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News (2022)

December, 2022 (11)

22 December, 2022

Have a happy and healthy new year

Thank you for your support of our work and the communities we serve throughout 2022. Burnet Institute will be closed from Friday 23 December to Sunday 8 January inclusive.

20 December, 2022

2022 in Review: July to December

The second half of 2022 saw Burnet launch its 2030 strategy, and continue important work in life sciences, public health and international development.

20 December, 2022

2022 in Review: January to June

As the third year of the pandemic got underway, Burnet continued its COVID-19 advocacy around a vaccines plus approach and advanced important work in malaria, tuberculosis and hepatitis C.

16 December, 2022

Know your COVID risk, and help yourself and others this summer

Better understand your risk of contracting COVID-19 this summer, and what you can do to keep yourself, your family, your friends and your community safe.

16 December, 2022

EC Australia to continue beyond 2022

EC Australia has secured critical funding to continue operations over the next five years.

14 December, 2022

Could a ‘test often, treat early’ approach help eliminate hepatitis C among people with HIV?

Dr Rachel Sacks-Davis is the lead investigator on a NHMRC Ideas Grant awarded to examine how a ‘test often, treat early’ approach could help eliminate hepatitis C among people with HIV.

09 December, 2022

New report: Progress in reducing malaria burden has stalled

Progress in reducing the burden of malaria has stalled after previous strong gains, reveals the latest data released overnight as part of the WHO’s World malaria report 2022.

09 December, 2022

Vale Professor George C Patton MB BS MD FAAHMS FRANZCP FRCPsych, Eminent Global Adolescent Health Expert

31 December 1954 – 7 December 2022

09 December, 2022

Landmark mental health report launched

A landmark report aiming to strengthen the mental health of children and adolescents in our region has been launched this week.

06 December, 2022

What have half a million social media posts told us about Australians’ feelings towards COVID-19?

The TIGER C19 project has reached the significant milestone of analysing over half a million social media posts on Twitter and Reddit since the start of the pandemic.

01 December, 2022

Boldly Positive: World AIDS Day 2022

A focus on issues facing women living with HIV was the theme of the World AIDS Day 2022 Official Victorian Community Launch.

November, 2022 (12)

30 November, 2022

Meet the female powerhouses behind HIV research at Burnet

Professor Gilda Tachedjian, Dr Lindi Masson and Dr Anna Hearps are at the vanguard of HIV research aiming to help women better protect themselves against the disease.

29 November, 2022

Analysis of the impact of antivirals

Associate Professor Suman Majumdar and colleagues from the Victorian Department of Health analyse the impact of antivirals on the risk of death and hospitalisation in this article for The Conversation.

25 November, 2022

NHMRC grant brings synergy to strategies for malaria elimination

A Burnet-led team has been awarded a $5 million NHMRC Synergy grant to develop multiple strategies to interrupt malaria transmission.

24 November, 2022

Focus on prevention in Burnet Long COVID submission

The importance of prevention is a key theme of Burnet Institute’s submission to the House of Representatives Health Committee Inquiry into Long COVID.

22 November, 2022

Professor Brendan Crabb admitted to the Australian Academy of Science

Burnet Institute Director and CEO Professor Brendan Crabb has been formally admitted as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science at an event at the iconic Shine Dome today.

22 November, 2022

New insights into medicines for pre-eclampsia

Burnet Institute researchers have led the development of the first global strategic guidelines for medicines for pre-eclampsia, one of the leading causes of maternal deaths globally.

18 November, 2022

Australia falling behind in goal to eliminate hepatitis C, new report shows

New models of care and investment are urgently needed to reach people at risk or living with hepatitis C, otherwise Australia risks falling short of its goal to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030.

07 November, 2022

Reducing the impacts of chlamydia in Australia

We need to do more to prevent and manage chlamydia in Australia, argues a new MJA Perspective article led by Burnet Institute.

07 November, 2022

How Science Matters nominated for Australian Podcast Award

Burnet’s Podcast series ‘How Science Matters’ has been nominated for Best Factual Podcast in the 2022 Australian Podcast Awards.

03 November, 2022

Fenner Lecture tells of influences, trajectories and people on international health journey

Frank Fenner Award winner, Burnet Institute Head of International Development, Chad Hughes, focused on the importance of people to his career and Burnet’s mission in delivering the Fenner Lecture.

03 November, 2022

Associate Professor David Anderson stepping down

Burnet Institute Deputy Director, Associate Professor David Anderson has announced his resignation, leaving an outstanding legacy in research over more than 35 years at Burnet.

