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)

• Combating low birth weight due to malaria infection in pregnancy.
  Beeson JG, Scoullar MJL, Boeuf P
  Sci Transl Med. 2018 Mar; 10(431):eaat1506

2017 (1)

• Quantification of the association between malaria in pregnancy and stillbirth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
  Moore KA, Simpson JA, Scoullar MJL, McGready R, Fowkes FJI
  Lancet Glob Health. 2017 Sep; 5(11):E1101-E1112

2016 (1)

• The global threat of Zika virus to pregnancy: epidemiology, clinical perspectives, mechanisms, and impact.
  Boeuf P, Drummer HE, Richards JS, Scoullar MJ, Beeson JG
  BMC Med. 2016 Aug; 14(1):112

News Articles (29)

2022 (1)

• Burnet research being presented at PNG Medical Symposium

2021 (2)

• New STI affecting pregnant women in PNG
• New study highlights family planning needs in PNG

2020 (2)

• Burnet Institute Travel Awards
• New plan for PNG immunisation

2019 (1)

• Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Update

2018 (7)

• Cosmos' insights into stunting
• Major milestone for Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
• Map-building workshop is streets ahead
• Baby Tessie lost her mum post-childbirth
• Putting research on the map
• Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies: On the road with Kerryanne Tokmun
• More R&D needed in maternal and newborn health

2017 (3)

• Deadly sepsis: Insights from Dr Michelle Scoullar
• Landmark Burnet study shows malaria link to stillbirths
• Precious HMHB samples make pre-Christmas dash to Melbourne

2016 (4)

• Zika impact may be hidden: study
• Burnet diagnostic a Saving Lives At Birth finalist!
• From heartbreak to hope: A personal insight from Kokopo
• HMHB attracts Principal Supporter

2015 (8)

• MRDC supporting HMHB program
• Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies lab officially opened in Kokopo
• Historic launch of HMHB program in Kokopo
• This Mother's Day spare a thought for mums and their babies in PNG
• Help us fit out Kokopo lab
• World Health Day Focus - Collaborative Research
• Burnet celebrates International Women's Day
• Dame Carol Kidu Patron for HMHB

2014 (1)

• IMPACT: Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies special edition!