Background

Dr Leanne Robinson BSc Adv (Hons) Syd PhD Melb MPHTM JCU is a Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Vector Borne Diseases and Tropical Public Health Group in the Disease Elimination Program at the Burnet Institute.

Her research focuses on malaria epidemiology and implementation research for control/elimination of malaria and neglected tropical diseases. It is a highly collaborative and inter-disciplinary research program, with strong links to disease control programs. It also prioritises strengthening the capacity of researchers and health workers in endemic countries and creating opportunities for masters and PhD training. Leanne has spent the past 10 years living and working in PNG. She was Head of the Vector Borne Diseases Unit at the PNG Institute of Medical Research in Madang (2012-2017) and has led the malaria epidemiology team since 2009.

Leanne has an ongoing appointment with the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, the Division of Population Health and Immunity at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and is an honorary fellow of the University of Melbourne and an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University.

Appointments

• 2017 - present: Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, Monash University
• 2017 - present: Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, PNG Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
• 2016 - present: Research Group Leader, Burnet Institute, Victoria, Australia
• 2015 - present: Laboratory Head, Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Victoria, Australia
• 2013 - 2017: Head of Vector Borne Diseases Unit, PNG Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
• 2011-2016: NHMRC Early Career Research Fellow, PNG Institute of Medical Research/ Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
• 2009-2011: Postdoctoral Fellow, Vector Borne Diseases Unit, PNG Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
• 2009-present: Honorary fellow, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• 2009-2011: Postdoctoral Fellow, Infection and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Victoria, Australia
• 2005-2009: NHMRC Dora Lush PhD Candidate, Infection and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Victoria, Australia

Qualifications

• 2011: Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Australia
• 2009: Doctor of Philosophy, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research & University of Melbourne, Australia
• 2002: Bachelor of Advanced Science (Hons), University of Sydney, Australia

Awards

• 2018: Gust Translational Fellowship
• 2014: Young Alumnae Award, The Women’s College, University of Sydney
• 2012-17: Craven & Shearer Award, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
• 2011: CJ Martin Early Career Research Fellowship, National Health and Medical Research Council
• 2005: Dora Lush Biomedical Postgraduate Scholarship, National Health and Medical Research Council
• 2003: University Medal, University of Sydney

Projects (1)

Current (1)

• Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
  A collaborative research program aimed at providing life-saving health care for women and children in PNG.

Publications (49)

2017 (9)