01 November, 2022

Burnet welcomes grant for mRNA vaccine development

Burnet Institute’s Burnet Vaccine Initiative has been awarded an mRNA Victoria Activation Program grant of AUD$3 million-plus for the development of next generation mRNA vaccines.

October, 2022 (5)

25 October, 2022

Australians polarised about 'return to normal' social media analysis shows

Analysis of social media posts in October 2022 reveals Australian users are polarised about a ‘return to normal’ and concerned about the long-term implications of COVID, including Long COVID.

14 October, 2022

Dr Michelle Boyle named 2023 CSL Centenary Fellow

Dr Michelle Boyle has been awarded a AUD$1.25 million CSL Centenary Fellowship to further her work to making malaria vaccines better to save more children.

12 October, 2022

Burnet awarded over $9.2 million in NHMRC grants

Burnet Institute researchers have been awarded over AUD$9.2 million in funding in the latest round of NHMRC Investigator Grants announced today.

12 October, 2022

A new way lactic acid can reduce a woman’s risk of getting an STI

Lactic acid strengthens the junctions between cells in the female genital tract that form a physical barrier to prevent bad bugs from getting into the body.

11 October, 2022

Associate Professor Jessica Howell is the VCCC Alliance’s inaugural Tony Burgess medallist

Burnet Institute Senior Research Fellow Associate Professor Jessica Howell has been awarded the inaugural Tony Burgess Medal for her work improving liver disease screening.

September, 2022 (10)

30 September, 2022

COVID isolation rule change 'disappointing'

Burnet Institute Director and CEO Professor Brendan Crabb AC describes the decision by National Cabinet to scrap mandatory COVID isolation as disappointing, illogical and distressing.

30 September, 2022

Isolation: A key pillar of COVID control

If you think scrapping COVID isolation periods will get us back to work and past the pandemic, think again, Professor Brendan Crabb, Professor C Raina MacIntyre and Professor Nancy Baxter write for The Conversation.

16 September, 2022

Elimination of hepatitis C the focus of new funding grant

Federal Health Minister, the Hon Mark Butler MP announces $1.4 million Partnership Project grant at Burnet today.

15 September, 2022

The staggering costs of COVID-19 outlined in a Lancet Commission report.

Professor Margaret Hellard AM contributed to the report which highlights widespread failures in the global COVID-19 response, but also recommends 11 ways to stop history repeating itself.

15 September, 2022

Imagining COVID is ‘like the flu’ is cutting thousands of lives short. It’s time to wake up.

Professors Brendan Crabb and Michael Toole examine the common narrative comparing COVID to influenza in this commentary for The Conversation.

15 September, 2022

Symposium brings students together again

Burnet Institute honours, masters and PhD students came together to showcase their work at the recent 2022 Student Symposium.

13 September, 2022

Reflecting on the importance of the 56th PNG Medical Symposium

Locally led conferences allow for the sharing of new ideas as well as insights into local issues that aren’t always evident at more internationally focussed meetings, writes Dr Stefanie Vaccher.

08 September, 2022

Burnet research being presented at PNG Medical Symposium

The impact of COVID-19 on leading diseases and medical treatment in Papua New Guinea is a major focus of this week’s Medical Society of PNG’s Symposium in Port Moresby.

07 September, 2022

Burnet awarded grant to develop next generation liver test

The Burnet Diagnostics Initiative will develop a rapid point-of-care test to better monitor liver health, thanks to funding from the Victorian Government.

06 September, 2022

Prestigious grant to profile responses to COVID-19 vaccines in vulnerable people

Burnet Institute is part of a consortium awarded a $6.3 million MRFF grant to profile COVID-19 vaccine responses in our most vulnerable populations.

August, 2022 (13)

31 August, 2022

Time to explore decriminalisation of drug use on International Overdose Awareness Day

Burnet Institute endorses the call to reform current policy responses to drug use, including exploring opportunities to decriminalise drug use.

29 August, 2022

Burnet recognises stellar service of departing Board members

Burnet Institute would like to publicly recognise the amazing service of Professor Sharon Lewin, Professor Peter Colman and Professor Christina Mitchell, who have all stepped down from the Board this year.

26 August, 2022

New insights into RTS,S efficacy and immune response in children

Burnet research, published in BMC Medicine, identifies waning immunity and previous exposure to malaria among children as challenges to overcome with global RTS,S malaria vaccine.

24 August, 2022

Burnet congratulates Jim and Margaret Beever Fellow and travel award recipients

Malaria researcher, Dr Fiona Angrisano awarded Jim and Margaret Beever Fellowship for 2022.

