Background
Michelle is a Principal Investigator on Burnet’s flagship Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies (HMHB) project and a PhD candidate. Previously Michelle was the Research Program Manager for HMHB based in East New Britain (ENB), Papua New Guinea (PNG).
She has a special interest in health system strengthening, health worker training, maternal, newborn and child health, and operational and implementation research.
Michelle has practical clinical and public health experience in remote Australia, Lao PDR and PNG. She is skilled in training and motivating small teams, working cross-culturally and has technical expertise in research, maternal, newborn and child health.
Having grown up in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Michelle has always had a passion for rectifying health inequalities faced by women and children in these communities. She aims to achieve this through her work, fostering cross-institutional partnerships, medical research and health-system strengthening.
Appointments
- The Royal Australasian College of Physicians
- The Royal Australian and New Zealand of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Positions
- 2014-16: Research Program Manager, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies project, Burnet Institute, Kokopo, PNG
- 2013: Clinical Fellow, Centre for International Child Health (CICH), University of Melbourne, Lao PDR
- 2013: Early Essential Newborn Care (EENC) Steering Committee, Lao PDR Ministry of Health and World Health Organization
- 2013: Senior Paediatric Registrar, Townsville, Queensland
- 2010: Maternal and Child Health Project, Ilahita Melbourne Community Association (IMCA), East Sepik, Papua New Guinea
- 2009-2012: Paediatric Registrar, Royal Children’s Hospital and Sunshine Hospital, Melbourne
- 2007-2008: Intern and Residents, Western Health, Melbourne
- 2006: Nonga Base Hospital, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea
- 2006: Aboriginal Health Clinic, Amoonguna, Northern Territory
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Monash University
- Masters in International Health (MIH), Monash University/Burnet Institute
- Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (DRANZCOG)
Projects (5)
Current (5)
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Accelerating access to postnatal care and chlorhexidine in PNG
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Evaluating a highly sensitive rapid malaria diagnostic in PNG
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Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
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HMHB: The impact of nutrition, malaria and STIs on pregnant women and infants
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Tools for the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (Kenya, Myanmar and Senegal)
Publications (11)
2023 (1)
- Low knowledge of newborn danger signs among pregnant women in Papua New Guinea and implications for health seeking behaviour in early infancy - findings from a longitudinal study.
Eghrari D, Scoullar MJL, Wilson AN, Peach E, Elijah A, Melepia P, SupSup H, Vallely LM, Siba PM, Kennedy EC, Vogel JP, Homer CSE, Robinson LJ, Fowkes FJI, Pomat W, Crabb BS, Beeson JG, Morgan CJ
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2023 Jan; 23(1):71
2022 (2)
- Quality newborn care in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea: measuring early newborn care practices and identifying opportunities for improvement.
Wilson AN, Melepia P, Suruka R, Hezeri P, Kabiu D, Babona D, Wapi P, Spotswood N, Bohren MA, Vogel JP, Kelly-Hanku A, Morgan A, Beeson JG, Morgan C, Vallely LM, Waramin EJ, Scoullar MJL, Homer CSE
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022 Jun; 22(1):462
- Partnership-defined quality approach to companionship during labour and birth in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea: A mixed-methods study
Wilson AN, Melepia P, Suruka R, Hezeri P, Kabiu D, Babona D, Wapi P, Bohren MA, Vogel JP, Kelly-Hanku A, Morgan A, Beeson JG, Morgan C, Spotswood N, Scoullar MJL, Vallely LM, Homer CSE
PLoS Glob Pub Health. 2022 Feb; 2(2):e0000102
2021 (4)
- Defining Preterm Birth and Stillbirth in the Western Pacific: A Systematic Review.
Connolly M, Phung L, Farrington E, Scoullar MJL, Wilson AN, Comrie-Thomson L, Homer CSE, Vogel JP
Asia Pac J Public Health. 2021 Jun; 33(5):489-501
- Mycoplasma genitalium and Other Reproductive Tract Infections in Pregnant Women, Papua New Guinea, 2015-2017.
Scoullar MJL, Boeuf P, Peach E, Fidelis R, Tokmun K, Melepia P, Elijah A, Bradshaw CS, Fehler G, Siba PM, Erskine S, Mokany E, Kennedy E, Umbers AJ, Luchters S, Robinson LJ, Wong NC, Vallely AJ, Badman SG, Vallely LM, Fowkes FJI, Morgan C, Pomat W, Crabb BS, Beeson JG
Emerg Infect Dis. 2021 Mar; 27(3):894-904
- Risk factors and knowledge associated with high unintended pregnancy rates and low family planning use among pregnant women in Papua New Guinea.
Peach E, Morgan C, Scoullar MJL, Fowkes FJI, Kennedy E, Melepia P, Homiehombo P, Au L, Luchters S, Umbers AJ, Vallely A, Vallely LM, Kelly-Hanku A, Robinson LJ, Crabb BS, Elijah A, Siba PM, Pomat W, Beeson JG
Sci Rep. 2021 Jan; 11(1):1222
- Caring for the carers: Ensuring the provision of quality maternity care during a global pandemic.
Wilson AN, Ravaldi C, Scoullar MJL, Vogel JP, Szabo RA, Fisher JRW, Homer CSE
Women Birth. 2021 Jan; 34(3):206-209
2020 (1)
- Strengthening routine immunization in Papua New Guinea: a cross-sectional provincial assessment of front-line services.
Morgan CJ, Saweri OPM, Larme N, Peach E, Melepia P, Au L, Scoullar MJL, Reza MS, Vallely LM, McPake BI, Beeson JG
BMC Public Health. 2020 Jan; 20(1):100
2018 (1)
2017 (1)
2016 (1)
News Articles (29)
2022 (1)
2021 (2)
2020 (2)
2019 (1)
2018 (7)
2017 (3)
2016 (4)
2015 (8)
2014 (1)