Fields of Research (FoR)
Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology, Public Health and Health ServicesBiography
Abrar is a medical epidemiologist, having more than 20 years’ experience in the health sector with governmental, non-governmental and international health organizations. He has substantial experience of public health programs and infectious diseases research, having worked in the World Health Organization (WHO) for many years. Currently he is working as a Senior Lecturer in the School of Population Health, University of New South Wales...view more
Abrar is a medical epidemiologist, having more than 20 years’ experience in the health sector with governmental, non-governmental and international health organizations. He has substantial experience of public health programs and infectious diseases research, having worked in the World Health Organization (WHO) for many years. Currently he is working as a Senior Lecturer in the School of Population Health, University of New South Wales Australia. He is also the director of the Master of Infectious Diseases Intelligence (MIDI) Program at School. His research interests include epidemiology and control of infectious diseases, focusing on emerging and re-emerging infections. He has published more than 150 journal papers, one book chapter, three government reports and 12 conference papers/abstracts during the last 10 years. Abrar provided leadership during COVID-19, through publications, media interactions and a committee membership. During 2021, he has been on secondment to NSW Health COVID-19 Emergency Operation Center.
Abrar is convening two infectious diseases courses at School of Population Health. He is also supervising PhD, Masters, internship and independent learning program (ILP) students. He has received two teaching awards from the School.
My Grants
2020-2021 MRFF Research Grants A randomised controlled trial of mask use in control of respiratory outcomes during bushfire season MacIntyre, Shah, Seale, Chughtai
My Qualifications
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
Master in Public Health (MPH) in Infectious Diseases Epidemiology and Control
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
My Awards
Alan Hodgkinson prize for outstanding contribution to teaching in 2020 from School of Population Health
Early career researcher teaching award in 2018 from School of Population Health
Finalist in the 2017 and 2021 Eureka Prizes
Won the CAPHIA Research Team Prize in 2017
“Best Thesis Award” 2015 - School of Public Health and Community Medicine, UNSW
Dean’s Award from Faculty of Medicine UNSW (November 2013), acknowledging the achievements with the potential to become nationally competitive researcher
Competitive International Postgraduate Scholarship by University of New South Wales for PhD in Public Health and Community Medicine in Australia – 2012-2015
Competitive Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) scholarship for Master in Public Health in Australia – 2009
My Research Activities
Abrar's research interests include infectious diseases epidemiology and control, personal protective equipment (PPE), vaccine preventable diseases and surveillance. He is an emerging leader in research on personal protective equipment (PPE) and has conducted many epidemiological, clinical and policy studies to examine various aspects of PPE in both high and low-income countries. His most important research contributions have been to examine the role of facemasks in resource limited settings. Since 2012, he has co-authored more than 150 publications that were instrumental in the development and or modification of national and international infection control policies.
He is part of a large PPE research group in UNSW, which has conducted the largest body of RCTs on the use of masks and respirators in Australia and internationally to date. Among the seven published RCTs on mask/ respirator use in healthcare settings, four were conducted by the PPE group. Due to this work, PPE research group was finalist in the Australian Eureka Prizes in Infectious Diseases in 2017 and 2021 and won the CAPHIA Team Award in 2017 for Excellence and Innovation in Public Health Research.
He is also doing research to examine association between respiratory infections and congenital anomalies. He is using the Australian & New Zealand Neonatal Network (ANZNN) dataset to examine infection trends in NICUs.
My Research Supervision
Areas of supervision
Infectious diseases epidemiology and control
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Vaccine preventable diseases
Infectious diseases surveillance
Currently supervising
PhD, Masters, internship and independent learning program (ILP) students.
My Engagement
Abrar has been working as temporary advisor/ consultant with Eastern Mediterranean Region of World Health Organisation.
Abrar has an extensive experience of working in humanitarian emergencies in low resource settings.
Abrar has been appointed a member of the Human Research Advisory Panel: (HREAP) G: Health, Medical, Community and Social since September 2019. The membership on the panel is for three years and considered as a significant responsibility and an extremely important contribution to research in the University.
Abrar is member of Early Career and Postgraduate subcommittee (ECAPS) of Council of Academic Public Health Institutions Australia (CAPHIA) since February 2019.
Abrar is also member of level 3 WHS committee in SPHCM UNSW since 2014.
My Teaching
Currently convening two courses at School of Population Health
Outbreak investigation and intelligence (PHCM9788)
Communicable diseases (PHCM2004)
Location
Publications
ORCID as entered in ROS
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4203-7891