b005 Congratulations to University of Melbourne Excellence Award recipients | Doherty Website

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02 Jul 2021

Congratulations to University of Melbourne Excellence Award recipients

Two teams with members from the Doherty Institute have received 2021 University of Melbourne Excellence Awards for their outstanding work during the past year.

The University of Melbourne Epidemiologic Modelling Team led by Director of Doherty Epidemiology Professor Jodie McVernon and Professor in Mathematical Biology James McCaw with their team spread across the University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research received the Award for Excellence in Engagement.

The team were key advisors to the Commonwealth Government for the past 18 months, developing models to inform COVID-19 preparedness, surveillance, containment measures and the national reopening strategy. 

In addition, they have also worked with the World Health Organization regionally and globally.

The Microbiological Diagnostic Unit (MDU) Genomics Team led by Professor Benjamin Howden and Dr Norelle Sherry were recognised with the Award for Professional Excellence and Innovation.

MDU has been critical to the Victorian public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic and was one of the first laboratories globally to develop a rapid next-generation sequencing and analysis pipeline for SARS-CoV-2 to strengthen Victoria’s public health response through innovative technologies.

More than 15,600 (around 76 per cent) Victorian cases have been sequenced since January 2020, with daily and weekly verbal and written reports provided to the Victorian Department of Health to rapidly inform public health policy and decision-making.

Doherty Institute Director Professor Sharon Lewin said she was incredibly proud of the successful teams in the University of Melbourne Awards.

“Everyone at the Institute and the University worked so hard during 2020, highlighting the incredible collaborations within the University and further in the precinct,” Professor Lewin said.

“I’d also like to congratulate the other recipients across the University who were acknowledged in the awards – it’s wonderful to see such a diverse range of experience, skills and expertise across the University.”

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