Overview
Background
Prof Colleen Lau - MBBS (UWA), MPHTM (JCU), PhD (UQ), FRACGP, FACTM, FISTM.
Prof Colleen Lau is an NHMRC Fellow and Professorial Research Fellow at the UQ Centre for Clinical Research. Her areas of expertise include emerging infectious diseases, neglected tropical diseases, and clinical travel medicine. Her wide range of research interests include infectious disease epidemiology, spatial epidemiology and disease mapping, infectious disease surveillance and elimination, vaccinations, travel health, environmental health, and digital decision support tools. Professor Lau’s research projects focus on answering practical questions in clinical management of infectious diseases and operational questions on improving strategies to solve public health problems. She leads UQ's HERA program on Operational Research and Decision Support for Infectious Diseases (ODeSI).
Availability
- Professor Colleen Lau is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, University of Western Australia
- Postgraduate Diploma in Travel Medicine, James Cook University
- Masters (Coursework) of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University
- Doctor of Philosophy of Public Health, The University of Queensland
- Member, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
- Member, Asia Pacific Travel Health Society, Asia Pacific Travel Health Society
- Board Member, Australasian College of Tropical Medicine, Australasian College of Tropical Medicine
- Fellow, Australasian College of Tropical Medicine, Australasian College of Tropical Medicine
- Honorary Academic, Australian National University, Australian National University
- Board Member, Healthy Environments and Lives (HEAL) Network, Healthy Environments and Lives (HEAL) Network
- Fellow, International Society of Travel Medicine, International Society of Travel Medicine
- Honorary Academic, James Cook University, James Cook University
- Journal Editorial Board Member, Journal of Travel Medicine, Journal of Travel Medicine
- Journal Editorial Board Member, One Health, One Health
- Journal Editorial Board Member, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
- Fellow, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
- Journal Editorial Board Member, Socio-Environmental Systems Modelling, Socio-Environmental Systems Modelling
- Journal Editorial Board Member, Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
Research interests
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Neglected Tropical Diseases
Operational research on lymphatic filariasis elimination. Spatial epidemiology. Disease hotspots. Integrated surveillance. Pacific Islands.
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Emerging Infectious Diseases
Leptospirosis. Arboviruses. Zoonoses. Spatial epidemiology and disease mapping. Environmental drivers of disease transmission and outbreaks.
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Clinical Travel Medicine
Vaccinations. Malaria prophylaxis. Health and wellbeing of travellers.
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Digital decision support tools
Works
Search Professor Colleen Lau’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2013
Journal Article
Dengue surveillance by proxy: travellers as sentinels for outbreaks in the Pacific Islands
Lau, C. L., Weinstein, P. and Slaney, D. (2013). Dengue surveillance by proxy: travellers as sentinels for outbreaks in the Pacific Islands. Epidemiology and Infection, 141 (11), 2328-2334. doi: 10.1017/S0950268813000058
Featured
2012
Journal Article
Leptospirosis in American Samoa - estimating and mapping risk using environmental data
Lau, Colleen L., Clements, Archie C. A., Skelly, Chris, Dobson, Annette J., Smythe, Lee D. and Weinstein, Philip (2012). Leptospirosis in American Samoa - estimating and mapping risk using environmental data. Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases, 6 (5) e1669, e1669. 1-e1669. 11. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001669
Featured
2012
Other Outputs
Environmental drivers of human Leptospirosis infection in American Samoa - emergence, risk analysis, and disease mapping
Lau, Colleen (2012). Environmental drivers of human Leptospirosis infection in American Samoa - emergence, risk analysis, and disease mapping. PhD Thesis, School of Population Health, The University of Queensland.
Featured
2010
Journal Article
Climate change, flooding, urbanisation and leptospirosis: Fuelling the fire?
