(From left to right, Dr Amanda Roxburgh and Dr Ashleigh Stewart)
Congratulations to Dr Amanda Roxburgh, Burnet senior research fellow, and Dr Ashleigh Stewart, Burnet research fellow, who have both been awarded the Jim and Margaret Beever Fellowship.
Established in perpetuity through the will of Christopher James Beever, affectionately known as Jim, this fellowship honours public health researchers pursuing impactful work in infectious diseases and virology.
Jim was one of Burnet’s earliest benefactors, with a particular interest in hepatitis and other infectious diseases. Until his death in 2010, he made numerous gifts to the Institute in memory of his late wife, Margaret, who lived with chronic hepatitis after contracting it as a teenager.
Dr Roxburgh received the Fellowship in recognition of her research into improving health outcomes for people who use alcohol and other drugs. Her work explores the long-term impacts of dependence treatment, with a focus on both health and economic outcomes.
With more than 20 years’ experience in the alcohol and other drug sector, Dr Roxburgh holds a national and growing international reputation, particularly for her expertise in opioid overdose mortality.
“Many of the communities we work with are excluded from basic health services — whether due to financial barriers or the stigma surrounding drug use,” said Dr Roxburgh.
“As a result, people can develop chronic illnesses such as liver disease, cardiac issues, and hepatitis C.
“With this Fellowship, I hope to gain deeper insights into how people enter drug treatment and whether particular models of care improve long-term physical and mental health outcomes.”
Dr Stewart is a public health epidemiologist working across Disease Elimination and Harm and Risk Reduction at Burnet. Her research focuses on viral hepatitis elimination among people living with HIV and addressing drug-related harms among people who inject drugs.
She was awarded the Fellowship for her work exploring the burden of syphilis and viral hepatitis among women who have given birth in Victoria. Her goal is to generate critical evidence that informs better prevention, care, and elimination strategies for these infections.
“For me, this Fellowship is an opportunity to conduct meaningful research focused on women and their babies,” said Dr Stewart.
“I aim to better understand the impact of sexually transmitted infections and viral hepatitis with a particular focus on women who are socially and economically marginalised, which we know is something that really underpins us as an Institute.”
These Fellowships honour the legacy of Jim and Margaret Beever, and also support Burnet researchers to advance health equity.
Congratulations again to Dr Roxburgh and Dr Stewart for their contributions to public health.