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
-
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
2024
Journal Article
Imported malaria into Australia: surveillance insights and opportunities
Sohail, Asma, Barry, Alyssa, Auburn, Sarah, Cheng, Qin, Lau, Colleen L., Lee, Rogan, Price, Ric N., Furuya-Kanamori, Luis, Bareng, Paolo, McGuinness, Sarah L. and Leder, Karin (2024). Imported malaria into Australia: surveillance insights and opportunities. Journal of Travel Medicine, 31 (3) taad164, 1-11. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taad164
2024
Journal Article
Towards global elimination of lymphatic filariasis: a systematic review of the application of spatial epidemiological methods to enhance surveillance and support elimination programmes
Martin, Beatris Mario, Cadavid Restrepo, Angela, Mayfield, Helen J and Lau, Colleen L (2024). Towards global elimination of lymphatic filariasis: a systematic review of the application of spatial epidemiological methods to enhance surveillance and support elimination programmes. BMJ Public Health, 2 (1), e000534. doi: 10.1136/bmjph-2023-000534
2024
Journal Article
Mastering geographically weighted regression: key considerations for building a robust model
Kiani, Behzad, Sartorius, Benn, Lau, Colleen L. and Bergquist, Robert (2024). Mastering geographically weighted regression: key considerations for building a robust model. Geospatial Health, 19 (1) 1271. doi: 10.4081/gh.2024.1271
2024
Journal Article
Protocol for spatial prediction of soil transmitted helminth prevalence in the Western Pacific region using a meta-analytical approach
Gilmour, Beth, Wangdi, Kingley, Restrepo, Angela Cadavid, Tsheten, Tsheten, Kelly, Matthew, Clements, Archie, Gray, Darren, Lau, Colleen, Espino, Fe Esperanza, Daga, Chona, Mapalo, Vanessa, Nashkova, Suzana, Bartlett, Adam, Gebreyohannes, Eyob Alemayehu and Alene, Kefyalew Addis (2024). Protocol for spatial prediction of soil transmitted helminth prevalence in the Western Pacific region using a meta-analytical approach. Systematic Reviews, 13 (1) ARTN 55. doi: 10.1186/s13643-024-02469-5
2024
Journal Article
Risk mapping and socio-ecological drivers of soil-transmitted helminth infections in the Philippines: a spatial modelling study
Tsheten, Tsheten, Alene, Kefyalew Addis, Restrepo, Angela Cadavid, Kelly, Matthew, Lau, Colleen, Clements, Archie C.A., Gray, Darren J., Daga, Chona, Mapalo, Vanessa Joy, Espino, Fe Esperanza and Wangdi, Kinley (2024). Risk mapping and socio-ecological drivers of soil-transmitted helminth infections in the Philippines: a spatial modelling study. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific, 43 100974, 100974. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100974
2024
Journal Article
Remembering Professor Peter A. Leggat, AM, ADC (1961–2023)
Lau, Colleen and Frean, John (2024). Remembering Professor Peter A. Leggat, AM, ADC (1961–2023). Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 9 (2) 28, 1-2. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed9020028
2024
Journal Article
Causes of death among international travellers in Peru, 2017 to 2021
Allel, Kasim, Cabada, Miguel M., Lau, Collen, Mills, Deborah, Franklin, Richard C., Zhu, Yan and Furuya-Kanamori, Luis (2024). Causes of death among international travellers in Peru, 2017 to 2021. Journal of Travel Medicine, 31 (1) taad163, 1-11. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taad163
2024
Journal Article
Vale Emeritus Professor Peter A Leggat
Franklin, Richard and Lau, Colleen (2024). Vale Emeritus Professor Peter A Leggat. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 57 102683, 102683. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2023.102683
2024
Journal Article
The provision of sexual and reproductive health information and services to travellers: an exploratory survey of Australian travel medicine clinicians
Warzywoda, Sarah, Fowler, James A., Debattista, Joe, Mills, Deborah J., Furuya-Kanamori, Luis, Durham, Jo, Lau, Colleen L., Mullens, Amy B., Istiko, Satrio Nindyo, Santaolaya, Carlos, Malhotra, Juhi and Dean, Judith A. (2024). The provision of sexual and reproductive health information and services to travellers: an exploratory survey of Australian travel medicine clinicians. Sexual Health, 21 (1) ARTN SH23098. doi: 10.1071/sh23098
2023
Journal Article
Can a single visit rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis eliminate the need for rabies immunoglobulin in last minute travellers?
