A/Prof David MacLaren ~ Associate Professor, International Collaborations
Medicine
- About
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$750,000 NHMRC funded "Resolving Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) transmission" working with partners in Australia, Papua New Guinea and the United States to investigate viral transmission across the human foreskin.
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$2million DFAT funded "Tropical partnerships to strengthen health systems responses to infectious disease threats" working with partners across Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Eastern Indonesia to strengthen operational research skills in the region to respond to infectious disease in the tropics.
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$2.5 million NHMRC funded "Australian Centre for the Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Disease" of which David is co-convenor of the Pacific Hub.
- Teaching
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- MD3012: Introduction to Clinical Healthcare Part 2 of 2 (Level 3; TSV)
- Research Disciplines
- Socio-Economic Objectives
David is a public health researcher with two decades experience in addressing community health issues in remote areas of Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. His work focuses on understanding the complex interplay between biomedicine, health service provision and socio-cultural understandings of health.
David uses participatory research methods with a range of partners from laboratory scientists, health service professionals and community leaders to address health issues of importance to local communities. His collaborative projects include investigating culturally appropriate TB services, locally appropriate sanitation and traditional use of medicinal rainforest plants in Malaita, Solomon Islands. In Papua New Guinea, he is collaborating with a range of partners to investigate the acceptability and feasibility of male circumcision for HIV prevention and faith-based responses to HIV. David enthusiastically supports research capacity building and incorporates capacity building across all research activities. He is a founding member of the Atoifi Health Research Group in Solomon Islands. David works in partnership with the Australian Museum and the Kwainaa'isi Cultural Centre in remote mountains of Malaita Province, Solomon Islands on a range of culture and conservation projects.
David is convenor of the International Strategy Committee within the College of Medicine and Dentistry.
David is currently chief investigator on grants worth over $5.5 million. These include
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- Publications
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These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.
- Journal Articles
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- Devlin S, Ross W, Widders R, McAvoy G, Browne K, Lawrence K, MacLaren D, Massey P and Judd J (2022) Tuberculosis care designed with barramarrany (family): Participatory action research that prioritised partnership, healthy housing and nutrition. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 33 (3). pp. 724-735
- Russell T, Horwood P, Harrington H, Apairamo A, Kama N, Bobogare A, Maclaren D and Burkot T (2022) Seroprevalence of dengue, Zika, chikungunya and Ross River viruses across the Solomon Islands. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 16 (2).
- Sparke V, Maclaren D, Esau D and West C (2022) Exploring infection prevention and control knowledge and beliefs in the Solomon Islands using Photovoice. PLOS Global Public Health, 2 (11).
- Alabai M, Esau T, Kekeubata E, Esau D, Waneagea J, Lobotalau L, Alick J, Silas J, Solome L, Waneagea J, Mousisi K, Cutajar T, Portway C, Maclaren D and Rowley J (2021) Apparent absence of the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) in frogs in Malaita Province, Solomon Islands. Pacific Conservation Biology, 27 (3). pp. 251-255
- Carlisle K, Larkins S, Whittaker M, MacLaren D and Delai M (2021) Research capacity training for surveillance and response in the Indo-Pacific: a case study of implementation. Public Health Action, 11 (2). pp. 61-68
- Cheer K, Simeon L, Tommbe R, Kelly J, MacLaren D and Tsey K (2021) Balancing it out: a grounded theory of how midwifery students at a faith-based university in Papua New Guinea provide care to women following stillbirth. Health Care for Women International, 42 (4-6). pp. 895-912
- Goulolo N, Bugoro H, Whittaker M, Larkins S, Harrington H, Carlisle K, MacLaren D and Evans R (2021) Perspectives of nurses about factors affecting quality of care at the Solomon Islands National Referral Hospital during the 2016-2017 dengue outbreak: a qualitative study. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, 33 (6-7).
- Neuendorf N, Cheer K, Tommbe R, Kokinai C, Simeon L, Browne K, MacLaren D and Redman-MacLaren M (2021) Sexual health and wellbeing training with women in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: a scoping review. Global Health Action, 14 (1).
- Larkins S, Carlisle K, Harrington H, MacLaren D, Lovo E, Harrington R, Alves L, Rafai E, Delai M and Whittaker M (2020) From the frontline: strengthening surveillance and response capacities of the rural workforce in the Asia-Pacific region. How can grass-roots implementation research help? Frontiers in Public Health, 8.
- Lavery T, Alabai M, Esau T, Fuiberi S, Furina D, Johnson R, Kekeubata E, MacLaren D, Waneagea J and Flannery T (2020) Integrating traditional knowledge, science and conservation in the search for undescribed mammals on Malaita, Solomon Islands. Pacific Conservation Biology, 26 (4). pp. 404-411
- Marks M, Gwyn S, Toloka H, Kositz C, Asugeni J, Asugeni R, Diau J, Kaldor J, Romani L, Redman-Maclaren M, MacLaren D, Solomon A, Mabey D, Steer A and Martin D (2020) Impact of community treatment with ivermectin for the control of scabies on the prevalence of antibodies to Strongyloides stercoralis in children. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 71 (12). pp. 3226-3228
- Page W, Judd J, MacLaren D and Buettner P (2020) Integrating testing for chronic strongyloidiasis within the Indigenous adult preventive health assessment system in endemic communities in the Northern Territory, Australia: An intervention study. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 14 (5).
