Dr Richard Gray is a Senior Research Fellow in the Surveillance, Evaluation and Research Program at the Kirby Institute. He leads the Mathematical Epidemiology and Evaluation Research Group and has extensive experience designing, implementing, and analysing models of the transmission of HIV, viral hepatitis, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), SARS-CoV-2, and arboviruses.
Richard has collaborated with social researchers, epidemiologists, clinicians and public health workers to develop numerous complex models to understand the trajectories of epidemics and evaluate the potential impact of public health strategies in Australia, Papua New Guinea (PNG), across Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa.
Richard led the modelling of DAA treatment roll-out for HCV to inform the coverage required to meet the WHO HCV elimination targets. He also conducted mathematical modelling to assess the cost-effectiveness of PrEP for HIV prevention in Australian gay men. Based on this analysis, among other matters, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee recommended the listing of HIV PrEP onto the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Richard is responsible for producing annual estimates of Australia’s diagnosis and care cascades for HIV, viral hepatitis, and other STIs in the reported in the HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmissible infections for national surveillance. In the past he has completed projects for Australian departments of health, key Australian community organizations, WHO, UNAIDS, and the World Bank. He regularly provides estimates of HIV epidemiology, burden, and program costs to the Australian Department of Health and the key community organizations to inform policy development.