• Cost-effectiveness of artemisinin-naphthoquine versus artemether-lumefantrine for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Papua New Guinean children.
  Moore BR, Davis WA, Clarke PM, Robinson LJ, Laman M, Davis TME
  Malar J. 2017 Oct; 16(1):438
• Risk factors and pregnancy outcomes associated with placental malaria in a prospective cohort of Papua New Guinean women.
  Lufele E, Umbers A, Ordi J, Ome-Kaius M, Wangnapi R, Unger H, Tarongka N, Siba P, Mueller I, Robinson L, Rogerson S
  Malar J. 2017 Oct; 16(1):427
• Sustained malaria control over an eight-year period in Papua New Guinea: the challenge of low-density asymptomatic infections.
  Koepfli C, Ome-Kaius M, Jally S, Malau E, Maripal S, Ginny J, Timinao L, Kattenberg JH, Obadia T, White M, Rarau P, Senn N, Barry AE, Kazura JW, Mueller I, Robinson LJ
  J Infect Dis. 2017 Sep; 2016(11):1434-1443
• Naturally acquired antibody responses to more than 300 Plasmodium vivax proteins in three geographic regions.
  Longley RJ, White MT, Takashima E, Morita M, Kanoi BN, Li Wai Suen CSN, Betuela I, Kuehn A, Sripoorote P, Franca CT, Siba P, Robinson LJ, Lacerda M, Sattabongkot J, Tsuboi T, Mueller I
  PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017 Sep; 11(9):e0005888
• The complex relationship of exposure to new Plasmodium infections and incidence of clinical malaria in Papua New Guinea.
  Hofmann NE, Karl S, Wampfler R, Kiniboro B, Teliki A, Iga J, Waltmann A, Betuela I, Felger I, Robinson LJ, Mueller I
  eLife. 2017 Sep; 6(pii):e23708
• Patterns of protective associations differ for antibodies to P.falciparum-infected erythrocytes and merozoites in immunity against malaria in children.
  Chan JA, Stanisic DI, Duffy MF, Robinson LJ, Lin E, Kazura JW, King CL, Siba PM, Fowkes FJ, Mueller I, Beeson JG
  Eur J Immunol. 2017 Aug; 47(12):2124-2136
• Effects of liver-stage clearance by Primaquine on gametocyte carriage of Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum.
  Wampfler R, Hofmann NE, Karl S, Betuela I, Kinboro B, Lorry L, Silkey M, Robinson LJ, Mueller I, Felger I
  PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017 Jul; 11(7):e0005753
• Synergistic effect of IL-12 and IL-18 induces TIM3 regulation of γδ T cell function and decreases the risk of clinical malaria in children living in Papua New Guinea.
  Schofield L, Ioannidis LJ, Karl S, Robinson LJ, Tan QY, Poole DP, Betuela I, Hill DL, Siba PM, Hansen DS, Mueller I, Eriksson EM
  BMC Med. 2017 Jun; 15(1):114
• Naturally Acquired Binding-Inhibitory Antibodies to Plasmodium vivax Duffy Binding Protein in Pregnant Women Are Associated with Higher Birth Weight in a Multicenter Study.
  Requena P, Arévalo-Herrera M, Menegon M, Martínez-Espinosa FE, Padilla N, Bôtto-Menezes C, Malheiro A, Hans D, Castellanos ME, Robinson L, Samol P, Kochar S, Kochar SK, Kochar DK, Desai M, Sanz S, Quintó L, Mayor A, Rogerson S, Mueller I, Severini C, Del Portillo HA, Bardají A, Chitnis CC, Menéndez C, Dobaño C
  Front Immunol. 2017 Feb; Epub ahead of print

2016 (5)

• Sensitive and accurate quantification of human malaria parasites using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR).
  Koepfli C, Nguitragool W, Hofmann NE, Robinson LJ, Ome-Kaius M, Sattabongkot J, Felger I, Mueller I
  Sci Rep. 2016 Dec; 6:39183
• Plasmodium vivax in Oceania. (Book Chapter)
  Robinson LJ, Laman M, Wini L, Mueller I
  in Neglected Tropical Diseases – Oceania. Springer International Publishing. Editor: Loukas A. 2016 Sep; In Press
• Risk factors for Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax gametocyte carriage in Papua New Guinean children with uncomplicated malaria.
  Stephan Karl, Moses Laman, Brioni R Moore, John M Benjamin, Mary Salib, Lina Lorry, Samuel Maripal, Peter Siba, Leanne J Robinson, Ivo Mueller, Timothy M E Davis
  Acta Trop. 2016 Aug; 160:1-8
• Merozoite antigens of Plasmodium falciparum elicit strain-transcending opsonizing immunity.
  Hill DL, Wilson DW, Sampaio NG, Eriksson EM, Ryg-Cornejo V, Harrison GL, Uboldi AD, Robinson LJ, Beeson JG, Siba P, Cowman AF, Hansen DS, Mueller I, Schofield L
  Infect Immun. 2016 May; 84(8):2175-2184
• Impact of Placental Malaria and Hypergammaglobulinemia on Transplacental Transfer of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Antibody in Papua New Guinea.
  Jessica E Atwell, Bhagvanji Thumar, Leanne J Robinson, Roselyn Tobby, Phantica Yambo, Maria Ome-Kaius, Peter M Siba, Holger W Unger, Stephen J Rogerson, Christopher L King, Ruth A Karron
  J Infect Dis. 2016 Feb; 213(3):423-431

2015 (14)

