Burnet Institute will lead a new $3 million NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence bringing together leading Australian experts to reduce deaths from hepatitis B.
Led by Burnet Head of Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer Associate Professor Jessica Howell, the End Hepatitis B Centre for Research Excellence (END-B CRE) will focus on finding the most effective and cost-effective ways to increase hepatitis B testing, connect people with care and increase treatment uptake across Australia.
Hepatitis B can remain undiagnosed for years while causing progressive liver damage. Globally, an estimated 240 million people live with chronic hepatitis B and around 1.1 million people died from hepatitis B-related cirrhosis and liver cancer in 2024.
In the next five years, the Centre will also build workforce capability and expertise needed to accelerate progress towards reducing hepatitis B-related deaths in Australia by 2030.
Associate Professor Howell will lead a national investigator team spanning Burnet Institute, Menzies School of Health Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The Kirby Institute, University of Melbourne and Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity.
The funding was awarded through the NHMRC Centres of Research Excellence 2026 grant opportunity, which supports collaborative research designed to improve health outcomes and translate research into policy and practice.
