Background

Dr Jack Wallace's research looks at hepatitis B as a phenomenon where the biomedical, social, economic and political intersect, and investigates how viral hepatitis affects individuals and communities and shapes social relations and social practices. His projects have included needs assessments of hepatitis B in Australia and China, policy assessments of viral hepatitis in Taiwan, Indonesia and Tasmania, and investigations into how people with hepatitis B and health care workers understand and respond to hepatitis B.

He has worked in community, government and research sectors seeking to reduce the personal and community impact of blood borne viruses, particularly viral hepatitis. His role prior to undertaking research work was establishing the national peak organisation representing people living with viral hepatitis, Hepatitis Australia where he was the Executive Officer between 1998 and 2005. Jack's previous positions included managing a peer-based injecting drug user organisation in Queensland and as the Principal Program Advisor – Hepatitis C, for Queensland Health.

Jack is the Chief Investigator on two Australian Research Council projects: Strengthening Community Responses to Chronic Hepatitis B, and “my health, our family”. Both of these projects looks at different aspects of the familial, social and cultural responses of hepatitis B to support the development of better public health policy, both nationally and internationally.

Qualifications

• PhD, La Trobe University
• Master of Social Sciences (International Development), RMIT

Appointments

• Adjunct Research Fellow, La Trobe University
• Adjunct Lecturer, Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Arts and Social Sciences
• Executive and Founding member, Coalition to Eradicate Viral Hepatitis in Asia Pacific (CEVHAP)

Positions

• 2018, Senior Research Officer, Burnet Institute
• 2007 - 2017, Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society
• 1998- 2004, Executive Officer, Hepatitis Australia
• 1996-1998, Principal Program Adviser (Hepatitis C), Queensland Health

Reports + Policy Briefs

2021 (1)

• The Optimise Study: Vaccine preparedness. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Heath K, Altermatt A, Merner B, Hill S, Pedrana A, Munari S, Horyniak D, Walker S, Wallace J, Block K, Gibbs L, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. March, 2021.