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Leila Bell

PhD student

Taking students

Working groups

leila.bell@burnet.edu.au
Leila Bell

Background

Leila is an infectious disease epidemiologist who joined Burnet in 2021 to start a PhD through Monash University. The aims of her project are to inform the strengthening of sustainable and effective surveillance for hepatitis B prevention, diagnosis, and management in the Pacific, with a focus on Vanuatu. The outcomes of this research will add to the understanding of the hepatitis B burden to guide public health prioritisation, as well as support reporting against global and regional strategies. Leila has also supported Burnet's ACCESS Myanmar pilot as a research assistant.

Prior to joining Burnet, Leila worked with the World Health Organization Health Emergencies Programmes at the regional office for the Western Pacific (WPRO) in Manila, Philippines. During her time at WPRO, Leila's work was mostly focused on outbreak surveillance and response.

Qualifications

  • 2021–present: PhD student
  • 2016: MPH, The Melbourne University, Australia
  • 2013: Bachelor of Arts (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Sociology) Rice University, Texas, USA

Positions

  • 2021–2025: Research Assistant, Surveillance and Evaluation Group, Burnet Institute
  • 2018-2021: Technical Officer WHO Health Emergencies, WPRO, Manila, Philippines
  • 2018: Consultant WHO Health Emergencies, SEARO, New Delhi, India
  • 2016–2017: Consultant WHO Health Emergencies, WPRO, Manila Philippines

Burnet publications

View 3 more
18 Dec 2024

Protektem pikinini blong yu trial: protocol for a single arm field trial to assess the effectiveness of treating-all pregnant women with hepatitis B infection with tenofovir prophylaxis to prevent mother-to-child transmission in Vanuatu, 2024–2025

BMC Public Health

Zeshi Fisher, Leila Bell, Aleesha Kalulu, Kali Ameara, Caroline Homer, Caroline van Gemert, Leila Bell, Aleesha Kalulu, Kali Ameara, Zeshi Fisher

18 Dec 2024

Protektem pikinini blong yu trial: protocol for a single arm field trial to assess the effectiveness of treating-all pregnant women with hepatitis B infection with tenofovir prophylaxis to prevent mother-to-child transmission in Vanuatu, 2024–2025

BMC Public Health

Zeshi Fisher, Leila Bell, Aleesha Kalulu, Kali Ameara, Caroline Homer, Caroline van Gemert, Leila Bell, Aleesha Kalulu, Kali Ameara, Zeshi Fisher

06 Apr 2023

Progress towards triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: a systematic review

The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific

Leila Bell, Caroline van Gemert, Margaret Hellard, Caroline Homer, Jess Howell

Current projects

Improving disease outbreak response time in the Pacific: 7-1-7 tool testing

Improving disease outbreak response time in the Pacific: 7-1-7 tool testing

We're working with partners to see how the 7-1-7 approach can help track and respond to disease outbreaks in the Pacific.

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B in Vanuatu
Open to students

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B in Vanuatu

We offer a range of studies focusing on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B.

Protektem Pikinini Blong Yu: Preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B in Vanuatu

Protektem Pikinini Blong Yu: Preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B in Vanuatu

This field trial compares the effectiveness of WHO-based viral load testing guidelines to an alternative model of care.

Past projects

ACCESS Myanmar: Assessing the feasibility of an integrated HIV cascade of care surveillance system in Myanmar

ACCESS Myanmar: Assessing the feasibility of an integrated HIV cascade of care surveillance system in Myanmar

ACCESS Myanmar will implement and evaluate an electronic health records data linkage system that effectively monitors the progress of patients through HIV testing and treatment episodes of care across a network of partnering community and government services.

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