19 August, 2022

Preparing for the next pandemic

The new Australian Institute for Infectious Disease (AIID) will be a key asset in responding to future pandemics and other global health challenges.

16 August, 2022

Burnet farewells Dr Stenard Hiasihri

Dr Stenard Hiasihri - a key member of Burnet’s Papua New Guinea leadership team - is leaving the Institute later this month.

12 August, 2022

Modelling quantifies the potential benefits of mask wearing against Omicron

Burnet modelling for the Victorian Government has reaffirmed the benefits of masks and that Omicron variants may still be going undiagnosed or unreported.

10 August, 2022

Risk of long COVID builds each time you get infected

What’s happening with COVID in Australia is simply not sustainable, Burnet’s Professor Brendan Crabb AC told ABC’s AM Program. Find out why.

10 August, 2022

Distance affects usage of Richmond's supervised injecting facility

Melbourne should consider additional supervised injecting rooms according to a Burnet-led report

09 August, 2022

A breakthrough - three million free N95 and KN95 masks for Victorians

Burnet supports the Victorian Government’s move to offer high-quality masks to help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 this winter.

05 August, 2022

Dr Alisa Pedrana is Gust-McKenzie Medalist

Burnet Institute Senior Research Fellow and coordinator of the EC Australia partnership, Dr Alisa Pedrana is Burnet’s Gust-McKenzie Medalist for 2022.

04 August, 2022

Burnet teams up with Monash and BioCurate to develop novel HIV antivirals

Burnet Institute and Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences have received funding from BioCurate to develop next-generation HIV antivirals.

04 August, 2022

Burnet research honoured at AIDS 2022

Dr Rachel Sacks-Davis and Professor Mark Stoové have been recognised for their outstanding research with an IAS/MSD Prize for Research in HIV Prevention.

July, 2022 (10)

28 July, 2022

Burnet launches bold 2030 Strategy

At Burnet, we are helping to create the future of health – where diseases are eliminated, the world is more prepared, and future generations thrive.

28 July, 2022

Act on the evidence to improve COVID control

Public health experts call on political leaders to implement an evidence-based, comprehensive COVID response.

28 July, 2022

This World Hepatitis Day, it’s your right to live free of hep C

A new public health campaign targeting declining hepatitis C testing and treatment rates aims to keep Australia on track to eliminate the disease by 2030.

28 July, 2022

Australia’s response to COVID in the first 2 years was one of the best in the world.

Why do we rank so poorly now? Article by Professors Brendan Crabb AC and Mike Toole.

28 July, 2022

Hep Free by 2030: Eliminating hepatitis C is a human right

True elimination requires addressing the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with hepatitis, and in their post-cure lives | World Hepatitis Day webinar.

28 July, 2022

Direct-acting antivirals can cure hepatitis C and prisons are now leading efforts to eliminate the virus

Direct-acting antivirals can cure hepatitis C and prisons are now leading efforts to eliminate the virus.

20 July, 2022

COVID isn’t in the rearview mirror

COVID-19 isn’t in the rearview mirror, and we need to change our mindset accordingly, Burnet Institute Director and CEO Professor Brendan Crabb tells ABC NewsRadio.

19 July, 2022

Deaths due to COVID-19 and impacts of long COVID top concerns on social media

Deaths related to COVID-19 and the impacts of long COVID are two of the main themes revealed in the latest TIGER C19 social media analysis.

18 July, 2022

Reducing COVID-19 transmission top priority

Australia needs to renew its focus on reducing COVID-19 transmission, says Burnet Institute Director and CEO Professor Brendan Crabb AC.

04 July, 2022

Call for new mindset on COVID-19

Burnet Institute Director and CEO Professor Brendan Crabb believes a change of attitude is urgently needed to address the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.

June, 2022 (10)

29 June, 2022

New vaccines to eliminate malaria by 2030

The global burden of malaria has increased, alongside the spread of drug-resistant infections. There is now a sense of urgency to develop more effective vaccines to combat the disease and accelerate towards elimination.

27 June, 2022

Legal, safe, timely and compassionate abortion care is an essential health service

Burnet Institute is concerned and dismayed at the decision of the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v Wade and thereby remove protections for legal abortion and reproductive rights.

26 June, 2022

A vaccines-plus strategy: our defence against COVID-19

COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be brilliant, but vaccination alone is not enough. Like any medical intervention, they’re not perfect. Reproduced from Impact Winter edition.