Lau, Colleen L., Smythe, Lee D., Craig, Scott B. and Weinstein, Philip (2010). Climate change, flooding, urbanisation and leptospirosis: Fuelling the fire?. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 104 (10), 631-638. doi: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2010.07.002
Featured
2010
Journal Article
Leptospirosis: An emerging disease in travellers
Lau, Colleen, Smythe, Lee and Weinstein, Philip (2010). Leptospirosis: An emerging disease in travellers. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 8 (1), 33-39. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2009.12.002
2024
Journal Article
Effects of mobility, immunity and vaccination on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the Dominican Republic: a modelling study
Finch, Emilie, Nilles, Eric J., Paulino, Cecilia Then, Skewes-Ramm, Ronald, Lau, Colleen L., Lowe, Rachel and Kucharski, Adam J. (2024). Effects of mobility, immunity and vaccination on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the Dominican Republic: a modelling study. The Lancet Regional Health - Americas, 37 100860, 100860. doi: 10.1016/j.lana.2024.100860
2024
Journal Article
Operational research to inform post-validation surveillance of lymphatic filariasis in Tonga study protocol: history of lymphatic filariasis elimination, rational, objectives, and design
Lawford, Harriet, Tukia, Ofa, Takai, Joseph, Sheridan, Sarah and Lau, Colleen L. (2024). Operational research to inform post-validation surveillance of lymphatic filariasis in Tonga study protocol: history of lymphatic filariasis elimination, rational, objectives, and design. PLoS One, 19 (8) e0307331. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307331
2024
Journal Article
Field laboratory comparison of STANDARD Q Filariasis Antigen Test (QFAT) with Bioline Filariasis Test Strip (FTS) for the detection of Lymphatic Filariasis in Samoa, 2023
Scott, Jessica L., Mayfield, Helen J., Sinclair, Jane E., Martin, Beatris Mario, Howlett, Maddison, Muttucumaru, Ramona, Won, Kimberly Y., Thomsen, Robert, Viali, Satupaitea, Tofaeono-Pifeleti, Rossana, Graves, Patricia M. and Lau, Colleen L. (2024). Field laboratory comparison of STANDARD Q Filariasis Antigen Test (QFAT) with Bioline Filariasis Test Strip (FTS) for the detection of Lymphatic Filariasis in Samoa, 2023. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 18 (8), e0012386. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012386
2024
Journal Article
Anti-filarial antibodies are sensitive indicators of lymphatic filariasis transmission and enable identification of high-risk populations and hotspots
Lawford, Harriet, Mayfield, Helen, Sam, Filipina Amosa-Lei, Viali, Satupaitea, Kamu, Tito, Cooley, Gretchen, Simon, Ashley, Martin, Diana and Lau, Colleen L (2024). Anti-filarial antibodies are sensitive indicators of lymphatic filariasis transmission and enable identification of high-risk populations and hotspots. International Journal of Infectious Diseases 107194, 107194. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107194
2024
Journal Article
Ongoing transmission of lymphatic filariasis in Samoa 4.5 years after one round of triple-drug mass drug administration
Mayfield, Helen J., Sartorius, Benn, Sheridan, Sarah, Howlett, Maddison, Mario Martin, Beatris, Thomsen, Robert, Tofaeono-Pifeleti, Rossana, Viali, Satupaitea, Graves, Patricia M. and Lau, Colleen L. (2024). Ongoing transmission of lymphatic filariasis in Samoa 4.5 years after one round of triple-drug mass drug administration. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 18 (6) e0012236, e0012236. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012236
2024
Journal Article
Characterization of gram-negative bloodstream infections in hospitalised Australian children and their clinical outcomes
Wen, Sophie C.H., Harris, Patrick N. A., Forde, Brian, Permana, Budi, Chatfield, Mark D., Lau, Colleen L., Spurling, Geoffrey, Bauer, Michelle J., Balch, Ross, Chambers, Henry, Schlapbach, Luregn J., Clark, Julia E., Dougherty, Sonia, Blyth, Christopher C., Britton, Philip N., Clifford, Vanessa, Haeusler, Gabrielle M., McMullan, Brendan, Wadia, Ushma, Paterson, David L., Irwin, Adam D., on behalf of the PAEDS network, Carr, Jeremy, Vasilunas, Nan, Francis, Joshua R., Macartney, Kristine, Crawford, Nigel W., Wood, Nicholas, Buttery, Jim ... Glover, Catherine (2024). Characterization of gram-negative bloodstream infections in hospitalised Australian children and their clinical outcomes. Clinical Infectious Diseases. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciae341
2024
Journal Article
Definition and classification of 'travellers' in research: a bibliometric analysis
Shiferaw, Wondimeneh, Dean, Judith A., Mills, Deborah, Lau, Colleen and Furuya-Kanamori, Luis (2024). Definition and classification of 'travellers' in research: a bibliometric analysis. Journal of Travel Medicine, 31 (4) taae048. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taae048
2024
Journal Article
A systematic review and meta-analysis of sexually transmitted infections and blood-borne viruses in travellers
Shiferaw, Wondimeneh, Martin, Beatris Mario, Dean, Judith A., Mills, Deborah, Lau, Colleen, Paterson, David, Koh, Kenneth, Eriksson, Lars and Furuya-Kanamori, Luis (2024). A systematic review and meta-analysis of sexually transmitted infections and blood-borne viruses in travellers. Journal of Travel Medicine, 31 (4) taae038. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taae038
2024
Journal Article
Trust and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the Dominican Republic: a national cross-sectional household survey, June–October 2021
Garnier, Salomé, Then, Cecilia, de St Aubin, Michael, Cadavid Restrepo, Angela, Mayfield, Helen J., Dumas, Devan, Duke, William, Peña, Farah, Kucharski, Adam J., Skewes, Ronald, Zielinski Gutiérrez, Emily, Coyoli, Julia, Etienne, Marie Caroline, Lau, Colleen L., Vázquez, Marietta and Nilles, Eric (2024). Trust and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the Dominican Republic: a national cross-sectional household survey, June–October 2021. BMJ Open, 14 (5) e081523, 1-8. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081523