• Accuracy of an HRP-2/panLDH rapid diagnostic test to detect peripheral and placental Plasmodium falciparum infection in Papua New Guinean women with anaemia or suspected malaria.
  Alexandra J Umbers, Holger W Unger, Anna Rosanas-Urgell, Regina A Wangnapi, Johanna H Kattenberg, Shadrach Jally, Selina Silim, Elvin Lufele, Stephan Karl, Maria Ome-Kaius, Leanne J Robinson, Stephen J Rogerson, Ivo Mueller
  Malar J. 2015 Oct; 14:412
• Significant geographical differences in prevalence of mutations associated with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax drug resistance in two regions from Papua New Guinea.
  Barnadas C, Timinao L, Javati S, Iga J, Malau E, Koepfli C, Robinson LJ, Senn N, Kiniboro B, Rare L, Reeder JC, Siba PM, Zimmerman PA, Karunajeewa H, Davis TM, Mueller I
  Malar J. 2015 Oct; 14(1):399
• Strategies for understanding and reducing the Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale hypnozoite reservoir in Papua New Guinean children: a randomised placebo-controlled trial and mathematical model.
  Leanne J Robinson, Rahel Wampfler, Inoni Betuela, Stephan Karl, Michael T White, Connie S N Li Wai Suen, Natalie E Hofmann, Benson Kinboro, Andreea Waltmann, Jessica Brewster, Lina Lorry, Nandao Tarongka, Lornah Samol, Mariabeth Silkey, Quique Bassat, Peter M Siba, Louis Schofield, Ingrid Felger, Ivo Mueller
  PLoS Med. 2015 Oct; 12(10):e1001891
• A decline of Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis in Papua New Guinean children despite low vaccination coverage.
  Elvin Lufele, Jimmy Aipit, Peter Siba, Leanne J Robinson, Moses Laman
  J Trop Pediatr. 2015 Aug; 61(4):313-314
• Population pharmacokinetics, tolerability, and safety of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine-piperaquine in pregnant and nonpregnant Papua New Guinean women.
  John M Benjamin, Brioni R Moore, Sam Salman, Madhu Page-Sharp, Somoyang Tawat, Gumal Yadi, Lina Lorry, Peter M Siba, Kevin T Batty, Leanne J Robinson, Ivo Mueller, Timothy M E Davis
  Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015 Jul; 59(7):4260-4271
• Ultrasonographic assessment of splenic volume at presentation and after anti-malarial therapy in children with malarial anaemia.
  Moses Laman, Susan Aipit, Cathy Bona, Peter M Siba, Leanne J Robinson, Laurens Manning, Timothy M E Davis
  Malar J. 2015 May; 14:219
• Blood-Stage Parasitaemia and Age Determine Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax Gametocytaemia in Papua New Guinea.
  Cristian Koepfli, Leanne J Robinson, Patricia Rarau, Mary Salib, Naomi Sambale, Rahel Wampfler, Inoni Betuela, Wang Nuitragool, Alyssa E Barry, Peter Siba, Ingrid Felger, Ivo Mueller
  PLoS One. 2015 May; 10(5):e0126747
• Proinflammatory responses and higher IL-10 production by T cells correlate with protection against malaria during pregnancy and delivery outcomes.
