2010 MACFARLANE BURNET INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH LIMITED BURNET INSTITUTE 2010 ANNUAL REPORT 2 About Burnet 32 Centre for Immunology 5 Financial Overview 38 Centre for Population Health 6 Chairman’s Report 44 Centre for International Health 8 Director’s Report 52 Education and Capacity Building 10 Highlights: Maternal and Child Health 56 Class of 2010 12 Highlights: HIV and Sexual Health 58 Corporate and Support Services 14 Highlights: Young People’s Health 62 Donors and Supporters 16 Developing Health Themes 64 Commercial Activity 17 Specialised Research Facilities 66 Board of Directors 18 Where We Work 68 Patrons and Ambassadors 19 How We Work 69 Corporate Governance 20 A Tribute to Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet 73 Financial Summary 22 Community Engagement 77 Our Achievements 24 Visitors to Burnet 94 Donations 26 Centre for Virology 97 Support our Work Director and CEO: Professor Brendan Crabb, BSc(Hons), PhD Deputy Directors: Associate Professor David Anderson, BSc(Hons), PhD; Professor Mike Toole, MBBS, BMedSc Company Secretary: Mr Peter Spiller, BBus, CPA Cover: Watching HIV infection. After HIV enters a target cell it will travel to the nucleus from where it can never be removed. This is a picture of human blood cells infected with HIV. The virus particles, each just one ten thousandth of a millimetre in size, and the nucleus of the cells are tagged with red or green fluorescent labels of different colors that can be seen using a fluorescent microscope. The Burnet has the only microscope in Australia that can be used to observe the journey of live HIV inside its target cells, a technique that is shedding new light on the HIV infection process. Photo credits: David Anderson, Jenny Anderson, Brett Balalas, Gillian Chamberlain, China (Tibet) Team, Helen Cox, Ben Coghlan, Candida da Fonseca Pereira, Karl Dorning, Marcus Flack, Paul Gilson, Natalie Gray, Chad Hughes, David Humphreys, Lao Team, Chris Morgan, Clare Murphy, Myanmar Team, Tracy Parish, Paul Scott, Hazel Squair, Jasminka Sterjovski,Tana Taechalertpaisarn, Caroline Van Gemert. Editorial Manager: Gillian Chamberlain Editorial Assistant: Hazel Squair Design: Helen Dean Design, Munatha Design A full copy of the Burnet Institute’s Financial Report is available on our website or if you would prefer a hard copy, please contact Hazel Squair at [email protected] or call +61 3 9282 2135. The cost of preparing and printing this Annual Report has been generously donated to the Burnet Institute by an anonymous donor. BURNET INSTITUTE 2010 ANNUAL REPORT prevention discovery impact Developing candidate vaccines for infectious diseases and cancers Discovering factors that prevent AIDS developing from HIV infection Discovering factors influencing malaria virulence and immunity New insights into drug-resistant TB its emergence and spread Understanding factors underlying alcohol and drug use in Australia and the Pacific Providing innovative disease prevention programs in post-cyclone Myanmar (Burma) Developing the first rapid diagnostic test for HIV point-of-care management BURNET INSTITUTE 2010 ANNUAL REPORT 1 The Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health (Burnet Institute) is a not-for-profit, unaligned and independent organisation whose purpose is to improve the health of disadvantaged, poor or otherwise vulnerable people throughout the world. Specifically, our mission is: to achieve better health for poor and vulnerable communities in Australia and internationally through research, education and public health. 2 BURNET INSTITUTE 2010 ANNUAL REPORT Our approach Our approach to address complex health issues is twofold: 1 to generate new knowledge and health intervention tools, to apply the best available evidence to community-level public health 2 programs. The premise of our unique approach to link medical research with public health action is that solutions to many of the major global health problems require comprehensive and innovative responses ranging from novel discoveries, such as the development of new vaccines and diagnostic tests, to the better deployment of existing best-practice health interventions. As evidence of our combined research and public health approach, the Burnet Institute is formally accredited with both the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Australian Overseas Development Aid Agency (AusAID). We are the only organisation in Australia with this dual accreditation. Major themes and expertise While we address issues surrounding promoting better health and the treatment and prevention of many diseases, several major health themes underpin our work: • Infectious diseases • Sexual and reproductive health • Young people’s health • Maternal and child health • Drug and alcohol use • Immunity and vaccines. We have particular expertise in specific infectious diseases of global health significance (especially HIV/AIDS, hepatitis viruses, influenza, malaria and emerging infectious diseases), and in under- standing the immune responses and developing therapies to these infections and other human diseases including some