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Role Group Leader / Snr Princ Research Fellow
Professor Fiona Russell (BMBS, Grad Dip(Clin Epi), Dip Paeds, MPHTM, FRACP, PhD) is a paediatrician, epidemiologist and vaccine researcher. She is Director of the Child and Adolescent Health PhD Program, Department of Paediatrics, the University of Melbourne, and is a member of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Child and Neonatal Health Research and Training; and Group Leader for Asia-Pacific Health research, MCRI. She is Chair of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases Vaccination Special Interest Group.

Her research provides evidence for policy decisions regarding immunisation and child health in low- and middle-income countries.. It focuses on novel vaccine impact evaluations including the first study on vaccine effectiveness against hypoxic pneumonia using the test-negative design, understanding herd immunity, prevention of mother to infant transmission of infections, and vaccine preventable disease surveillance. Her research has changed global, regional and country policy; is cited in the WHO pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Position Statements (2012, 2019); has led to a paradigm shift in the number and timing of vaccine doses used; and has led to new vaccine introduction in the region. The results from her work have been presented to WHO and Gavi.

She leads the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Pneumococcal Disease Control in the Asia-Pacific region with many partners from the Asia-Pacific region. She has been a regular advisor to WHO Immunization and Vaccine Research technical advisory groups (2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018) on global PCV policy and research directions. She has undertaken more than 30 international consultancies (UNICEF, WHO) to advise governments, donors (DFAT, Asia Development Bank) immunisation and child health policy (Asia, Pacific and Africa). She advises DFAT and WHO on COVID-19 vaccine use in the Asia-Pacific region.

Top 5 publications:

1. Chan J, et al, Russell FM. Substantial indirect protection against invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumonia hospitalizations in Australian children at low levels of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine coverage: an observational study. PLOS Medicine. 2021;18(8):e1003733.

2. Hume-Nixon M, et al, Russell FM. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of administration of azithromycin during pregnancy on perinatal and neonatal outcomes. Lancet eClinicalMedicine. 2021;40:101123.

3. Chan J, et al, Russell FM. Direct and indirect effects of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on pneumococcal carriage in children hospitalized with pneumonia from formal and informal settlements in Mongolia: an observational study. The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. 2021; 15:100231.

4. Weaver R, et al, Russell FM. The effectiveness of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine against hypoxic pneumonia in children in Lao People's Democratic Republic: An observational hospital-based test-negative study. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific. 2020; 2:100014.

5. Reyburn R, et al, Russell FM. Effect of ten-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine introduction on pneumonia hospital admissions in Fiji: a time-series analysis. Lancet Global Health. 2020; 9(1):e91-e98.
Professor Fiona Russell (BMBS, Grad Dip(Clin Epi), Dip Paeds, MPHTM, FRACP, PhD) is a paediatrician, epidemiologist and vaccine researcher. She is Director of the Child and Adolescent Health PhD Program, Department of Paediatrics, the University of...
Professor Fiona Russell (BMBS, Grad Dip(Clin Epi), Dip Paeds, MPHTM, FRACP, PhD) is a paediatrician, epidemiologist and vaccine researcher. She is Director of the Child and Adolescent Health PhD Program, Department of Paediatrics, the University of Melbourne, and is a member of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Child and Neonatal Health Research and Training; and Group Leader for Asia-Pacific Health research, MCRI. She is Chair of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases Vaccination Special Interest Group.

Her research provides evidence for policy decisions regarding immunisation and child health in low- and middle-income countries.. It focuses on novel vaccine impact evaluations including the first study on vaccine effectiveness against hypoxic pneumonia using the test-negative design, understanding herd immunity, prevention of mother to infant transmission of infections, and vaccine preventable disease surveillance. Her research has changed global, regional and country policy; is cited in the WHO pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Position Statements (2012, 2019); has led to a paradigm shift in the number and timing of vaccine doses used; and has led to new vaccine introduction in the region. The results from her work have been presented to WHO and Gavi.

She leads the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Pneumococcal Disease Control in the Asia-Pacific region with many partners from the Asia-Pacific region. She has been a regular advisor to WHO Immunization and Vaccine Research technical advisory groups (2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018) on global PCV policy and research directions. She has undertaken more than 30 international consultancies (UNICEF, WHO) to advise governments, donors (DFAT, Asia Development Bank) immunisation and child health policy (Asia, Pacific and Africa). She advises DFAT and WHO on COVID-19 vaccine use in the Asia-Pacific region.

Top 5 publications:

1. Chan J, et al, Russell FM. Substantial indirect protection against invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumonia hospitalizations in Australian children at low levels of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine coverage: an observational study. PLOS Medicine. 2021;18(8):e1003733.

2. Hume-Nixon M, et al, Russell FM. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of administration of azithromycin during pregnancy on perinatal and neonatal outcomes. Lancet eClinicalMedicine. 2021;40:101123.

3. Chan J, et al, Russell FM. Direct and indirect effects of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on pneumococcal carriage in children hospitalized with pneumonia from formal and informal settlements in Mongolia: an observational study. The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. 2021; 15:100231.

4. Weaver R, et al, Russell FM. The effectiveness of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine against hypoxic pneumonia in children in Lao People's Democratic Republic: An observational hospital-based test-negative study. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific. 2020; 2:100014.

5. Reyburn R, et al, Russell FM. Effect of ten-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine introduction on pneumonia hospital admissions in Fiji: a time-series analysis. Lancet Global Health. 2020; 9(1):e91-e98.

Top Publications

  • Wilkes, C, Subhi, R, Graham, HR, Duke, T, Graham, S, Gray, A, Gwee, A, von Mollendorf, C, Mulholland, K, Russell, F, et al. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) for severe pneumonia in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review of contextual factors. Journal of Global Health 12: 10012 2024
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  • Walker, PJ, Wilkes, C, Duke, T, Graham, HR, Duke, T, Graham, H, Graham, S, Gray, A, Gwee, A, von Mollendorf, C, et al. Can child pneumonia in low-resource settings be treated without antibiotics? A systematic review & meta-analysis. Journal of Global Health 12: 10007 2024
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  • Reyburn, R, Tsatsaronis, A, von Mollendorf, C, Mulholland, K, Russell, FM, Duke, T, Graham, H, Graham, S, Gray, A, Gwee, A, et al. Systematic review on the impact of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine ten valent (PCV10) or thirteen valent (PCV13) on all-cause, radiologically confirmed and severe pneumonia hospitalisation rates and pneumonia mortality in children 0-9 years old. Journal of Global Health 13: 05002 2024
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  • Reyburn, R, Maher, J, von Mollendorf, C, Gwee, A, Mulholland, K, Russell, F, Duke, T, Graham, H, Graham, S, Gray, A, et al. The impact of the introduction of ten- or thirteen-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on antimicrobial-resistant pneumococcal disease and carriage: A systematic literature review. Journal of Global Health 13: 05001 2024
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  • Wilkes, C, Bava, M, Graham, HR, Duke, T, Duke, T, Graham, H, Graham, S, Gray, A, Gwee, A, von Mollendorf, C, et al. What are the risk factors for death among children with pneumonia in low- and middle-income countries? A systematic review. Journal of Global Health 13: 05003 2024
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