Sydney Institute for Emerging Infectious Disease and Biosecurity

Congratulations to Professor Tania Sorrell and all involved in successfully gaining approval for the Sydney Institute for Emerging Infectious Disease and Biosecurity to be a centre of the University.

As of January 18, Sydney Institute for Emerging Infectious Disease and Biosecurity has been approved as a centre of the university, with an initial approval period of five years.

A timely development in the wake of H1N1 swine flu and other epidemics in recent years, the new Institute is highly multidisciplinary, with initial expressions of interest to contribute coming from people across the university with expertise in law, engineering, international security, anthropology, veterinary health and entomology, as well as medicine.

Tania Sorrell, Professor of Clinical Infectious Diseases and Director of the Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology at Westmead, has been driving the establishment of the Sydney Institute for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity (SIEIDB), supported by a large team from across the faculty. Speaking to Radius last September, Professor Sorrell noted that there are already other infectious diseases institutes and centres nationally,
“but they focus on human health” she said. “What makes this new institute different is that we’re bringing together expertise from a range of disciplines in the university.”

In addition to providing training and support for students and professionals, Professor Sorrell also sees the new institute providing rapid expert advice to governments, the media and other relevant bodies.

The SIEIDB vision is to reduce global impacts of (re)emerging infectious diseases on humans and animals through leadership and excellence in research and education, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

The goals of the SIEIDB include

• To build knowledge and understanding of the factors which influence emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases affecting humans and animals


• To develop and facilitate the implementation of strategies which minimise adverse effects of these diseases on human and animal health, communities and national economies