Dr Theophilus Emeto ~ Senior Lecturer, Biostatistics

Biography

I am a Senior Lecturer in Biostatistics in Public Health and Tropical Medicine and a member of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Vector-borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases here at JCU. I completed a BSc (Hons) degree in Medical Physiology from the University of Calabar, where I defined prediction formulae for lung function parameters in Nigerian children aged 6 to 16 years. I graduated with Distinction in MSc Immunology and Allergy from the University of Nottingham, UK in 2007 where I investigated the effect of the Major House Dust Mite allergen Der p 1 on T-regulatory and Th17 cells in allergic asthma. I completed my PhD focused on understanding the mechanism underpinning the pathology of the weakening human aorta, and the development of a drug-based therapy for abdominal aortic aneurysm here at JCU in 2013. Previously, I worked as a Research Scientist working on various clinical trials analysing cellular and humoral immune response of patients treated with the therapeutic cancer vaccine TroVax® (MVA-5T4) with Oxford BioMedica UK, as a Research Assistant working on a project employing combined immunotherapy and chemotherapy for neuroblastoma at the world class Tenovus Research Laboratories, University of Southampton, UK.

Teaching and Research Activities

I currently co-coordinate and teach into one undergraduate subject (HS2402) and 4 postgraduate subjects (TM5516, TM5527, TM5549 and TM5310). I provides research support for staff and students within division of Tropical Health and Medicine, and staff of The Townsville Hospital and Health services. The area of support includes quantitative research project design, advice on ethics, statistical analysis and writing towards publications.

I am a key member of the Public Health Research Method Team, the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine tuberculosis (AITHM-TB) modelling group, JCU skin cancer group, and the Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease (QRC-PVD). While my high level statistical analytical skill allow me to be involved in, and support a diverse range of research projects, my key strengths and passion is in applying public health principles in the detection, diagnosis, monitoring, therapy and management of chronic inflammatory diseases including peripheral artery disease and TB.

My current research is focussed on incorporating key elements of both innate and adaptive immune response and the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of current treatment regimen to explore the efficacy of various dosing combinations in optimising treatment regimen for multi-drug resistant TB in collaboration with colleagues in the AITHM and the University of Melbourne. 

Student Supervision

I am always happy to hear from prospective PhD and masters students interested in research.

Collaborations and Capacity Building  

I am passionate about research capacity building within the ASIA Pacific region and work as a key mentor within The JCU/UPNG Twinning project, and the Tropical Partners providing research support and capacity building to colleagues in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.

I also collaborate nationally with colleagues Prof Linda Shield (Charles Sturt University), Dr Yutang Wang (Federation University), and Internationally with Dr Tammy Dougan (Cambridge University), Dr Charles Okolie (Landmark University), and Dr Louis Samiak (University of Papua New Guinea).

Other Academic Activities

•  Equity Contact Officer (ECO)
•  Co-coordinate the JCU PHTM Journal Club
•  Editorial membership and reviewer for a range of journals (see my publons link: https://publons.com/author/1266705/theophilus-i-emeto#profile)

 

Teaching

• HS2402: Health Professional Research 1 (Level 2; CNS & TSV)
• TM5310: Dissertation 2 (Level 5; TSV)
• TM5516: Biostatistics for Public Health (Level 5; TSV)
• TM5527: Project (Level 5; TSV)
• TM5549: Dissertation 1 (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Research

• Public Health implication of early diagnosis, monitoring and therapy for chronic inflammatory diseases including peripheral artery diseases, and tuberculosis.
• Implication of sun protection policies in the incidence of skin cancers and melanoma
• Intra-host tuberculosis modelling
• Incidence of cardiovascular diseases within Indigenous communities

Experience

• 2019 to present - Senior Lecturer Biostatistics, James Cook University (Townsville, Australia)
• 2014 to 2018 - Lecturer Biostatistics, James Cook University (Townsville, Australia)
• 2013 - Research Associate, Infectious Diseases and Immunopathogenesis Research Group, JCU (Townsville, Australia)
• 2009 to 2013 - Doctoral Candidate, James Cook University (Townsville, Australia)
• 2008 to 2009 - Research Assistant, University of Southampton (Southampton, UK)
• 2007 to 2008 - Research Scientist, Oxford BioMedica (Oxford, UK)

Research Disciplines

• Public Health and Health Services (1117)
• Clinical Sciences (1103)
• Cardiovascular Medicine and Haematology (1102)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Clinical Health (9201)
• Public Health (9204)
• Health and Support Services (9202)

