Burnet Annual Report 2020
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Burnet Institute Annual Report 2020 A year of challenges during a global pandemic ANNUAL REPORT 2020 > 3 Burnet Institute is an Australian, unaligned, independent, not-for-pro t organisation that aims to achieve better health for vulnerable communities globally. CONTENTS About Burnet Community and Education 01 Our Vision, Mission and Global Impact 22 Studying during COVID-19 02 Our Leadership Team 23 Key Publications 02 Chairman’s Message 24 Thanks to our Supporters 03 Director’s Message 25 In Appreciation 04 Program-led Institute 05 Congratulations to Awardees Annual Financial Report 06 2020 At A Glance 26 Financial Summary 27 Consolidated Statement of Our Research Impact Profit or Loss and Other 10 COVID-19: How Science Matters Comprehensive Income 12 COVID-19: Know-C19 Hub 28 Consolidated Statement of 13 COVID-19: Masks - Evidence-based Financial Position Advocacy 29 Burnet Institute International 14 COVID-19: Optimise Development Activities 15 COVID-19: The Power of Modelling Operating Statement 16 Boosting COVID-19 Awareness 30 Independent Auditor’s Report in Papua New Guinea 17 Innovation: In the Pipeline 18 Changing Lives 20 Translating our Research OUR VISION Equity through better health OUR MISSION OUR GLOBAL IMPACT To achieve better Our priority countries are: health for vulnerable • AUSTRALIA communities in Australia • PAPUA NEW GUINEA • MYANMAR and internationally by accelerating the We support research and public health programs in other countries in the translation of research, Asia-Paci c Region and Africa including discovery and evidence Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malawi, into sustainable Paci c Islands, South Africa, Thailand, health solutions. Timor-Leste, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. ANNUAL REPORT 2020 > 1 Our Leadership Team CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE Preparation of the Institute’s new strategic plan is well underway. While the vision The past year has been extremely and purpose of the Institute will not alter, challenging. The onset of the COVID-19 additional activities that strengthen our pandemic has emphasised the critical indigenous health programs and health importance of medical research and the issues associated with a rapidly changing role Burnet can play. While we had to world will be incorporated. In addition, the reduce research activity in some areas, newly announced Australian Institutes of especially our international work, we Infectious Diseases and Global Health and were able to pivot to focus our eorts on the proposed relocation of Burnet to the the response to COVID-19. Parkville Precinct, will play a large part in Our scientists have been heavily the Institute’s long-term development and involved in laboratory-based vaccine strategic collaborations. and rapid diagnostics research, as well The sale of Burnet’s ‘real estate‘ assets at as the public health response through Commercial Road in 2020 helped place Ms Mary Padbury modelling and research focused on the Institute in its strongest ever nancial CHAIRMAN the prevention of new infections, position. This position should be rther and reducing the health, societal BA, LLB(Hons) enhanced with the proposed sale of the Chairman of Burnet Institute and economic impacts of COVID-19 Institute’s shareholding in 360biolabs, from 2019. Director since 2011. restrictions. In addition, a number of sta Chair, Clinical Genomics enabling the Institute to focus on were extremely active in advisory roles, Technologies Pty Ltd. advancing a number of new initiatives. Non-Executive Director, in advocacy and communications, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia. in supporting the Federal and Victorian A special thank you to my fellow board Former Chair, Trans-Tasman IP Departments of Health. members and to our wonderl Director Attorneys Board. Former Chairman and CEO, Professor Brendan Crabb AC and of Blake Dawson/Ashurst Australia and Vice Chairman of Ashurst LLP. his talented and hard-working executive I have been extremely proud of team for their outstanding leadership >>> all our people. Their resilience during this period. and ability to adapt to changing I would also like to thank our many circumstances and make a supporters who extended their giving to very positive contribution has nd many of Burnet’s COVID-19 programs, been inspiring. as well as continuing to support our ongoing work. Your support is essential and greatly valued and appreciated by all at Burnet. DIRECTORS The richness and diversity of expertise and skills amongst our Board and Executive leadership team is matched by their dedication and commitment to lead Burnet’s mission. Our Board’s expertise spans medical research, public health, medicine, law, business development, advocacy, communications, nance, corporate