Menzies School of Health Research

05/09/2025

How can listening and learning from community help save young hearts?

Menzies’ Professor Josh Francis shared his powerful insights in a recent TEDx talk at Charles Darwin University .

In “Using our eyes and ears to help young hearts”, Josh tells the story of one of his young patients with rheumatic heart disease (who was in the audience) - showing why listening to and partnering with First Nations communities are vital to tackling this preventable condition.

Watch the talk here:

While rheumatic heart disease is a serious but preventable illness, it is still the most common heart disease in people under age 25. It disproportionately a...

04/09/2025

As Menzies marks 40 years of impact, we’re turning our focus to the future with Menzies Presents: Next Generation Solutions - Youth Voices Shaping the Future of Health, Country and Community.

You’re invited to this special event which brings together emerging and established leaders in health, science and community to explore how young people are driving change towards a fairer, healthier and more sustainable future.

You will hear a keynote address from Tiahni Adamson, followed by a panel discussion + Q&A featuring NT-based changemakers.

📅 Thursday, 9 October
🕙 10:30am–11:45am (light refreshments afterwards)
📍 Menzies Auditorium, John Mathews Building, Royal Darwin Hospital Campus

Registration is essential: https://tix.yt/lTX

03/09/2025

AIR IN EAST ARNHEM | In a major step forward for community-led environmental health, the first long-term environmental monitoring network for the Gove Peninsula has been installed through the Air in East Arnhem project

This has seen environmental sensors installed at Miwatj Health clinics in Nhulunbuy, Gunyaŋara and Yirrkala.

These measure air quality in relation to particulate matter (including dust and other particles), air pressure, temperature, and humidity and are connected to the AirRater app, giving individuals, health services, and emergency responders real-time access to environmental health data.

Along with the help of Yolŋu citizen scientists, the research team will continue to gather environmental and health data over the next 12 months to better understand how the climate impacts the community.

Learn more about this in our latest media release: https://www.menzies.edu.au/page/News_and_Events/Latest_News/

Pictured are the sensors installed at Yirrkala (left) and Nhulunbuy (right).
This is a Yolŋu-led project delivered through a partnership between Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation and Menzies along with AirHealth and various local community groups.

02/09/2025

Ekipa Menzies Timor-Leste ho orgullu partisipa iha selebrasaun tinan 25 kooperasaun ACIAR-Timor-Leste. Eventu ne'e halibur peskizadór sira, parseiru governu nian, no parte interesada sira hodi reflete kona-ba atinjimentu hamutuk sira no esplora diresaun ba futuru husi kolaborasaun peskiza iha nasaun laran.

Ita nia ekipa BEN Study no projetu BRUCE TL reprezenta Menzies iha selebrasaun ACIAR. Ekipa BEN fahe perspektiva sira husi programa Baktéria Enteropatia & Nutrisaun, enkuantu ekipa BRUCE TL subliña sira nia estratéjia One Health hodi hamenus transmisaun bruseloze.

Ida-ne'e oportunidade ida ne'ebé iha valór bo’ot tebes atu fahe lisaun sira ne'ebé aprende ona no destaka ita nia kontribuisaun sira ba peskiza saúde iha Timor-Leste.

Menzies Timor-Leste team proudly participated in the celebration of 25 years of ACIAR-Timor-Leste cooperation,. The event brought together researchers, government partners, and stakeholders to reflect on shared achievements and explore future directions for research collaboration in the country.

Our BEN Study and BRUCE TL project teams represented Menzies at the ACIAR celebration. The BEN team shared insights from the Bacteria Enteropathy & Nutrition program, while the BRUCE TL team highlighted their One Health strategies to reduce brucellosis transmission.

It was a valuable opportunity to share lessons learned and highlight our contributions to health research in Timor-Leste.



Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

01/09/2025

Ami orgullu atu lidera Sentru Exelénsia Peskiza foun Konsellu NasionálSaúde no Peskiza Médika (NHMRC) ida hodi deskobre solusaun sira ba One Health.

Sentru ne’e hanaran RESPOSTA: Research Excellence and Surveillance to Promote One health Solutions for Timor-Leste And the region.