Furuya-Kanamori, Luis, Mills, Deborah J., Zhu, Yan and Lau, Colleen L. (2023). Can a single visit rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis eliminate the need for rabies immunoglobulin in last minute travellers?. Journal of Travel Medicine, 30 (8) taad139, 1-3. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taad139
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
2023
Journal Article
From Snow’s map of cholera transmission to dynamic catchment boundary delineation: current front lines in spatial analysis
Kiani, Behzad, Lau, Colleen and Bergquist, Robert (2023). From Snow’s map of cholera transmission to dynamic catchment boundary delineation: current front lines in spatial analysis. Geospatial Health, 18 (2) ARTN 1247. doi: 10.4081/gh.2023.1247
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
2023
Journal Article
Quantifying the relationship between climatic indicators and leptospirosis incidence in Fiji: A modelling study
Rees, Eleanor M., Lotto Batista, Martín, Kama, Mike, Kucharski, Adam J., Lau, Colleen L. and Lowe, Rachel (2023). Quantifying the relationship between climatic indicators and leptospirosis incidence in Fiji: A modelling study. PLoS Global Public Health, 3 (10) e0002400, 1-19. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002400
2023
Journal Article
Immune response after rabies pre‐exposure prophylaxis and a booster dose in Australian bat carers
Guo, Yihan, Mills, Deborah J., Lau, Colleen L., Mills, Christine and Furuya‐Kanamori, Luis (2023). Immune response after rabies pre‐exposure prophylaxis and a booster dose in Australian bat carers. Zoonoses and Public Health, 70 (6), 465-472. doi: 10.1111/zph.13048
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
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
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
2023
Journal Article
Lymphatic filariasis endgame strategies: Using GEOFIL to model mass drug administration and targeted surveillance and treatment strategies in American Samoa
Shaw, Callum, McLure, Angus, Graves, Patricia M., Lau, Colleen L. and Glass, Kathryn (2023). Lymphatic filariasis endgame strategies: Using GEOFIL to model mass drug administration and targeted surveillance and treatment strategies in American Samoa. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 17 (5) e0011347, 1-19. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011347
2023
Journal Article
Co-circulation of Murray-Valley Encephalitis Virus and Japanese Encephalitis Virus in south-eastern Australia
McGuinness, Sarah L, Lau, Colleen L. and Leder, Karin (2023). Co-circulation of Murray-Valley Encephalitis Virus and Japanese Encephalitis Virus in south-eastern Australia. Journal of Travel Medicine, 30 (7) taad059. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taad059
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Colleen Lau is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
-
Epidemiology of notifiable diseases in Australia
-
Vaccine preventable diseases in travellers
-
Risk benefit analysis and decision support tools for vaccines
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
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
-
Doctor Philosophy
Integrated Surveillance of Neglected Tropical Diseases and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Benn Sartorius, Dr Harriet Lawford
-
Doctor Philosophy
Machine learning in epidemiology research on African Swine Fever epidemic in the Philippines Outline
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Luis Furuya Kanamori
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Doctor Philosophy
Gram-negative bloodstream infections in Australian children
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Geoff Spurling, Mr Mark Chatfield, Associate Professor Adam Irwin
-
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
-
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
-
Doctor Philosophy
Enhancing infectious disease surveillance through the integration of routinely collected data
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Amalie Dyda
Completed supervision
-
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
-
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
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: