Professor Joseph (Joe) Doyle

Deputy Program Director, Disease Elimination; Co-Head, Infectious Diseases Clinical Research; President, Hepatitis Australia; NHMRC Clinical Research Fellow

Taking students

Working groups

Infectious Diseases Clinical Research

joseph.doyle@burnet.edu.au

Background

Professor Doyle is a clinician-researcher and dual-trained infectious diseases and public health physician. He is an infectious and communicable diseases expert with particular interest in the epidemiology, management and prevention of blood borne viruses (HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B).

Professor Doyle specialised in infectious diseases at The Alfred where he still works clinically as a consultant physician. He completed his MPH at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and his public health fellowship was undertaken at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory and Burnet Institute. His PhD at Monash School of Population Health was focused on the effectiveness of early hepatitis C treatment.

Professor Doyle is President-elect of the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases at The Alfred and Monash University, and is clinical lead for Alfred Health Population Health Partnership. He is jointly appointed as Deputy Director of Disease Elimination Program and Head of Infectious Diseases Clinical Research at Burnet Institute.

Qualifications

2015: PhD, Monash University
2014: FAFPHM, Fellow of Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine, Australia
2011: FRACP in Infectious Diseases, Fellow of Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Australia
2006: MPH, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom
2005: BA (Hons), Department of Political Science, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
2002: MBBS, University of Melbourne, Australia

Appointments

2024–present: President, Hepatitis Australia
Co-Head, Infectious Diseases Clinical Research, Burnet Institute
Deputy Program Director, Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute
Co-Head, Viral Hepatitis Elimination, Burnet Institute
NHMRC Clinical Research Fellow, Monash University
Member, Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee
Senior Research Fellow, Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University
Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne
Adjunct Senior Lecturer, School of Population Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician, The Alfred Hospital, Victoria, Australia

Awards

2017: Burnet Institute Gust-McKenzie Medal
2014: NHMRC Early Career Fellowship
2011: NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship

Positions

2015-2016: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent’s Hospital and University of Melbourne
2011-2014: PhD Candidate, Burnet Institute, Centre for Population Health
2008-2011: Infectious Diseases Fellowship undertaken at the Royal Melbourne, Alfred and St Vincent’s Hospitals, and the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Victoria, Australia

Reports and other work

A systematic review of immediate HCV RNA testing following HCV Antibody compared with HCV RNA testing at time of assessment for HCV therapy.

The World Health organization estimates that between 130 and 150 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) worldwide (World Health Organisation, 2012, Woodall et al., 1994). People with untreated HCV are at increased risk of liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver-related mortality (Villano et al., 1997). HCV RNA testing, which generally follows a positive anti-HCV antibody test in a clinical setting, allows the detection of current HCV infection, thus indicating individuals for treatment and care options (Rongey et al., 2009, Scott et al., 2006, Piasecki et al., 2004). This review investigates the optimal time at which to perform HCV RNA tests in order to establish the presence of current infection, and to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with HCV infection.
A systematic review of immediate HCV RNA testing following HCV Antibody compared with HCV RNA testing at time of assessment for HCV therapy.
Enhancing Hepatitis C Care in Community Pharmacies in Australia: A national roundtable summary report

The objective of the roundtable was to identify key barriers and enablers to enhancing hepatitis C care in Australian community pharmacies with a view to guide the development of a hepatitis C program of care in pharmacies which could be implemented nationally.
Enhancing Hepatitis C Care in Community Pharmacies in Australia: A national roundtable summary report
A systematic review of the effectiveness of antiviral treatment compared with no treatment for chronic HCV infection.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects more than 3% of the global population and poses a high economic burden (El Khoury et al., 2012, Georgel et al., 2010). Between 130 and 150 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C, and it is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis (Georgel et al., 2010, Coffin et al., 2012). Approved treatments include interferon-alpha (IFN), ribavirin (RBV), and HCV NS3 protease inhibitors. Other classes of agents including additional interferons and direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) have been studied for effectiveness and tolerability. The purpose of this rapid review is to assess the effectiveness of HCV anti-viral treatment (IFN, PEG-IFN, RBV) in terms of treatment response, adverse events, quality of life, morbidity, and mortality.
A systematic review of the effectiveness of antiviral treatment compared with no treatment for chronic HCV infection.

2019: Australia’s progress towards hepatitis C elimination annual report

Hepatitis C poses a significant public health concern in Australia, with over 170,000 individuals estimated to be living with chronic hepatitis C infection as of the beginning of 2017. Until the availability of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for all Medicare-eligible Australians with hepatitis C infection on March 1st, 2016, there was a growing population of individuals living with hepatitis C. This trend was accompanied by an increasing burden of liver disease, rising rates of liver cancer, and premature deaths attributed to long-term hepatitis C infection.
2019: Australia’s progress towards hepatitis C elimination annual report
2024: Australia’s progress towards hepatitis C elimination annual report
2024: Australia’s progress towards hepatitis C elimination annual report

Burnet publications

21 Sep 2023

Socioeconomic consequences of the COVID‐19 pandemic for people who use drugs

Australian Journal of Social Issues

Jospeph Doyle, Shelley Walker, Paul Dietze, Peter Higgs, Bernadette Ward, Mark Stoové, Kasun Rathnayake, Margaret Hellard, Lisa Maher, Shelley Walker

21 Sep 2023

Socioeconomic consequences of the COVID‐19 pandemic for people who use drugs

Australian Journal of Social Issues

Jospeph Doyle, Shelley Walker, Paul Dietze, Peter Higgs, Bernadette Ward, Mark Stoové, Kasun Rathnayake, Margaret Hellard, Lisa Maher, Shelley Walker

Current projects

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Barriers to hepatocellular carcinoma screening uptake in Victoria

People with hepatocellular carcinoma risk factors are recommended to have twice-yearly cancer screenings. We explore barriers to screening adherence.

Open to students

Methamphetamine and injecting drug use cohort studies: MIXMAX

MIXMAX is the largest active cohort study of people who use drugs in Australia. It combines 2 pre-existing studies: SuperMIX and VMAX.

EXPAND-C: hepatitis C testing and treatment through community pharmacies

Expanding access to hepatitis C testing and treatment using a pharmacy-based model.

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Past projects

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PharmEC REACH study: reaching methadone users attending community pharmacies with HCV

This project assesses the effectiveness, feasibility and cost-effectiveness of nurse-led testing and treatment of hepatitis C in community pharmacies for people on opiate substitution therapy.