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:
- Not 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
- 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
2026
Journal Article
Enablers of Post-Validation Surveillance for Lymphatic Filariasis in the Pacific Islands: A Nominal Group Technique and Expert Elicitation
Craig, Adam T., Couteaux, Clement, Jetton, Ken, Nehemia, Roger, Sokana, Oliver, Tong, Tanebu, Bauro, Temea, Baratio, Taulanga, Tukai, Ofa, Takai, Joe, Viali, Satupaitea, Soares, Noel Gama, Ome-Kaius, Maria, Yohogu, Mary, Volavola, Litiana, Tatui, Patricia, Taleo, Fasihah, Saketa, Salanieta, Tucker, Andie, Mackenzie, Charles, Gass, Katherine, Jian, Holly, Lau, Colleen L. and Lawford, Harriet L. S. (2026). Enablers of Post-Validation Surveillance for Lymphatic Filariasis in the Pacific Islands: A Nominal Group Technique and Expert Elicitation. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 11 (2) 62, 62-2. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed11020062
2026
Journal Article
Integrated Approaches to Surveillance of Lymphatic Filariasis and Other Infectious Diseases in the Pacific Islands
Craig, Adam T., Lawford, Harriet L. S., Bauro, Temea, Couteaux, Clement, Volavala, Litiana, Dupont-Rouzeyrol, Myrielle, Soares, Noel Gama, Nehemia, Roger, Ome-Kaius, Maria, Rymill, Prudence, Taleo, Fasihah, Tatui, Patricia, Tukia, ‘Ofa Sanft, Viali, Satupaitea, Yohogu, Mary, Angrisano, Fiona, Robinson, Leanne J., Saketa, Salanieta, Tucker, Andie, Mackenzie, Charles, Nery, Susana Vaz, Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam, Gass, Katherine, Lammie, Patrick and Lau, Colleen L. (2026). Integrated Approaches to Surveillance of Lymphatic Filariasis and Other Infectious Diseases in the Pacific Islands. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 11 (2) 54, 1-13. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed11020054
2026
Journal Article
Estimating risk of long COVID using a Bayesian network-based decision support tool
Sinclair, Jane E., Mayfield, Helen J., Lu, Hongen, Brown, Samuel J., Moghaddam, Tina, Waller, Michael, Bonner, Carissa, Williams, Olivia, Litt, John C.B., Short, Kirsty R. and Lau, Colleen L. (2026). Estimating risk of long COVID using a Bayesian network-based decision support tool. Vaccine, 72 128127, 128127. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.128127
2026
Journal Article
A retrospective cohort study and spatial analysis of climate and community-level determinants of respiratory syncytial virus notifications among Queensland infants, prior to the introduction of the RSV mother and infant protection program (RSV-MIPP) immunisation initiative
Graham, Sarah, Sartorius, Benn, Snelling, Tom, Homaira, Nusrat, Newall, Anthony T., Binks, Michael, Lau, Colleen, Hughes, Catherine and McHugh, Lisa (2026). A retrospective cohort study and spatial analysis of climate and community-level determinants of respiratory syncytial virus notifications among Queensland infants, prior to the introduction of the RSV mother and infant protection program (RSV-MIPP) immunisation initiative. BMC Public Health, 26 (1) 615, 1-11. doi: 10.1186/s12889-026-26288-6
2026
Journal Article
Global Lymphatic Filariasis Post-Validation Surveillance Activities in 2025: A Scoping Review
Jian, Holly, Lawford, Harriet, McLure, Angus, Lau, Colleen and Craig, Adam (2026). Global Lymphatic Filariasis Post-Validation Surveillance Activities in 2025: A Scoping Review. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 11 (1) 28, 28. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed11010028
2026
Journal Article
Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing Post-Validation Surveillance of Lymphatic Filariasis in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: A Conceptual Framework Developed from Qualitative Data
