Although developing whiz bang drug treatments and vaccines are really important to fighting disease, it isn’t the end of it. We often need to be able to get these treatments to people who need them and often these people might be living in resource-poor countries overseas. Burnet has a team of doctors, epidemiologists and health care professionals who make up our Public Health Programs. These field programs run through our Centre for Population Health and Centre for International Health – offer partnership, knowledge and experience to communities both here in Australia and overseas to develop appropriate and sustainable responses to important health issues.

Centre for Population Health

The work of the Centre for Population Health (CPH) improves the health of the community by conducting innovative research into the major public health problems associated with infectious diseases,drugs and related behaviours.

HIV, hepatitis C, sexually transmitted infections, malaria, tuberculosis and drug and alcohol misuse are serious health concerns in Australia and the Asia and Pacific Region. It is an enormous challenge to reduce the impact of these diseases and behaviours, particularly in highly vulnerable populations and disease endemic areas.

CPH implements multidisciplinary scientific programs that use cutting-edge epidemiology, high quality laboratory science, excellent clinical and social research, and strong public health principles to address these major health problems in our region.

The Centre undertakes a broad spectrum of work, ranging from research that helps to better understand the priority diseases and their transmission and ecology, to discovery science with potential for longer term benefits such as therapeutics and vaccines, to health systems oriented research that directly influences health policy.

The Centre Population Health works across Victoria to undertake research and surveillance to measure and reduce the impact of serious infectious diseases on our community. Most of its work is focused on young people looking at their lifestyle and how we can develop strategies to ensure that they don’t develop serious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis or chlamydia. We also work with culturally and linguistically diverse groups like the Vietnamese community as well as a range of minority groups. More…

Centre for International Health

Burnet’s Centre for International Health assists with the health needs of many countries throughout Asia, Africa and the Pacific. It engages a range of stakeholders including: populations at greatest risk of disease, government health departments, health NGOs and community-based organisations, and other agencies such as UNICEF, UNAIDS and the WHO. Some of the areas it works in is the prevention of infectious diseases, education and training, building health systems, women’s and children’s health and working with vulnerable communities. More…