Explore the Faculty
Professor Ian Barr, Deputy Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, VIDRL and Doherty Institute, Melbourne, Australia
Professor Ian Barr is currently the Deputy Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza which was designated in 1992 (one of 5 globally). The Centre plays a key role in the national and regional surveillance of human and zoonotic influenza viruses as well as having an active research program. Ian has over 35 years’ experience with academic and commercial organisations, including 25 years at the Centre. He has authored or co-authored over 300 scientific publications including more than 250 peer reviewed journal articles, reviews and editorials on various aspects of influenza and RSV.
Dr. Michelle Wille, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Pathogen Genomics, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza
Dr Michelle Wille is a Senior Research Fellow and Outreach Coordinator at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza and the University of Melbourne. Dr Wille is an expert in avian virus ecology and evolution, with a long standing interest in avian influenza. She is a member of OFFLU (OIE/FAO Network of Expertise on Animal Influenza) and sits on numerous working groups and committees aiming to develop guidelines for undertaking surveillance, performing diagnostics, and advise on appropriate response measures. She has extensively contributed to preparation activities for HPAI in Australia and Antarctica, including undertaking risk assessments and providing expert advice.
Emma Rooke, Assistant Director, One Health Unit, Interim Centre for Disease Control
Dr Archana Koirala, Paediatrician and Infectious Diseases Specialist; Clinical Researcher, University of Sydney
Dr Archana Koirala is a paediatric infectious diseases physician at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and Nepean Hospital. She manages the New South Wales Immunisation Specialist Service and is a Clinical Lecturer at the University of Sydney. She has an interest in respiratory virus transmission and impact in children and has assisted NSW Health on their RSV prevention program. Dr Koirala is also the Chair of ASID,s VACSIG and a member of the ANZPID Committee.
A/Prof Katherine Gibney, NHMRC Principal Research Fellow
A/Prof Katherine Gibney is an infectious diseases physician, public health physician and medical epidemiologist. She is deputy director of the Victorian Infectious Diseases Service (VIDS) at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and a principal research fellow in the Department of Infectious Diseases at the University of Melbourne. Katherine leads clinical research trials in invasive streptococcal infections and epidemiological research into infectious diseases of public health importance, including vaccine preventable diseases. She is a member of ATAGI and contributed to the RSV immunisation product working groups of ATAGI and the WHO.
Professor Peter Richmond, Consultant Paediatric Immunologist, Perth Children’s Hospital
Professor Peter Richmond is a
Consultant Paediatric Immunologist and Paediatrician at Perth Children’s Hospital
and is Head of the Immunology Department at the Child and Adolescent Health
Service in WA. He also heads the Vaccine Trials Group within the Wesfarmers
Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases at the Telethon Kids Institute and
is Head of the Discipline of Paediatrics at the UWA Medical School. His major
research interests are in the prevention of meningitis, pneumonia, respiratory
infections and otitis media. He has authored over 300 scientific publications
in these areas and has worked in vaccine research for over 25 years.
Professor Paul Kelly, former Chief Medical Officer and Head of Interim Australian Centre for Disease Control
Professor Paul Kelly was the Chief Medical Officer during most of the COVID pandemic, acting as the principal advisor to the Australian Government and chair of the Australian Health Protection Committee. He was the inaugural Head of Interim Australian Centre for Disease Control during 2024. A public health physician and epidemiologist by training, Professor Kelly has previously worked in research, health systems development, post-graduate teaching and as a health service executive in several Australian and international jurisdictions. He has a particular interest in emerging infectious diseases and pandemic preparedness.
A/Prof Claire Hooker, Associate Professor and Risk Communication Researcher, Health and Medical Humanities / Arts and Health at University of Sydney
Claire Hooker is Associate Professor in Health and Medical Humanities at Sydney Health Ethics and President of the Arts Health Network NSW/ACT.
Claire’s research supports people to flourish through good communication and understanding. Her current research includes a range of projects in risk communication about infectious disease and environmental health risks, as well as in arts and health. Claire is especially interested in methods that enable improved communication where there is significant disagreement or conflict. With the Sydney Arts and Health Collective, she created the verbatim theatre play Grace Under Pressure, which has been performed widely in hospitals to improve healthcare workplace culture.
Claire has published 4 books and 85 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, found here or via ORCiD.
Professor Allen Cheng, Professor/Director, Infectious Diseases, Monash Health
Allen works as an infectious diseases’ physician. His key interests are in influenza, antibiotic resistance and hospital-acquired infections.
