Informing priorities in the HIV response in Australia
Globally, almost 40 million people currently live with HIV infection, which remains a major public health threat.
Contemporary responses to HIV have evolved substantially over the past decade.
In Australia, HIV notifications have declined over the past decade among some priority populations. This follows the scale up of biomedical prevention strategies such as:
- treatment as prevention (or Undetectable=Untransmissble) among people living with HIV
-
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for those at risk of HIV.
However, new HIV infections are increasing in some populations. While Australia has been relatively successful in its HIV response, key gaps remain. At Burnet, we're taking a multifaceted approach to HIV prevention and supporting the health and wellbeing of people living with HIV.
Student opportunities
Support people living with HIV
Projects suitable for Honours, Masters and PhD degrees include:
- epidemiological analyses examining the coverage and relative effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions, including HIV PrEP and HIV treatment-as-prevention
- epidemiological, behavioural and social factors associated with HIV susceptibility among specific populations, including migrants and international students
- surveillance of HIV-hepatitis C co-infection and evaluation of HIV-hepatitis C co-infection elimination strategies
- exploring the role of HIV self-testing in HIV prevention responses, including the development and implementation of interventions to improve HIV self-testing coverage and support the HIV cascade of care among people who test positive using a HIV self-test
- qualitative studies exploring attitudes, preferences and barriers for adopting HIV prevention strategies, as well as strategies to prevent hepatitis C infection among people living with HIV as part of a HIV-hepatitis C co-infection elimination strategy.
Open to
- Honours
- Masters by coursework
- Masters by research
- PhD
Supervisors
Project contacts
Main contact
Student supervisor contacts

Jason Asselin
Co-Head, Surveillance and Data Linkage group

Dr Michael Traeger
Deputy Head, HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention; Research Officer
Project team

Professor Mark A Stoové
Head of Public Health

Jason Asselin
Co-Head, Surveillance and Data Linkage group

Dr Michael Traeger
Deputy Head, HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention; Research Officer

Why study at Burnet
When you study with us, you broaden your impact working across our 3 institute-wide programs:
- Disease Elimination
- Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness
- Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health.
Train with internationally recognised experts in a structured student support system.
Gain a holistic research experience along the way.