23 June, 2022

Don’t pump brakes: our COVID strategy must change to reflect reality

Professor Brendan Crabb and Professor Mike Toole argue for the urgent need for Australia’s leaders to adopt an anti-transmission COVID strategy without disruptive restrictions.

16 June, 2022

Near-miss a boost for hepatitis research

A new award, the Victorian Near-miss Award Pilot, will enable Dr Alisa Pedrana to continue her research into the elimination of hepatitis C in Australia.

15 June, 2022

Vale Professor Ruth Bishop AC

The Board and staff of Burnet Institute are deeply saddened by the recent passing of Professor Ruth Bishop whose rotavirus research helped prevent the deaths of thousands of children and infants globally.

13 June, 2022

Queen's Birthday Honours

Burnet Institute offers its warmest congratulations to associates and collaborators recognised in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

10 June, 2022

Harnessing research fields and expertise to solve a major health problem

A Medical Research Week feature

10 June, 2022

New scholars to honour Evelyn Lavu

Laboratory scientists Nomin-Dora Tenakanai and Jennifer Kopania Banamu are the inaugural winners of the Evelyn Lavu scholarship to address tuberculosis in Papua New Guinea.

09 June, 2022

Return to work a culture change

Burnet Institute shares the challenge faced by many businesses of how best to manage the return to work on-site of staff and students accustomed to working from home.

May, 2022 (9)

26 May, 2022

Burnet support for National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to reflect on what reconciliation means to us and how we can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

19 May, 2022

Reducing COVID transmission by 20 per cent could save 2,000 Australian lives this year

Burnet’s Know-C19 team - Professors Margaret Hellard AM and Brendan Crabb AC, Dr Nick Scott and Dominic Delport, explain in The Conversation.

18 May, 2022

Excelling in a year of challenges and pandemic

Our Annual Report highlights Burnet’s contributions to the pandemic response and life-changing work in at-risk communities.

18 May, 2022

Burnet Institute partners with Moderna to develop novel mRNA vaccines

Collaboration will accelerate vaccine development for high-burden infectious diseases such as malaria.

17 May, 2022

COVID-19 still featuring on social media radar

The latest TIGER C19 report shows COVID themes continue to be discussed online, but less frequently.

13 May, 2022

Complacency over COVID is costing us

Professors Brendan Crabb AC and Mike Toole AM have called for an urgent change of mindset to one where reducing the number of cases matters. Article published in The AGE.

12 May, 2022

New partnership to accelerate diagnostic health solutions for remote and rural communities

Burnet to partner with New Zealand biotech company, Orbis Diagnostics on new point-of-care diagnostics.

12 May, 2022

Burnet Institute – Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan

Burnet takes significant step in support of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s self-determination, and the strengthening of relationships.

05 May, 2022

Burnet support for investment boost in region's health

Burnet is among leading health, development and research institutions campaigning for fairer access to healthcare for people in the Indo-Pacific region.

April, 2022 (11)

29 April, 2022

Burnet Institute and WEHI stand with transgender and gender diverse people

A statement of support for transgender and gender diverse people from Burnet Institute and WEHI.

29 April, 2022

New funding for hepatitis campaigns

EC Australia, co-ordinated by Burnet Institute, welcomes AUD $1.25 million in new funding from the Australian Government Department of Health.

27 April, 2022

Boost for major project to tackle AMR in PNG

Tackling antimicrobial resistance in Papua New Guinea will benefit from a renewal of funding for a major Burnet-led project.

27 April, 2022

The case for companionship in labour

A new Burnet-led study identifies the benefits and means to companionship during labour and birth in health facilities in Papua New Guinea.

27 April, 2022

Professor Elizabeth Hartland new Chair of VicAAMRI

Professor Elizabeth Hartland succeeds Professor Brendan Crabb as Chair of the Victorian Chapter of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes.

25 April, 2022

Three pillars of malaria elimination

On World Malaria Day, we’re affirming our commitment to a research program built on prevention, detection and treatment to accelerate the process of malaria elimination globally.

25 April, 2022

Positive steps to malaria control

New diagnostic tools and treatment strategies are positive developments in the chellenge to control the dominant malaria parasite in the Asia-Pacific region.

22 April, 2022

Benishar's story: “His eyes were rolling back in his head.”

Malaria researcher Benishar Kombut shares her terrifying experience the moment she realised her six-week-old son had malaria.

12 April, 2022

Proposal to end COVID daily death count

Will a bid to ‘live with’ the virus without scrutiny lead to more deaths? Professor Allan Saul spoke with RN Drive’s Andy Park

05 April, 2022

A QuickStart to treatment for hepatitis C

A new Burnet project that simplifies testing and treatment for hepatitis C is seeking participation from high prevalence health clinics.