Ekipa RESPOSTA, ne’ebé kompostu husi peskizadór no profisionál saúde públika sira husi Timor-Leste, Austrália, no Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), Indonézia, sei aborda prioridade rejionál sira hanesan rezisténsia ba antibiótiku, infesaun zoonótika hanesan rabies no gripe, no estratéjia inovativu sira hodi hadi’a produsaun no seguransa ai-han.

Xefe ba RESPOSTA, Prof Joshua Francis hateten katak, “Sentru ne’e sei hari’i ho konseitu “akompana” (mentorizasaun no akompañamentu hamutuk) ne’ebé sai nu’udar baze ba servisu Menzies iha Timor-Leste.”

Xefe Diresaun Nasionál Veterinária Timor-Leste, Dra Joanita Jong mós realsa tan katak, “Buka exelénsia iha peskiza One Health nu’udar prioridade importante ida ba Timor-Leste no aliña ho Timor-Leste nia partisipasaun ne’ebé aumenta iha organizasaun rejionál no globál sira.”

Le’e liután kona-ba Sentru iha ami nia komunikadu ikus liu: www.menzies.edu.au/page/News_and_Events/Latest_News/



We’re proud to lead a new National Health and Medical Research Council - NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence to uncover One Health solutions.

The Centre is called RESPOSTA: Research Excellence and Surveillance to Promote One health Solutions for Timor-Leste And the region.

The RESPOSTA team, made up of researchers and public health professionals from Timor-Leste, Australia, and Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), Indonesia, will address regional priorities such as antibiotic resistance, zoonotic infections like rabies and bird flu, and innovative strategies to improve food production and safety.

RESPOSTA lead, Prof Joshua Francis shares, “The Centre will build on the concept of “akompana” (side-by-side mentoring and accompaniment) that underpins the work of Menzies in Timor-Leste.”

Head of the Timor-Leste National Veterinary Directorate, Dr Joanita Jong also highlights, “Pursuing excellence in One Health research is an important priority for Timor-Leste and aligns with Timor-Leste's increasing participation in regional and global organisations.”

Read more about the Centre in our latest media release: www.menzies.edu.au/page/News_and_Events/Latest_News/

29/08/2025

JOIN OUR TEAM | Are you a First Nations researcher or advocate of cultural safety passionate about improving healthcare experiences?

Be a vital part of the Communicate Study Partnership as a First Nations Research Officer and help drive meaningful change in healthcare. This role supports initiatives that strengthen culturally safe communication for First Nations peoples, working closely with communities, interpreters, and healthcare providers. You'll contribute to data collection, engagement, and research translation in a collaborative, respectful, and impact-driven team.

Join a nationally recognised partnership dedicated to improving health outcomes through culturally safe care.

To find out more about this role: https://careers.menzies.edu.au/job-details/query/Research+Officer/in/Australia/9600956/

Learn more about our study here: https://www.menzies.edu.au/page/Research/Projects/Primary_health_care/The_Communicate_study/

Northern Territory Government Djalkiri Foundation Charles Darwin University

28/08/2025

Working in health in the Northern Territory and have an interest in immunisation?

Menzies, in collaboration with NT Health (CDC) and Northern Territory PHN, invite you to the NT Immunisation Symposium for a day of learning about the latest updates and projects happening in the field, all within the theme of ‘Communication, Coverage and Community Engagement’.

📅 Friday 5 September 2025
📍 Darwin | Menzies School of Health Research, JMB Auditorium
💻 Online (via Zoom) + Satellite Sites in Alice Springs

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and explore the latest updates and projects shaping immunisation across the NT.

Registration is free, but essential:
https://www.menzies.edu.au/page/News_and_Events/Events__Seminars/Current/NT_Immunisation_Symposium/

27/08/2025

OUR PEOPLE | Are you interested in Menzies research in child and maternal health?
Today our team is talking about lung health with ABC Darwin Afternoons Program with Jess Ong at 1:30pm (ACST).

Tune in to hear from Prof Stephanie Yerkovich, Menzies Senior Principal Research Fellow and Manager of the Australian Bronchiectasis Centre of Research Excellence especially for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children – which is also known as AusBREATHE.

Prof Yerkovich will be speaking with Jess about the range of work underway to better understand bronchiectasis, a chronic – but reversible – childhood lung condition.

