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Research Groups
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Tong Group
Steve’s group conducts clinical trials to optimise the treatment of infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other bacterial pathogens. He also investigates the epidemiology and genomics of streptococcal infections, hepatitis B, influenza, and antimicrobial resistance in Australian Indigenous communities.
Other work areas include:Staphylococcus aureus, Immunology, Viral Infectious Diseases, Bacterial and Parasitic Infections, Public Health
Current Projects
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Genomic and clinical epidemiology of emerging Staphylococcus aureus clones
The epidemiology of staphylococcal infections is dynamic. The reasons for the waxing and waning of clones is not well understood. Our work seeks to elucidate drivers of emerging clones and especially the role of antibiotic resistance. We have a particular interest in S. aureus clones from remote northern Australia where rates of MRSA dwarf that of elsewhere in Australia.
We have also defined and named a new species of Staphylococcus. Staphylococcus argenteus (so named as it lacks the golden pigment of S. aureus) is increasingly recognized as a cause of serious infections globally. Our work aims to understand the population biology and clinical consequences of this new species.
Lab Team
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Clinician researcher
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NHMRC early career fellow
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Senior Research Fellow
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Jake LaceyPost-doctoral Researcher
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Barbara ScherClinical Research Manager
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Clinical Trial Manager
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Will CuninghamResearch Assistant
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Aaron WeinmanPhD Student
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Centre for Antibiotic Allergy and Research
The Centre for Antibiotic Allergy and Research focuses on translational drug allergy diagnostics, health services interventions and antibiotic allergy clinical trials.
Other work areas include:Public Health
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Howden Group
Research from Professor Ben Howden’s group uses genomics, molecular biology, epidemiology and clinical studies to address a broad range of issues related to invasive bacterial diseases in humans, especially those caused by staphylococci, enterococci and other antimicrobial-resistant species. Additionally, working closely with scientists in the MDU PHL, they investigate the epidemiology, evolution and spread of bacterial pathogens of public health significance such as Neisseria gonorrhoea, Listeria monocytogenes, Shigella and Salmonella spp., Legionella spp., and carbapenemase-producing gram-negative bacteria.
Professor Benjamin Howden
Director Of Microbiological Diagnostic Unit (MDU) Public Health Laboratory
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Liaskos Group
The Liaskos group is primarily focused on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions, with particular focus on bacterial pathogens and bacterial membrane vesicles. We use a range of microbiology and immunology-based techniques to examine how bacterial pathogens that infect humans cause disease, and how the host detects and responds to these pathogens and their products.
Other work areas include:Immunology, Bacterial and Parasitic Infections
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McVernon Group
Jodie McVernon’s group uses established and emerging biostatistical, epidemiologic and modelling methods to address infectious diseases questions of public health relevance. We bring a suite of collaborators from animal health and ecology to provide a ‘One Health’ perspective on emerging human pathogens.
Other work areas include:COVID-19, Viral Infectious Diseases, Public Health
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National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship
The National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship (NCAS) is a health services research program that aims to improve the use of antimicrobials across animal and human health, to influence national policy, and to generate a research workforce across nurses, pharmacists, doctors and veterinarians. NCAS aims to lead and facilitate the embedding of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) within clinical practice across diverse healthcare settings and among different practitioner groups in Australia. Its research and surveillance programs aim to improve antimicrobial prescribing by understanding prescribing behaviours through qualitative and quantitative methods, monitoring current prescribing patterns across healthcare settings, identifying targets for quality improvement, and developing interventions, new policies and practices.
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Robins-Browne Group
Research in Roy’s laboratory is partly focused on how E. coli causes diarrhoea, with the aims of identifying better ways to diagnose, treat and prevent these infections. Another theme is the development of new types of antibacterial agents.
Other work areas include:Enteric infections, Immunology
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Stinear Group
Tim Stinear’s group’s research addresses priorities across four connected themes that including hospital superbugs, pathogenic mycobacteria, natural product discovery and public health genomics that aim to understand and contain the spread of bacteria causing serious human disease.
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VICNISS
The VICNISS Coordinating Centre provides a state-wide, standardised surveillance service for healthcare associated infections (HAIs) and related events. The goal of VICNISS is to monitor and reduce the incidence of HAIs, providing support for health services in Victoria. VICNISS aims to support Victorian health services to carry out international best practice surveillance and analysis, and to lead interventions for quality improvement to improve the health of all Victorians.
VICNISS provides a source of high quality data for regular performance monitoring, and for a valuable resource for the research community. Over the time of VICNISS surveillance, infection rates in key areas of focus have fallen markedly, reducing the significant financial and personal cost of these infections on both individual patients and the health system.
VICNISS collaborates with the National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship (NCAS), with a major involvement in aged care NAPS (ac-NAPS). VICNISS is also engaged by DHHS Residential Aged Care Services to carry out monitoring of infection control indicators in Victoria’s public residential aged care services, including participation in ac-NAPS.
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