Research Projects
Active Projects
Our work in Asia
The evaluation of Lao PDR Electronic Immunisation Register
To conduct an evaluation of the Lao PDR Electronic Immunisation Register (EIR) and identify opportunities to improve data for immunisation decision-making, design strategies for vaccine uptake, and promote health system strengthening. Researchers: Meru Sheel (PI),...
Evidence-based decision-making for vaccination in LAO PDR
To support the capacity of the Lao PDR National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) and the Unit for Health Evidence and Policy (UHEP) at University of Health Sciences in evidence-based decision making. Researchers: Nigel Crawford (Co-PI), Fiona Russel...
Reaching the unreached in Southeast Asia, a pro-equity approach
To identify under- and unreached populations and design pro-equity strategies to ensure equal access to vaccination for all Researchers: Meru Sheel (PI) Funder: Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute seed funding
Training and capacity building of immunisation health workforce in Southeast Asia
To design and deliver training for the health workforce involved in delivery of routine and COVID-19 vaccination in Cambodia and Lao PDR. Researchers: Meru Sheel (PI), Esabelle Yam, Alvin Kuo Jing Teo, Gemma Saravanos, Julie Leask, Tracy Smart, Siyan Yi, Kylie...
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on routine immunisation in Indonesia, 2022
To explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social and behavioural drivers of routine immunisation, maternal and child health services, and COVID-19 vaccination among caregivers and healthcare providers in Indonesia. Researcher: Julie Leask (PI), Meru...
Our work in Pacific Island COuntries
Review of the Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network
To evaluate the role of Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN) in achieving IHR 2005 core capacities and identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities to improve coordination of surveillance in the Pacific. Researcher: Meru Sheel (PI), Rebecca...
Who does what in the Pacific? Mapping & measuring the public health workforce
To conduct a mapping and measurement exercise to identify personnel delivering essential public health functions to support an integrated approach to the workforce across health systems primary healthcare, health security, and other disease specific programs in the...
Measuring vaccination status and drivers for vaccination in children with disability in Fiji
To measure vaccination status in children with disability in Suva-Nausori corridor, Fiji and understand the social and behavioural drivers for vaccination. Researchers: Meru Sheel (Co-PI), Gulam Khandaker (Co-PI), Israt Jahan, Unise Vakaloloma, Sureni Perera,...
Student Projects
Active and new opportunities
Active Projects
- What immunisation data matters most in the Pacific? (Cyra Patel, PhD)
- Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of measles vaccination strategies for children in low income settings (Kiddus Kehali, PhD)
- Machine learning interrogation to clinical (pathology) data for hepatitis B virus diagnosis (Busayo Ajuwon, PhD)
- How the securitisation of health issues influences international, national, and sub-national decision-making (Delaram, Akhavein, PhD, co-supervision)
- Prevalence of infectious disease and risk factors in Agricultural Sector: A study of Indigenous Populations in South Odisha, India (Ghenu Khillo, PhD)
- Immunisation inequities in hard-to-reach areas in Southeast Asia (Carlo Lorenzo, PhD)
Past Projects:
- Varicella Outbreaks in Healthcare Workers: A Scoping Review (Michelle Lynch, MGH)
- Distribution of partially and unvaccinated children aged 2-24 months between urban and rural settings of Central Java and West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia (Amy Weaver, MGH)
- Applied Epidemiology in NSW (Zoe Baldwin, MAE)
Papers
2024
Philipp Lambach, Sheetal Silal, Alyssa N. Sbarra, Mitsuki Koh, Rakesh Aggarwal, Habib Hasan Farooqui, Stefan Flasche, Alexandra B. Hogan, Sun-Young Kim, Kathy Leung, William J. Moss, Patrick K. Munywoki, Allison Portnoy, Meru Sheel, Xuan-Yi Wang. Report from the World Health Organization’s immunization and vaccines-related implementation research advisory committee (IVIR-AC) meeting, virtual gathering, 26 February–1 March 2024. Vaccine, 2024;42(15), 3379-3383
Hassan T, Lynch M, King C, Webhe C, Plymoth M, Islam MS, Iannuzzi T, Dao A, Lai J, Martiniuk A, Desai S, Sheel M. Vaccine-prevntable disease outbreaks among healthcare workers: A scoping review. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2024; ciae209
Islam MS, Vogt F, King C, Sheel M. COVID-19 contact tracing and quarantine policies in the Indo-Pacific Region: A mixed-methods study of experiences of public health professionals. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2024 May 31; 4(5):e0003121
Baldwin Z, Hueston L Roberts-Witteveen A, Stanley P, Sheel M, Winkler N, Koirala A, Macartney K, Case J, Hope K, Glasgow KM. The seroprevalence of antibodies to Japanese encephalitis virus in five New South Wales towns at high risk of infection, 2022: a cross-sectional serosurvey. Med J Aust, 2024. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52320
Saravanos GL, Islam MS, Huang Y, Basseal JM, Seale H, Mitchell BG, Sheel M. Infection prevention control programme priorities for sustainable health and environmental systems. BMC Global and Public Health, 2024. Feb:2(6)
Patel C, Sargent GM, Tinessia A, Mayfield H, Chateau D, Ali A, Tuibeqa I, Sheel M. Measuring what matters: context-specific indicators for assessing immunisation performance in Pacific Island Countries and Areas. PLOS Global Public Health. Under review
Randell M, Miko Wahyono TY, Dynes M, Tinessia A, Li M, Danchin M, Oktarinda, Sukesmi F, Saraswati LD, Jenkins K, Aung KD, Noorzad AK, Shetye M, Dewi LA, Yosephine P, Leask J, Sheel M. Provision of immunisation, and maternal and child health services during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences and perspectives from healthcare providers in Indonesia. BMJ Global Health, 2024; 9:e014318
Islam MdS, Vogt F, King C, Sheel M. Examining the development and implementation of COVID-19 contact tracing and quarantine policies in the Indo-Pacific Region: A mixed-methods study. PLoS Global Public Health. Under revision
Randell M, Sheel M, Dynes M, Li M, Danchin M, Oktarinda, Sukesmi F, Saraswati LD, Tinessia A, Jenkins K, Dewi L, Saman S, Yosephine P, Leask J, Wahyono TYM. Influence of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Caregiver Beliefs and Experiences of Routine Childhood Immunisation In Indonesia. Vaccine, 2024. 13:S0264-410X(24)00016-1.
