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
- 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
2018
Conference Publication
Lymphatic filariasis elimination in American Samoa - household clustering of seropositive persons and implications for surveillance strategies
Lau, Colleen, Sheel, Meru, Sheridan, Sarah, Gass, Katherine, Won, Kimberly, Fuimaono, Saipale and Graves, Patricia (2018). Lymphatic filariasis elimination in American Samoa - household clustering of seropositive persons and implications for surveillance strategies. 67th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Tropical-Medicine-and-Hygiene (ASTHM), New Orleans, LA, United States, 28 October - 1 November 2018. Deerfield, IL, United States: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
2018
Conference Publication
Identifying residual transmission of lymphatic filariasis after mass drug administration - comparing school-based versus community-based surveillance, American Samoa, 2016
Sheel, Meru, Sheridan, Sarah, Gass, Katherine, Won, Kimberly, Fuimaono, Saipale, Kirk, Martyn, Gonzales, Amor, Hedtke, Shannon, Graves, Patricia and Lau, Colleen (2018). Identifying residual transmission of lymphatic filariasis after mass drug administration - comparing school-based versus community-based surveillance, American Samoa, 2016. 67th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Tropical-Medicine-and-Hygiene (ASTHM), New Orleans, LA, United States, 28 October - 1 November 2018. Deerfield, IL, United States: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
2017
Journal Article
A synthetic population for modelling the dynamics of infectious disease transmission in American Samoa
Xu, Zhijing, Glass, Kathryn, Lau, Colleen L., Geard, Nicholas, Graves, Patricia and Clements, Archie (2017). A synthetic population for modelling the dynamics of infectious disease transmission in American Samoa. Scientific Reports, 7 (1) 16725, 16725. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-17093-8
2017
Journal Article
Social mixing in Fiji: Who-eats-with-whom contact patterns and the implications of age and ethnic heterogeneity for disease dynamics in the Pacific Islands
Watson, Conall H., Coriakula, Jeremaia, Ngoc, Dung Tran Thi, Flasche, Stefan, Kucharski, Adam J., Lau, Colleen L., Thieu, Nga Tran Vu, Le Polain De Waroux, Olivier, Rawalai, Kitione, Van, Tan Trinh, Taufa, Mere, Baker, Stephen, Nilles, Eric J., Kama, Mike and Edmunds, W. John (2017). Social mixing in Fiji: Who-eats-with-whom contact patterns and the implications of age and ethnic heterogeneity for disease dynamics in the Pacific Islands. PLoS ONE, 12 (12) e0186911, e0186911. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186911
2017
Journal Article
Spatiotemporal distribution and population at risk of soil-transmitted helminth infections following an eight-year school-based deworming programme in Burundi, 2007-2014
Assoum, Mohamad, Ortu, Giuseppina, Basáñez, Maria-Gloria, Lau, Colleen, Clements, Archie C A, Halton, Kate, Fenwick, Alan and Soares Magalhães, Ricardo J (2017). Spatiotemporal distribution and population at risk of soil-transmitted helminth infections following an eight-year school-based deworming programme in Burundi, 2007-2014. Parasites & vectors, 10 (1) 583, 1-12. doi: 10.1186/s13071-017-2505-x
2017
Journal Article
Unravelling infectious disease eco-epidemiology using Bayesian networks and scenario analysis: a case study of leptospirosis in Fiji
Lau, Colleen L., Mayfield, Helen J., Lowry, John H., Watson, Conall H., Kama, Mike, Nilles, Eric J. and Smith, Carl S. (2017). Unravelling infectious disease eco-epidemiology using Bayesian networks and scenario analysis: a case study of leptospirosis in Fiji. Environmental Modelling & Software, 97 (November), 271-286. doi: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2017.08.004
2017
Conference Publication
PREDICTING INFECTION DISTRIBUTION AND BURDEN OF DISEASE USING SPATIOTEMPORAL MODELS FOLLOWING A SEVEN YEAR MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM AND LONGITUDINAL STUDY IN BURUNDI: 2008-2014
Assoum, Mohamad, Magalhaes, Ricardo S., Ortu, Giuseppina, Lau, Colleen, Clements, Archie, Basanez, Maria-Gloria and Halton, Kate (2017). PREDICTING INFECTION DISTRIBUTION AND BURDEN OF DISEASE USING SPATIOTEMPORAL MODELS FOLLOWING A SEVEN YEAR MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM AND LONGITUDINAL STUDY IN BURUNDI: 2008-2014. 65th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Tropical-Medicine-and-Hygiene (ASTMH), Atlanta Ga, Nov 13-16, 2016. MCLEAN: AMER SOC TROP MED & HYGIENE.
2017
Conference Publication
Measuring the effect of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections on cognitive function in children: systematic review and critical appraisal of evidence
Owada, Kei, Nielsen, Mark, Lau, Colleen, Clements, Archie, Yakob, Laith and Magalhaes, Ricardo J. Soares (2017). Measuring the effect of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections on cognitive function in children: systematic review and critical appraisal of evidence. 65th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), Atlanta, GA United States, 13-16 November, 2016. Deerfield, IL United States: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
2017
Conference Publication
Lymphatic filariasis elimination in American Samoa: evaluation of molecular xenomonitoring as a surveillance tool in the endgame
Lau, Colleen L., Won, Kimberly Y., Lammie, Patrick J. and Graves, Patricia M. (2017). Lymphatic filariasis elimination in American Samoa: evaluation of molecular xenomonitoring as a surveillance tool in the endgame. 65th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Tropical-Medicine-and-Hygiene (ASTMH), Atlanta, GA, United States, 13-16 November 2016. Deerfield, IL, United States: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
2017
Conference Publication
LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS RESIDUAL TRANSMISSION HOTSPOTS IN AMERICAN SAMOA
Graves, Patricia M., Lau, Colleen, Roineau, Maureen, Ryan, Stephanie, Andreosso, Athena, Sheridan, Sarah, Fuimano, Saipale and Tufa, Joseph (2017). LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS RESIDUAL TRANSMISSION HOTSPOTS IN AMERICAN SAMOA. 65th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Tropical-Medicine-and-Hygiene (ASTMH), Atlanta Ga, Nov 13-16, 2016. MCLEAN: AMER SOC TROP MED & HYGIENE.
