THE NEWSLETTER OF BURNET INSTITUTE | SPRING 2015 ELIMINATING MALARIA: THE CHALLENGES AHEAD MYANMAR: IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY burnet.edu.au DIRECTOR’S REPORT Welcome to the spring issue of IMPACT. As many of you know the Institute has been mourning the tragic death of our long-serving Chair, Alastair Lucas AO in July. Ironically, this champion of medical research died far too young of a brain cancer for which science has not yet discovered an answer. In this issue we reflect on the significant contributions Alastair made to Burnet Institute during his 12-year tenure. To recognise and celebrate his achievements the Institute has established the Alastair Lucas Endowment Fund that will support the Alastair Lucas Prize for Medical Research in perpetuity. This internationally competitive prize will fund a talented mid-career researcher to work at Burnet with a focus on research relating to our mission; improving the health of the poorest and most vulnerable people in Australia and the world. I would welcome your support of the endowment fund. More information is available at burnet.edu.au/alastairlucas. INSIDE FEATURES I take this opportunity to welcome long-serving board member Mr Robert Milne as Burnet’s incoming Chair. Rob has served the Institute as a non-executive 3 NEW BURNET INSTITUTE CHAIR director since 1998 and stepped in as interim-Chair when Alastair became NANJING BIOPOINT LABORATORY ill last year. He brings a wealth of corporate experience with him, especially LAUNCHED through his career as CEO, then Chairman, of Cockram Constructions. We look 4 TRIBUTE TO ALASTAIR LUCAS AO forward to Rob’s leadership and working together as we commence a new phase of the Institute’s growth. 6 ELIMINATING MALARIA 8 LATEST DISCOVERIES FROM OUR LABS In this issue of IMPACT we also focus on disease elimination, highlighting 9 BURNET INSTITUTE CHAIR VISITS PNG the challenges of eliminating malaria, a disease that claims more than 600,000 lives each year. There is a renewed commitment globally to the 10 MYANMAR: IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH possibility of eradication and elimination of infectious diseases. However, IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY only smallpox has been successfully eradicated to date, where the global 12 TAP STUDY: A KEY TO HEPATITIS C incidence of infection has been totally reduced to zero. Polio and measles are ELIMINATION prime examples of what can be achieved through effective vaccination and 14 PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT IN ACTION treatment programs. But can diseases such as malaria, HIV and hepatitis C 15 GIFTING IN YOUR WILL be effectively eliminated? While Burnet is already engaged in research focusing on the elimination Burnet Institute is an Australian, unaligned, of infectious diseases, our plans are to ramp that up significantly into the independent, not-for-profit, medical research future. Our malaria researchers recently discovered how antibodies work and public health organisation whose in partnership with other proteins in the blood in blocking malaria infection, mission is to achieve better health for poor opening the door towards an effective vaccine and this, together with other and vulnerable communities in Australia and interventions offers real hope for elimination. internationally through research, education and public health. The development of a newly available class of drugs and new candidate vaccines offers potential for the elimination of hepatitis C. While the new drugs offer significant hope for a cure to those already infected with the virus, the combination of vaccination and drug treatment means that the potential for elimination of hepatitis C is very real. Similarly, the HIV cure initiative, new drugs and the potential that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) offers, Cover image: means that elimination of HIV is also a very real possibility. Woman being We have initiatives that relate to hepatitis C, HIV and malaria elimination tested for malaria – and we plan to do much more. Much of this work can only be made possible in Myanmar. with your support, so thank you for all you do in helping make this possible. As always I am happy to talk about any aspect of the Institute’s activities and All donations over $2 are fully tax deductible. Where possible people how you can help us to achieve a healthier world. who appear in images included in this publication were photographed with their permission. There is no implication that these people have any infectious diseases. If you would like to discuss any issue from this edition please call Paul Rathbone on (03) 9282 2111. Managing Editor: Tracy Parish. Contributing Editor: Angus Morgan. Burnet staff writers: James Beeson, Lia Burns, Jason Smith. Photo credits: Angus Morgan, Corey Wright Photography, Htin Kyaw Thu, Paul Gilson, Paul Rathbone, Soe Lin Htut, Tope Adepoyibi, Wai Yan Min Htay. Design: Francis Maurice Design. Professor Brendan Crabb AC Director and CEO 2 IMPACT SPRING 2015 Robert Milne the new Burnet Institute Chair Long-serving board member, Robert Milne is the incoming Chair of the