2023
Patel C, Rendell N, Sargent GM, Ali A, Morgan C, Fields R & Sheel M. (2023). Measuring national immunization system performance: a systematic assessment of available resources. Global Health: Science and Practice, 2023;11(3):e220055.
Ajuwon BI, Awotundun ON, Richardson A, Roper K, Sheel M, Rahman N, Salako A, Lidbury BA. Machine learning prediction models for clinical management of blood-borne viral infections: a systematic review of current applications and future impact. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 2023. Nov:179:105244
Pickering J, Sampson C, Mullane M, Sheel M, Barth DD, Lane M, Walker R, Atkinson D, Carapetis JR, Bowen AC. 2023. A pilot study to develop assessment tools for Group A Streptococcus surveillance studies. PeerJ 11:e14945
Marques M, Sheel M. Addressing the social inequities of vaccination: an imperative to close the gap. Lancet Global Health. 2023. Feb;11(2):e173-e174
Ajuwon BI, Richardson A, Roper K, Sheel M, Audu R, Salako BL, Bojuwoye MO, Katibi IA, Lidbury BA. The development of a machine learning algorithm for early detection of viral hepatitis B infection in Nigerian patients. Scientific Reports, 2023. Feb 24;13(1):3244.
McPherson M, Stephens N, Smith KJ, Marfori MT, Sheel M, Cooley L, McEwan B, Veitch M, Johnston FH. Serology study of healthcare workers following a hospital-based outbreak of COVID-19 in North West Tasmania, Australia, 2020. Communicable Diseases Intelligence. 2023. Jan 19;47.
2022
Rendell N and Sheel M. Perspectives on priorities for supporting health security in the Pacific region through health systems strengthening. PLOS Global Public Health. Published online 22 September 2022
McDermid P, Sooppiyaragath S, Craig A, Sheel M, Blazek K, Talty S, Seale H. Psychological and financial impacts of COVID-19-related travel measures: An international cross-sectional study. PloS One. 2022. Aug 5;17(8):e0271894
McDermid P, Craig A, Sheel M, Blazek K, Talty S, Seale H. Examining the psychological and financial impact of travel restrictions on citizens and permanent residents stranded abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic: international cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2022. May 19;12(5):e059922
Sheel M, Voo TV, Pingault N, Sloan-Gardner TS, Marmor A, Kirk M, Johnston V, Coleman K. Vaccine breakthrough infections in a highly-vaccinated Australian population during a SARS-CoV-2 Delta outbreak. Communicable Diseases Intelligence. 2022 Jun 23;46.
Sheel M, Wood N, Macartney K, Buttery J, Dinsmore N, Marshall H, Elliott E, Kynaston A, Richmond P, McIntyre P. Severity of Rotavirus-Vaccine-Associated Intussusception: Prospective Hospital-Based Surveillance, Australia, 2007-2018. Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal. 2022. 2022 Jun 1;41(6):507-513
Restrepo AMC, Gass K, Won KY, Sheel M, Robinson K, Graves PM, Fuimaono S, Lau CL. Potential use of antibodies to provide an earlier indication of lymphatic filariasis resurgence in post-mass drug administration surveillance, American Samoa. International Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2022. April 117:378-386
Wangdi K, Sheel M, Fuimaono S, Graves P, Lay C. Lymphatic filariasis in 2016 in American Samoa: Identifying clustering and hotspots using non-spatial and three spatial analytical methods. PLOS NTDs. 2022. March 28;16(3):e0010262
McDermid P, Craig A, Sheel M, Seale H. How have governments supported citizens stranded abroad due to COVID-19 travel restrictions? A comparative analysis of the financial and health support in eleven countries. BMC Infectious Diseases. 2022. Feb 20;22(1):161
Marta L, Sheel M, Singh A. Vaccine distribution exacerbates the social divide. Journal of Public Health Policy. 2022 Mar;43(1):174-177
Sheel M, McEwen S, Davies SE. Brand equity in access to COVID-19 vaccines. The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. 2022. 18: 100366
Coorey N, Kensitt, Davies J, Keller E, Sheel M, Chani K, Barry S, Boyd R, Denholm J, Watts K, Fox G, Lowbridge C, Perera R, Waring J, Marais B, Viney K. Risk factors for tuberculosis in Australia and their association with delayed treatment completion. The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung. May 1;26(5):399-405
2021
Vassallo A, Dunbar K, Ajuwon B, Lowbridge C, Kirk M, King C, Sheel M. Assessing the impact of polio supplementary immunisation activities on routine immunisation and health systems: a systematic review. BMJ Global Health. 2021. Nov;6(11):e006568.
