The Doherty Institute specialises in a range of disciplines, which intersect each of its four central themes. These disciplines are comprised of collaborations within the Doherty Institute, nationally and internationally to create a global impact.
The Doherty Institute is strongly engaged in public health within Victoria, Australia and internationally through its work in infectious diseases and immunity. It houses both of Victoria’s specialist infectious diseases reference laboratories – Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory and Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory.
Epidemiological research and surveillance is central to the Doherty Institute’s role in understanding and reducing infectious diseases, which cause significant or increasing health burdens in populations in Australia and globally.
The Doherty Institute combines discovery science and clinical research to improve health outcomes, with a focus the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases globally through the translation of basic scientific discoveries into clinical practice.
The Doherty Institute has formed many international partnerships and collaborations to address numerous health issues affecting communities on a global level, and is home to internationally recognised research leaders specialising in dengue, malaria, typhoid, HIV, tuberculosis, antimicrobial resistance, maternal and child health, and early-life nutrition.
The Doherty Institute provides a wealth of education and professional development opportunities through its state-of-the-art facilities and world-leading experts in infectious diseases and immunity. The University of Melbourne’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology delivers specialised courses in bacteriology, virology and immunology along with more generalist infection and immunity subjects.
Indigenous Australians are widely affected by a disproportionate health burden from infectious diseases. The Doherty Institute is focused on collaborating with other Australian organisations to address this major issue.
The Doherty Institute is actively engaged in the field of genomics at both a national level and internationally through its primary research activities and public health laboratory-led initiatives. Genomics is being used to support and enhance ongoing public health activities such as antibiotic resistance tracking, disease surveillance and outbreak response.
A major focus of the Doherty Institute is in discovery research, which aims to elucidate fundamental biological principles through the use of cutting edge technologies and innovative approaches.