Lisa McHugh

Prior to Lisa's research, there was minimal evidence about the safety or effectiveness of influenza and whooping cough (pertussis) vaccines in pregnancy, and minimal international evidence for the safety and effectivesness of both vaccines in pregnancy. Her research has resulted in the first international study to investigate vaccine safety in twin pregnancies (accepted in the high impact journal BJOG, Nov 2025). As senior author, Lisa supervised a MEpi student for this project who achieved the highest GPA of 7. Lisa is currently leading a project investigating pregnancy loss after receiving influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations in early pregnancy-the first study of it's kind in Australia, and one of only a minimnal number internationally. This project is ongoing (2023-2027) and involves collaborations with multiple Primary Health Care Networks, First Nations experts in maternal and child health and immunisation, and consumers. As a recognised expert in her field, she was invited to participate in a National round table of experts in maternal vaccination as the Queensland representative to address the declining uptake of vaccination in pregnancy. This meeting was commissioned by the Federal Government, organised by Industry, and resulted in the co-authorship and publication of a Whitepaper (released 30th Oct 2025), and led to subsequent media coverage.

With existing First Nations collaborators, Lisa led an invited review describing the gaps in safety, equity and monitoring of maternal vaccination strategies for Australian First Nations women (published in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapies, 2020). Lisa's research has identified baseline epidemiology of influenza and pertussis infections and hospitalisations, and has identified key population and age groups at the highest risk of infection prior to the introduction of maternal vaccination programs.This fulfilled a critical gap in the local evidence base identified by WHO. Comparisons of pre- and post-implementation program data can now be made to determine the impact of vaccination programs on infection, pregancy and birth outcomes.

Lisa's contribution to the ‘FluMum’ prospective cohort study has provided unique methodological and clinical knowledge to national immunisation policy recommendations and to the international evidence base. The program sustained engagement with the Australian Colleges of Midwives, General Practice, obstetrics and gynaecology physicians, and hospital networks. With stakeholders engaged at all stages – from setting the vision, research priorities and governance structure, to translating research findings into policy and practice, the program brought a strong mandate to improve protection for pregnant women and infants against life-threatening respiratory infections. Data were presented at a Commonwealth level, convened by the Chief Medical Officer in Canberra (2017), with study findings related to uptake and safety informing a national campaign for maternal influenza vaccination (2018).