Chief Investigators:
CIA: Professor Bart Currie
CIB: Professor Jonathan Carapetis
CIC: Professor Nick Anstey
CID: Professor John McBride
CIE: Professor Anne Chang
CIF: Associate Professor Gail Garvey
CIG: Associate Professor Louise Maple-Brown
CIH: Professor Tania Sorrell
CII: Professor Cameron Simmons
CIJ: Professor Stephen Graham
Associate Investigators:
Professor Alex Brown
Dr Anna Ralph
Professor Cheryl Jones
Dr Christopher Blyth
Professor James McCarthy
Dr Joshua Hanson
Professor Ric Price
Professor Robyn McDermott
Professor Scott Richie
Associate Professor Steven Tong
Project description
Enduring challenges in the tropical north of Australia are to: improve the health of Indigenous populations; support, grow and retain healthcare professionals and scientists; and optimise surveillance, communication and research translation.
Building on >25 yrs of research leadership and service delivery in northern Australia, ‘Improving Health Outcomes in the Tropical North’ will strengthen partnerships with key research institutions across the NT, Qld, WA, NSW, Vic and SA, by undertaking an integrated research agenda that will help close the gap in Indigenous health disadvantage, protect the north from emerging infectious threats and engage regional neighbours. We will establish a collaborative network that will incorporate Indigenous engagement and knowledge translation, facilitating collaborative projects with southern partners. Our programme will coordinate and value-add to our current Centres of Research Excellence and funded research programmes with a footprint across northern Australia.
We have five key research themes: a) skin health; b) respiratory health; c) antimicrobial resistance; d) chronic diseases; and e) vector borne and emerging diseases.
Research translation will be directed by and achieved through five peak committees: a) Executive Steering Group; b) Indigenous Governance Committee; c) Research Translation, Policy and Practice Advisory Board; d) Laboratory Advisory Board; and e) Northern Neighbour Advisory Board.
Our programme will accelerate translation of new knowledge into regional and national guidelines for the prevention and management of diseases relevant to the north and our northern neighbours. To capacity build we will: a) attract and support researchers (PhD and post-docs) to work on projects of priority to the north; b) provide in-service teaching and research training to health staff across the north; and c) attract, mentor and develop the next generation of health and medical research leaders across the north.
Plain Language summary
Improving Health Outcomes in the Tropical North will strengthen partnerships with research institutions in the NT, Qld, WA, NSW, Vic and SA, by undertaking a research agenda that will help close the gap in Indigenous health disadvantage, protect the north from emerging infectious threats and engage regional neighbours. We will establish a northern Australian network that incorporates Indigenous engagement, mentoring and knowledge translation, and facilitates collaboration with southern partners.
Funders: NHMRC