Vassallo A, Shajahan S, Harris K, Hallam L, Hockham C, Womersley K, Woodward M, Sheel M. Sex and Gender in COVID-19 Vaccine Research: Substantial Evidence Gaps Remain. Frontiers in Global Women’s Health. 2021 Nov 1;2:761511.
Field E, Dyda A, Hewett M, Weng H, Shi J, Curtis S, Law C, McHugh L, Sheel M, Moore J, Furuya-Kanamori L, Pillai P, Konings P, Purcell M, Stocks N, Williams G and Lau CL. Development of the COVID-19 Real-Time Information System for Preparedness and Epidemic Response (CRISPER), Australia. Frontiers in Public Health. 2021. 9:753493.
Ajuwon BI, Yujuico I, Roper K, Richardson A, Sheel M, Lidbury BA. Hepatitis B virus infection in Nigeria: a systematic review and meta-analysis of data published between 2010 and 2019. BMC Infectious Diseases. 2021. Oct 30;21(1):1120.
Sheel M, Lau CL, Sheridan S, Fuimaono S, Graves P. Comparison of Immunochromatographic Test (ICT) and Filariasis Test Strip (FTS) for detecting lymphatic filariasis antigen in American Samoa, 2016. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease. 2021. 2021 Jul 14;6(3):132
Vassallo A, Womersley K, Norton R, Sheel M. Pregnant Women’s Appetite for Risk. Lancet Global Health. 2021 May;9(5):e593.
Seale H, Heywood AE, Leask J, Sheel M, Durrheim DN, Bolsewicz K, Kaur R. Examining Australian public perceptions and behaviors towards a future COVID-19 vaccine. BMC Infectious Diseases. 2021 January 28;21(1):120.
2020
Lau C, Sheel M, Gass K, Fuimaono S, David M, Won K, Sheridan S, Graves P. Potential strategies for strengthening surveillance of lymphatic filariasis in American Samoa after mass drug administration: targeting older age groups, hotspots, and household members of infected persons. PLOS NTDs. 2020 Dec 28;14(12)
Hedtke SM, Zendejas-Heredia PA, Graves PM, Sheridan S, Sheel M, Fuimaono SD, Lau CL, Grant WN. Genetic epidemiology of lymphatic filariasis in American Samoa after mass drug administration. International Journal of Parasitology. 2020 November 7.
Hand RM, Senarathna S, Page-Sharp M, Gray K, Sika-Paotonu D, Sheel M, Chuang VTG, Martinez J, Luna G, Manning L, Wyber R, Carapetis JR, Batty KT. Quality of benzathine penicillin G: A multinational cross-sectional study. Pharmacological Research & Perspectives. 2020 Dec.
Vardoulakis S, Sheel M, Lal A, Gray D. COVID-19 environmental transmission and preventive public health measures. Australia and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. 2020 Aug 24.
Seale H, Heywood AE, Leask J, Sheel M, Thomas S, Durrheim DN, Bolsewicz K, Kaur R. COVID-19 is rapidly changing: Examining public perceptions and behaviors in response to this evolving pandemic. PLOS One. 2020 Jun 23;15(6):e0235112.
Mboera LEG, Akipede GO, Banerjee A, Cuevas LE, Czypionka T, Khan M, Kock R, McCoy D, Mmbaga BT, Misinzo G, Shayo EH, Sheel M, Sindato C, Urassa M. Mitigating lockdown challenges in response to COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa. International Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2020 Jul;96:308-310.
Sheel M, Tippins A, Glass K, Kirk M, Lau CL. Electronic immunization registers – A tool for mitigating outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in the Pacific. Vaccine. 2020 Jun 9;38(28):4395-4398
Kumar R, Bunn PT, Singh SS, Ng SS, Montes de Oca M, De Labastida Rivera F, Chauhan SB, Singh N, Faleiro RJ, Edwards CL, Frame TCM, Sheel M, Austin RJ, Lane SW, Bald T, Smyth MJ, Hill GR, Best SE, Haque A, Corvino D, Waddell N, Koufariotis L, Mukhopadhay P, Rai M, Chakravarty J, Singh OP, Sacks D, Nylen S, Uzonna J, Sundar S, Engwerda CR. Type I Interferons suppress anti-parasitic immunity and can be targeted to improve treatment of visceral leishmaniasis. Cell Reports. 2020 Feb 25;30(8):2512-2525.e9