THE NEWSLETTER OF THE BURNET INSTITUTE | AUTUMN 2013 PNG: TACKLING TUBERCULOSIS HEALTH IN CHINA: A NEW CHAPTER WORLD-FIRST APPROACH TO FIGHTING HIV burnet.edu.au DIRECTOR’S REPORT INSIDE FEATURES elcome to the Autumn issue of IMPACT. At the time of writing 3 PHILANTHROPY IN ACTION this I have just returned from an important visit to Myanmar 6 RUSHING TOWARDS A CURE (Burma). Together with Board colleagues, Chairman Alastair Lucas AM and Board member, Natasha Stott Despoja AM, I had the 8 TACKLING TUBERCULOSIS IN PNG privilege of meeting with Burnet’s program sta!, visiting our women’s and children’s health projects and meeting with high-level government 10 HEALTH IN CHINA o"cials, including the Health Minister, Dr Pe Thet Khin and opposition 12 ADVANCES IN THE FIGHT leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. Discussions were very positive and centred AGAINST HIV on Burnet’s contribution to improving health systems, especially post 14 NEWS IN BRIEF Cyclone Nargis. The Institute has been working in Myanmar for more than 10 years and it is our largest international health program. Burnet is one of the few Australian non-government FRONT COVER IMAGE: organisations to be in this country for this length of time. Myanmar as most of you would be A stylised illustration of HIV. aware is changing quickly, the political situation has eased somewhat, and the move towards Burnet Institute is an a democracy is rapidly taking place. With this change, comes the capacity for organisations Australian not-for-pro!t, such as Burnet to provide support to address many of the health issues facing the country; unaligned and independent especially the high rate of deaths among women during childbirth and that of their newborn organisation whose purpose babies. Your support of our Myanmar projects through the recent Christmas Appeal was most is to improve the health generous and I want to thank you for that, without it, we are unable to progress many of the of disadvantaged, poor or priority projects Burnet has on its agenda. otherwise vulnerable people This year will be one of signi#cance for medical research in Australia. The #nal report from throughout the world. the government-commissioned McKeon Review into medical research has been released by the Federal Government. It provides a ten-year strategic platform for how medical research should be approached. Positive reform like this is crucial to our sector. These are challenging economic times and in my roles as Burnet Director and as President of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes, much of my focus has been on creating awareness across the political spectrum that medical research is essential for better health. There has emerged a strong consensus on this but it also needs to be understood that living longer, better and more productive lives makes strong economic sense. This won’t happen without a strong, vibrant and relevant medical research and public health community. This issue of IMPACT discusses some of the key aspects of Burnet’s work in the areas of HIV and tuberculosis as well as taking a look at our work in China. I hope you enjoy reading this issue and look forward to sharing more about the Institute with you in the coming months. Best wishes, Professor Brendan Crabb, Director and CEO All donations over $2 are !lly tax deductible. Where possible people who appear in images included in this newsletter 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 of the Burnet Institute’s newsletter, IMPACT, please call Paul Rathbone on 03 9282 2113. Photo Credits: AusAID, Alex Bernardin – San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Casey Budesilich, Gillian Chamberlain, Marcus Flack – Liquid Creations, Soe Lin Htut, Stephanie Luketic, Emma McBryde, Chris Morgan, Lisa Renkin, Paul Scott, Catherine Somerville, Doug Toerge – Magnet, Corey Wright. Managing Editor: Gillian Chamberlain. Design: Kelly Watson Design. 2 IMPACT Autumn 2012 PHILANTHROPY IN ACTION TECHNOLOGY TO CHANGE THE WORLD APPEAL SMALL TECHNOLOGY —BIG IMPACT Dear supporter of the Institute, The #rst specimens of the test are currently being produced, with a In a few days, a very important letter will reach you. It will tell the story view to undertake clinical trials over the coming months. This is where of Burnet’s revolutionary HIV diagnostic test, a world-#rst that could you can help. We need your support to bring the test from bench to change the lives of millions of people living with HIV worldwide. bedside and ensure that those who need it the most can e!ectively Nine years ago, Burnet took on the challenge of developing a use it. simple HIV diagnostic test. The test was designed to quickly measure The letter you will receive shortly will give you the chance to send a the number of a particular white