- More
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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 81+ research outputs authored by A/Prof David MacLaren from 2007 onwards.
- Current Funding
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Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.
Palladium Pty Ltd - Australia Pacific Climate Partnership
Knowledge Brokering from the Bottom Up: Co-designing Climate Information Products with the Kwaio people of Malaita Province, Solomon Islands
- Indicative Funding
- $50,000 over 1 year
- Summary
- Baru Conservation Alliance (BCA) and JCU successfully implemented the APCP funded ?Traditional Knowledge about Climate and Food Security in Kwaio, Malaita, Solomon Islands? in 2021/22. This current ?Knowledge Brokering from the Bottom Up: Co-designing Climate Information Products with the Kwaio people? project strengthens capacity built in 2021/22 to inform climate information products based on Kwaio traditional knowledge. The project will create communication products that utlise both western scientific and traditional Kwaio knowledge about the weather, how the weather is changing and what this means for people living on Malaita, Solomon Islands.
- Investigators
- David MacLaren, Michelle Redman-MacLaren, Karen Cheer, Dorothy Esau and Foofafimae Kekeubata (College of Medicine & Dentistry and Baru Conservation Alliance)
- Keywords
- Conservation; Kwaio; Climate Change; Solomon Islands
Australian Respiratory Council - ARC Research Support Grant
Understanding the experience of women in a tuberculosis hot spot in Solomon Islands to effectively find, treat and care for people with tuberculosis.
- Indicative Funding
- $20,000 over 1 year
- Summary
- ? TB remains at unacceptable rates in East Kwaio, Malaita, Solomon Islands. There still are many more undiagnosed cases, or new cases, known to occur amongst people living in mountainous areas. ? Women are central to the care of children and family members, including being responsible for growing food. They experience tuberculosis, and care of people with tuberculosis, differently to men and children because of these responsibilities. ? Barriers to finding, testing and treating TB remain due to social and cultural challenges faced by women, health system exclusion and geographic isolation. The aim of this qualitative study is to explore and describe women's experience of tuberculosis in East Kwaio, Solomon Islands to determine how to effectively test, treat and support people with tuberculosis.
- Investigators
- Michelle Redman-MacLaren, Dorothy Esau, Peter Massey, David MacLaren, Sue Devlin and Karen Cheer (College of Medicine & Dentistry, Baru Conservation Alliance and NSW Health)
- Keywords
- Health Services Research; Solomon Islands; Tuberculosis; Gender
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) - DFAT Administered (aid) Simple Grant Agreement
Community led development, climate resilience and conservation in East Malaita - Phase 2
- Indicative Funding
- $410,000 over 1 year
- Summary
- Baru Conservation Alliance (BCA) was established a registered Non-Government Organisation in 2019 by leaders from East Kwaio, Malaita, Solomon Islands to coordinate ecological and cultural conservation in their tribal lands. This includes the holistic health and wellbeing of plants, animals and people living in prescribed conservation areas. This project, funded by the Australian High Commission in Solomon Islands allows JCU and the Australian Museum to build sustainable scientific and management capacities with the fledgling organisation. The project will support a series of local JCU supported projects within conservation areas that include TB, water and sanitation, reproductive health, community education and reforestation.
- Investigators
- David MacLaren, Michelle Redman-MacLaren, Paul Flemmons, Tommy Esau, Dorothy Esau and Esau Kekeubata (College of Medicine & Dentistry, Australian Museum and Baru Conservation Alliance)
- Keywords
- Conservation; Kwaio; Solomon Islands; Community Health; Tuberculosis
National Health & Medical Research Council - Centres of Research Excellence
The Australian Centre for the Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases
- Indicative Funding
- $48,500 over 5 years (administered by University of New South Wales)
- Summary
- The vision for the Australian Centre for the Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ACE-NTDs) is to accelerate the control and ultimately elimination of key NTDs in our region. We will focus on endemic NTD's for which the large-scale preventative chemotherapy approach has been designated internationally as a proven and promising component of control strategies. ACE-NYD's will be the first national collbartion in the control of these infections.