cancers. BURNET INSTITUTE 2010 ANNUAL REPORT 3 Burnet also focuses on drug and alcohol use, both in addressing risky behaviours associated Our values with transmission of infectious diseases and as We are passionate in our major health problems in their own right. commitment to working and Translating new knowledge into health practice growing together to create is also a major focus of our extensive work with a healthier world. We value affected communities in Australia and many excellence, innovation and countries in our region and beyond. While based social justice, and share a desire in Melbourne, the Burnet Institute has long-term to extend the boundaries of offices in five countries- : Indonesia, Papua knowledge and understanding. New Guinea, Lao PDR, Myanmar (Burma), and Mozambique. Approximately a third of our staff are based in these overseas offices. Our staff Named in honour Our staff comprises medical scientists, clinical Burnet Institute is named in researchers, epidemiologists, public health honour of Sir Frank Macfarlane practitioners, educators and administrators. Burnet, OM, AK, KBE who Burnet Institute has many research students received the Nobel Prize for studying for their Masters or PhD degrees and numerous postdoctoral graduates in training. Medicine in 1960. 4 BURNET INSTITUTE 2010 ANNUAL REPORT 2010 Financial Overview Burnet’s income has grown steadily over the past five years to exceed $53 million in 2010. TURNOVER Turnover (2006 - 2010) Turnover (200680 - 2010) 70 80 60 70 50 60 40 50 millions $ 30 40 20 EXPENDITURE $ millions $ 30 10 0 20 Building grants 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Income (excl. Building) 10 0 Building Grants 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Income (excl. Building) Income 2010 ($53.2m) Expenditure 2010 ($49.9m) 1.0 6.6 Research grants (NHMRC + other) 4.9 3.1 AusAID INCOME 14.3 4.5 Research & Research Support Other International health income 6.0 Government operational Public Health infrastructure 17.6 Facilities & Maintenance Donations/Fundraising Property Management 6.5 Administration & Fundraising Income 2010 ($53.2m) ExpenditureInvestments 2010 ($49.9m) Other Alfred Centre Stage 2 3.9 19.8 15.0 1.0 4.9 3.1 6.6 Research Grants (NHMRC + other) AusAID 4.5 Research & Research Support 14.3 Other International Health Income 6.0 Public Health Government Operational Infrastructure 17.6 Facilities & Maintenance Donations/Fundraising 6.5 Property Management Administration & Fundraising Investments Other 19.8 Alfred Centre Stage 2 3.9 15.0 BURNET INSTITUTE 2010 ANNUAL REPORT 5 This is Burnet’s 25th year. In 1986, the research centre of the Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital in Melbourne was renamed the Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research and created as a separate organisation, under Professor Ian Gust. So much has been achieved in 25 years: Burnet is one of Australia’s leading research institutes, with a staff of more than 450 and a budget of more than $50 million annually – figures unimaginable by Burnet’s pioneers 25 short years ago. I was recently asked to pen 100 words to describe Burnet That pretty much sums Burnet up: it is a highly professional, for the Institute’s regular magazine, IMPACT. It seemed an independent, evidence and research-based institute unreasonable task to describe Burnet with such brevity, whose sole purpose is to improve the health of and indeed I failed to meet the 100-word limit. But the few disadvantaged people in Australia and throughout the words that follow were the best way I could describe my world. attitude to the organisation, so I repeat them here: Every year in the Chairman’s report there is a description “Let me just say this on the Institute’s 25th birthday: of the year’s achievements. 2010 was such an eventful and successful year for Burnet that I’m not going to Burnet is an organisation I revere. I could give many attempt a description of the year’s activities, or to single reasons for this opinion, but the word limit means out particular stellar achievements (of which there were I must summarise. I love Burnet because its sole focus several). I would ask you to browse through the rest of is the betterment of humans who, through nothing this report to get a sense of the breadth and effective- but happenstance, are marginalised and deprived. ness of Burnet’s 2010 operations. However, I would like No other research institute in Australia makes its to thank a number of people for their contributions. focus the world’s – including Australia’s – poor. I mentioned that 2011 represents a quarter of a century of Burnet, so it’s timely that I record the contribution of our It’s impossible to assess how many thousands of lives past Directors – Professor Ian Gust AO, his successor are being improved, and indeed saved, by Burnet’s Professor John Mills and Professor Steve Wesselingh. actions. So I also revere Burnet because it’s effective: All contributed enormously to what Burnet is today. it gets things done, on the ground, day after day, on And of course our current Director, Professor Brendan a sustainable basis.