Professor Rebecca Guy
Professor Guy (BAppSc, MAppEpid, PhD) is a NHMRC Fellow (Investigator Grant, L2) and is Head of the Surveillance Evaluation and Research Program with 70 staff, at the Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney. Prof Guy also serves as a Member of the Institute’s Executive Committee and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee. Prof Guy has expertise in epidemiology, implementation research, health services and translational research. Prof Guy's public health research focuses on reducing the impact of infectious diseases (HIV, sexually transmissible infections, COVID-19 and other respiratory infections) in vulnerable populations, including evaluating the effectiveness, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness of novel strategies, including point-of-care testing.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
Prof Guy has been a CI on funding applications awarded over $118 million; $67 million as CI-A. Guy has been awarded continuous NHMRC fellowships since her PhD in 2008; including NHMRC Career Development Award 2013–2016 (top-ranking applicant in the Population Health Stream); and an NHMRC Research Fellowship 2017–2021 (top- ranking applicant in the Population Health Stream, the Elizabeth Blackburn Fellowship). Guy has been CIA on 11 NHMRC/ARC grants (1 MRFF Rapid Applied Research Translation initiative, 1 CRE, two partnership grants, two project grants, three fellowships, 1 investigator grant, 1 ARC Hub).
Awards and Fellowships from last 10 years:
- Australian Academy of Science award, Gustav Nossal Medal for Global Health (2022)
- Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS) (2021)
- Australian Institute of Policy and Science, NSW Tall Poppy Science Award (2019),
- NHMRC Award for Elizabeth Blackburn Fellowship for the Top-Ranked Female Applicant in Public Health (2017)
- NSW Premier’s Partnership Award (2015)
- NHMRC Award for Top Ranking Application in the CDF Public Health Stream (2013)
- NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (2013-2016)
- UNSW Postgraduate Research Supervisor Award (2013)
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.ÌýCurrent projects where Prof Guy has a leading role:
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- Centre for Research Excellence in the accelerated implementation of new point-of-care technology for infectious diseases: (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 supportedÌýa large number of social science, health economics and epidemiological projectsÌýacross 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.
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- ARC Industrial Transformative Research Hub:Ìý 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.
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- 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
Prof Guy undertakes regular peer reviewing (10-15 articles/year), including Lancet HIV and Lancet Infectious Diseases. Prof Guy is a regular reviewer for NHMRC, including Investigator Grant reviewer and Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) and has been an external reviewer for NHMRC, the UK Medical Research Council (MRC), and NZ Health Research Council (HRC).
Prof Guy CRE RAPID Point of Care Research Consortium for infectious disease in the Asia-Pacific) has hosted, in partnership with ASHM, the POC23 Conference. This was the first Australasian conference on point-of-care testing for infectious disease. It was a highly successful conference bringing leading scientists, clinicians, and other stakeholders together to share challenges and discuss solutions to scale up point-of-care testing in across settings, populations and infections. A second conference, POC25, will happen in Thailand in June 2025, to keep showcasing innovative global research on the ever-evolving landscape of point-of-care testing, and discuss challenges and solutions to scaling-up-point of care testing for infectious diseases.
Prof Guy has been a member of numerous WHO technical and guideline development groups for HIV and STI testing. Prof Guy previously served as Chair of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee on Syphilis Point-of-Care Working Group, was a member of the Ministerial Advisory Committee for Blood Borne Virus and Sexually Transmissible Infections and advised on the development of three National Strategy policy documents - HIV, STI, and Aboriginal BBVs and STIs (2023-2030). Prof Guy is currently a member of multiple National roundtables/committees focused on POC testing, syphilis control, Cascades of care, and national surveillance.