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
- 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
- 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
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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
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
2023
Journal Article
Monitoring temporal changes in SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody levels and variant-specific risk for infection, Dominican Republic, March 2021-August 2022
Nilles, Eric J., de St. Aubin, Michael, Dumas, Devan, Duke, William, Etienne, Marie Caroline, Abdalla, Gabriela, Jarolim, Petr, Oasan, Timothy, Garnier, Salome, Iihoshi, Naomi, Lopez, Beatriz, de la Cruz, Lucia, Puello, Yosanly Cornelio, Baldwin, Margaret, Roberts, Kathryn W., Peña, Farah, Durski, Kara, Sanchez, Isaac Miguel, Gunter, Sarah M., Kneubehl, Alexander R., Murray, Kristy O., Lino, Allison, Strobel, Sarah, Baez, Amado Alejandro, Lau, Colleen L., Kucharski, Adam, Gutiérrez, Emily Zielinski, Skewes-Ramm, Ronald, Vasquez, Marietta and Paulino, Cecilia Then (2023). Monitoring temporal changes in SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody levels and variant-specific risk for infection, Dominican Republic, March 2021-August 2022. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 29 (4), 723-733. doi: 10.3201/eid2904.221628
2023
Journal Article
Wastewater surveillance can function as an early warning system for COVID-19 in low-incidence settings
Assoum, Mohamad, Lau, Colleen L., Thai, Phong K., Ahmed, Warish, Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin V., Choi, Phil Min, Jackson, Greg and Selvey, Linda A. (2023). Wastewater surveillance can function as an early warning system for COVID-19 in low-incidence settings. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 8 (4) 211, 1-10. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed8040211
2023
Journal Article
The changing epidemiology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae genogroups and antimicrobial resistance in Queensland, Australia, 2010–15: a case series analysis of unique Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates
McHugh, Lisa, Dyda, Amalie, Guglielmino, Christine, Buckley, Cameron, Lau, Colleen L., Jennison, Amy V., Regan, David G., Wood, James, Whiley, David and Trembizki, Ella (2023). The changing epidemiology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae genogroups and antimicrobial resistance in Queensland, Australia, 2010–15: a case series analysis of unique Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates. Sexual Health, 20 (4), 296-302. doi: 10.1071/sh22118
2023
Journal Article
The evolving Japanese encephalitis situation in Australia and implications for travel medicine
McGuinness, Sarah L., Lau, Colleen L. and Leder, Karin (2023). The evolving Japanese encephalitis situation in Australia and implications for travel medicine. Journal of Travel Medicine, 30 (2) taad029, 1-4. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taad029
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
2023
Journal Article
Tracking immune correlates of protection for emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants
Nilles, Eric J., Paulino, Cecilia Then, de St Aubin, Michael, Duke, William, Jarolim, Petr, Sanchez, Isaac Miguel, Murray, Kristy O., Lau, Colleen L., Gutiérrez, Emily Zielinski, Ramm, Ronald Skewes, Vasquez, Marietta and Kucharski, Adam (2023). Tracking immune correlates of protection for emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 23 (2), 153-154. doi: 10.1016/s1473-3099(23)00001-4
2023
Book Chapter
Pacific Island Countries and Territories
McGuinness, Sarah, Lau, Colleen and Leder, Karen (2023). Pacific Island Countries and Territories. Infectious Diseases: A Geographic Guide. (pp. NA-NA) Oxford, United Kingdom: John Wiley and Sons.