  Pilar Requena, Diana Barrios, Leanne J Robinson, Paula Samol, Alexandra J Umbers, Regina Wangnapi, Maria Ome-Kaius, Anna Rosanas-Urgell, Alfredo Mayor, Marta Lopez, Elisa de Lazzari, Myriam Arevalo-Herrera, Carmen Fernandez-Becerra, Hernando del Portillo, Chetan E Chitnis, Peter M Siba, Stephen Rogerson, Ivo Mueller, Azucena Bardaji, Clara Menendez, Carlota Dobano
  J Immunol. 2015 Apr; 194(7):3275-3285
• Artemether-lumefantrine versus artemisinin-naphthoquine in Papua New Guinean children with uncomplicated malaria: a six months post-treatment follow-up study.
  Moses Laman, John M Benjamin, Brioni R Moore, Mary Salib, Somoyang Tawat, Wendy A Davis, Peter M Siba, Leanne J Robinson, Timothy M E Davis
  Malar J. 2015 Mar; 14:121
• Ultra-sensitive detection of Plasmodium falciparum by amplification of multi-copy subtelomeric targets.
  Natalie Hofmann, Felista Mwingira, Seif Shekalaghe, Leanne J Robinson, Ivo Mueller, Ingrid Felger
  PLoS Med. 2015 Mar; 12(3):e1001788
• Acquisition of antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum merozoites and malaria immunity in young children: influence of age, force of infection, and magnitude of response.
  Stanisic DI, Fowkes FJ, Koinari M, Javati S, Lin E, Kiniboro B, Richards JS, Robinson LJ, Schofield L, Kazura JW, King CL, Zimmerman P, Felger I, Siba PM, Mueller I, Beeson JG
  Infect Immun. 2015 Feb; 83(2):646-660
• High numbers of circulating pigmented polymorphonuclear neutrophils as a prognostic marker for decreased birth weight during malaria in pregnancy.
  Caroline Lin Lin Chua, Leanne J Robinson, Francesca Baiwog, Danielle I Stanisic, John A Hamilton, Graham V Brown, Stephen J Rogerson, Philippe Boeuf
  Int J Parasitol. 2015 Feb; 45(2-3):107-111
• Temporal changes in Plasmodium falciparum anti-malarial drug sensitivity in vitro and resistance-associated genetic mutations in isolates from Papua New Guinea.
  Tamarah Koleala, Stephan Karl, Moses Laman, Brioni R Moore, John Benjamin, Celine Barnadas, Leanne J Robinson, Johanna H Kattenberg, Sarah Javati, Rina P M Wong, Anna Rosanas-Urgell, Inoni Betuela, Peter M Siba, Ivo Mueller, Timothy M E Davis
  Malar J. 2015 Jan; 14:37
• Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine plus azithromycin for the prevention of low birthweight in Papua New Guinea: a randomised controlled trial.
  Holger W Unger, Maria Ome-Kaius, Regina A Wangnapi, Alexandra J Umbers, Sarah Hanieh, Connie S N Li Wai Suen, Leanne J Robinson, Anna Rosanas-Urgell, Johanna Wapling, Elvin Lufele, Charles Kongs, Paula Samol, Desmond Sui, Dupain Singirok, Azucena Bardaji, Louis Schofield, Clara Menendez, Inoni Betuela, Peter Siba, Ivo Mueller, Stephen J Rogerson
  BMC Med. 2015 Jan; 13:9