governance and innovation. Mr Robin Professor Professor Associate Professor Mr Benjamin Bishop Peter Colman AC Sandra Eades Helen Evans AO Foskett LLB(Hons), BCom, BA PhD, FRS, FAA, FTSE BMed, PhD BA, BSocAdmin BBus(Acc), FAICD ANNUAL REPORT 2020 > 2 DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE In PNG, the health system is under signi cant pressure with increasing COVID-19 From an Institute perspective, 2020 cases, and resources have been redirected will be remembered as one of the most to support the national and provincial health challenging in our history, but also one authorities. The situation in Myanmar is of our most successl. The onset of the very concerning, and where possible, we COVID-19 pandemic required a complete continue to maintain contact and provide reassessment of the Institute’s priorities support to our sta. and operations, to maximise our contribution to the local, national and Despite the challenges, the Institute international response, and ensure the continued to perform exceptionally well safety and wellbeing of our sta. against key indicators. Competitive grants and peer-reviewed publications were at record levels, and our national and Our focus on mathematical international collaborations strengthened. >>> modelling, public health responses, We continue to grow our operations, while at behavioural science, vaccines the same time, create an improved nancial Professor and rapid diagnostics delivered base. The Institute was also awarded an Brendan Crabb AC enormous value for the country Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze Award DIRECTOR AND CHIEF and the region. from Science in Gender Equity (SAGE), EXECUTIVE OFFICER acknowledging the signi cant commitment and work undertaken to address gender PhD, FAHMS Information sharing through our purpose- Director and CEO of Burnet equity including diversity and inclusion. Institute since 2008. built Know-C19 Knowledge Hub initiative, I am very gratel to all the Burnet sta Chair of the Paci c Friends and extensive private and public advocacy, of Global Health, Chair of for their incredible commitment and provided up-to-date and timely information VicAAMRI, Member of National contributions to the Institute, especially for everyone – governments and public Health and Medical Research in such trying times. Many have worked Council (NHMRC) of Australia, – and contributed signi cantly to the extremely long hours in making a huge impact Member of the National amazing ‘COVID-zero’ outcome for Australia. to the national and international response COVID-19 Health and Research The centrepiece was beating the Victorian Advisory Committee (NCHRAC). to the pandemic. My thanks to the Board, second wave in a complete way not seen in especially to our Chairman, Mary Padbury any other jurisdiction in the world. who works riously and expertly for our Our international operations in Papua New bene t, and to our brilliant Executive. And Guinea (PNG) and Myanmar have been nally, a special acknowledgement of the signi cantly impacted by the pandemic, Coronavirus Management Team who were but more recently, sadly complicated by the crucial in steering the Institute through this political unrest in Myanmar. most challenging time. Mr John Mr Leigh Ms Alison Professor Georgakis Jasper Larsson Sharon Lewin AO BBus(Acc) BE(Hons), BSc BEc, CPA, GAICD MBBS(Hons), PhD, FRACP Professor Christina Ms Miche Dr Serge Scrofani Mr Michael Mitchell AO Paterson BSc(Hons), PhD, Ziegelaar MBBS, PhD, FRACP MBA, GAICD LLB(Hons), BEc, LLM ANNUAL REPORT 2020 > 3 Program-ledPROGRAMLED INSTITUTE Institute Institute-wide interdisciplinary health programs are at the heart of our daily decision-making. 470 26 SCIENTISTS, WORKING Each thematic program represents the breadth PUBLIC HEALTH GROUPS of our technical skill base that fosters a PROFESSIONALS collaborative approach to tackle some of the AND SUPPORT STAFF most challenging global health issues. BURNET ¡ A FOUNDATION PARTNER IN AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE GLOBAL HEALTH HUB 4 THEMATIC PROGRAMS Burnet Institute welcomed the DISEASE ELIMINATION Victorian Government’s nding Program Goal: to create the Australian Institutes To eliminate disease to of Infectious Diseases and Global achieve good health for all Health (AIIDGH) that will signi cantly enhance the capacity to respond to throughout life critical global health issues such as pandemics. The AIIDGH will maximise the MATERNAL, CHILD AND strengths of Burnet Institute, ADOLESCENT HEALTH Doherty Institute and the University Program Goal: of Melbourne, and scale up preparedness for infectious diseases Equity in maternal, child and of national and global signi cance. adolescent health It will also address the gaps identi ed in the COVID-19 response. The nding of $150 million BEHAVIOURS AND announced by the Premier of HEALTH RISKS Victoria, the Hon Daniel Andrews