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Multi-pathogen serosurveillance in Papua New Guinea

Open to students

Strengthening routine surveillance of infectious diseases is a high priority in Papua New Guinea (PNG). This project supports locally led, integrated multi-pathogen serosurveillance to strengthen data-informed disease control and elimination.

A major challenge for surveillance is the lack of cost-effective point of care diagnostics and the range of samples required for direct detection of pathogens through molecular techniques. Integrated serological surveillance is a complementary approach that can provide a cost-effective laboratory-based solution to strengthening surveillance.

Integrated serological surveillance is capable of detecting antibodies to multiple pathogens simultaneously, for diseases including:

  • malaria
  • respiratory viruses (such as COVID-19)
  • neglected tropical diseases (such as lymphatic filariasis, dengue, chikungunya, zika and strongyloides)
  • vaccine preventable diseases (such as measles and polio).

Student opportunities

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Multi-pathogen serological assays for surveillance

Join our project on multi-pathogen serological assays for surveillance.

This project will use bead-based multiplex Luminex® assays capable of measuring antibodies to many antigens from the same sample to optimise and validate a fit-for-purpose multi-pathogen serological assay for use in Papua New Guinea. This will be conducted using existing cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys that have been conducted in areas of Papua New Guinea where endemic or epidemic transmission of these pathogens coexists.

The incorporation of integrated multi-pathogen serosurveillance into an ongoing program of febrile illness sentinel surveillance will strengthen the breadth and quality of data available for programmatic decision-making. 

Open to
  • Honours
  • PhD
Supervisors
Contact

Project contacts

Professor Leanne Robinson

Professor Leanne Robinson

Program Director, Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness; Senior Principal Research Fellow, Group Leader, Vector-Borne Diseases and Tropical Public Health
leanne.robinson@burnet.edu.au
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Dr Fiona Angrisano

Dr Fiona Angrisano

Deputy Working Group Head, Vector-borne Diseases and Tropical Public Health; Transmission Biology Team Lead
fiona.angrisano@burnet.edu.au +61385062446
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Project team

Professor Leanne Robinson

Professor Leanne Robinson

Program Director, Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness; Senior Principal Research Fellow, Group Leader, Vector-Borne Diseases and Tropical Public Health
View profile
Dr Fiona Angrisano

Dr Fiona Angrisano

Deputy Working Group Head, Vector-borne Diseases and Tropical Public Health; Transmission Biology Team Lead
View profile
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