2014 (6)

• Artemisinin-naphthoquine versus artemether-lumefantrine for uncomplicated malaria in Papua New Guinean children: an open-label randomized trial.
  Moses Laman, Brioni R Moore, John M Benjamin, Gumul Yadi, Cathy Bona, Jonathan Warrel, Johanna H Kattenberg, Tamarah Koleala, Laurens Manning, Bernadine Kasian, Leanne J Robinson, Naomi Sambale, Lina Lorry, Stephan Karl, Wendy A Davis, Anna Rosanas-Urgell, Ivo Mueller, Peter M Siba, Inoni Betuela, Timothy M E Davis
  PLoS Med. 2014 Dec; 11(12):e1001773
• Pharmacokinetic properties of single-dose primaquine in Papua New Guinean children: feasibility of abbreviated high-dose regimens for radical cure of vivax malaria.
  Brioni R Moore, Sam Salman, John Benjamin, Madhu Page-Sharp, Leanne J Robinson, Elizabeth Waita, Kevin T Batty, Peter Siba, Ivo Mueller, Timothy M E Davis, Inoni Betuela
  Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2014 Nov; 58(1):432-439
• Effect of coadministered fat on the tolerability, safety, and pharmacokinetic properties of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine in Papua New Guinean children with uncomplicated malaria.
  B R Moore, J M Benjamin, S Salman, S Griffin, E Ginny, M Page-Sharp, L J Robinson, P Siba, K T Batty, I Mueller, T M E Davis
  Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2014 Oct; 58(10):5784-5794
• Pregnancy and malaria exposure are associated with changes in the B cell pool and in plasma eotaxin levels.
  Pilar Requena, Joseph J Campo, Alexandra J Umbers, Maria Ome, Regina Wangnapi, Diana Barrios, Leanne J Robinson, Paula Samol, Anna Rosanas-Urgell, Itziar Ubillos, Alfredo Mayor, Marta Lopez, Elisa de Lazzari, Myriam Arevalo-Herrera, Carmen Fernandez-Becerra, Hernando del Portillo, Chetan E Chitnis, Peter M Siba, Azucena Bardaji, Ivo Mueller, Stephen Rogerson, Clara Menendez, Carlota Dobano
  J Immunol. 2014 Sep; 193(6):2971-2983
• Comparison of an assumed versus measured leucocyte count in parasite density calculations in Papua New Guinean children with uncomplicated malaria.
  Moses Laman, Brioni R Moore, John Benjamin, Nixon Padapu, Nandao Tarongka, Peter Siba, Inoni Betuela, Ivo Mueller, Leanne J Robinson, Timothy M E Davis
  Malar J. 2014 Apr; 13:145
• Primaquine treatment for Plasmodium vivax--an essential tool for malaria control and elimination in Papua New Guinea.
  Inoni Betuela, Leanne J Robinson, Manuel W Hetzel, Moses Laman, Peter M Siba, Quique Bassat, Ivo Mueller
  P N G Med J. 2014 Mar; 57(1-4):68-74

2013 (3)

• Strategies for detection of Plasmodium species gametocytes.
  Rahel Wampfler, Felistas Mwingira, Sarah Javati, Leanne Robinson, Inoni Betuela, Peter Siba, Hans-Peter Beck, Ivo Mueller, Ingrid Felger
  PLoS One. 2013 Sep; 8(9):e76316
• Opsonising antibodies to P. falciparum merozoites associated with immunity to clinical malaria.
  Danika L Hill, Emily M Eriksson, Connie S N Li Wai Suen, Chris Y Chiu, Victoria Ryg-Cornejo, Leanne J Robinson, Peter M Siba, Ivo Mueller, Diana S Hansen, Louis Schofield
  PLoS One. 2013 Sep; 8(9):e74627
• Does malaria affect placental development? Evidence from in vitro models.
  Umbers AJ, Stanisic DI, Ome M, Wangnapi R, Hanieh S, Unger HW, Robinson LJ, Lufele E, Baiwog F, Siba PM, King CL, Beeson JG, Mueller I, Aplin JD, Glazier JD, Rogerson SJ
  PLoS One. 2013 Jan; 8(1):e55269

2012 (4)

• Reduced Risk of Plasmodium vivax Malaria in Papua New Guinean Children with Southeast Asian Ovalocytosis in Two Cohorts and a Case-Control Study.
  Rosanas-Urgell A, Lin E, Manning L, Rarau P, Laman M, Senn N, Grimberg BT, Tavul L, Stanisic DI, Robinson LJ, Aponte JJ, Dabod E, Reeder JC, Siba P, Zimmerman PA, Davis TM, King CL, Michon P, Mueller I
  PLoS Med. 2012 Sep; 9(9):e1001305
• Tolerability and safety of primaquine in Papua New Guinean children 1 to 10 years of age.
  Inoni Betuela, Quique Bassat, Benson Kiniboro, Leanne J Robinson, Anna Rosanas-Urgell, Danielle Stanisic, Peter M Siba, Pedro L Alonso, Ivo Mueller
  Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2012 Apr; 56(4):2146-2149
• Rapid diagnostic test-based management of malaria: an effectiveness study in Papua New Guinean infants with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria.
  Senn N, Rarau P, Manong D, Salib M, Siba P, Robinson LJ, Reeder J, Rogerson S, Mueller I, Genton B
  Clin Infect Dis. 2012 Mar; 54(5):644-651
• Intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in Papua New Guinean infants exposed to Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax: a randomized controlled trial.
  Senn N, Rarau P, Stanisic DI, Robinson L, Barnadas C, Manong D, Salib M, Iga J, Tarongka N, Ley S, Rosanas-Urgell A, Aponte JJ, Zimmerman PA, Beeson JG, Schofield L, Siba P, Rogerson SJ, Reeder JC, Mueller I
  PLoS Med. 2012 Mar; 9(3):e1001195

