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Professor Colleen Lau
Professor

Colleen Lau

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 64747

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

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
  • Fellow, Australasian College of Tropical Medicine, Australasian College of Tropical Medicine
  • Board Member, 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
  • 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

  • Neglected Tropical Diseases

    Operational research on lymphatic filariasis elimination. Spatial epidemiology. Disease hotspots. Integrated surveillance. Pacific Islands.

  • Emerging Infectious Diseases

    Leptospirosis. Arboviruses. Zoonoses. Spatial epidemiology and disease mapping. Environmental drivers of disease transmission and outbreaks.

  • Clinical Travel Medicine

    Vaccinations. Malaria prophylaxis. Health and wellbeing of travellers.

  • Digital decision support tools

Works

Search Professor Colleen Lau’s works on UQ eSpace

237 works between 2002 and 2025

1 - 20 of 237 works

Featured

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, 31 (8) taae056. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taae056

Malaria cases in China acquired through international travel, 2013–2022

Featured

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, 147 107194. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107194

Anti-filarial antibodies are sensitive indicators of lymphatic filariasis transmission and enable identification of high-risk populations and hotspots

Featured

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, 1-12. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307331

Operational research to inform post-validation surveillance of lymphatic filariasis in Tonga study protocol: history of lymphatic filariasis elimination, rational, objectives, and design

Featured

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, 1-13. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012386

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

Featured

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

Ongoing transmission of lymphatic filariasis in Samoa 4.5 years after one round of triple-drug mass drug administration

Featured

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

Novel chikungunya and dengue vaccines: travel medicine applications

Featured

2023

Journal Article

Using regional sero-epidemiology SARS-CoV-2 Anti-S antibodies in the Dominican Republic to inform targeted public health response

Mario Martin, Beatris, Cadavid Restrepo, Angela, Mayfield, Helen, Then Paulino, Cecilia, De St Aubin, Micheal, Duke, William, Jarolim, Petr, Zielinski Gutiérrez, Emily, Skewes Ramm, Ronald, Dumas, Devan, Garnier, Salome, Etienne, Marie Caroline, Peña, Farah, Abdalla, Gabriela, Lopez, Beatriz, de la Cruz, Lucia, Henríquez, Bernarda, Baldwin, Margaret, Sartorius, Benn, Kucharski, Adam, Nilles, Eric James and Lau, Colleen L. (2023). Using regional sero-epidemiology SARS-CoV-2 Anti-S antibodies in the Dominican Republic to inform targeted public health response. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 8 (11) 493, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed8110493

Using regional sero-epidemiology SARS-CoV-2 Anti-S antibodies in the Dominican Republic to inform targeted public health response

Featured

2023

Journal Article

The impact of COVID-19 on knowledge, beliefs, and practices of Ni-Vanuatu health workers regarding antibiotic prescribing and antibiotic resistance, 2018 and 2022: a mixed methods study

Foxlee, Nicola D., Taleo, Siti Aishah, Mathias, Agnes, Townell, Nicola, McIver, Lachlan and Lau, Colleen L. (2023). The impact of COVID-19 on knowledge, beliefs, and practices of Ni-Vanuatu health workers regarding antibiotic prescribing and antibiotic resistance, 2018 and 2022: a mixed methods study. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 8 (10) 477, 1-19. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed8100477

The impact of COVID-19 on knowledge, beliefs, and practices of Ni-Vanuatu health workers regarding antibiotic prescribing and antibiotic resistance, 2018 and 2022: a mixed methods study

Featured

2023

Journal Article

Scabies prevalence after ivermectin-based mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis, Samoa 2018–2019

Willis, Gabriela A., Kearns, Therese, Mayfield, Helen J., Sheridan, Sarah, Thomsen, Robert, Naseri, Take, David, Michael C., Engelman, Daniel, Steer, Andrew C., Graves, Patricia M. and Lau, Colleen L. (2023). Scabies prevalence after ivermectin-based mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis, Samoa 2018–2019. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 17 (8) e0011549, 1-15. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011549

Scabies prevalence after ivermectin-based mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis, Samoa 2018–2019