- Investigators
- John Kaldor, Andrew Steer, Rebecca Traub, Archie Clements, Adrian Miller, Virginia Wiseman, Gillian Schierhout, Jodie McVernon, David MacLaren and Susan Nery (University of New South Wales, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Australian National University, Charles Darwin University, Kirby Institute and College of Medicine & Dentistry)
- Keywords
- Neglected Tropical Disease
Palladium Pty Ltd - Australia Pacific Climate Partnership
Traditional Knowledge about Climate and Food Security in Kwaio, Malaita, Solomon Islands
- Indicative Funding
- $95,000 over 1 year
- Summary
- This project will be implemented in conjunction with Baru Conservation Alliance in Malaita, Solomon Islands. Traditional Knowledge and experience of weather, the seasonal interaction of plants, animals and people will be explored and documented. The use of tradiitional 'disaster food' after natural disasters will also be documented. The local scale production of flour from locally grown fuits and vegetables will be piloted; usage and spoilage monitored, and dishes made from flour trialled for acceptability and feasibility with Kwaio tribal groups. The project links food security, health and ecological sustainability to inform local level disaster and climate resilience measures in Malaita, Solomon Islands.
- Investigators
- David MacLaren, Karen Cheer, Michelle Redman-MacLaren, Colin MacGregor and Darren Crayn in collaboration with Tommy Esau, Esau Kekeubata, Dorothy Esau, Maasafi Alabai, Paul Flemons, Tyrone Lavery and Rebecca Johnson (College of Medicine & Dentistry, College of Science & Engineering, Australian Tropical Herbarium, Baru Conservation Alliance, Australian Museum, Australian National University and Smithsonian Institute)
- Keywords
- Solomon Islands; Baru Conservation Alliance; Climate Resilience; Food Security; Disaster Preparedness; Traditional Knowledge
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) - DFAT Administered (aid) Simple Grant Agreement
Community led development, climate resilience and conservation in East Malaita
- Indicative Funding
- $400,000 over 2 years
- Summary
- Baru Conservation Alliance (BCA) was established a registered Non-Government Organisation in 2019 by leaders from East Kwaio, Malaita, Solomon Islands to coordinate ecological and cultural conservation in their tribal lands. This includes the holistic health and wellbeing of plants, animals and people living in prescribed conservation areas. This project, funded by the Australian High Commission in Solomon Islands allows JCU and the Australian Museum to build sustainable scientific and management capacities with the fledgling organisation. The project will support a series of local JCU supported projects within conservation areas that include TB, water and sanitation, reproductive health, community education and reforestation.
- Investigators
- David MacLaren, Michelle Redman-MacLaren and Tommy Esau in collaboration with Paul Flemmons, Dorothy Esau and Esau Kekeubata (College of Medicine & Dentistry, Australian Museum and Baru Conservation Alliance)
- Keywords
- Conservation; Kwaio; Solomon Islands; Community Health; Tuberculosis
Fondation Segre Conservation Fund - Research Grant
Community conservation of Solomon Islands endemic mammals ? Phase 2
- Indicative Funding
- $77,500 over 2 years (administered by Australian Museum Research Institute)
- Summary
- The Solomon Islands archipelago has a unique fauna and flora ? a western Pacific equivalent of the Galapagos. The region?s largest native mammals are giant rats (Solomys and Uromys) and monkey-faced bats (Pteralopex). All species are considered to be endangered or critically endangered. This project aims to prevent extinctions and support community conservation efforts. Communities will identify giant rats and monkey-faced bats and collect basic biological information. This data will assist in defining conservation areas and link with ongoing JCU medicinal plants project in East Kwaio, Malaita Province.
- Investigators
- Tim Flannery, K Helgen, Euan Ritchie, Jim Thomas, T Leary and David MacLaren in collaboration with E Kekeubata, Tommy Esau and J Noro (Australian Museum, Smithsonian Institute, Curtin University, Tenkile Conservation Alliance, NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, College of Medicine & Dentistry, Kwainaa Cultural Centre and University of Papua New Guinea)
- Keywords
- Conservation; Kwaio
- Supervision
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Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.
These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.
- Current
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- The Engagement and Participation of Faith based Organizations in the Health System Reforms in Soloman Islands (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
- Completed
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- Improving infection control at Atoifi Adventist Hospital, Solomon Islands: a participatory action research approach (2022, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
- Balancing it out: the process by which midwifery students provide care to women following stillbirth in Papua New Guinea (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
- An investigation of health system capacity to provide medical male circumcision for HIV prevention in high burden settings in Papua New Guinea (2021, PhD , Primary Advisor)
- When worlds collide: where and when anophelines and humans interact (2020, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
- Medical circumcision integrated within traditional male initiation ceremonies for HIV prevention in Yangoru-Saussia, Papua New Guinea (2020, PhD , Primary Advisor)
- Developing understanding with Aboriginal Communities about tuberculosis for system change: participatory action research (2023, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
- Health systems research capacity building in Solomon Islands: a multiple case study approach (2022, PhD , Primary Advisor)
- Collaboration
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The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.- 5+ collaborations
- 4 collaborations
- 3 collaborations
- 2 collaborations
- 1 collaboration
- Indicates the Tropics (Torrid Zone)
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