Board, following the sad passing of Burnet champion, Alastair Lucas AO. Mr Milne, who has spent He has pledged to do all “He leaves behind an Mr Milne has a background more than 15 years on in his power to honour the amazing contribution and in engineering and more than “amazing contribution” shoes that are very hard to four decades of experience the Board, was Acting of the man he succeeds. fill, but fill them we shall, in the construction industry. Chair from September as we seek to enhance the He has been Chairman of “Alastair’s contribution to 2014 when Mr Lucas scope, nature and output Cockram Construction since Burnet Institute has been of Burnet to fulfil Alastair’s 2000. He joined Cockram in was diagnosed with a enormous, helping to steer dream of improving the 1984 as Managing Director terminal brain tumour. the Institute through many health outcomes of poor and and helped to establish it as challenges over the 12 years marginalised communities in a specialist high-tech design of his tenure as Chair and Australia and internationally. and construction contractor three years as a non-executive throughout Australia and Asia. director,” Mr Milne said. NANJING BIOPOINT LABORATORY LAUNCHED Burnet Institute‘s vision of commercial development a long-term engagement in in conjunction with our China has taken a major step investment partners at forward with the launch of GuoMinXinHe Group,” the R&D laboratory facility for Associate Professor the Burnet spin-off company, Anderson said. Nanjing BioPoint Diagnostics Technology Co. Ltd. “This venture also provides a tangible funding stream to Burnet Institute Deputy support the wider work of Director, and President and the Institute with vulnerable CEO of Nanjing BioPoint, communities in the western Associate Professor David provinces of China and other Anderson said the facility, resource-poor settings.” officially opened by the Australian Ambassador A point-of-care (POC) test to to China, HE Ms Frances identify undiagnosed liver Adamson, would translate disease is the first target of Burnet’s diagnostic research R&D and commercialisation at and technologies into Nanjing BioPoint in conjunction commercially viable products. with Burnet’s Melbourne-based laboratory team. “Nanjing BioPoint is a strong signal of our long-term “This POC liver test will commitment to collaborative help fill an unmet medical research and development need for patients, especially in China, and will facilitate those living in low-income timely delivery of new health countries where laboratory Above: Australian Ambassador to China, HE Ms Frances Adamson technologies to our target testing is difficult to access with President Bai Muchun from GuoMinXinHe Group (middle) and populations worldwide and expensive,” Associate Burnet board member, Mr Ben Foskett. through cost-effective Professor Anderson said. IMPACT SPRING 2015 3 A TRIBUTE TO BURNET CHAMPION ALASTAIR LUCAS AO BURNET CHAIR 2002-2014 Undoubtedly, Alastair Lucas loved “His strategic advice and financial “He was a great the Burnet Institute. When he acumen enabled Burnet to establish a global reputation for excellence in joined the Board in 1998 he was believer in science research and public health activities, and committed to making a difference, put itself in a strong and stable financial and its application to enhancing Burnet’s business position,” Professor Crabb said. and strategic opportunities, to to create a healthier, In a fitting farewell, more than 350 ensuring its mission was achieved friends, family and colleagues gathered more equitable and through a culture of excellence, in Melbourne in August to pay tribute innovation and impact. to Alastair. better world. He was a He became part of the Burnet family, Australia’s Ambassador for Women and passionate supporter serving on the Board from 1998-2014, and Girls, Ms Natasha Stott Despoja AM spoke as Chair for 12 of those years. Sadly, aged warmly about how Alastair had convinced of our work and our 63, Alastair passed away on 6 July 2015 her to join the Burnet Board and his after being diagnosed with an inoperable passion for international health that was mission to achieve brain tumour the previous year. evident during their trips to visit Burnet’s projects in Myanmar, Lao PDR and Papua better health for the Close friend, and Institute Director New Guinea. and CEO, Professor Brendan Crabb AC poorest and most said Alastair’s passionate commitment “As Chair of Burnet for more than a marginalised people to medical research and international decade, he wanted to change lives for health had touched many lives. the better, especially in disadvantaged in our own community communities around the world. He “Alastair leaves an outstanding legacy understood better than most, the notion and throughout for all those whose lives were touched that the accident of birthplace should not by him, and the many lives saved through determine our fates or our futures and the world.” his generosity and passionate support he took seriously his responsibility as of medical and public health research,” a global citizen to make a difference,” – PROFESSOR BRENDAN CRABB AC Professor Crabb said.