Researcher

Dr Nila Joanna Dharan

My Expertise

Human immunodeficiency virus, ageing with chronic viral infections, inflammation, comorbidities, covid-19 illness and outcomes, immunocompromised host. 

Keywords

Fields of Research (FoR)

Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology, Public Health and Health Services

Biography

Nila Dharan is an Infectious Diseases physician with a research focus on international infectious diseases and public health. She completed her medical training in Internal Medicine and specialist training in Infectious Diseases in the United States and completed a research fellowship with the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She has clinical and public health research experience in the areas of...view more

Nila Dharan is an Infectious Diseases physician with a research focus on international infectious diseases and public health. She completed her medical training in Internal Medicine and specialist training in Infectious Diseases in the United States and completed a research fellowship with the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She has clinical and public health research experience in the areas of HIV, influenza and tuberculosis.

In 2021, she completed a PhD in the area of HIV comorbidities and aging, aimed at understanding the spectrum of comorbidities among persons living with HIV in Australia, and understanding aging-related genetic changes in people with HIV. Her current research is focused on several areas including HIV comorbidities, HIV and ageing, and HIV prevention.


My Grants

  • 2017 NHMRC post graduate scholarship
  • 2019 Kirby Institute Emerging Investigator Award 
  • 2019-2020 Department of Health and Ageing ($110,000)
  • 2020 Gilead Fellowship Australia ($60,000)
  • 2020-2021 Department of Health and Ageing ($60,000) 

My Qualifications

MD FRACP PhD


My Awards

2003: Hubert International Research Fellowship, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA

2008: Joint Program Committee Award in the area of Epidemiology of Infection for abstract "Oseltamivir-resistant influenza A(H1N1) in the United States, 2007-2008", presented at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America

2010: Special Citation for Fellows-in-Training for abstract "Child and household risk factors for hospitalization with laboratory-confirmed influenza among children aged 6-59 months - United States 2005-2008", presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America

2019: Kirby Institute (University of New South Wales) Emerging Investigator Award 

2021: UNSW 2021 Medicine and Health Early Career Academic Network Best Research Paper Award for Clinical Medicine and Science

 


My Research Activities

My research is focused on understanding the burden and pathophysiology of comorbidities and ageing people with HIV. 


My Engagement

National Groups and Societies

2009-2010          Combination Influenza Antiviral Therapy Focus Group, National Institutes of Health

2022-present      Advocacy and Policy Committee, Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases

  

Professional Societies

2011-2018          Infectious Diseases Society of America

2012-2015          International AIDS Society

2015-2018          American Society of Microbiology

2017-present      Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine

2020-present      Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases

2021-present      International Immunocompromised Host Society

 

Media

2014: “Hot Topic: A Potentially Deadly Virus Comes to the U.S.” in Rutgers Today, May 23, 2014. https://www.newswise.com/articles/hot-topic-a-potentially-deadly-virus-comes-to-the-u-s

2014: "Flu vaccine may not protect against dangerous strain of virus" in NJ Advance Media/NJ.com (interviewed by Star Ledger), December 4, 2014. http://www.nj.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2014/12/mismatch_between_flu_virus_and_vaccine.html

2014: Featured in “Researchers discuss influenza vaccine” in The Daily Targum, December 7, 2014. http://www.dailytargum.com/article/2014/12/researchers-discuss-influenza-vaccine

2014: Featured in “Spreading more than cheer: Holiday fliers 100 times more likely to catch germs on a plane” in the NJ Advance Media/NJ.com (interviewed by Star Ledger), December 22, 2014. http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2014/12/spreading_more_than_cheer_holiday_fliers_100_times_more_likely_to_catch_germs_on_a_plane.html#incart_rive

2021: Featured in “Older people with HIV are twice as likely to develop ageing-related genetic changes” in Aged Care Insite, July 22, 2021. https://www.agedcareinsite.com.au/2021/07/older-people-with-hiv-are-twice-as-likely-to-develop-ageing-related-genetic-changes/

 

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Contact

+61 (2) 9385 0967