Background

Merryn completed a Bachelors of Medical Science at the Australian National University in 2016 and went on to do her Honours in 2017 through the University of Melbourne at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza. The project was investigating the effects of egg adaptations on influenza viruses during vaccine propagation.

In 2018 Merryn continued work at the WHO Collaborating Centre as a Medical Scientist doing surveillance on influenza drug resistance and worked as an Outbreak Scientist for the WHO Polio Reference Laboratory sequencing viruses from the Polio outbreak in Papa New Guinea.

Merryn is now a PhD candidate at Monash University, the focus of her project is investigating the immunological effects of Mass Drug Administration for Malaria on communities in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

Positions

• 2018: Outbreak Scientist, WHO Polio Regional Reference Laboratory, National Enterovirus Reference Laboratory, VIDRL
• 2018: Medical Scientist, WHO Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, Melbourne
• 2017: Laboratory Demonstrator, University of Melbourne
• 2015: Pathology Lab Aid, Sonic Healthcare

Qualifications

• 2017: BSc Honours, University of Melbourne, Australia
• 2016: Bachelor of Medical Science, The Australian National University, Australia

Awards

• 2014: Tuckwell Centenary Scholarship, Australian National University
• 2013: Long Tan leadership award, Australian Defence Force Academy

Projects (3)

Current (3)

• Host and parasite factors that predict Artemisinin Resistance reservoirs
  Understanding how population immunity seeds transmission of malaria infectious reservoirs, including drug resistant parasites
• Impact of declining transmission on immunity and risk of malaria rebound
  As malaria transmission falls, it is critical to understand how changing immunity affects risk of malaria.
• Serological surveillance to identify mosquito exposure and malaria transmission
  Identifying and understanding “hot spots” and “hot pops” of malaria transmission are crucial to target interventions for elimination.