cell in the blood known as CD4, gi& that will help us do just that. But if it is more convenient, you can which is an indicator of when patients should commence therapy. donate now using the coupon inside this newsletter. Current CD4 tests rely on %ow-cytometry, a complex application Many thanks for your support. widely available in the developed world, but of limited value for poor and vulnerable communities with restricted access to clinics and lab equipment. The inadequacy of the current technology means that millions of people lack appropriate access to therapy. Professor Brendan Crabb, Many hurdles later we have almost reached the #nish line. Director and CEO, Burnet Institute THANK YOU VERY MUCH! We recently caught up with two bene#ciaries of your support who asked us to share their heartfelt messages of thanks. Thank you from the lab Thank you from Myanmar To my great excitement, Burnet took possession of its #rst super- Your support means that we will be able to train 540 health workers resolution microscope a few weeks ago. The microscope will enable and midwives by the end of 2013, upgrade local health facilities, and scientists like me to capture images of human cells and infectious buy basic equipment and medicines essential for the care of mothers microbes in unprecedented detail for the #rst time in our scienti#c in Myanmar. careers. We would not have been able to purchase this incredible I was incredibly touched to learn that more than $50,000 has been machine without your support. Thank you so much for making this raised towards our mothers’ and children’s programs. Money goes a long dream a reality! way in countries like Myanmar, and your support will de#nitely change Dr Candida da Fonsesca Pereira, lives. I can assure you that your gi& will be used with all our deliberate Head, Burnet’s Cell Imaging Facility energy to improve the lot of those who need it most. Thank you! Dr Karl Dorning, Myanmar Country Representative IMPACT Autumn 2013 3 PHILANTHROPY IN ACTION INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY Burnet researcher Eman Aleksic chats with guest Kath Cunningham. Keynote address by Professor Suzanne Crowe AM. Burnet Institute’s and bequestors, researchers presentation by four Burnet Margaret Hellard on the critical International Women’s Day and students from across the scientists who spoke about importance of health education, luncheon celebrated the Institute, and representatives their research: Dr Freya especially among young people. Institute’s achievements in from charitable trusts and Fowkes on malaria in pregnant The women and supporters women’s health. other organisations that women; Associate Professor of Burnet take pride in our support Burnet’s work in Gilda Tachedjian on the contribution to public health, Burnet Associate Director, women’s health. development of microbicides and to social justice at a global Professor Suzanne Crowe AM Taking the theme and the prevention of HIV in level, and this was evident in the hosted the event, speaking ‘Empowering Women through women; Dr Claire Ryan on the warmth and enthusiasm at this to women from all reaches of Health Knowledge’, Professor human papillomavirus in Papua wonder'l celebration. the Burnet family: supporters Crowe was joined in her New Guinea; and Professor SHARE YOUR GOOD FORTUNE WITH BURNET Make a donation through ShareGi& Australia Do you have a small, initiative which can bene#t sale of shares on market, free For 'rther information, unmarketable parcel of shares Burnet’s medical research and of brokerage/GST costs and see the ShareGi& website that you would like to put to public health work, at no cost donates 100 per cent of the sharegi&australia.org.au work to improve the health of to you and in a tax e!ective way cash proceeds to Australian or download the donation disadvantaged and vulnerable – through ShareGi& Australia. charities. Donations of shares form from the Burnet website people in Australia and There are no brokerage fees valued more than $2 are burnet.edu.au/support_our_work throughout the world? and you can nominate the tax deductible. To discuss including a If so, ShareGi& Australia can Burnet Institute as a bene#ciary Any number of shares can bequest of shares in your Will, make the process very easy of ShareGi& distributions. be sold in actively trading please contact our Planned for you. ShareGi& Australia is an ASX listed companies through Giving Manager, Merrilyn Your small share parcel independent, non-pro#t ShareGi&. Even one share can Julian on (03) 8506 2338 or can now be easily sold via an organisation that arranges the make a di!erence. email [email protected] 4 IMPACT Autumn 2013 PHILANTHROPY IN ACTION A GIFT OF LIFE FOR THOSE SUFFERING FROM TUBERCULOSIS Every day 4,000 people lose their lives to tuberculosis (TB).