Professor Rebecca Guy

Prof Guy has led national surveillance, cohort studies, data linkage studies and cluster randomised trials of large-scale public initiatives to control infectious diseases, particularly among marginalised populations. This research has translated into policy and practice, including National Strategies, National guidelines and WHO guidelines. Current projects where Prof Guy has a leading role:

• First Nations Molecular Point-of-Care Testing Program which supports >100 Aboriginal health services in remote Australia (the largest network globally) to offer decentralised molecular point-of-care testing for multiple infectious diseases; COVID-19, influenza A, B, RSV, and sexually transmitted infections (Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and trichomonas), with primary care staff trained as the operators and leading the implementation. The Program works in partnership with International Centre for Point-of-Care Testing, ACCHOs and multiple other stakeholders nationally and played a key role in controlling COVID-19 in remote communities during the pandemic and improving the time to treatment for curable STIs in this setting. The Program had received ongoing funding from the Australian Government since 2016.

• MRFF Rapid Applied Research Translation initiative ($9,9M, 2022-2027) titled ‘Scaling up infectious disease point-of-care testing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in remote Australia.’ The MRFF is in partnership with National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) - the national leadership body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. This partnership reflects years of ongoing engagement and trust established between researcher, program implementers, ACCHOs and other stakeholders.

• Centre for Research Excellence in the accelerated implementation of new point-of-care technology for infectious diseases: RAPID (2.4M, 2018-2024). This is a Point of Care Research Consortium for infectious disease in the Asia-Pacific led by world-leading experts in diagnostics and health service research, epidemiology, social science, health economics, and modelling research who work in collaboration with recognised educational and research institutes. The centre conducts research and make recommendations to encourage scale-up of point of care testing across Australia and the Asia Pacific, in recognition of its life-saving potential. RAPID was established in 2019 and has since supported a large number of social science, health economics and epidemiological projects across a range of infectious diseases, population and settings. Affected communities are the focus, the research is conducted across 300 primary care health services in Australia (including Aboriginal services), Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

• ARC Industrial Transformative Research Hub: AMR Hub to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance ($9M, 2020-2024). This a collaborative platform involving over 20 partner organisations. It aims to develop innovative solutions to AMR, particularly focusing on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Mycoplasma genitalium, which are increasingly resistant to common antibiotics. The Hub's research themes include developing novel diagnostics, optimising STI treatment, detecting active bacterial infections, and engaging stakeholders to optimise AMR innovation. Through multidisciplinary approaches and partnerships, the Hub seeks to fast-track the development of diagnostics, new antimicrobial compounds, and stewardship innovations, while also addressing societal, economic, and commercial aspects of AMR solutions. Ultimately, addressing AMR requires collaborative efforts across sectors to develop adaptable technologies and implement preventive measures. The AMR Hub serves as an ecosystem fostering innovative solutions to mitigate AMR's current and future impact on public health and economies.

• Australian Study of Health and Relationships (ASHR): Funded by NHMRC and conducted once a decade, it provides a snapshot of the sexual health and well-being of the Australian population, providing essential information for the development of policy and the delivery of sexual and reproductive health programs across Australia. The Third Australian Study of Health and Relationships (ASHR3, 2022–2023) is being conducted via a nationally representative survey of over 145,000 Australians aged 16–69 years. Findings from ASHR3 will be used to inform and evaluate state and national sexual and reproductive health strategies, health promotion campaigns, and education initiatives