Featured

2023

Journal Article

A decision support tool for risk–benefit analysis of Japanese encephalitis vaccine in travellers

Lau, Colleen L., Mills, Deborah J., Mayfield, Helen, Gyawali, Narayan, Johnson, Brian J., Lu, Hongen, Allel, Kasim, Britton, Philip N., Ling, Weiping, Moghaddam, Tina and Furuya-Kanamori, Luis (2023). A decision support tool for risk–benefit analysis of Japanese encephalitis vaccine in travellers. Journal of Travel Medicine, 30 (7) taad113. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taad113

A decision support tool for risk–benefit analysis of Japanese encephalitis vaccine in travellers

Featured

2023

Journal Article

Spatial predictive risk mapping of lymphatic filariasis residual hotspots in American Samoa using demographic and environmental factors

Cadavid Restrepo, Angela M., Martin, Beatris M., Fuimaono, Saipale, Clements, Archie C. A., Graves, Patricia M. and Lau, Colleen L. (2023). Spatial predictive risk mapping of lymphatic filariasis residual hotspots in American Samoa using demographic and environmental factors. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 17 (7) e0010840, e0010840. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010840

Spatial predictive risk mapping of lymphatic filariasis residual hotspots in American Samoa using demographic and environmental factors

Featured

2023

Journal Article

Immunogenicity of a single fractional intradermal dose of Japanese encephalitis live attenuated chimeric vaccine

Furuya-Kanamori, Luis, Gyawali, Narayan, Mills, Deborah J., Mills, Christine, Hugo, Leon E, Devine, Gregor J. and Lau, Colleen L. (2023). Immunogenicity of a single fractional intradermal dose of Japanese encephalitis live attenuated chimeric vaccine. Journal of Travel Medicine, 30 (2) taac122, 1-8. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taac122

Immunogenicity of a single fractional intradermal dose of Japanese encephalitis live attenuated chimeric vaccine

Featured

2022

Journal Article

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, cumulative infections, and immunity to symptomatic infection – A multistage national household survey and modelling study, Dominican Republic, June–October 2021

Nilles, Eric J., Paulino, Cecilia Then, de St. Aubin, Michael, Restrepo, Angela Cadavid, Mayfield, Helen, Dumas, Devan, Finch, Emilie, Garnier, Salome, Etienne, Marie Caroline, Iselin, Louisa, Duke, William, Jarolim, Petr, Oasan, Timothy, Yu, Jingyou, Wan, Huahua, Peña, Farah, Iihoshi, Naomi, Abdalla, Gabriela, Lopez, Beatriz, Cruz, Lucia de la, Henríquez, Bernarda, Espinosa-Bode, Andres, Puello, Yosanly Cornelio, Durski, Kara, Baldwin, Margaret, Baez, Amado Alejandro, Merchant, Roland C., Barouch, Dan H., Skewes-Ramm, Ronald ... Lau, Colleen L. (2022). SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, cumulative infections, and immunity to symptomatic infection – A multistage national household survey and modelling study, Dominican Republic, June–October 2021. Lancet Regional Health - Americas, 16 100390, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.lana.2022.100390

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, cumulative infections, and immunity to symptomatic infection – A multistage national household survey and modelling study, Dominican Republic, June–October 2021

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

Dengue surveillance by proxy: travellers as sentinels for outbreaks in the Pacific Islands

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

Leptospirosis in American Samoa - estimating and mapping risk using environmental data

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.

Environmental drivers of human Leptospirosis infection in American Samoa - emergence, risk analysis, and disease mapping

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

Climate change, flooding, urbanisation and leptospirosis: Fuelling the fire?