Lawford, Harriet L. S., Jian, Holly, Tukia, ‘Ofa, Takai, Joseph, Couteaux, Clément, Thein, ChoCho, Jetton, Ken, Tabunga, Teanibuaka, Bauro, Temea, Nehemia, Roger, Ave, Charlie, Mokoia, Grizelda, Fetaui, Peter, Taleo, Fasihah, Udui, Cheryl-Ann, Lau, Colleen L. and Craig, Adam T. (2026). Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing Post-Validation Surveillance of Lymphatic Filariasis in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: A Conceptual Framework Developed from Qualitative Data. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 11 (1) 27, 27. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed11010027
2026
Journal Article
Leptospirosis in the Caribbean Region between 2000 and 2022: A scoping review of morbidity and mortality
Mario Martin, Beatris, Zhang, Zhonghan, Vernal, Sebastian, Jian, Holly, Nilles, Eric J., Furuya-Kanamori, Luis, Sartorius, Benn and Lau, Colleen L. (2026). Leptospirosis in the Caribbean Region between 2000 and 2022: A scoping review of morbidity and mortality. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 20 (1) e0013595, e0013595. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0013595
2026
Journal Article
Spatial risk factors of vector-borne diseases in Pacific Island countries and territories: a scoping review
Nuñez Murillo, Tathiana, Cadavid Restrepo, Angela, Mayfield, Helen J., Lau, Colleen L., Sartorius, Benn and Kiani, Behzad (2026). Spatial risk factors of vector-borne diseases in Pacific Island countries and territories: a scoping review. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 11 (1) 6, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed11010006
2025
Journal Article
Finding the gaps: integrated serosurveillance and spatial clustering of vaccine preventable diseases in Samoa, 2018–2019
Ward, Selina, Lawford, Harriet L. S., Sartorius, Benn, Mayfield, Helen J., Amosa-Lei Sam, Filipina, Sheridan, Sarah Louise, Thomsen, Robert, Viali, Satupaitea and Lau, Colleen L. (2025). Finding the gaps: integrated serosurveillance and spatial clustering of vaccine preventable diseases in Samoa, 2018–2019. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 11 (1) 9, 1-9. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed11010009
2025
Journal Article
Predicting vaccine reactogenicity using machine learning: evidence from Japanese encephalitis vaccine combinations
Lu, Hongen, Lau, Colleen L., Leeb, Alan, Mills, Deborah J., Smoll, Nicolas, Islam, Nazmul, Mayfield, Helen J., Nazarathy, Yoni and Furuya-Kanamori, Luis (2025). Predicting vaccine reactogenicity using machine learning: evidence from Japanese encephalitis vaccine combinations. International Journal of Information Technology, 1-10. doi: 10.1007/s41870-025-02937-8
2025
Journal Article
Barriers and enablers to pre-travel Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination among Australian children
Muruganandah, Visai, Mills, Deborah J., Lau, Colleen L. and Furuya-Kanamori, Luis (2025). Barriers and enablers to pre-travel Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination among Australian children. Journal of Travel Medicine, 33 (1) taaf125. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taaf125
2025
Journal Article
Risk perception, intended sexual behaviours and potential associated risks for sexually transmissible infections acquisition among Australian travellers: a cross-sectional study
Shiferaw, Wondimeneh, Mills, Deborah, Koh, Kenneth, Dean, Judith A., Khoo, Stanley, Rutherford, David, Tooth, Michael, Visser, Jenny, Lau, Colleen and Furuya-Kanamori, Luis (2025). Risk perception, intended sexual behaviours and potential associated risks for sexually transmissible infections acquisition among Australian travellers: a cross-sectional study. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 52 (12), 762-768. doi: 10.1097/olq.0000000000002214
2025
Journal Article
Ecological suitability of Japanese encephalitis virus in Australia: A modelling analysis of vector-host transmission dynamics to potential spillover in humans
Skinner, Eloise B., Sartorius, Benn, Furuya-Kanamori, Luis, Craig, Adam T., Kiani, Behzad, Johnson, Brian J., Moore, Kevin T., Hickson, Roslyn I., Mordecai, Erin A., Devine, Gregor and Lau, Colleen L. (2025). Ecological suitability of Japanese encephalitis virus in Australia: A modelling analysis of vector-host transmission dynamics to potential spillover in humans. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 19 (11) e0013722, 1-18. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0013722
