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Kin | August 2019
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4a38e329-9b86-487d-b12c-1155be566e89.gif Kirby Institute News | August 2019 Facebook Twitter Youtube Donate
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A message from our Director,
Professor Anthony Kelleher

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This past quarter at the Kirby Institute has seen us continue to forge ahead in making key research breakthroughs, and growing our institute through collaboration.

We were very excited to share the news this week that the Australian Research Council (ARC) has awarded almost $5 million to establish one of four Research Hubs, which will be led by Professor Rebecca Guy. The ARC Research Hub to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance brings together over 20 organisations, who will take a multidisciplinary approach to develop solutions to tackle antimicrobial resistance, focusing on sexually transmitted microorganisms. I encourage you to join with me in congratulating Rebecca and her team and to read more about this excellent collaborative initiative.

Our 2018 Annual Report has just been released. It highlights some of our achievements from last year, again stressing the importance of collaborative approaches to impactful research. The report format is engaging and accessible; a great vehicle for displaying our productivity in 2018. I hope you enjoy reviewing the report.

The Kirby Institute is a global leader in best practice clinical research, and so it was fitting to shine a spotlight on some of our fantastic clinical trials coordinators on International Clinical Trials Day in May. 

Our high quality public health surveillance activities continued, with the launch of the National HIV Quarterly Report. This reflects the move to releasing National HIV data quarterly. However, reporting will continue to culminate in our Annual Surveillance Report at the end of the year.

The latest report on the national uptake of hepatitis C treatment is also available on our website, as is the latest data from Australia's Needle Syringe Program Survey, which has shown a very significant decrease in hepatitis C among people who use drugs. 

It was fitting that we were able to report on some positive news in hepatitis C testing, treatment and cure in the leadup to World Hepatitis Day at the end of July. The "Drug use and human rights: the missing piece of the hep C elimination puzzle?" World Hepatitis Day Seminar, hosted in conjunction with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including our Patron, The Hon Michael Kirby, who spoke about drug use and human rights. Thank you to Professor Greg Dore and his team who had the foresight to organise this, and to to all who joined us.

There are also some staff congratulations in order. Professor Rebecca Guy has been named a NSW Tall Poppy for 2019 this month. Her work in surveillance and evaluation of public health interventions related to HIV and STIs is internationally renowned, and this award will be a wonderful opportunity to share her expertise with a broad Australian audience. And, Dr Allison Marshall has received the Kirby Institute Postgraduate Student Prize for 2019 for her paper on restrictions to hepatitis C treatments across Europe and the implications for people who inject drugs. I invite you to read more about these terrific achievements below.

Sincerely,

Anthony Kelleher, Director of the Kirby Institute

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Research Highlights
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Research 1
Read the latest HIV numbers in the National HIV Quarterly Report 
Read More
Kirby Institute receives $2.2 million for world-first study to enhance hepatitis C testing and treatment among key populations 
Read More
New collaborative report shows many Australians have been cured of hepatitis C, but many more are missing out Read More
Kirby Institute research finds Australian parents susceptible to anti-vaccination messaging from politicians Read More
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Trial succeeds at drastically reducing two highly infectious skin diseases
Read More
Report: Steep declines in hepatitis C among people who inject drugs show Australia’s treatment for all approach is working
Read More
New research finds hep C treatment is safe and effective with minimal clinical monitoring
Read More
Our researchers discover that changes in testing for cervical cancer could lead to an increase in Trichomonas vaginalis Read More
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News and Events
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Launching the David Cooper Memorial Fund

In memory of our Inaugural Director, the late Professor David Cooper AC, the Kirby Institute has launched the David Cooper Memorial Fund to support the research endeavours closest to David's heart.

Read more and donate
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ARC awards $5m to establish Research Hub tackling antimicrobial resistance at the Kirby Institute

Led by Professor Rebecca Guy, the ARC Research Hub to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance will take on the challenge of antimicrobial resistance for Australia through a world-first partnership between industry, researchers and end users, establishing Australia as a global leader in this area.

Read more
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Kirby Institute Annual Report 2018

We are pleased to share our 2018 Annual Report. Read about some of our research achievements from last year.

Read more
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Professor Rebecca Guy named NSW Tall Poppy 

Professor Rebecca Guy, Head of our Surveillance, Evaluation and Research Program, has received a NSW Tall Poppy Science Award. The initiative recognises and celebrates Australian scientific leaders, with the aim of engaging them with a wider Australian audience.

Read more
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Global leaders gather in effort to eliminate hepatitis C

In June, the Kirby Institute, in collaboration with the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), hosted the first meeting of the new ASCEND Program Grant, an innovative new partnership designed to address issues of drug dependence and hepatitis C in unison.

Read more
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Congratulations Dr Alison Marshall!

Dr Alison Marshall was awarded the Kirby Institute Postgraduate Student Prize for 2019. The prize is awarded annually to the most significant first author paper by a Kirby Institute student, published in the previous calendar year in a peer-reviewed journal in the area of infectious diseases.

Read more
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Media
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How Australia Could Almost Eradicate H.I.V. Transmissions (10 July, New York Times)

HIV diagnosis lowest in almost 2 decades (3 July, The National Tribune)

HIV diagnoses in Australia reach 18-year low (3 July, Gay Star News)

HIV diagnoses in Australia drop to lowest number in 18 years (3 July, Mirage News)

Nearly 3 in 4 men eligible for PrEP in Australia aren't taking it, study finds
(21 June, Star Observer)

Combating mosquito-borne diseases with bacteria (11 June, The National Tribune)

The gene therapy revolution is here. Medicine is scrambling to keep pace
(5 June, The Conversation)

STI superbug crisis looms (31 May, ABC Radio National)

Labor commits $15m for National Health and Climate Centre at UNSW
(9 May, Mirage News)

VIDEO: Australia achieves high HCV therapy uptake among injection drug users
(22 April, Healio)

HIV on the rise among straight Australians
(21 April, The Feed SBS)

Hepatitis C Patients At No Elevated Risk of Developing HCC Following DAA Compared To Interferon (20 April, Targeted Oncology)

“Old And Inside”: How Prisons Are Coping With An Ageing Inmate Population
(15 April, HelloCare)

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Starting from scratch, doctors beat the tropical curse of scabies (12 April, Aged Care InSite)

Trial succeeds at drastically reducing two highly infectious skin diseases
(8 April, HealthTimes)

Ageing prisoners are challenging the system inside and out
(8 April, The New Daily)

Paving way for universal health coverage: World Health Day (5 April, Mirage News)

Parents susceptible to anti-vaccine messages from public figures
(5 April, Australian Pharmacist)

New health strategy for trans and gender diverse Australians
(4 April, Gay Star News)

Trump vs doctors: who do parents listen to on vaccination? (1 April, AusDoc)

Vulnerable populations left behind in race for sexual health (1 April, MJA InSight)

The ups and downs of 'Chemsex'
(31 March, ABC Radio National)

Let us vaccinate you, says Guild
(28 March, AJP.com.au)

“Profound change” in HIV clinical culture 
(25 March, MJA InSight)

Man Diagnosed HIV+ While Using PrEP “On Demand”
(22 March, Instinct)

Man’s desperate plea: My wife went through menopause and now she won’t get frisky
(22 March, Starts at 60)

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