Location:
The Kirby Institute Level 6 Seminar Room Wallace Wurth Building UNSW Australia Sydney NSW 2052
Open to
All
Contact for enquiries
Rata Joseph +61 (0)2 9385 0900 rjoseph@kirby.unsw.edu.au
The Kirby Institute is pleased to present:
Dr Louise Causer-Lecturer, Kirby Institute
"The research pathway: from point-of-care test development to improving sexual health in remote communities in Australia."
Tuesday 5th May 2015
Lunch will be served at 12.30pm
1pm - 2pm
Please RSVP to rjoseph@kirby.unsw.edu.au for catering purposes before COB Monday 4th May 2015.
Abstract:
"The research pathway: from point-of-care test development to improving sexual health in remote communities in Australia."
There are a number of critical steps along the research pathway to bring a new diagnostic technology from development to programmatic use and ultimately, to improving health in a community. These steps include demonstration of accuracy, reliability, acceptability, impact and cost-effectiveness in a variety of settings. Recent technological advances have led to the commercial availability of a new molecular-based POC test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea. Such a diagnostic test could improve sexual health in remote Australian communities where burden of infection is high, through improving time-to-treatment and minimising numbers of those remaining untreated. Research conducted along the pathway and key results supporting the broader implementation of this new POC test across remote communities in Australia and beyond will be presented during this seminar.
Biography:
Dr Louise Causer is a lecturer and PhD candidate at The Kirby Institute. As a medical epidemiologist with a keen interest in infectious diseases, Louise has worked over the past 15 year across a number of international public health issues, with her most recent efforts focusing on the role of point-of-care (POC) diagnostics for STIs. Louise is a co-investigator on the TTANGO and TTANGO2 “Test, Treat and Go” trials evaluating the impact, cost-effectiveness, feasibility, acceptability and sustainability of a new molecular-based POC test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea in remote communities across Australia.