Clinical Associate Professor Deborah Lehmann has been recognised for her dedication to reducing the burden of infectious diseases in Papua New Guinea (PNG) with an award supporting research in the Western Pacific named in her honour.
Announced this week at the PNG Institute of Medical Research’s 50th Anniversary celebrations, the Deborah Lehmann Research Award acknowledges Professor Lehmann’s significant contribution towards preventing pneumococcal disease – a major killer of young children in PNG and other developing countries.
Working closely with the PNG Institute of Medical Research, Professor Lehmann has been investigating which pneumococcal vaccines can provide the best possible protection for babies in this region and the optimum time to provide them.
“The impact of Professor Lehmann’s work in PNG over the past 30 years is impossible to measure,” said Dr Tom Snelling, Director of the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases at The Kids Research Institute Australia.
“We know pneumonia is responsible for over one million childhood deaths around the world each year, so Professor Lehmann’s work preventing pneumococcal disease has the potential to save the lives of many thousands of babies,” said Dr Snelling.
Professor Lehmann lived and worked in PNG, where she is affectionately known as Mama Deborah, for nearly two decades before moving back to Australia to continue her research. She has made a long-lasting impression on those who have been fortunate to work with her throughout her career, including the numerous researchers she has mentored who are following in her footsteps to build on the work she has accomplished.
“We are very proud to announce this Award in recognition of Professor Lehmann’s work in PNG, and we look forward to seeing young researchers continuing her legacy by providing better prevention and treatment solutions for children in this region,” said Dr Snelling.
In addition to her work in PNG, Professor Lehmann is a medical practitioner with research expertise in acute respiratory infections, otitis media (middle ear infections) and Aboriginal health, and was named Officer of the Order of Australia in 2012.
The Deborah Lehmann Research Award, supported by the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, will provide training and development for early career researchers and students in the Western Pacific Region who are investigating infectious diseases in children.
Applications for the Award are open until 7th November, 2018. For more information or to submit an application, email WCVID.SMB@telethonkids.org.au or visit infectiousdiseases.telethonkids.org.au