05 April, 2022

Australia needs leadership in vaccine production

A national vision and leadership will be needed to make vaccine development in Australia sustainable, Professor Allan Saul argues.

March, 2022 (15)

29 March, 2022

Budget funding for medical research welcomed

Burnet Institute welcomes medical research funding of AUD $6.8 billion over the next four years announced in Federal budget.

25 March, 2022

Concern over slow third-dose take up

Professor Brendan Crabb is concerned about the slow take up of third COVID-19 doses in Australia and the prospect that new variants will emerge.

24 March, 2022

Burnet's commitment to TB elimination

On World TB Day 2022, Burnet Institute reaffirms its commitment to the ambitious global target to eliminate TB as a public health threat by 2030.

24 March, 2022

New global guidelines to manage childhood TB

Burnet’s Professor Steve Graham has overseen the development of new WHO guidelines for the management of tuberculosis in children and adolescents.

24 March, 2022

As tuberculosis resurges in the Asia Pacific, what lessons from Covid can save Australia?

Professor Brendan Crabb AC and Ms Negaya Chorley call for Australia to commit funds to the fight against TB in Asia-Pacific.

23 March, 2022

New Burnet scholarship for PNG health professionals dedicated to TB research

Scholarship honours the late Professor Evelyn Lavu’s great contribution to tuberculosis research.

21 March, 2022

Burnet joins global network in a bid to rapidly solve global health challenges

Faster access to funding and global networks will help Burnet accelerate its research breakthroughs.

16 March, 2022

Why upgrading your face mask is crucial

With new potential COVID-19 variants on the horizon, infectious diseases physician, Doctor Khai Lin Huang explains why it’s time to consider adopting better masks in the community.

11 March, 2022

Concerted action a key to COVID vaccine development

A new report has identified the factors that enabled vaccines for COVID-19 to be developed and authorised so quickly and effectively.

11 March, 2022

Why PNG vaccine coverage matters for Australians

Dr Stefanie Vaccher explains why new COVID-19 variant threats mean the pandemic is not over for anyone, until it’s over for everyone

10 March, 2022

Combatting global vaccine inequity

Addressing vaccine inequity globally is crucial to ending the pandemic for all, Burnet Director and CEO Professor Brendan Crabb tells SBS.

09 March, 2022

New malaria treatments essential as drug resistance grows

Burnet scientists are working to develop new drugs to ensure the long term goal of malaria elimination isn’t derailed.

08 March, 2022

IWD 2022: Malaria and the journey from control to elimination

On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the work of a trio of early career scientists at Burnet to strengthen and innovate malaria control across our region.

03 March, 2022

Social media analysis reveals return to work concerns

New analysis of recent social media posts has revealed concerns about the prospect of returning to work and general support for the vaccination and booster program.

02 March, 2022

Fulbright Scholar is Boston-bound

Burnet researcher Michael Traeger has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to support his studies focused on HIV prevention.

February, 2022 (9)

25 February, 2022

Burnet joins health leaders to showcase latest medical research discoveries

Readers can now keep abreast of cutting-edge developments from medical research institutes across Australia in one place, for the first time.

23 February, 2022

Bolstering COVID-19 vaccine uptake among injecting drug users

New research, co-authored by Burnet’s Professor Paul Dietze, reveals almost half of people who inject drugs reported being hesitant to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

15 February, 2022

Spend billions, save trillions: it’s in rich nations’ self-interest to vaccinate the world

Australia needs to invest more now in international COVID-19 public health efforts writes Professor Jane Halton and Professor Brendan Crabb AC in the SMH/The Age.

11 February, 2022

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Women at Burnet come together to inspire young women and girls to pursue an impactful, exciting and rewarding career in science.

10 February, 2022

Adapting to a ‘pandemic enlightenment phase’

Professor Brendan Crabb joined Alan Kohler’s Eureka Report podcast, to provide listeners with the latest scientific updates and developments amid the changing nature of the pandemic.

07 February, 2022

OzSage urging rethink on COVID commentary

Independent expert body urges governments to act immediately to decrease the death rate from COVID-19, and for mortality data to be disclosed objectively in a context of respect.

07 February, 2022

New Country Director for Papua New Guinea

Burnet is pleased to announce three senior appointments to our program in Papua New Guinea including new Country Director, Dr Chani Kudakwashe.

04 February, 2022

Australia must go to 'next level' on vaccine support

Professor Brendan Crabb argues Australia needs to go to the ‘next level’ with its support for collaborations to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to countries in need.