1. /
  2. Our work /
  3. Health themes /
  4. Healthy ageing and non-communicable diseases
Healthy Ageing.

Healthy ageing and non-communicable diseases

People around the world are living longer. Older people are more likely to develop diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and respiratory conditions. These are non-communicable diseases. They are not spread from person to person, but are the result of factors such as behaviour, genetics and the environment. Non-communicable diseases reduce the quality and length of people’s lives and can last a long time. This puts pressure on healthcare systems. Burnet works to address these diseases and help people live healthier, longer lives.

Our expertise and achievements

Burnet takes a multidisciplinary approach to healthy ageing. We bring together experts in life sciences, public health and international development.

Our research focuses on:

  • understanding the biological mechanisms of ageing 
  • developing interventions to prevent and manage non-communicable diseases 

  • understanding how infectious diseases accelerate ageing and the development of non-communicable diseases 

  • removing barriers to healthcare among under-served communities.

We work with communities, governments and international partners to implement sustainable health solutions and promote equitable access to healthcare.

Understanding how infectious diseases affect ageing

Viruses such as HIV are thought to accelerate ageing and increase susceptibility to age-related diseases.

Burnet's research investigates how infections may contribute to inflammageing. Inflammageing is chronic inflammation associated with ageing and it contributes to many age-related diseases, including primary immunodeficiencies, autoimmunity and cancer.

We study immune ageing and viral infections to explore how viral infections induce long-lasting changes in immune cells, increasing the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases such as cardiovascular disease.

We also study the needs of people with HIV as they age. Projects such as Ageing Well with HIV focus on social support, mental wellbeing and health needs of older people living with HIV. We developed a website to highlight access to support services.

Advancing immune therapy

Monoclonal antibodies have revolutionised many treatments by enhancing the power of the immune system to fight diseases. Burnet is the only medical research institute in Australia that is altering antibodies to improve how effective they are in immune responses. This pioneering work could be applied to the treatment of cancer, inflammation, and infectious diseases. You can read more about our patented Stellabody technology. 

We’re also researching ways to modify anti-HIV antibodies to eliminate HIV-infected cells.

Promoting preventive health and social participation

Preventative health strategies are central to Burnet's approach to healthy ageing. We focus on vaccination programs, health education, and community engagement to encourage regular health check-ups and early detection of non-communicable diseases.

Our Burnext accelerator program is currently working on bringing a novel integrated liver health test to market. This is a point-of-care test, which means it is simple to perform and can quickly inform what treatment is appropriate for a patient.

Inflammation and chronic disease

Burnet is researching ways to reduce harmful inflammation, which is a major cause of chronic disease in older people. Our research targets key health issues including:

  • heart health 
  • diabetes  

  • respiratory diseases 

  • liver health, including drug-induced liver toxicity.

We also address autoimmune diseases and congenital immunodeficiencies, developing new therapeutic strategies and biomarkers to predict disease onset. 

Disease Elimination Health Theme Donate CTA Image

Please support our research to advance solutions for lifelong health

Your donation can help uncover how ageing and infections weaken immunity.

On this page