Deborah Williamson
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Professor
Deborah Williamsondeborah.williamson@unimelb.edu.au
0383445470
Research Overview
The Williamson research group focuses on the development and application of diagnostic technologies, including genomics, to infectious diseases. Our research has directly influenced the way microbiology is applied to clinical practice and public health, including responses to antimicrobial resistance, sexually-transmitted pathogens and COVID-19.
Our research interests include the diagnosis and molecular epidemiology of infections caused by antimicrobial resistant pathogens, particularly sexually-transmitted infections and emerging infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and mpox. Another of our focuses is pathogen genomics including metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) direct from clinical samples for rapid pathogen identification to be used in clinical care and public health monitoring.
View Professor Williamson's latest PubMed publications listing here.
Staff
Prof Deborah Williamson, Director, Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL); Professor of Public Health Microbiology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Melbourne Medical School
Dr Shivani Pasricha, Research Fellow
Dr Prashanth Ramachandran, Clinical Metagenomics Research Fellow
Dr George Taiaroa, Research Fellow
Dr Gina Pollock, Research Fellow
Dr Eike Steinig, Research Officer – Bioinformatics
Dr Soo Jen Low, Research Officer – Bioinformatics
Socheata Chea, Research Support Officer
Marcelina Krysiak, Research Support Officer
Kirti Deo, Sequencing Support Officer
Janath Fernando, Research Support Officer - Genomics
Jacqueline Prestedge, Research Program Manager
Simran Chahal, Project Support Officer
Chhay Lim, Study Coordinator
Mona Taouk, PhD student
Yi Nong, PhD Student
Cheryll Sia, PhD Student
Eloise Williams, PhD Student
Franca Azzato, PhD Student
Collaborators
Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL)
Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory (MDU)
Royal Melbourne Hospital
Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
Department of Health, Victoria
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI)
Funding
2020 – 2024 NHMRC Investigator Grant ($1,393,588). Applying pathogen genomics to the prevention and control of antimicrobial resistance. D Williamson.
2021-2024 MRFF Pathogen Genomics Grant ($6,984,360). META-GP: Delivering a clinical metagenomics platform for Australia. Williamson D
2021-2024 MRFF Pathogen Genomics Grant ($9,999,499). Precision Public Health Pathogen Genomics. Howden B
2022-2026 NHMRC Partnership Project ($1,256,040). Novel strategies for improving syphilis testing and control. M Chen, D Williamson, J Hocking, E Chow, M Temple-Smith, J Ong, J Tomnay, C Fairley, L Zhang, J Kaldor.
2020-2024 NHMRC Partnership Grant ($537,855). Developing and implementing an ethical framework for HIV phylogenetic analysis in Australia. Lewin SR, Williamson D, Wright E, Fairley C, Hocking J, Ward J, Keogh L, Crouch S, Alpren C
2021-2025 ARC ITRP Research Hub to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance ($5 million).
2021-2023: DFAT IndoPacLab ‘Integrated laboratory support for high impact infectious diseases in the Indo-Pacific region during the COVID-19 era’ ($5,204,667).
2020-2021 NHMRC MRFF Grant ($2,699,278). COVID-19 Strategic Planning and Delivery of Testing. Lewin SR, Howden B, Stinear T, Williamson D, Catton M, Monk I, Guerillot R, Lee J, Sherry N, Bond K.
Research Opportunities
This research project is available to Masters by Research to join as part of their thesis.
Please contact the Research Group Leader to discuss your options.
Research Publications
View Professor Williamson's latest PubMed publications listing here.