Funding and governance

The Scientific Advisory Committee contributes to and endorses NCIRS’ long-term national research and surveillance strategy; systematically monitors the performance of NCIRS scientific outcomes; monitors the quality of the research and surveillance systems and processes used by NCIRS in its work; and identifies emerging matters that should be incorporated into the long-term strategy.
 

Chair

  • Professor Christopher Blyth, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Physician and Clinical Microbiologist, Perth Children’s Hospital; Professor of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Western Australia; Director, Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Kids Research Institute Australia
     

Members

  • Ms Karen Booth, Board of Directors Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association
  • Professor Jim Buttery, Professor of Child Health Informatics, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne; Head of Epidemiology Informatics research group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Head of Epidemiology and Signal Detection of SAFEVIC; Chief Research Information Officer, Infectious Diseases Physician, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne; Co-director, Global Vaccine Data Network
  • Ms Kristy Crooks, Aboriginal Program Manager, Health Protection Unit, Hunter New England Population Health; PhD Scholar
  • Professor Margie Danchin, Group Leader, Vaccine Uptake Infection and Immunity, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Paediatrician, Department of General Medicine, The Royal Children's Hospital; Professor, Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne; Deputy Chair, Australian Regional Immunisation Alliance (ARIA)
  • Professor Paul Effler, Senior Medical Advisor, Communicable Disease Control Directorate, Department of Health, Western Australia; Adjunct Professor, University of Western Australia
  • Professor Katie Flanagan, Director Department of Infectious Diseases, Launceston General Hospital; Director, Tasmanian Vaccine Trial Centre, Clifford Craig Foundation; Clinical Professor, School of Medicine, University of Tasmania; Adjunct Professor, School of Health and Biomedical Science, RMIT University
  • Mrs Catherine Hughes, Director, Immunisation Foundation of Australia
  • Professor Colleen Lau, NHMRC Fellow, Program Leader, Operational Research and Decision Support for Infectious Diseases, UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences, University of Queensland
  • Dr Shannon Melody, Specialist Medical Advisor/Public Health Physician, Communicable Diseases Prevention Unit, Public Health Services, Department of Health, Tasmania
  • Associate Professor Jane Smith, Head, General Practice, Bond University Medical Program; General Practitioner, Robina Town Medical Centre
  • Professor Tom Snelling, Director, Health and Clinical Analytics Team, The University of Sydney School of Public Health; Paediatric Infectious Diseases Physician, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network; Team Head of Adaptive Health Intelligence and Honorary Research Fellow, Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Kids Research Institute Australia
  • Professor Nigel Stocks, Head, Discipline of General Practice, Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide
     

Government Representatives

  • Ms Vivien Bevan, Director, Immunisation Policy and Advisory Section, Health Security and Emergency Management Division, Interim Australian Centre for Disease Control, Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
  • Mr Shaun Coutts, Senior Health Program Advisor, Health Emergency Preparedness and Response, Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security, Global Health Division, Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  • Dr Sonya Ennis, Manager, Immunisation Unit, Health Protection NSW
  • Dr Megan Hickie, Principal Medical Advisor, Pharmacovigilance Branch, Therapeutic Goods Administration
  • Mr Dave McNally, Assistant Secretary, Planning and Assessment Support Branch, National Immunisation Division, Interim Australian Centre for Disease Control, Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
  • Dr Ben Polkinghorne, Director, Communicable Disease Epidemiology and Surveillance Section, Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
  • Dr Christine Selvey, Director, Communicable Diseases, Health Protection NSW
     

Secretariat

  • Ms Karyn Phillips, Head of Business and Research Operations, NCIRS
  • Ms Belinda Smith, Executive Assistant, Clinical and Research, NCIRS
     
Last updated August 2026