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- Malaria immunity in endemic populations.
- Vaccines for malaria and other infectious diseases.
- Malaria epidemiology and interventions for malaria.
- Maternal and child health, particularly infectious diseases and child-growth failure.
Professor James Beeson is Deputy Director, Burnet Institute, and Head of the Malaria Immunity and Vaccines Research Group and the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies program of research and implementation activities on maternal and child health in Papua New Guinea.
James is a medical researcher and Public Health Physician (registered in Australia). He completed his medical degree at Monash University and subsequent Advanced Fellowship Training with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, and he is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. James was a Laboratory Head at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute from 2004-2010 before joining the Burnet Institute in 2011.
After completing a PhD in 2001 (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and University of Melbourne), he has worked in the field of global health for over 20 years, with a focus on infectious diseases and maternal and child health. His work includes research and public health activities in East and Central Africa, South East Asia and Papua New Guinea.
A major focus of his research is aimed at understanding the targets and mechanisms of protective immunity in humans, and how protective immunity is acquired and maintained over time. He also works on evaluating immune responses and correlates of protection with malaria vaccines in clinical trials. This knowledge is being used to advance development of malaria vaccines, as well as novel surveillance tools and diagnostics.
Additionally, he works on the interplay between infections, low birthweight and child-growth failure in young children. His work is aligned with relevant global goals set by the World Health Organization and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
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