Centre for Pathogen Genomics
Building and supporting collaborative opportunities for research, genomics-enhanced infectious disease surveillance, and capacity building and training.
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Overview
The Centre for Pathogen Genomics at the Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne is an academic and training hub to support collaboration between complementary groups working in the area of pathogen genomics to promote opportunities for research, capacity building and training across infectious diseases preparedness and response.
Partnering with the University of Melbourne’s Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health and the Nossal Institute for Global Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Burnet Institute and Monash University, the Centre will draw upon this expertise to deliver key activities focused on the use and access to pathogen genomics for research and public health.
- University of Melbourne and Doherty Institute Partners
- Funding Partners
- International Collaborators
Executive Group

Professor Ben Howden
Professor Ben Howden is a medical microbiologist, infectious diseases physician and molecular biologist. He is Director of the Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory (MDU PHL), Medical Director of Doherty Applied Microbial Genomics and a Laboratory Head in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Melbourne. Professor Howden has an extensive program of work in capacity building and training in laboratory diagnosis and surveillance of infectious diseases as well as clinical and public health research, with a focus on antimicrobial resistance and bacterial pathogenesis, evolution and host-pathogen interactions.

Professor Deborah Williamson
Professor Deborah Williamson is a clinical and public health microbiologist. She is Director of the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) at the Doherty Institute, and Laboratory Head in the Department of Infectious Diseases at the University of Melbourne. Professor Williamson is involved in the delivery of specialist public health laboratory services, and in the diagnosis and surveillance of communicable diseases. Her research interests include the molecular epidemiology and pathogenesis of infections caused by antimicrobial resistant pathogens, and the translation of genomic technologies to questions of public health importance.

Professor Tim Stinear
Professor Tim Stinear is a molecular microbiologist and research-teaching academic. He is Deputy Head of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Melbourne, Scientific Director of Doherty Applied Microbial Genomics and a NHMRC Leadership Fellow. Professor Stinear completed a PhD in Microbiology at Monash University in 2001, followed by a three-year postdoctoral period at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France. His laboratory uses innovative genomic approaches to understand how bacterial pathogens including mycobacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci evolve, spread and cause disease.

Dr Michelle Wille
Dr Michelle Wille is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Melbourne. Her primary research focus is the dynamics of wild bird viruses: the ecology and evolution of influenza A viruses in waterfowl, shorebirds and seabirds, which utilise a range of migratory strategies to disseminate viruses. She is currently working on the dynamics of avian influenza in in Australia and Antarctica through detection, isolation and characterisation of viruses, but also using serology. Beyond influenza A, she is starting to assess viromes in wild birds, with a particular interest in ecological drivers of observed patterns.

Dr Lisa Ioannidis
Dr Lisa Ioannidis is the Coordinator of the Centre. She is responsible for the development and implementation of the Centre’s program of work, including collaborative research projects and capacity building and training activities across the Asia Pacific region. Dr Ioannidis has a background in laboratory research, with a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Melbourne and 10 years of postdoctoral experience in infectious diseases research at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.
Centre Team
Dr Claire Gorrie
Research Fellow
Associate Professor Torsten Seemann
Lead Bioinformatician, Centre for Pathogen Genomics
Courtney Lane
Genomic Epidemiologist
Tuyet Hoang
Strategy and Governance Manager
Chantel Lin
Implementation and Partnerships Manager
Dr Louise Judd
Genomics Research and Training Laboratory Lead
Hasini Walpola
Genomics Training Specialist
Dr Angeline Ferdinand
Evaluation Research Fellow
Rahul Ratwatte
Communications Officer
Navin Karan
Training and Capacity Manager, Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory
Jean Moselen
Senior Medical Scientist, Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory
Mitch Batty
Project Officer and Medical Scientist, Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory
Jacqueline Prestedge
Research Program Officer, Williamson Group
The Centre for Pathogen Genomics coordinates research and activities via a number of networks and programs.
Activity areas
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Partnerships
Creating opportunities for collaboration
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Teaching and Training
Supporting capacity building and training across the Asia-Pacific
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Implementation and Evaluation
Building the sustainable and impactful use of pathogen genomics
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Pathogen Genomics Research
Accelerating innovative research for clinical and public health
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Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the ability of microorganisms to resist being killed by medicines such as antibiotics, poses a major and rapidly growing threat to the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Understanding the nature and extent of AMR is key to tackling this major health problem.

One Health
One Health is a collaborative, cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary approach that recognises that the health of humans, animals and their shared environment are closely linked. This approach underpins each of the Centre’s key scientific themes.

Infectious Diseases Surveillance and Response
Pathogen genomics is a powerful technology that can be used to enhance infectious disease surveillance, outbreak detection and infection prevention and control, and to inform the public health response to endemic and emerging infectious diseases.

Pandemic Preparedness and Response
Building capacity to rapidly respond to the complex scientific, community and government needs posed by persistent or emerging infectious disease threats.
Publications
The latest research and articles in the field of pathogen genomics affiliated with the Centre
Get in touch
Contact the Centre team via the below email address.
Email: centre-PathoGen@unimelb.edu.au
Feedback
The Centre for Pathogen Genomics seeks your feedback as part of our ongoing commitment to quality and continuous improvement.
We encourage you to actively help us improve the delivery of our services to all our customers by contacting the team via email.