Program Lead: A/Prof Heather Gidding , Prof Raina MacIntyre (clinical trials)
Prof Raina MacIntyre, A/Prof Bette Liu, Dr Rob Menzies, Dr Alex Rosewell, Dr David Muscatello, A/Prof Anthony Newall, Dr David Muscatello, A/Prof Robin Turner, A/Prof James Wood, Dr Surendra Karki, Dr Anita Heywood, Dr Abrar Chughtai
Students: Dr Aye Moa

Infectious diseases epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of infectious diseases. Biostatistical methods (statistics applied to biology) are employed in these epidemiological studies to provide quantitative answers to research questions.

Our team includes strong quantitative epidemiologists, modellers, biostatisticians and health economists specialising in the study of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs). Our complimentary expertise enables us to conduct a broad range of epidemiological studies including several which maximise the utility of routinely collected data, population-based surveys, and specially designed studies such as vaccine clinical trials. We are currently undertaking studies to:

•         measure VPD immunity in different populations and modelling these data to estimate the level of disease control,
•         estimate the burden of VPDs,
•         measure vaccine uptake in special risk groups,
•         determine factors associated with delayed vaccination,
•         evaluate vaccine efficacy and effectiveness in risk groups by conducting clinical trials and using linked population-based data,
•         conducting field epidemiologic research to strengthen surveillance and improve VPD control.