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
- 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
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
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 ... Murray, Christopher J L (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
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
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
Reactive case detection can improve the efficiency of lymphatic filariasis surveillance compared to random sampling, Samoa 2023
Mayfield, Helen J., Sartorius, Benn, McLure, Angus, Curtis, Stephanie J., Mario Martin, Beatris, Sheridan, Sarah, Thomsen, Robert, Tofaeono-Pifeleti, Rossana, Viali, Satupaitea, Graves, Patricia M. and Lau, Colleen L. (2025). Reactive case detection can improve the efficiency of lymphatic filariasis surveillance compared to random sampling, Samoa 2023. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 19 (7) e0012622, e0012622. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012622
2025
Journal Article
Urban gentrification and infectious diseases: an interdisciplinary narrative review
Kiani, Behzad, Parker, Gabriel, Naderian, Senobar, Lau, Colleen L. and Sartorius, Benn (2025). Urban gentrification and infectious diseases: an interdisciplinary narrative review. Geospatial Health, 20 (2) 1388, 2. doi: 10.4081/gh.2025.1388
2025
Journal Article
Forced migration and mortality: health disparities among Venezuelan migrants in Peru and Colombia
Chen-Cao, Liuyi, Restrepo, Angela Cadavid, Cabada, Miguel M., Allel, Kasim, Shiferaw, Wondimeneh, Mills, Deborah J., Lau, Colleen L and Furuya-Kanamori, Luis (2025). Forced migration and mortality: health disparities among Venezuelan migrants in Peru and Colombia. Journal of Travel Medicine, 32 (5) taaf028. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taaf028
2025
Journal Article
Measles without borders: how can travel medicine help limit global resurgence?
McGuinness, Sarah L, Lau, Colleen L and Leder, Karin (2025). Measles without borders: how can travel medicine help limit global resurgence?. Journal of Travel Medicine, 32 (7) taaf056. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taaf056
2025
Other Outputs
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, Lau, Colleen L. and Craig, Adam T. (2025). Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing Post-Validation Surveillance of Lymphatic Filariasis in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: A Conceptual Framework Developed from Qualitative Data. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.5293400
2025
Journal Article
The epidemiology of hospitalisations from four key environmentally sensitive zoonotic diseases in Queensland, 2012–2019
Proboste, Tatiana, Lau, Colleen L., Clark, Nicholas, Jagals, Paul, Sly, Peter D., Lambert, Stephen B., Devine, Gregor, Zuccon, Guido and Soares Magalhães, Ricardo J. (2025). The epidemiology of hospitalisations from four key environmentally sensitive zoonotic diseases in Queensland, 2012–2019. Tropical Medicine and International Health, 30 (8), 838-847. doi: 10.1111/tmi.14139
2025
Journal Article
Geospatial analysis of leptospirosis clusters and risk factors in two provinces of the Dominican Republic
Mario Martin, Beatris, Sartorius, Benn, Mayfield, Helen J., Cadavid Restrepo, Angela M., Kiani, Behzad, Then Paulino, Cecilia J., Etienne, Marie Caroline, Skewes-Ramm, Ronald, de St. Aubin, Michael, Dumas, Devan, Garnier, Salomé, Duke, William, Peña, Farah, Abdalla, Gabriela, de la Cruz, Lucia, Henríquez, Bernarda, Baldwin, Margaret, Kucharski, Adam, Nilles, Eric J. and Lau, Colleen L. (2025). Geospatial analysis of leptospirosis clusters and risk factors in two provinces of the Dominican Republic. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 19 (6) e0013103, e0013103. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0013103
2025
Journal Article
The future of spatial epidemiology in the AI era: enhancing machine learning approaches with explicit spatial structure
Kianfar, Nima, Sartorius, Benn, Lau, Colleen L., Bergquist, Robert and Kiani, Behzad (2025). The future of spatial epidemiology in the AI era: enhancing machine learning approaches with explicit spatial structure. Geospatial Health, 20 (1) 1386. doi: 10.4081/gh.2025.1386
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
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 ... Mosser, Jonathan F (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
2025
Journal Article
Waning immunity 1–2 years after fractional intradermal Japanese encephalitis vaccination
Mills, Deborah J., Gyawali, Narayan, Nammunige, Nirupama A., Mills, Christine, Devine, Gregor J., Lau, Colleen L. and Furuya-Kanamori, Luis (2025). Waning immunity 1–2 years after fractional intradermal Japanese encephalitis vaccination. Journal of Travel Medicine, 32 (5) taaf040, 1-3. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taaf040
2025
Journal Article
Integrated serological surveillance for neglected tropical diseases, vaccine-preventable diseases, and arboviruses in Samoa, 2018
Lawford, Harriet L. S., Mayfield, Helen J., Sam, Filipina Amosa-Lei, Viali, Satupaitea, Kamu, Tito, Thomsen, Robert and Lau, Colleen L. (2025). Integrated serological surveillance for neglected tropical diseases, vaccine-preventable diseases, and arboviruses in Samoa, 2018. Scientific Reports, 15 (1) 12667, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-96769-y
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, 1-13. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-94653-3
2025
Journal Article
Persistent lymphatic filariasis transmission seven years after validation of elimination as a public health problem: a cross-sectional study in Tonga
Lawford, Harriet L.S., Tukia, ‘Ofa, Takai, Joseph, Sheridan, Sarah, Ward, Selina, Jian, Holly, Martin, Beatris Mario, ‘Ofanoa, Reynold and Lau, Colleen L. (2025). Persistent lymphatic filariasis transmission seven years after validation of elimination as a public health problem: a cross-sectional study in Tonga. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific, 57 101513, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101513
2025
Journal Article
Overseas-acquired infections in travellers returning to Queensland, Australia
Furuya-Kanamori, Luis, Young, Megan, Williams, Olivia, Vasant, Bhakti, Mills, Deborah J., Lau, Colleen L. and Smoll, Nicolas (2025). Overseas-acquired infections in travellers returning to Queensland, Australia. Journal of Travel Medicine, 32 (3) taaf010. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taaf010
2025
Other Outputs
Effectiveness and impact of rotavirus vaccination, real-world study: a systematic review
Yu, Fan, Cao, Jin, Furuya Kanamori, Luis, Kiani, Behzad, Lau, Colleen and Sartorius, Benn (2025). Effectiveness and impact of rotavirus vaccination, real-world study: a systematic review. Middletown, DE United States: INPLASY - International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols. doi: 10.37766/inplasy2025.3.0055
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Colleen Lau is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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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: 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, Dr Harriet Lawford
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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
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 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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Doctor Philosophy
Epidemiology and risk factors of overseas acquired infectious diseases in Australian travellers
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Benn Sartorius, Associate Professor Luis Furuya Kanamori
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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
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
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
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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