2017
Journal Article
Detecting and confirming residual hotspots of lymphatic filariasis transmission in American Samoa 8 years after stopping mass drug administration
Lau, Colleen L., Sheridan, Sarah, Ryan, Stephanie, Roineau, Maureen, Andreosso, Athena, Fuimaono, Saipale, Tufa, Joseph and Graves, Patricia M. (2017). Detecting and confirming residual hotspots of lymphatic filariasis transmission in American Samoa 8 years after stopping mass drug administration. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 11 (9) e0005914, e0005914. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005914
2017
Journal Article
Medical and psychological problems faced by young Australian gap year travellers
Furuya-Kanamori, Luis, Mills, Deborah, Sheridan, Sarah and Lau, Colleen (2017). Medical and psychological problems faced by young Australian gap year travellers. Journal of Travel Medicine, 24 (5) tax052, 1-5. doi: 10.1093/jtm/tax052
2017
Journal Article
Prevalence and risk factors associated with lymphatic filariasis in American Samoa after mass drug administration
Coutts, Shaun P., King, Jonathan D., Pa'au, Molisamoa, Fuimaono, Saipale, Roth, Joseph, King, Mary Rose, Lammie, Patrick J., Lau, Colleen L. and Graves, Patricia M. (2017). Prevalence and risk factors associated with lymphatic filariasis in American Samoa after mass drug administration. Tropical Medicine and Health, 45 (1) 22, 1-10. doi: 10.1186/s41182-017-0063-8
2017
Journal Article
A cross-sectional seroepidemiological survey of typhoid fever in Fiji
Watson, Conall H., Baker, Stephen, Lau, Colleen L., Rawalai, Kitione, Taufa, Mere, Coriakula, Jerimaia, Nga Tran Vu Thieu, , Tan Trinh Van, , Dung Tran Thi Ngoc, , Hens, Niel, Lowry, John H., de Alwis, Ruklanthi, Cano, Jorge, Jenkins, Kylie, Mulholland, E. Kim, Nilles, Eric J., Kama, Mike and Edmunds, W. John (2017). A cross-sectional seroepidemiological survey of typhoid fever in Fiji. PL o S Neglected Tropical Diseases , 11 (7) e0005786, 1-17. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005786
2017
Journal Article
The impact of Livestock Manure Control Policy on human leptospirosis in Republic of Korea using interrupted time series analysis
Ryu, S., Lau, C. L. and Chun, B. C. (2017). The impact of Livestock Manure Control Policy on human leptospirosis in Republic of Korea using interrupted time series analysis. Epidemiology and Infection, 145 (7), 1320-1325. doi: 10.1017/S0950268817000218
2017
Journal Article
New evidence for endemic circulation of Ross River virus in the Pacific Islands and the potential for emergence
Lau, Colleen, Aubry, Maite, Musso, Didier, Teissier, Anita, Paulous, Sylvie, Despres, Philippe, de-Lamballerie, Xavier, Pastorino, Boris, Cao-Lormeau, Van-Mai and Weinstein, Philip (2017). New evidence for endemic circulation of Ross River virus in the Pacific Islands and the potential for emergence. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 57, 73-76. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2017.01.041
2017
Journal Article
A stitch in time: unrecognized retained foreign bodies after a needlefish injury
Lau, Colleen L., Sweet, Mark and Weinstein, Philip (2017). A stitch in time: unrecognized retained foreign bodies after a needlefish injury. Journal of Travel Medicine, 24 (2) taw092. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taw092
2017
Journal Article
Assessing the social and environmental determinants of pertussis epidemics in Queensland, Australia: a Bayesian spatio-temporal analysis
Huang, X., Lambert, S., Lau, C., Soares Magalhaes, R. J., Marquess, J., Rajmokan, M., Milinovich, G. and Hu, W. (2017). Assessing the social and environmental determinants of pertussis epidemics in Queensland, Australia: a Bayesian spatio-temporal analysis. Epidemiology and Infection, 145 (6), 1-10. doi: 10.1017/S0950268816003289
2017
Journal Article
Measuring the effect of soil-transmitted helminth infections on cognitive function in children: systematic review and critical appraisal of evidence
Owada, Kei, Nielsen, Mark, Lau, Colleen L., Clements, Archie C. A., Yakob, Laith and Soares Magalhaes, Ricardo J. (2017). Measuring the effect of soil-transmitted helminth infections on cognitive function in children: systematic review and critical appraisal of evidence. Advances in Parasitology, 98, 1-37. doi: 10.1016/bs.apar.2017.05.002
2017
Conference Publication
Using geographically-weighted regression to understand spatial variation in the influence of environmental drivers on Leptospirosis transmission in Fiji
Mayfield, Helen, Lowry, John, Watson, Conall, Karma, Mike, Nilles, Eric and Lau, Colleen (2017). Using geographically-weighted regression to understand spatial variation in the influence of environmental drivers on Leptospirosis transmission in Fiji. 10th International Leptospirosis Society Meeting, Palmerston North, New Zealand, 27 November - 1 December 2017. International Leptospirosis Society.
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
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
The long-term cardiovascular complications of COVID-19
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Helen Mayfield, Professor Nathan Palpant, Professor Kirsty Short
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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
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
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
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
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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