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

Leptospirosis: An emerging disease in travellers

2025

Journal Article

Spatial multilevel analysis of individual, household, and community factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the Dominican Republic

Kiani, Behzad, Sartorius, Benn, Martin, Beatris Mario, Cadavid Restrepo, Angela, Mayfield, Helen J., Paulino, Cecilia Then, Jarolim, Petr, De St Aubin, Micheal, Ramm, Ronald Skews, Dumas, Devan, Garnier, Salome, Etienne, Marie Caroline, Peña, Farah, Abdalla, Gabriela, Kucharski, Adam, Duke, William, Baldwin, Margaret, Henríquez, Bernarda, de la Cruz, Lucia, Nilles, Eric J. and Lau, Colleen L. (2025). Spatial multilevel analysis of individual, household, and community factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the Dominican Republic. Scientific Reports, 15 (1) 11203. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-94653-3

Spatial multilevel analysis of individual, household, and community factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the Dominican Republic

2025

Journal Article

Progression of lymphatic filariasis antigenaemia and microfilaraemia over 4.5 years in antigen-positive individuals, Samoa 2019-2023

Mayfield, Helen J., Sartorius, Benn, Muttucumaru, Ramona, Sheridan, Sarah, Howlett, Maddison, Martin, Beatris Mario, Hedtke, Shannon M., Field, Emma, Thomsen, Robert, Viali, Satupaitea, Graves, Patricia M. and Lau, Colleen L. (2025). Progression of lymphatic filariasis antigenaemia and microfilaraemia over 4.5 years in antigen-positive individuals, Samoa 2019-2023. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 155 107891, 107891-155. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2025.107891

Progression of lymphatic filariasis antigenaemia and microfilaraemia over 4.5 years in antigen-positive individuals, Samoa 2019-2023

Funding

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2025
    An Observational Study of the Epidemiology, Burden of Disease and Genomics of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Older Adults of Queensland, Australia (RSV BoD) - led by Metro North Health
    Metro North Hospital and Health Service
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2028
    A user-friendly digital prediction tool for dengue prevention
    Wellcome Trust Discretionary Award
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2027
    Healthy Environments And Lives (HEAL) - National Research Network on Human Health and Environmental Change (NHMRC Special Initiative in Human Health and Environmental Change grant administered by ANU)
    Australian National University
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2026
    Control of neglected tropical diseases in the Pacific: integration of programs to increase their impact (NHMRC Partnership Project administered by UNSW)
    University of New South Wales
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2025
    Building Decision Support Systems to Combat Emerging Infectious Diseases and Neglected Tropical Diseases: A Precision Public Health Approach
    NHMRC Investigator Grants
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2024 - 2025
    Operational Research to Inform Post-Validation Surveillance of Lymphatic Filariasis in Tonga
    Task Force for Global Health
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2025
    Targeted surveillance studies linked to Surveillance and Monitoring to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis and Scabies from Samoa (SaMELFS)
    Task Force for Global Health
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2023
    Geospatial mapping of Neglected Tropical Diseases (via Australian Centre for the Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ACE-NTD) administered by University of New South Wales)
    University of New South Wales
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2024
    Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine Risk-Benefit Analysis Tool (International Society of Travel Medicine grant administered by Dr Deb The Travel Doctor)
    Dr Deb The Travel Doctor Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2024
    Developing a proof-of-concept self-contact tracing app to support epidemiological investigations and outbreak response (Australia-Korea Joint Call for Joint Research Projects - ATSE Tech Bridge Grant)
    Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2023
    SMART Project - Towards Systematic Maturation of Analytics and System Redesign to Transform (SMART) Healthcare and Public Health Research
    Queensland Health
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2023
    JEVID - Japanese Encephalitis Vaccination via IntraDermal route
    The International Society of Travel Medicine Research Grant
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2023
    Surveillance and Monitoring to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis and Scabies from Samoa: SaMELFS Samoa 2019
    Task Force for Global Health
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2024
    The Australian Centre for the Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ACE-NTD) (Administered by University of New South Wales)
    University of New South Wales
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Combating Infectious Diseases: Eco-Epidemiology, Disease Mapping, and Travel Medicine
    NHMRC Early Career Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2015
    Combating infectious disease emergence and outbreaks: Interactive and dynamic tools for public health risk assessment and decision-making
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2013
    Epidemiology of Leptospirosis in Fiji
    World Health Organisation
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2018
    Travel and tropical medicine research
    Research Donation Generic
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Professor Colleen Lau is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Professor Colleen Lau directly for media enquiries about:

  • Infectious diseases

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communications@uq.edu.au