Programs and Engagement

Pathogen Genomics Implementation Program

Funded by the Victorian Department of Health since 2018, this program supports the integration of whole-genome sequencing into routine public health microbiology. It has strengthened MDU PHL’s capacity for rapid pathogen detection and outbreak response, including early SARS-CoV-2 sequencing. The initiative continues to deliver significant public health benefits for Victoria and supports national and international genomics implementation.

Innovative Testing Program

Funded by the Victorian Department of Health, this program - delivered in partnership with MDU PHL and VIDRL - focused on the rapid evaluation and scale-up of novel COVID-19 testing approaches. It included optimising PCR methods (e.g. saliva and pooling) and piloting near point-of-care rapid molecular and antigen tests to support Victoria’s testing strategy.

Victorian Department of Health Partnership Grant

The NHMRC-funded research project, An Evidence-Based Framework for Establishing Microbial Public Health Genomics in Australia (2018–2022), is led by MDU PHL in collaboration with the Victorian Department of Health and Illumina Pty Ltd.

The project focuses on developing genomic tools and analytical pipelines to improve public health responses across four key disease areas:

• Antimicrobial resistance and invasive bacterial pathogens
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Foodborne diseases
• Environmental pathogens

Specialist teams also supported the project through evaluation of public health impact and the development of bioinformatics platforms.

Communicable Diseases Genomics Network (CDGN)

The Communicable Diseases Genomics Network (CDGN) was established in 2015 and is a Commonwealth funded network of genomics-enabled public health laboratories coordinated by MDU PHL, and includes all states and territories in Australia and New Zealand. The CDGN aims to ensure rapid translation of pathogen genomics into public health through the facilitation of genomic sequencing data and knowledge, including antimicrobial resistance pathogens and other pathogens of outbreak significance, in a collaborative and responsible manner to improve public health activities nationally.

Find out more

AusTrakka

AusTrakka is a Commonwealth-funded central, secure, and private online location to share, analyse and view aggregated national pathogen genomic data from Australia and New Zealand. Public health laboratories across all states and territories have access to AusTrakka and are routinely uploading genomic sequences for nationally notifiable pathogens for real-time surveillance and tracking of transmission between jurisdictions.

Find out more

Australian Pathogen Genomics Program

The Australian Pathogen Genomics (AusPathoGen) Program is a large scale integrated public health pathogen genomics research program funded by the Commonwealth Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) that will demonstrate the utility, cost-effectiveness, and capacity for translation of genomics into public health nationally. The program will deploy the national genomic platform (AusTrakka), for consistent analysis and reporting, and will collaborate with health departments and public health laboratories to implement national genomics-based responses to major infectious diseases, focusing on respiratory and vaccine preventable diseases, foodborne diseases, sexually transmitted infections and antimicrobial resistance.

Find out more

MRFF COVID-19 Genomics Grant

The Tracking COVID-19 in Australia using Genomics Grant is a research program funded by the Commonwealth Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) to address the urgent need for national implementation of SARS-CoV-2 genomics in Australia, to better understand the behaviour, spread and evolution of the virus using next-generation sequencing technology

Find out more

COMBAT-AMR

COMBAT-AMR will deliver a capacity building and training program over the period 2024-2027 across Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Cambodia to mitigate the threat of antimicrobial resistance. This will work through five major themes, using a people centred framework across human and animal health settings, prioritising a One Health approach and fostering regional collaboration and establishment of regional AMR networks and communities of practice.

Find out more

Fleming Fund

The Fleming Fund is a UK aid program to support low- and middle-income countries to undertake surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to inform action. The Fleming Fund Fellowship Scheme is one of the programs under the Fleming Fund initiative and supports the professional development of technical experts to strengthen AMR or antimicrobial consumption and use (AMC/AMU) surveillance and policy.

The Fellowships are based in national institutions including national reference laboratories, hospitals, and government agencies. The Fellowships are delivered through a model of mentorship and on-the-job training, collaborative projects and intensive workshops, to support implementation of National AMR Action Plans, using a One Health approach.

The Doherty Institute’s WHO Collaborating Centre for AMR and the University of Melbourne’s Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health have a large international capacity building, training and implementation program to support prevention and surveillance of AMR across five countries in the Asia-Pacific region - Bhutan, Nepal, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, and Pakistan. As a Host Institution, the Centres will be host to more than 100 Fellows, with over half of them already completed in the first phase (2019 - 2023).

Find out more