This radio series is part of our 40th anniversary celebrations.

26/08/2025

Are you attending the 2025 Gayaa Dhuwi Conference – Proud Futures in Darwin this week? Then be sure to come and say hello to the Menzies team!

We’re proud to be a sponsor of this national event focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership in social and emotional wellbeing, mental health, and su***de prevention.

At Menzies, our mental health team works with clinicians, schools and young people to help support them to stay strong. We’re passionate about championing cultural strength, community-led approaches, and systems that embed culture, uphold Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, to drive meaningful, lasting reform – which is what this conference is all about.

In between the diverse range of speakers and presentations, be sure to visit the Menzies exhibit and meet the team and hear about projects at Menzies

25/08/2025

Massive congratulations to Dr Sonja Janson and Sharif Hossain on receiving the Menzies 40Y40K Scholarship – recognising their exceptional achievements and unwavering commitment to improving health outcomes through ground-breaking research.

Dr Sonja Janson has spent the past decade caring for communities across the Northern Territory as a general medicine and infectious diseases physician. As Clinical Lead for the NT Health Antimicrobial Stewardship program, she has transformed infectious disease and sepsis care in the Top End. Her PhD, supervised by Professor Jane Davies, focuses on boosting antimicrobial stewardship in remote and primary care through TAMS - a Territory-wide software and education platform targeting antimicrobial resistance.

Sharif Hossain brings more than ten years of public health research expertise from icddr,b in Bangladesh, leading national malaria surveys, clinical trials, and big data projects. His PhD, under Assoc. Professor Benedikt Ley and Professor Kamala Thriemer, aims to improve G6PD testing to enable radical cure of Plasmodium vivax malaria—integrating biology, protective traits, and stakeholder perspectives for real-world impact in endemic regions.

We’re proud to support Sonja and Sharif on this achievement and look forward to seeing the impact of their research.

Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/4td2nr62

22/08/2025

Menzies Timor-Leste ho ksolok bo’ot simu Ken Davies, Prezidente Konsellu Menzies, mai iha ita nia eskritóriu Dili.

Vizita ida ne’e hanesan oportunidade ida atu halo interasaun ho Funsionáriu sira no ita nia parte interesada prinsipál sira, hodi subliña servisu husi programa Menzies Timor-Leste nian.

Ken mós vizita ita nia parseiru prinsipal sira balun — Ospitál Nasionál Guido Valadares, Laboratório Nasionál Saúde, no Laboratóriu Diagnóstiku Veterináriu — hodi destaka kolaborasaun forte ne'ebé maka sai baze ba ita nia impaktu.

Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares - HNGV

Menzies Timor-Leste had the pleasure of welcoming Ken Davies, Chair of the Menzies Board, to our Dili Office.

This visit was a chance to connect with Staff and our key stakeholders, to highlight the work of the Menzies Timor-Leste programs.

Ken also visited some of our key partners — Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares, Laboratório Nacional de Saúde, and the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory — highlighting the strong collaboration that underpins our impact.

22/08/2025

Ita bo’ot sira hanoin ona loron ida iha Menzies ne la’o oinsa?

Mai hare’e hamutuk kona-ba servisu diaria, paixaun, no objetivu ne'ebé mobiliza ekipa Menzies iha Timor-Leste. Husi Servisu iha kampu ba to’o análize iha laboratóriu, husi envolvimentu ho komunidade ba to’o apoiu klíniku. Vídeo ida-ne'e kaptura momentu sira husi saida maka ita halo. Lao’os de’it hanesan servisu fatin maibe Menzies TL hanesan espasu ida ba koneksaun, kolaborasaun, no kultura.

Hare’e vídeo ne’e no sente nia enerjia.

Menzies, iha ne'ebé koñesimentu hasoru impaktu.



Ever wondered what a day at Menzies Timor-Leste looks like?

Get a glimpse into the daily work, passion, and purpose that drives the dedicated Menzies' Timor-Leste team. From Fieldwork to lab analysis, from community engagement to clinical support. This video captures the heart of what we do. More than workplace Menzies TL is a space of connection, collaboration, and culture.

Watch the video and feel the energy.

Menzies, where knowledge meets impact.