Associate Professor Deborah Friedman is the Director of VICNISS, appointed in 2023. She is an infectious diseases specialist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, a clinical researcher at the Doherty Institute and an Honorary Associate Professor at The University of Melbourne.
She received her Infectious Diseases Fellowship at Duke University Medical Center, and her research in the area of infections that develop in hospitalised patients, defined the term healthcare-associated infection. Her other research into medical therapy for Buruli ulcer has influenced global treatment recommendations.
She received her MD in the area of Infection Control and hospital-acquired infections and completed a Masters of Public Health. She previously served as Deputy Chief Health Officer for Victoria until 2023, and as an infectious diseases physician and an educator of medical students and physician trainees at Barwon health and Deakin University. She has authored over 100 publications and is a recipient of a Queen’s birthday public service medal in 2022. She is an appointed member of the Healthcare infection control special interest group (HICSIG), and an editorial board member of the American journal of Infection control.
