
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
2015
Conference Publication
Mapping leptospirosis hotspots in Fiji using environmental, socioeconomic and livestock data: an eco-epidemiological approach to emerging infectious disease control
Lau, Colleen L., Watson, Conall H., Lowry, John H., David, Michael C., Kama, Mike and Nilles, Eric J. (2015). Mapping leptospirosis hotspots in Fiji using environmental, socioeconomic and livestock data: an eco-epidemiological approach to emerging infectious disease control. American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 64th Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA United States, 25-29 October 2015. Deerfield, IL United States: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
2015
Conference Publication
Mapping leptospirosis hotspots in Fiji using environmental, socioeconomic and livestock data: an eco-epidemiological approach to emerging infectious disease control
Lau, Colleen L., Watson, Conall H., Lowry, John H., David, Michael C., Kama, Mike and Nilles, Eric J. (2015). Mapping leptospirosis hotspots in Fiji using environmental, socioeconomic and livestock data: an eco-epidemiological approach to emerging infectious disease control. American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 64th Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA United States, 25-29 October 2015. Deerfield, IL United States: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2015.93.151
2015
Journal Article
The emergence of Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Arborea in Queensland, Australia, 2001 to 2013
Lau, Colleen L., Skelly, Chris, Dohnt, Michael and Smythe, Lee D. (2015). The emergence of Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Arborea in Queensland, Australia, 2001 to 2013. BMC Infectious Diseases, 15 (1) 230, 1-11. doi: 10.1186/s12879-015-0982-0
2015
Journal Article
Distribution of rickettsioses in Oceania: past patterns and implications for the future
Derne, Bonnie, Weinstein, Philip, Musso, Didier and Lau, Colleen (2015). Distribution of rickettsioses in Oceania: past patterns and implications for the future. Acta Tropica, 143, 121-133. doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2014.10.012
2015
Journal Article
Antibodies to Leptospira among blood donors in higher-risk areas of Australia: possible implications for transfusion safety
Faddy, Helen, Seed, Clive, Lau, Colleen, Racloz, Vanessa, Flower, Robert, Smythe, Lee, Burns, Mary-Anne, Dohnt, Michael, Craig, Scott, Harley, Robert and Weinstein, Philip (2015). Antibodies to Leptospira among blood donors in higher-risk areas of Australia: possible implications for transfusion safety. Blood Transfusion, 13 (1), 32-36. doi: 10.2450/2014.0012-14
2015
Book Chapter
Wetlands as Sites of Exposure to Water-Borne Infectious Diseases
Derne, Bonnie T., Weinstein, Philip and Lau, Colleen L. (2015). Wetlands as Sites of Exposure to Water-Borne Infectious Diseases. Wetlands and Human Health. (pp. 45-74) edited by C. Max Finlayson, Pierre Horwitz and Philip Weinstein. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer Netherlands. doi: 10.1007/978-94-017-9609-5_4
2014
Journal Article
Seroprevalence and Spatial Epidemiology of Lymphatic Filariasis in American Samoa after Successful Mass Drug Administration
Lau, Colleen L., Won, Kimberly Y., Becker, Luke, Magalhaes, Ricardo J. Soares, Fuimaono, Saipale, Melrose, Wayne, Lammie, Patrick J. and Graves, Patricia M. (2014). Seroprevalence and Spatial Epidemiology of Lymphatic Filariasis in American Samoa after Successful Mass Drug Administration. Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases, 8 (11), 1-12. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003297
2014
Journal Article
The importance of surveillance for informing pretravel medical advice: imported malaria in New Zealand 1997–2009
Lau, Colleen, Weinstein, Philip and Slaney, David (2014). The importance of surveillance for informing pretravel medical advice: imported malaria in New Zealand 1997–2009. Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 14 (2), 134-140. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2012.1261
2014
Journal Article
Combating infectious diseases in the Pacific Islands: sentinel surveillance, environmental health, and geospatial tools
Lau, Colleen (2014). Combating infectious diseases in the Pacific Islands: sentinel surveillance, environmental health, and geospatial tools. Reviews on Environmental Health, 29 (1-2), 113-117. doi: 10.1515/reveh-2014-0028
