Our main objectives are to:
- understand the transmission and prevention of HIV and other STIs
- manage, develop and refine innovative surveillance systems to better understand the drivers of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- integrate findings from our research to inform policy and practice to prevent the transmission of diseases such as HIV and other STI transmission.
Our research focuses on:
- producing a point-of-care test for syphilis that can distinguish between active syphilis and past infections. This test has been developed and is now being evaluated in Australia, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Fiji, conducting surveillance for HIV and STIs on behalf of the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments
- doing rigorous evaluations of projects and programs to better understand the transmission and prevention of STIs and the health and wellbeing of key populations
- doing highly collaborative, multi-disciplinary projects encompassing epidemiological, immunological, and implementation research to strengthen STI surveillance
- understanding the transmission and prevention of HIV and other STIs with a particular focus on those populations most at-risk, such as young people and men who have sex with men
- reviewing and developing national strategies in Pacific countries to respond to HIV and STIs in partnership with regional agencies
- leading the HIV and STI laboratory at the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research
- engaging with a number of Pacific countries through operational research and capacity building through the Pacific Drug and Alcohol Research Network.
Here are some of the ways we’ve made a positive contribution to improving our understanding of the transmission and prevention of STIs:
- collaborated with The Kirby Institute and NRL Quality to deliver the innovative and internationally unique, ACCESS surveillance system (The Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance of Sexually Transmissible Infections and Blood-borne Viruses). It provides a mechanism for monitoring testing, diagnosis, and treatment of STIs in every state and territory in Australia
- piloting the ACCESS surveillance system in Myanmar to assist in monitoring the HIV treatment cascade
- doing ongoing evaluation projects of Victorian HIV and other STI prevention initiatives
- led the HIV and STI laboratory at the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research
- developed a point-of-care test for syphilis that can distinguish between active syphilis and past infections. This test is now being evaluated in Australia, PNG and Fiji.
is the number of sexual health clinics, general practices, hospitals, community health services and pathology laboratories across Australia that provide de-identified data to the ACCESS project. Data collected via ACCESS is used to monitor STIs across Australia and for individual research projects, clinical audits, and jurisdictional surveillance.
is the number of pregnant women in Fiji who will be recruited into a Burnet-supported study assessing the clinical utility of a novel point-of-care test for the diagnosis of active syphilis in pregnant women and infants. Burnet researchers developed this test.
is the number of HIV services in the southern districts of Yangon, Myanmar, proposed to be part of a 12-month, Burnet-supported feasibility study of an integrated HIV cascade surveillance system, ACCESS Myanmar.
is the number of pregnant women in PNG who participated in a longitudinal study by Burnet-supported researchers looking at the impact of nutrition, malaria and STIs on pregnant women and infants.
Working Groups
Burnet is an Australian-based medical research and public health institute and international non-government organisation that is working towards a more equitable world through better health.
HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention
Head: Professor Mark Stoové. Conducts innovative research aimed at understanding the transmission an...
Global Health: policy, practice and community action
We translate research into sustainable health solutions for communities by advancing health literacy...
HIV, Inflammation and the Microbiome
The focus of our work is to understand risk factors for sexually transmitted infections, including H...
Malaria Immunity and Vaccines Group
Head: Professor James Beeson. Research focussed on immunity, vaccines, new treatments and clinical s...
Surveillance and Evaluation Group
Head: Professor Margaret Hellard. Manager: Mr Jason Asselin. This group manages HIV, Viral Hepatitis...
Young People's Health Group
Head: Associate Professor Megan Lim. The Young People’s Health research group is working to improve ...
Infectious Diseases Clinical Research
Co-Heads: Associate Professor Joseph Doyle & Professor Margaret Hellard. The Infectious Diseases Cli...