He is involved in influenza surveillance in Australian hospitals as well as clinical trials in infectious diseases and infection prevention.
He is Professor/Director of Monash Infectious Diseases at Monash Health and the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash University. He has a PhD (Flinders University), a Master of Public Health (Monash University) and a Master of Biostatistics (University of Queensland).
Prof Cheng is a past President of the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID). He has been a member of expert writing groups for several national guidelines, including Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic and Australian Infection Control Guidelines for NHMRC. He was Chair of the Advisory Committee for Vaccines and previously Co-Chair of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was Acting Victorian Chief Health Officer.
Dr Craig Dalton, Public Health Physician, Conjoint Assoc. Professor, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Craig Dalton is a public health physician with a MMSc in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Newcastle and is a graduate of the CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service, Atlanta, Georgia. He completed a Preventive Medicine Fellowship in the Foodborne and Diarrhoeal Disease Branch at CDC in 1995.
He is the founder of Flutracking.net - one of the largest online participatory surveillance system in the world with over 150,000 Australians reporting their flu-like symptoms every week in winter across Australia and New Zealand in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He won Research Australia's Data Innovation Award for Flutracking in 2018
Dr John-Sebastian Eden, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Virus Research - Westmead Institute for Medical Research & Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute - University of Sydney
Dr John-Sebastian Eden is a Senior Research Fellow in the Faculty of Medicine and Health who leads a research group in the Centre for Virus Research at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research. His team uses genomics to understand RNA virus emergence and evolution, particularly in the context of zoonotic disease at the interface of human-animal health
Professor Vitali Sintchenko, Clinical Microbiologist, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty Member, Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (SydneyID)
Professor Vitali Sintchenko leads the Pathogen Emergence and Spread Research Theme at the Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (SydneyID) of the University of Sydney. As a clinical pathologist , he supervises public health microbial genomics service based at the Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research – New South Wales Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital. His primary research interests are in genomics, advanced diagnostics and epidemiology bacterial pathogens with epidemic potential and the integration of genomics into new models of precision medicine and public health.
Dr Andrea Britton, One Health Consultant and Director of Ultimate Efficacy Consulting, co-convenor One Health Special Interest Group of Public Health Association of Australia and One Health Lecturer Adelaide University and member Pacific Region Infectious Diseases Association One Health group.
Andrea is a global One Health Advisor, impactful leader and talented knowledge broker with a strong background in Public Health, epidemiology, stakeholder engagement, policy development, zoonotic disease control, antimicrobial resistance, strengthening surveillance systems and laboratory capacity, and emergency disease prevention, preparedness and response (PPR). She works at the human-animal-agriculture and ecosystem interface with emerging and re-emerging diseases. Having consulted for World Health Organisation, World Organisation for Animal Health, Governments (State and Federal), regulators, private-sector and NGO’s she has enormous experience at applying evidence-based cross-sector and transdisciplinary strategies and joint action plans. With Agriculture, Veterinary Science and Public Health training and extensive international development experience and networks, she is keen to support operationalising One Health at all levels.
Prof Catherine Bennett, Deakin Distinguished Professor and Chair in Epidemiology
Catherine is Distinguished Professor and the foundation Chair in Epidemiology at Deakin University. Over her career, her experience as an infectious disease epidemiologist and public health researcher extends across universities and government, including NSW Health and the Victorian Government. She was Director of Population Health Practice at the University of Melbourne before joining Deakin as Head, School of Health and Social Development from 2010-2019. Her research focusses on community transmission of infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance. Catherine is a public health analyst and advisor to industry, governments, and institutions globally, and as one of the three-person Independent Panel that led the Australian Government COVID-19 Response Inquiry.
Dr Irene Kourtis, Chief Executive Officer, Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases
Dr. Irene Kourtis is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID), leading the organisation’s strategic direction and championing its role as the peak body for infectious diseases in Australia and New Zealand. With a strong background in virology and a PhD from the Burnet Institute and RMIT University, Irene brings both scientific insight and executive leadership to the forefront of ASID’s work.
Since stepping into the CEO role, Irene has focused on strengthening ASID’s impact through strategic partnerships, advocacy, member engagement, and fostering the next generation of infectious diseases professionals. Her leadership is shaping ASID’s contribution to public health policy and clinical research in a rapidly evolving health landscape.
Prior to joining ASID, Irene held executive positions across the biomedical and health sectors, including CEO of the Australian Genome Research Facility and Neuroscience Trials Australia. She also brings deep governance experience through her board roles with organisations such as the BioMelbourne Network.
Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases
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