2025
Other Outputs
Comparison of an integrated versus stand-alone approach to post-validation surveillance for lymphatic filariasis in niue: a micro-costing study, 2025
Craig, Adam T., Lawford, Harriet L. S., Mokoia, Grizelda, Tatui, Patricia, Nicolson, Misima, Murphy, Amanda, Marguardt, Tonia, Nghiem, Song Hong, Stanciole, Anderson E. and Lau, Colleen L. (2025). Comparison of an integrated versus stand-alone approach to post-validation surveillance for lymphatic filariasis in niue: a micro-costing study, 2025. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.5666422
2025
Journal Article
Global age-sex-specific all-cause mortality and life expectancy estimates for 204 countries and territories and 660 subnational locations, 1950–2023: a demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023
Schumacher, Austin E, Zheng, Peng, Barber, Ryan M, A, Bhoomadevi, Aalipour, Mohammad Amin, Aalruz, Hasan, Ababneh, Hazim S, Abaraogu, Ukachukwu O, Abbafati, Cristiana, Abbas, Nasir, Abbasifard, Mitra, Abbaspour, Faezeh, Abd Al Magied, Abdallah H A, Abd ElHafeez, Samar, Abdalla, Mohammed Altigani, Abdallah, Emad M, Abdel Razeq, Nadin M I, Abdel-Hameed, Reda, Abdel-Rahman, Wael M, Abd-Elsalam, Sherief, Abdelwahab, Omar Ahmed, Abdi, Parsa, Abdollahi, Arash, Abdoun, Meriem, Abdous, Arman, Abdulah, Deldar Morad, Abdulkader, Rizwan Suliankatchi, Abdullahi, Auwal, Abdulraheem, Abdullahi Salahudeen ... GBD 2023 Demographics Collaborators (2025). Global age-sex-specific all-cause mortality and life expectancy estimates for 204 countries and territories and 660 subnational locations, 1950–2023: a demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023. The Lancet, 406 (10513), 1731-1810. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(25)01330-3
2025
Other Outputs
Enablers of post-validation surveillance for lymphatic filariasis in the Pacific islands: a nominal group technique and expert elicitation
Craig, Adam, Couteaux, Clément, Jetton, Ken, Nehemia, Roger, Sokana, Oliver, Tong, Tanebu, Bauro, Temea, Baratio, Taulanga, Tukia, 'Ofa, Takai, Joseph, Viali, Satupaitea, Soares, Noel Gama, Ome-Kaius, Maria, Yohogu, Mary, Volavola, Litiana, Tatui, Patricia, Taleo, Fasihah, Saketa, Sala, Tucker, Andie, Mackenzie, Charles, Gass, Katherine, Jian, Holly, Lau, Colleen and Lawford, Harriet (2025). Enablers of post-validation surveillance for lymphatic filariasis in the Pacific islands: a nominal group technique and expert elicitation. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.5597774
2025
Journal Article
Deciphering Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) serogroup cross-reactivity in leptospirosis: the influence of age and antibody titers
Nilles, Eric J., Then Paulino, Cecilia, Duke, William, Skewes-Ramm, Ronald, Kucharski, Adam and Lau, Colleen L. (2025). Deciphering Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) serogroup cross-reactivity in leptospirosis: the influence of age and antibody titers. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 10 (10) 275, 1-7. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed10100275
2025
Journal Article
A Bayesian network analysis of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in the paediatric population
Shukla, Tej, Mayfield, Helen J., Litt, John C. B., Brown, Samuel J., Sinclair, Jane, Wen, Sophie, Britton, Philip N., Puranik, Rajesh, Short, Kirsty R., Moghaddam, Tina, Williams, Olivia, Lau, Colleen L. and Dyda, Amalie (2025). A Bayesian network analysis of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in the paediatric population. npj Vaccines, 10 (1) 174. doi: 10.1038/s41541-025-01237-3
2025
Journal Article
Quantifying Spatial variation in environmental and sociodemographic drivers of leptospirosis in the Dominican Republic using a geographically weighted regression model
