systems to address the threat of AMR in major health facilities in Papua New Guinea.
• APPRISE - Centre for Research Excellence
  The Australian Partnership for Preparedness Research on Infectious Diseases Emergencies (APPRISE).
• Australia Awards Fellowship: KICK-AMR to Address Antimicrobial Resistance
  Strengthening response to antimicrobial resistance and health security in the Pacific.
• Building a Centre of Excellence for Research and Training for DR-TB in Daru, Papua New Guinea
  Building operational research capacity for TB in PNG through training, mentorship and research.
• Characterisation of retroviruses in bats
  Discovery and characterisation of novel bat retroviruses.
• Developing new antimalarial drugs that block protein trafficking
  Developing new antimalarial drugs that block protein trafficking and host cell modification.
• IgA and staphyloccocal aureus immune evasion
  Staphylococcus aureus, or the golden staph, is a major pathogen of humans. We are investigating how this bug evades the immune system.
• Improved point-of-care test to eliminate congenital syphilis
  Optimising and validating an innovative test to enable immediate treatment at the point of care.
• The production of guidance for the laboratory sector to prepare for emergency situations
  A project to produce a global guide to maintain diagnostic capacity in emergency settings.

Past Projects

• Characterisation of drug resistance mutations in the HIV reverse transcriptase
  The role of mutations selected during antiretroviral therapy on HIV drug resistance and viral fitness.
• Characterisation of retroviruses in a major viral reservoir
  To characterise the retroviral sequences found in the transcriptome of the bat.
• Discovery of intrinsic antiviral factors in a major viral reservoir
  Identify intrinsic antiviral factors in the Australian fruit bat to determine if they block human viral pathogens.
• Evaluation of the Joint Initiative for Maternal Newborn and Child Health in Myanmar
  Burnet led the evaluation of this United Nations program for maternal newborn and child health.
• Foamy Virus transmembrane protein vaccine technology
  A technology that overcomes the problem of presenting envelope proteins in their native trimeric state.