2024
Journal Article
Post-marketing surveillance of 10,392 herpes zoster vaccines doses in Australia
Muttucumaru, Ramona, Lau, Colleen L., Leeb, Alan, Mills, Deborah J., Wood, Nicholas and Furuya-Kanamori, Luis (2024). Post-marketing surveillance of 10,392 herpes zoster vaccines doses in Australia. Vaccine, 42 (13), 3166-3171. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.066
2024
Journal Article
Integrating sexual and reproductive health into pre-travel consultations
Santoalaya, Carlos, Malhotra, Juhi, Fowler, James A., Warzywoda, Sarah, Debattista, Joe, Mills, Deborah J., Lau, Colleen, Furuya-Kanamori, Luis, Durham, Jo, Mullens, Amy B., Istiko, Satrio Nindyo and Dean, Judith A. (2024). Integrating sexual and reproductive health into pre-travel consultations. Journal of Travel Medicine, 31 (4) taae024. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taae024
2024
Other Outputs
Integrated serosurveillance of infectious diseases using multiplex bead assays: A systematic review
Ward, Selina, Lawford, Harriet, Sartorius, Benn and Lau, Colleen (2024). Integrated serosurveillance of infectious diseases using multiplex bead assays: A systematic review. Middletown, DE United States: INPLASY - International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols. doi: 10.37766/inplasy2024.4.0094
2024
Journal Article
Novel chikungunya and dengue vaccines—travel medicine applications
Steffen, Robert, Hamer, Davidson H, Chen, Lin H, Caumes, Eric and Lau, Colleen L (2024). Novel chikungunya and dengue vaccines—travel medicine applications. Journal of Travel Medicine, 31 (4) taae064. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taae064
2024
Journal Article
Malaria cases in China acquired through international travel, 2013–2022
Zhu, Yan, Restrepo, Angela Cadavid, Wang, Hai-Bo, Mills, Deborah J, Liang, Rong-Rong, Liu, Zhi-Bin, Lau, Colleen L and Furuya-Kanamori, Luis (2024). Malaria cases in China acquired through international travel, 2013–2022. Journal of Travel Medicine. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taae056
2024
Journal Article
Use of Dengvaxia® in Australian travellers: a case series
Zhu, Yan, Mills, Deborah J., Mills, Christine, Lau, Colleen L. and Furuya-Kanamori, Luis (2024). Use of Dengvaxia® in Australian travellers: a case series. Journal of Travel Medicine, 31 (4), 1-3. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taae052
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Colleen Lau is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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Epidemiology of notifiable diseases in Australia
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Vaccine preventable diseases in travellers
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Risk benefit analysis and decision support tools for vaccines
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Integrated Surveillance of Neglected Tropical Diseases and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Benn Sartorius, Dr Harriet Lawford
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Doctor Philosophy
Spatio-temporal epidemiology of vector-borne diseases in the Dominican Republic
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Helen Mayfield, Dr Angela Cadavid Restrepo, Associate Professor Benn Sartorius
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Doctor Philosophy
Machine learning in epidemiology research on African Swine Fever epidemic in the Philippines Outline
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Luis Furuya Kanamori
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Doctor Philosophy
A big-data approach to the epidemiology of foodborne and enteric zoonoses in Queensland
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dwan Vilcins, Professor Ricardo Soares Magalhaes
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Doctor Philosophy
Gram-negative bloodstream infections in Australian children
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Geoff Spurling, Mr Mark Chatfield, Associate Professor Adam Irwin
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Doctor Philosophy
The long-term cardiovascular complications of COVID-19
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Helen Mayfield, Dr Linda Gallo, Associate Professor Nathan Palpant, Associate Professor Kirsty Short
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Doctor Philosophy
Delivering human and ecosystem health co-benefits through integrated watewater management: improving disease prevention, fisheries, and marine environments in Fiji
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Helen Mayfield, Dr Amelia Wenger, Associate Professor Carissa Klein
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Doctor Philosophy
Enhancing infectious disease surveillance through the integration of routinely collected data
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Amalie Dyda
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Doctor Philosophy
Effectiveness of digital Dengue early warning system (E-DENGUE) for Dengue control in the Mekong Delta Region
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dung Phung
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Doctor Philosophy
Assessing risk of importation of sexually transmitted infections into Australia by international travellers
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Judith Dean, Dr Luis Furuya Kanamori
Completed supervision
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Spatiotemporal impact of an eight-year mass drug administration programme on soil transmitted helminth infections and anaemia in Burundi.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ricardo Soares Magalhaes
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Spatial epidemiological approaches to quantify the role of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in cognitive dysfunction in school-aged population
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Nielsen, Professor Ricardo Soares Magalhaes
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Colleen Lau directly for media enquiries about:
- Infectious diseases
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