Martin, Beatris Mario, Sartorius, Benn, Mayfield, Helen J., Cadavid Restrepo, Angela M., Kiani, Behzad, Paulino, Cecilia Jocelyn Then, Etienne, Marie Caroline, Skewes-Ramm, Ronald, de St Aubin, Michael, Dumas, Devan, Garnier, Salome, Duke, William, Peña, Farah, Abdalla, Gabriela, de la Cruz, Lucia, Henríquez, Bernarda, Baldwin, Margaret, Kucharski, Adam, Nilles, Eric J. and Lau, Colleen L. (2025). Quantifying Spatial variation in environmental and sociodemographic drivers of leptospirosis in the Dominican Republic using a geographically weighted regression model. Scientific Reports, 15 (1) 27073, 1-12. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-13413-5
2025
Journal Article
Global, regional, and national trends in routine childhood vaccination coverage from 1980 to 2023 with forecasts to 2030: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023
Haeuser, Emily, Byrne, Sam, Nguyen, Jason, Raggi, Catalina, McLaughlin, Susan A, Bisignano, Catherine, Harris, Ashley A, Smith, Amanda E, Lindstedt, Paulina A, Smith, Georgia, Herold, Samuel James, Nesbit, Olivia D, Noyes, Taylor, Shalev, Noga, Olana, Latera Tesfaye, Aalipour, Mohammad Amin, Aalruz, Hasan, Abbasifard, Mitra, Abbaspour, Faezeh, Abbastabar, Hedayat, Abd ElHafeez, Samar, Abdallah, Emad M., Abdel-Hameed, Reda, Abdelkader, Atef, Abd-Elsalam, Sherief, Abdisa, Wakgari Mosisa, Abdoun, Meriem, Abdous, Arman, Abdulah, Deldar Morad ... GBD 2023 Vaccine Coverage Collaborators (2025). Global, regional, and national trends in routine childhood vaccination coverage from 1980 to 2023 with forecasts to 2030: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023. The Lancet, 406 (10500), 235-260. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(25)01037-2
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Colleen Lau is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Machine learning in epidemiology research on African Swine Fever epidemic in the Philippines Outline
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Luis Furuya Kanamori, Associate Professor Yoni Nazarathy, Associate Professor Benn Sartorius
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Doctor Philosophy
Integrated serological surveillance of neglected tropical diseases and vaccine preventable diseases in Samoa
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Benn Sartorius
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Doctor Philosophy
Spatial epidemiological methods to support decision-making for infectious disease prevention and control 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
Integrated watershed management for public and ecosystem health in the Pacific Islands: overlapping drivers and strategies to prevent leptospirosis and improve coral reef health
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: Associate Professor Dung Phung
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Doctor Philosophy
Epidemiology and risk factors of overseas acquired infectious diseases in Australian travellers
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Benn Sartorius, Dr Alec Henderson, Associate Professor Luis Furuya Kanamori
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Doctor Philosophy
Epidemiology and burden of rotavirus infections in Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Luis Furuya Kanamori, Dr Behzad Kiani, Associate Professor Benn Sartorius
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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, Associate Professor 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
Completed supervision
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2026
Doctor Philosophy
Epidemiology and clinical outcomes of gram-negative bloodstream infections in children
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Geoff Spurling, Mr Mark Chatfield, Associate Professor Adam Irwin
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2026
Doctor Philosophy
The long-term cardiovascular complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccines
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Helen Mayfield, Professor Nathan Palpant, Professor Kirsty Short
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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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