The Kirby Institute has wide-ranging expertise in the field of infectious diseases and epidemic response, and is using that knowledge to address coronavirus disease COVID-19.
Whilst sharing our expertise to assist in the response to COVID-19, and contribute to the growing evidence base, we continue to adhere to the advice and procedures of the World Health Organization, the Australian Department of Health, NSW Health and other state health authorities, and UNSW Sydney.
Read our statement on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Latest health advice
For the most up to date advice relating to health precautions, COVID-19 symptoms and testing, please refer to the below authorities:
- World Health Organization
- Australian Government Department of Health
- Australian Government Department of Home Affairs (travel)
- NSW Health
Research papers and resources
- Integrated Systems for Epidemic Response, UNSW Sydney (updated regularly)
- Australian Partnership for Preparedness Research on Infectious Disease Emergencies (APPRISE) (updated regularly)
Media and comment
- 'Coronavirus experts Dr Norman Swan and Professor Raina MacIntyre answer your COVID-19 questions', The Conversation Hour, ABC Radio Melbourne, 16 March 2020
- 7.30, ABC, featuring Professor Raina MacIntyre, 11 March 2020 (This episode will be available until 8:00pm, 10 April 2020)
- ‘On a knife’s edge of a COVID-19 pandemic: is containment still possible?’ (Editorial), Professor Raina MacIntyre, Public Health Research and Practice, 10 March 2020
- Coronavirus questions answered (Video, featuring Professor Raina MacIntyre), Australian Academy of Science, 1 March 2020
- ‘Coronavirus research must focus on more than just a vaccine’ (Op Ed), Professor John Kaldor, Sydney Morning Herald, 24 February 2020
- Novel coronavirus COVID-19: update of current evidence and epidemic trajectory (Video), Kirby Institute Seminar Series, Professor Raina MacIntyre, 18 February 2020
Media enquiries
Lucienne Bamford, Media and Communications Manager, Kirby Institute
Mobile: +614 32 894 029, Email: lbamford@kirby.unsw.edu.au
Our experts
Professor Raina MacIntyre
NHMRC Principal Research Fellow and Head, Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute
Professor MacIntyre’s expertise lies in emerging infectious diseases, outbreak investigation, biosecurity and public health control of epidemics.
Professor John Kaldor
NHMRC Principal Research Fellow and Head, Public Health Interventions Research Group, Kirby Institute
Professor Kaldor has over 30 years’ experience in the epidemiology and control of a wide range of infectious diseases in Australia and internationally.
Professor Gregory Dore
NHMRC Practitioner Fellow and Head, Viral Hepatitis Clinical Research Program, Kirby Institute
Professor Gregory Dore has been involved in infectious diseases epidemiological and clinical research, clinical care and public health policy for 20 years. As an infectious diseases physician and researcher, he has undertaken extensive epidemiological and therapeutic research in relation to hepatitis C and HIV, and other infectious diseases.
Associate Professor Gail Matthews
Clinical Academic and Infectious Diseases Specialist, Kirby Institute
Associate Professor Matthews is clinician scientist who has explored novel mechanisms to study and prevent viral spread in communities and efficient approaches to treatment of viral infections. She is an infectious diseases physician who heads up the infectious diseases service at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney.
Professor Anthony Kelleher
Director, Kirby Institute
Professor Kelleher is a clinician scientist who has lead laboratory-based research and clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of viral infections. He is a clinical immunologist and immunopathologist at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. His expertise covers molecular immunovirology and the conduct of Phase I to Phase IV clinical trials.
Professor Rebecca Guy
Head, Surveillance, Evaluation and Research Program, Kirby Institute
Professor Guy has expertise in surveillance and evaluation of public health interventions related to HIV and sexually transmissible infections. Her research focuses on reducing the impact of HIV sexually transmissible infections (STIs) in vulnerable populations, including implementation and evaluation of point-of-care testing and prevention initiatives to reduce the transmission of HIV and STIs (including HPV) in a range of settings.
Associate Professor Mark Polizzotto
Head, Therapeutic and Vaccine Research Program, Kirby Institute
Associate Professor Polizzotto is head of the Kirby Institute’s Therapeutic and Vaccine Research Program. On Steering committee Contributing to an adaptive trial design for severe disease in the NIH sponsored global International Network for Strategic Initiatives in Global HIV Trials (INSIGHT) network (http://insight.ccbr.umn.edu/)
Associate Professor Rowena Bull
Associate Professor, Viral Immunology Systems Program, Kirby Institute
Associate Professor Bull studies the viral evolution of RNA viruses, in particular, hepatitis C virus, norovirus and influenza. She been investigating the viral and host factors that different RNA viruses use to generate diversity and maintain their survival in the population. She uses interdisciplinary approaches involving cutting edge virological, immunological and bioinformatic techniques.
Associate Professor Stuart Turville
Associate Professor, Immunvirology and Pathogensis Program, Kirby Institute
Associate Professor Turville’s work examines the basic mechanisms of HIV spread, from tracking entry and fusion of single HIV virions through to the more logistically challenging task of tracking viral spread through cell-cell contact. To date, Kirby Institute laboratory is one of only a few laboratories worldwide that can image HIV spread in live HIV infected primary cell types to observe HIV being launched by cellular filopodia, thanks to Associate Professor Turville's work.
Header image: CDC/ Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAMS.
