Research themes
Human notifiable zoonotic disease response
Sixty per cent of known infectious diseases of humans and up to 75 per cent of new or emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic in origin, many of which have a wildlife reservoir of infection.
To solve zoonotic disease emergence at the human–wildlife interface, a multi-sectoral, transdisciplinary and systems-based One Health research approach is needed. We bring together experts who have dedicated their careers to quantifying and combatting potential zoonotic threats to human and animal health.
Zoonotic notifable diseases experts, data scientistis, disease modellers and infectious disease diagnosticians work together to:
- enhance integrated surveillance for major zoonotic notifiable diseases of Queenslanders
- develop early warning algoithms for alerting zoonotic disease hotspots
- test innovative diagnostic technologies for the detection and monitoring of potential zoonotic threats to human and animal health.
Our people
Foodborne risks
Foodborne illness imparts a significant disease burden worldwide, with a total of 33 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost due to death and disability. Animal-source foods account for at least 35 per cent of this burden.
Australia has some of the highest rates of campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis compared to many developed countries, with the majority of these cases considered foodborne.
We aim to:
- clarify pathways for microbial exposure and infection in both animals and humans through advanced genomic sequencing so that risk managers can develop appropriate control and prevention strategies
- reduce the logistic endeavour of integrating foodborne illness data and food chain surveillance from multiple agencies involved in regulation of the food supply system
- develop integrated analyses of foodborne illness and food chain surveillance data to identify significant determinants of human disease and relevant data gaps.
Our people
Antimicrobial resistance and the environment
Antimicrobials are essential to manage and prevent diseases in humans, companion animals, livestock and plants.
Agribusiness relies on access to effective antimicrobials to treat infections, some of which have zoonotic potential. However, the misuse of antimicrobials across human and animal health has contributed to a bottleneck of effective treatments through the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
AMR is a significant public health challenge due to its impact on health outcomes for humans and animals. It is also likely to impact future economic and market access for Australia’s food and agribusiness sectors.
We aim to deliver solutions to monitor and reduce the pressures and drivers of AMR in agribusiness systems and associated environments.
We will build the evidence base to:
- better understand the nexus of AMR transfer across human, animal and ecosystems
- shield Australian agribusiness industries from the introduction of new regulations restricting access to antimicrobials.
Our people
Comparative environmental oncology
Cancer is a major cause of death in animal and human populations. Data availability is necessary to advance clinical and epidemiological evidence towards monitoring and evaluating the efficacy of treatments and help drive research and development of intervention priorities.
Such information is best derived from harmonised cancer data registries. While these are commonplace in human medicine, veterinary cancer registries have been sporadic, short-lived and uncoordinated. Companion animals are sentinels of certain human cancers of environmental origin, and a One Health cancer data asset can point to shared cancer hotspots and uncover associated predisposing environmental risk factors for cancers in animals and humans.
Several veterinary cancers are well-established models for homologous cancers in the human population. Veterinary patients have a shorter lifespan compared to humans and can act as an “early warning system” for comparable human cancers. Human cancer population-level studies rely on measurement of exposures, which can take years to develop. The availability of a human–animal cancer data asset can provide insights into early exposure and human cancer outcomes.
Researchers in this theme have developed the ACARCinom platform, the first Australia-wide registry of animal and complementary human cancers that will generate a sustainable, unified, integrated and accessible data asset for identifying patterns and trends in animal and human cancers, as well as quantifying the role of predisposing risk factors.
Our people
- Associate Professor Chiara Palmieri (Theme Leader)