2013
Journal Article
Immunogenicity of a modified intradermal pre-exposure rabies vaccination schedule using a purified chick embryo cell vaccine (Rabipur)
Lau, Colleen L. and Hohl, Norman (2013). Immunogenicity of a modified intradermal pre-exposure rabies vaccination schedule using a purified chick embryo cell vaccine (Rabipur). Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, In Press, Accepted Manuscript (6), 1-19. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2013.09.006
2013
Journal Article
Seroprevalence of dengue in American Samoa, 2010
Duncombe, Jennifer, Lau, Colleen, Weinstein, Philip, Aaskov, John, Rourke, Michelle, Grant, Richard and Clements, Archie (2013). Seroprevalence of dengue in American Samoa, 2010. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 19 (2), 326-327. doi: 10.3201/eid1902.120464
2013
Journal Article
Seroprevalence of dengue in American Samoa, 2010
Duncombe, Jennifer, Lau, Colleen, Weinstein, Philip, Aaskov, John, Rourke, Michelle, Grant, Richard and Clements, Archie (2013). Seroprevalence of dengue in American Samoa, 2010. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 19 (2), 325-326. doi: 10.3201/eid1902.121463
2012
Journal Article
Leptospirosis diagnostic challenges, American Samoa.
Lau, Colleen L. and DePasquale, John M. (2012). Leptospirosis diagnostic challenges, American Samoa.. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 18 (12), 2079-2081. doi: 10.3201/eid1812.120429
2012
Journal Article
Imported cases of Ross River virus disease in New Zealand - a travel medicine perspective
Lau, Colleen, Weinstein, Philip and Slaney, David (2012). Imported cases of Ross River virus disease in New Zealand - a travel medicine perspective. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 10 (3), 129-134. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2012.04.001
2012
Journal Article
Response to letter
Lau, Colleen, Mills, Deborah and Weinstein, Philip (2012). Response to letter. Journal of Travel Medicine, 19 (2), 136-136. doi: 10.1111/j.1708-8305.2011.00593_2.x
2012
Journal Article
Leptospirosis in American Samoa 2010: epidemiology, environmental drivers, and the management of emergence
Lau, Colleen L., Dobson, Annettee J., Smythe, Lee D., Fearnley, Emily J., Skelly, Chris, Clements, Archie C. A., Craig, Scott B., Fuimaono, Saipale D. and Weinstein, Philip (2012). Leptospirosis in American Samoa 2010: epidemiology, environmental drivers, and the management of emergence. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 86 (2), 309-319. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2012.11-0398
2012
Journal Article
Emergence of new leptospiral serovars in American Samoa - ascertainment or ecological change?
Lau, Colleen L., Skelly, Chris, Smythe, Lee D., Craig, Scott B. and Weinstein, Philip (2012). Emergence of new leptospiral serovars in American Samoa - ascertainment or ecological change?. BMC Infectious Diseases, 12 (1) 19, 19. doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-12-19
2012
Journal Article
A framework for assessing and predicting the environmental health impact of infectious diseases: a case study of leptospirosis
Lau, Colleen and Jagals, Paul (2012). A framework for assessing and predicting the environmental health impact of infectious diseases: a case study of leptospirosis. Reviews on Environmental Health, 27 (2-3), 163-174. doi: 10.1515/reveh-2012-0023
2011
Journal Article
Animal bites and rabies exposure in Australian travellers
Mills, Deborah J., Lau, Colleen L. and Weinstein, Philip (2011). Animal bites and rabies exposure in Australian travellers. Medical Journal of Australia, 195 (11), 673-675. doi: 10.5694/mja10.11413
2011
Journal Article
The immunogenicity of a modified intradermal pre-exposure rabies vaccination schedule-a case series of 420 travelers
Mills, Deborah J., Lau, Colleen L., Fearnley, Emily J. and Weinstein, Philip (2011). The immunogenicity of a modified intradermal pre-exposure rabies vaccination schedule-a case series of 420 travelers. Journal of Travel Medicine, 18 (5), 327-332. doi: 10.1111/j.1708-8305.2011.00540.x
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Colleen Lau is:
- Available for supervision
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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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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