Australian RSV immunisation update – new funded programs for infant protection

• Welcome and opening remarks
   

Kristine Macartney is a paediatrician and infectious disease specialist. She is a medical graduate of the University of NSW and has over 20 years of experience in vaccinology.

She has experience working in the US at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she was a founding member of the US Vaccine Education Center. Her Doctorate of Medicine was on rotavirus infection, in particular the mucosal immune response to novel vaccine candidates. She is interested in all aspects of vaccine preventable disease research, particularly policy development, vaccine safety and prevention of viral diseases. She is the Senior Editor of the Australian Immunisation Handbook. Kristine is a Staff Specialist in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead and has a conjoint academic appointment as Professor in the Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health at the University of Sydney.

• RSV disease and Beyfortus​
   

Archana Koirala is a paediatric infectious disease specialist who joined NCIRS in 2018. She is part of the New South Wales Immunisation Specialist Service (NSWISS) team and reviews children who have experienced an adverse event following immunisation. She also works at Nepean Hospital and is a Clinical Lecturer at the University of Sydney.

• Abrysvo and vaccination in pregnancy​
   

Michelle Giles is a lead of the Clinical and Health Systems Research cross-cutting discipline at the Doherty Institute. She is an infectious diseases physician and clinician scientist specialising in infections in pregnancy and maternal immunisation. 

Michelle supported the Australian Government’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on control of community transmission of infection and in leading policy advice for the COVID-19 vaccination program.

Michelle holds clinical appointments at Alfred Health, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Monash Health and Western Health, and has academic appointments at the Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Melbourne and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University.

• US RSV prevention programs​
   

Helen is a member of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Her research is focused on emerging respiratory viral infections and maternal-fetal immunity against respiratory viruses.

Helen earned her MD from Duke University, USA. She completed her internal medicine residency at Harvard-Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and her fellowship and MPH at University of Washington. 

• National RSV Maternal and Infant Protection Program (RSV MIPP)​
   

Anna Peatt leads the division responsible for the National Immunisation Program and the National COVID-19 Vaccine Program. These programs work to prevent disease and death through access to vaccines and the provision of better supports to the delivery of outcomes across the Department, as teams share their expertise, knowledge and capacity. Anna’s previous roles have included First Assistant Secretary, National COVID-19 Vaccine Division and Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the National Blood Authority. She previously worked at the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, as the Chief Officer, Medicines and Poisons Regulation. Anna has more than 20 years’ experience in various roles throughout the Australian Government working in various departments, mainly in high-level positions. Her knowledge is enhanced by a Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry), which she attained at Monash University.

• National RSV Maternal and Infant Protection Program (RSV MIPP)​
   

As the Australian Government’s Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Alison McMillan provides high-level strategic policy advice on nursing, midwifery, health system reform, health workforce, regulation and education to the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Sport, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Assistant Minister Rural and Regional Health, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health, and the Executive and staff within the Department of Health and Aged Care and other Government departments. 

Alison is an Adjunct Professor (Practice) at Monash University and a Distinguished Alumni of Latrobe University. She has received several awards, including a Public Service Medal for outstanding public service to driving the Government's national health response priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic – particularly to infection prevention measures – in June 2021, a National Emergency Medal in recognition of service following the 2009 Victorian Bushfires and a Humanitarian Overseas Medal in 2021.

• Practical tips for administering Abrysvo and Beyfortus​
   

Sonya Ennis joined the National Meningococcal C Vaccination Program in 2003 and was a Senior Policy Analyst in the Immunisation Unit for 15 years before taking on the Associate Director’s role in 2018. Before joining the Immunisation Unit, Sonya was a Registered Nurse in ICU for many years. 

Sonya completed a Master of Public Health in 2008 and a Professional Doctorate of Public Health in 2018, where her research interests were measles and pertussis control in vulnerable populations.

Emma Goeman joined NCIRS as a Staff Specialist in 2021. She is a clinical microbiologist for Australian Clinical Labs and a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney. Emma has experience working as an infectious diseases physician and clinical microbiologist at a large public tertiary hospital in Sydney.

Emma graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2005, and trained in paediatrics, infectious diseases and clinical microbiology in Melbourne, Alice Springs and Sydney. She obtained Fellowships of the RACP (Infectious Diseases, Paediatrics and Child Health Division) and RCPA (Microbiology) in 2017.