Awards

• 2018 - ‘Engaging NQ school communities in innovative approaches to skin cancer prevention’ ($ 50,000 + gst- North Queensland Primary Health Network. Active Healthy Grant Round 1, CI with Dr Simone L Harrison, and Dr Nathan Downs)
• 2018 - 2018 - Blended Learning and Innovation Grant (BLING) Co-Investigator ($2,500)
• 2016 - Research Infrastructure Building Grant 'iCompute' ($41, 511- James Cook University, Co-Investigator
• 2013 - James Cook University Graduate Research School Publication Award
• 2013 - James Cook University Graduate Research School Doctoral Completion Award
• 2012 to 2013 - James Cook University Vascular Biology Unit Research Scholarship
• 2009 to 2013 - James Cook University School of Medicine and Dentistry Top-up Scholarship
• 2009 to 2012 - James Cook University Postgraduate Research Scholarship
• 2011 - Faculty Administered Internal Grant ‘Association of Cerebral cytokines with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm’ ($8000- James Cook University, Chief Investigator together with Prof Jon Golledge)
• 2011 - Best Poster Prize (HDR) Medical and Allied Medical Sciences at the North Queensland Festival of Life Sciences
• 2009 to 2011 - James Cook University HDR Tuition Fee Waiver Scholarship
• 2010 - Best Poster Prize Medical and Allied Medical Sciences at the Townsville Festival of Life Sciences
• 2010 - Faculty Administered Internal Grant ‘Biomarkers of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm’ ($8000- James Cook University, Investigator together with Drs Moxon and Anwar and Prof Jon Golledge)
• 2010 - Graduate Research School Grant, ‘Diagnostics and Biomarkers of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Presence and Progression’ ($3000- James Cook University, Chief Investigator)

Memberships

• 2017 - Reviewer, American Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene
• 2017 - Reviewer, Scientific Reports
• 2016 - Reviewer, Medicine
• 2015 - Australian Cardiovascular Alliance
• 2015 - Statistical Society of Australia Incorporated
• 2015 - Editorial Board, Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine (Cardiovascular Epidemiology)
• 2014 - Australasian Epidemiological Association
• 2014 - Reviewer, Current Drug Targets
• 2014 - Editorial Board, Frontiers in Public Health (Radiation and Health)
• 2011 - European Atherosclerosis Society
• 2011 - American Heart Association
• 2017 to 2018 - Guest Editor for Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
• 2016 to 2018 - Guest Associate Editor for Atherosclerosis and Vascular Medicine (Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine)
• 2009 to 2013 - Australian Vascular Biology Society
• 2009 to 2013 - Australian Society for Medical Research
• 2008 to 2009 - British Society for Immunology

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

• Akosah-Twumasi P, Emeto T, Lindsay D, Tsey K and Malau-Aduli B (2018) A systematic review of factors that influence youths career choices – the role of culture. Frontiers in Education, 3.
• Alele F, Callander E, Emeto T, Mills J and Watt K (in press) Socio‐economic composition of low‐acuity paediatric presentation at a regional hospital emergency department. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health,
• Alele F, Franklin R, Emeto T and Leggat P (in press) Occupational tuberculosis in healthcare workers in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review. Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health,
• Deacon S, Moran N, Laskey-Gilboy B, De Jonge M, Rothery S, Ahnon K, Witing M, Emeto T and Pain T (2018) Dietetic intervention for inpatients on fluid-only diets helps to achieve nutritional requirements. Nutrition and Dietetics, 75 (1). pp. 17-23
• Doan T, Cao P, Emeto T, Mccaw J and McBryde E (in press) Predicting the outcomes of new short-course regimens for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis using intrahost and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy,
• Furyk J, McBain-Rigg K, Renison B, Watt K, Franklin R, Emeto T, Ray R, Babl F and Dalziel S (2018) A comprehensive systematic review of stakeholder attitudes to alternatives to prospective informed consent in paediatric acute care research. BMC Medical Ethics, 19.
• Furyk J, Franklin R, Watt K, Emeto T, Dalziel S, McBain-Rigg K, Stepanov N and Babl F (2018) Community attitudes to emergency research without prospective informed consent: a survey of the general population. Emergency Medicine Australasia, 30 (4). pp. 547-555
• Gassiep I, Chaw A, Armstrong M, Emeto T, Heather C and Norton R (2018) Correlation between serum cryptococcal antigen titre and meningitis in immunocompetent patients. Journal of Medical Microbiology, 67 (10). pp. 1515-1518
• Gassiep I, Douglas J, Emeto T, Crawley K and Playford E (2018) Cryptococcal infections over a 15 year period at a tertiary facility and impact of guideline management. Mycoses, 61 (9). pp. 633-638
• Mgbemena N, Aweto H, Tella B, Emeto T and Malau-Aduli B (in press) Prediction of lung function using handgrip strength in healthy young adults. Physiological Reports,
• O'Donovan K and Emeto T (2018) Mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Australia and other high-income countries: trends in perinatal exposure, demography and uptake of prevention strategies. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 58 (5). pp. 499-505
• Agua I, Emeto T and Mclver L (2017) Aspirin for initial treatment and secondary prevention of acute stroke of unknown etiology in resource-constrained settings: a systematic review. European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine, 5 (1). pp. 546-553

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 40+ research outputs authored by Dr Theophilus Emeto from 2010 onwards.

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

• Management of Paediatric Status Epilepticus in Australia and New Zealand (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• First aid of tropical jellyfish stings (PhD , Primary Advisor)
• The influence of African migrant parents on their children's career choices in a new culture (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

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.