2010 (1)

• Differential patterns of infection and disease with P. falciparum and P. vivax in young Papua New Guinean children.
  Enmoore Lin, Benson Kiniboro, Laurie Gray, Stuart Dobbie, Leanne Robinson, Annemarie Laumaea, Sonja Schopflin, Danielle Stanisic, Inoni Betuela, Melinda Blood-Zikursh, Peter Siba, Ingrid Felger, Louis Schofield, Peter Zimmerman, Ivo Mueller
  PLoS One. 2010 Feb; 5(2):e9047

2009 (2)

• Cellular tumor necrosis factor, gamma interferon, and interleukin-6 responses as correlates of immunity and risk of clinical Plasmodium falciparum malaria in children from Papua New Guinea.
  Leanne J Robinson, Marthe C D'Ombrain, Danielle I Stanisic, Jack Taraika, Nicholas Bernard, Jack S Richards, James G Beeson, Livingstone Tavul, Pascal Michon, Ivo Mueller, Louis Schofield
  Infect Immun. 2009 Jul; 77(7):3033-3043
• Mechanisms underlying early interferon-gamma production in human Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
  Marthe C D'Ombrain, Leanne J Robinson, Ivo Mueller, Louis Schofield
  Clin Infect Dis. 2009 May; 48(10):1482-1483

2008 (2)

• Association of early interferon-gamma production with immunity to clinical malaria: a longitudinal study among Papua New Guinean children.
  Marthe C D'Ombrain, Leanne J Robinson, Danielle I Stanisic, Jack Taraika, Nicholas Bernard, Pascal Michon, Ivo Mueller, Louis Schofield
  Clin Infect Dis. 2008 Dec; 47(11):1380-1387
• Glycoproteomics of milk: differences in sugar epitopes on human and bovine milk fat globule membranes.
  Nicole L Wilson, Leanne J Robinson, Anne Donnet, Lionel Bovetto, Nicolle H Packer, Niclas G Karlsson
  J Proteome Res. 2008 Sep; 7(9):3687-3696

2007 (1)

• Glycosylation of sputum mucins is altered in cystic fibrosis patients.
  Benjamin L Schulz, Andrew J Sloane, Leanne J Robinson, Sindhu S Prasad, Robyn A Lindner, Michael Robinson, Peter T Bye, Dennis W Nielson, Jenny L Harry, Nicolle H Packer, Niclas G Karlsson
  Glycobiology. 2007 Jul; 17(7):698-712

2005 (1)

• Mucin glycosylation changes in cystic fibrosis lung disease are not manifest in submucosal gland secretions.
  Benjamin L Schulz, Andrew J Sloane, Leanne J Robinson, Lucille T Sebastian, Allan R Glanville, Yuanlin Song, Alan S Verkman, Jenny L Harry, Nicolle H Packer, Niclas G Karlsson
  Biochem J. 2005 May; 387(Pt 3):911-919

2003 (1)

• Proteomic analysis of the genetic premature aging disease Hutchinson Gilford progeria syndrome reveals differential protein expression and glycosylation.
  L J Robinson, N G Karlsson, A S Weiss, N H Packer
  J Proteome Res. 2003 Sep; 2(5):556-557

News Articles (6)

2018 (3)

• Malaria Dialogues: Join the discussion
• Global Health Security: Why Malaria Elimination is a Priority
• Melbourne’s bid to make malaria history

2017 (3)

• Leading roles for Burnet in NHMRC Malaria CRE
• Lead roles for Burnet malaria researchers
• Special insights into malaria in Papua New Guinea