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Dr Rachel Sacks-Davis

Senior Research Fellow

Taking students

Working groups

rachel.sacks-davis@burnet.edu.au
Dr Rachel Sacks-Davis

Background

Dr Rachel Sacks-Davis is a Senior Research Fellow at the Burnet Institute in the Disease Elimination Program. She is the Senior Manager of the International Collaboration on Hepatitis C Elimination in HIV Cohorts (InCHEHC). After completing her BA (Hons)/BSc Rachel joined Burnet as a Research Assistant in 2008.

From 2010-2014 she completed her PhD in epidemiology at the Burnet Institute on hepatitis C transmission and natural history amongst people who inject drugs. She was awarded an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (2016-2021), which allowed her to play a leadership role in the formation of the InCHEHC collaboration.

Qualifications

  • PhD (Epidemiology), Monash University, Australia
  • BA(Hons), Monash University, Australia
  • BA/BSc, University of Melbourne, Australia

Appointments

  • Adjunct Research Fellow, Monash University
  • Adjunct Fellow, University of Melbourne

Awards

  • 2024: Lady Potter, Burnet Emerging Leader Fellowship
  • 2022: IAS/MSD Prize for Research in HIV Prevention
  • 2012: Harold Mitchell Travel Fellowship
  • 2012: Best poster, 17th International Bioinformatics Workshop, Belgrade
  • 2012: Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine Junior Researcher Award
  • 2011: Robert Blain Memorial Travel Fellowship
  • 2011: European Association of the Study of the Liver Young Investigator Award

Positions

  • 2023: Senior Research Fellow
  • 2021: Research Fellow
  • 2018: NHMRC Early Career Research Fellow
  • 2014: Research Officer

Reports + Policy Briefs

2021 (1)

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.

  • Modelling the Victorian roadmap (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT)

    COVID-19 mathematical modelling of the Victoria roadmap 2021.

    Modelling the Victorian roadmap (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT)

Burnet publications

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20 Feb 2025

Liver fibrosis regression in people living with HIV after successful treatment for hepatitis C

JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes

Rachel Sacks‐Davis, Ashleigh C. Stewart, Daniela K van Santen, Joseph Doyle, Mark Stoové, Margaret Hellard

10 Dec 2024

Unsuccessful Direct Acting Antiviral Hepatitis C Treatment Among People With HIV: Findings From an International Cohort

Liver International

Brendan Harney, Rachel Sacks‐Davis, Daniëla K. van Santen, Ashleigh C. Stewart, Margaret Hellard, Joseph Doyle

30 Nov 2024

Phenotyping people with a history of injecting drug use within electronic medical records using an interactive machine learning approach

npj Digital Medicine

Carol El‐Hayek, Thi Nguyen, Margaret Hellard, M. David Curtis, Rachel Sacks‐Davis, Jason Asselin, Anna L. Wilkinson, Victoria Polkinghorne

Current projects

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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.

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

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

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

Hepatitis C modelling

Hepatitis C modelling

Our modelling aims to help countries identify the most effective and cost-effective ways to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat.

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Past projects

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The Optimise Study: Optimising Isolation, Quarantine and Distancing for COVID-19

The Optimise Study: Optimising Isolation, Quarantine and Distancing for COVID-19

This project aims to find out how Victorians are experiencing COVID-19 and responding to the measures introduced to stop the spread of the virus.

The elimination of hepatitis C as a global public health threat

The elimination of hepatitis C as a global public health threat

This project addresses critical knowledge gaps in Australian and global efforts to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030.

Transparent risk assessment of COVID-19 quarantine (traQ study)

Transparent risk assessment of COVID-19 quarantine (traQ study)

This study uses a mathematical model to examine the circumstances in which quarantine for COVID-19 could be reduced from 14 days without substantially increasing the risk of virus transmission.

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News and features

Lady Potter, Burnet Emerging Leader Fellowships

Lady Potter, Burnet Emerging Leader Fellowships

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