2023
Journal Article
Antibiotic consumption in Vanuatu before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2018 to 2021: An interrupted time series analysis
Foxlee, Nicola D., Lui, Amsaline, Mathias, Agnes, Townell, Nicola and Lau, Colleen L. (2023). Antibiotic consumption in Vanuatu before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2018 to 2021: An interrupted time series analysis. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 8 (1) 23, 1-12. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed8010023
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
2022
Journal Article
Epidemiology of cruciate ligament reconstruction in the Australian Defence Force and predictors of outcome
Williams, Olivia, Ross, V.R., Lau, C.L. and Mayfield, H.J. (2022). Epidemiology of cruciate ligament reconstruction in the Australian Defence Force and predictors of outcome. BMJ Military Health, 170 (4) e002150, 348-353. doi: 10.1136/military-2022-002150
2022
Journal Article
Assessment of environmental impacts on health: examples from the Pacific Basin
Jagals, Paul, Kim, Injeong, Brereton, Claire and Lau, Colleen L. (2022). Assessment of environmental impacts on health: examples from the Pacific Basin. Annals of Global Health, 88 (1) 92, 1-9. doi: 10.5334/aogh.3671
2022
Journal Article
Impact of a 5-year mass drug administration programme for soil-transmitted helminthiases on the spatial distribution of childhood anaemia in Burundi from 2007 to 2011
Assoum, Mohamad, Ortu, Giuseppina, Basáñez, Maria-Gloria, Lau, Colleen, Clements, Archie C. A., Halton, Kate, Fenwick, Alan and Magalhães, Ricardo J. Soares (2022). Impact of a 5-year mass drug administration programme for soil-transmitted helminthiases on the spatial distribution of childhood anaemia in Burundi from 2007 to 2011. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 7 (10) 307, 1-18. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed7100307
2022
Journal Article
Spatially explicit environmental factors associated with Lymphatic Filariasis infection in American Samoa
Lemin, Morgan E., Cadavid Restrepo, Angela, Mayfield, Helen J. and Lau, Colleen L. (2022). Spatially explicit environmental factors associated with Lymphatic Filariasis infection in American Samoa. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 7 (10) 295, 1-19. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed7100295
2022
Journal Article
Japanese encephalitis emergence in Australia: the potential population at risk
Yakob, Laith, Hu, Wenbiao, Frentiu, Francesca D, Gyawali, Narayan, Hugo, Leon E, Johnson, Brian, Lau, Colleen, Furuya-Kanamori, Luis, Magalhaes, Ricardo Soares and Devine, Gregor (2022). Japanese encephalitis emergence in Australia: the potential population at risk. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 76 (2), 335-337. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciac794
2022
Journal Article
Modelling lymphatic filariasis elimination in American Samoa: GEOFIL predicts need for new targets and six rounds of mass drug administration
McLure, Angus, Graves, Patricia M., Lau, Colleen, Shaw, Callum and Glass, Kathryn (2022). Modelling lymphatic filariasis elimination in American Samoa: GEOFIL predicts need for new targets and six rounds of mass drug administration. Epidemics, 40 100591, 100591. doi: 10.1016/j.epidem.2022.100591
2022
Journal Article
Evaluating molecular xenomonitoring as a tool for lymphatic filariasis surveillance in Samoa, 2018–2019
McPherson, Brady, Mayfield, Helen J., McLure, Angus, Gass, Katherine, Naseri, Take, Thomsen, Robert, Williams, Steven A., Pilotte, Nils, Kearns, Therese, Graves, Patricia M. and Lau, Colleen L. (2022). Evaluating molecular xenomonitoring as a tool for lymphatic filariasis surveillance in Samoa, 2018–2019. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 7 (8) 203, 1-15. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed7080203
2022
Journal Article
A Bayesian network analysis quantifying risks versus benefits of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Australia
Sinclair, Jane E., Mayfield, Helen J., Short, Kirsty R., Brown, Samuel J., Puranik, Rajesh, Mengersen, Kerrie, Litt, John C. B. and Lau, Colleen L. (2022). A Bayesian network analysis quantifying risks versus benefits of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Australia. npj Vaccines, 7 (1) 93, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s41541-022-00517-6
2022
Journal Article
Molecular characterisation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae associated with disseminated gonococcal infections in Queensland, Australia: a retrospective surveillance study
Guglielmino, Christine J. D., Sandhu, Sumeet, Lau, Colleen L., Buckely, Cameron, Trembizki, Ella, Whiley, David M. and Jennison, Amy V. (2022). Molecular characterisation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae associated with disseminated gonococcal infections in Queensland, Australia: a retrospective surveillance study. BMJ Open, 12 (8) e061040, e061040. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061040
2022
Journal Article
Persistence of antibodies, boostability, and interchangeability of Japanese encephalitis vaccines: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis
Islam, Nazmul, Xu, Chang, Lau, Colleen L., Mills, Deborah J., Clark, Justin, Devine, Gregor J., Hugo, Leon E., Gyawali, Narayan, Thalib, Lukman and Furuya-Kanamori, Luis (2022). Persistence of antibodies, boostability, and interchangeability of Japanese encephalitis vaccines: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. Vaccine, 40 (26), 3546-3555. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.04.079
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Colleen Lau is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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Epidemiology of notifiable diseases in Australia
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Vaccine preventable diseases in travellers
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Risk benefit analysis and decision support tools for vaccines
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
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
Machine learning in epidemiology research on African Swine Fever epidemic in the Philippines Outline
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Luis Furuya Kanamori, Associate Professor Yoni Nazarathy, Associate Professor Benn Sartorius
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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: Dr Dung Phung
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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, Dr 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
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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 COVID-19
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Helen Mayfield, Dr Linda Gallo, Associate Professor Nathan Palpant, Associate Professor Kirsty Short
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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
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Doctor Philosophy
Enhancing infectious disease surveillance through the integration of routinely collected data
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Amalie Dyda
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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