
MB BS (UNSW), MD (USyd), DipVen (Lond), FAFPHM, FRCPI, FAChSHM, FRCP, FAHMS
Basil Donovan is a NHMRC Practitioner Fellow and a registered Sexual Health and Public Health Physician. He heads the Sexual Health Program at the Kirby Institute www.kirby.unsw.edu.au. The Program is involved in wide-ranging research, including national surveillance networks. Professor Donovan is a past President (2013 – 2015) of the International Society for STD Research www.isstdr.org.
Research interests:
Populations of interest include sex workers, sexual and gender minorities, youth, Indigenous people living in rural and remote settings, travellers, prisoners, and juvenile offenders.
Other research interests:
Enhanced and molecular surveillance, antimicrobial resistance, the population impact of STI vaccines, the health impact of the law and human rights, health services, rapid and advanced testing technology, and economic evaluation.
Broad research areas:
Population Health, Epidemiology, Indigenous Health, HIV/AIDS, and Infectious Diseases.
Society memberships & professional activities:
Fellow, Australasian Chapter of Sexual Health Medicine, Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP); Fellow, Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine, RACP; Fellow, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland; Fellow, Royal College of Physicians, London; Past President, International Society for STD Research (ISSTDR) www.isstdr.org Senior Staff Specialist, Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney Hospital www.sshc.org.au; Member of Chapter Committee, Australasian Chapter of Sexual Health Medicine, RACP; Fellow, Australian Academy for Health and Medical Sciences; Patron of Touching Base - People with Disabilities and Sex Workers Coming Together.
Specific research keywords:
Sexual health, sexually transmissible infections, reproductive health, public health, infectious disease control, HIV, chlamydia. gonorrhoea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, Mycoplasma genitalium, genital herpes, genital warts, human papillomavirus, condoms, sex work, prison health, Indigenous health.
Australian Government Department of Health: 2017-2019. Ward J, Elliott S, Donovan B, Bryant J, Pitts M, Wand H, Kaldor J. GOANNA 2: The second Australian national survey of sexual health, knowledge and behaviour in young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
NHMRC Project: 2017-2020 [APP1122141] Whiley D, Guy R, Donovan B, Lahra MM, and Chen MY, Ryder N, Lewis D, Wand H, and Paterson D. Use of molecular resistance assays to provide alternative strategies for gonorrhoea in Indigenous and other high-risk populations: a cluster randomised trial (GRAND2 Study).
NHMRC Project: 2017-2019 [APP1124172] Hocking JS, Donovan B, Tabrizi SN, Boyd M, Chen MY, Amin J, Bradshaw C, Timms P, Regan DG, and Carvalho N. A randomised controlled trial of azithromycin versus doxycycline for the treatment of rectal chlamydial infection in men who have sex with men.
NHMRC Project: 2017-2020 [APP1129816]. Butler T, Donovan B, Richters J, Simpson P, Jones J, Asquith N, Yap L, and Kariminia A. The sexual health and attitudes of Australian prisoners (SHAAP-2 Study).
NHMRC Partnership Project: 2016-2020 [APP1113572]. Treloar C, Ward J, de Wit J, and Donovan B. Deadly Liver Mob: engaging Aboriginal people in viral hepatitis, HIV and sexual health services.
NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence: 2016-2020 [APP1100302]. Ward JS, Kaldor JM, Donovan B, Guy R, Fairley CK, Arabena K, Mak D, Scrimgeour D, Ryder N, and Nattabi B. The Australian Centre for Research Excellence in Aboriginal Sexual Health and Blood Borne Viruses.
Australian Government Department of Health: 2015-2021 [Funding round H1314G010]. Tabrizi SN, Garland SM, Machalek D, Cornall A, Kaldor JM, Donovan B, Grulich AE, Hocking J, Fairley CK, Chen MY, McNamee K, Bateson D, and Skinner R. Monitoring the prevalence of genital HPV in men and women attending general practice clinics (IMPACT Study).
Australian Government Department of Health: 2019-2023. Hellard M, Stoové M, Guy R, Donovan B, El-Hayek C, and Carter A. The Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance of Sexually Transmissible Infections and Blood-borne Viruses (ACCESS).
Seqirus Ltd: 2018-2021. Donovan B, Callander D, Guy R, Fairley CK, Grulich AE, Regan DG, Khawar L, and Machalek D. Genital wart surveillance.
NHMRC Partnership Project: 2018-2021 [APP1134433] Prestage G, Jin F, Mao L, Grulich AE, Guy R, Kaldor JM, Donovan B, Fairley CK, and Brown G. Developing and implementing systems to optimize treatment, care and support among people diagnosed with HIV (RISE Study).
NHMRC Partnership Project: 2018-2021 [APP1150014]. Hocking J, Sanci L, Guy R, Fairley CK, Temple-Smith M, Regan D, Carvalho N, Simpson J, and Donovan B. Implementation of an integrated model of chlamydia case management in general practice (MoCCA Study).
NHMRC Project: 2018-2020 [APP1145642]. Regan D, Whiley D, Kong M, Hocking J, Wood J, Donovan B, and Lewis D. Evaluating strategies to control gonorrhoea and associated antimicrobial resistance in remote Indigenous and other high-risk populations.
NHMRC Project: 2018-2020 [APP1138165] Bradshaw C, Hocking JS, Vodstrcil L, Donovan B, Lewis DA, Tabrizi S, Petoumenos K, and Chen MY. Antibiotic treatment of male partners to reduce recurrence of bacterial vaginosis in women: a randomised double-blind controlled trial (Step Up Study).
NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship: 2019-2023 [APP1154828]. Donovan B. Sexually transmissible infections: outcomes and interventions.
Australian Research Council Research Hub: 2019-2023. Guy R, Broom A, Whiley D, Bradshaw C, Applegate T, Treloar C, Wiseman V, Huston W, Williamson D, Kaldor J, Vallely A, Hocking J, Regan D, Donovan B, and Kelly-Hanku A. ARC Research Hub to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance.
NHMRC Clinical Trial and Cohort Study Grant: 2020-2023 [APP1182443]. Seib K, Donovan B, Grulich AE, Fairley CK, Lewis D, Polizzotto M, Thng C, Whiley D, McNulty A, and Law M. A multi-centre randomised controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of the meningococcal B vaccine, 4CmenB (Bexsero®), against Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in gay and bisexual men.
NHMRC Synergy Grant: 2020-2024 [APP1185377]. Ward J, Guy R, Kaldor J, Bryant J, Liu B, Whiley D, and Donovan B. Exploring the potential to eliminate endemic sexually transmissible infections in remote Australia using targeted multidisciplinary methods.
NHMRC Ideas Grant: 2020-2024 [APP1185073]. Ward J, Donovan B, Wesselingh S, Bradley C, Elliott S, Stephens J, and Wand H. Implementing a precision public health approach to eliminate STIs and control HIV in regional Australia.
2020: AChSHM Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Discipline of Sexual Health Medicine, RACP
2016: Inaugural ASHA Distinguished Services to Sexual Health Award, Australasian Sexual Health Alliance.
2016: Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.
2015: Silver Medal (for contributions to international STI control), International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infections.
2014: Presidential Lecturer, 50th Anniversary Scientific Meeting of the American Society for Cervical Cytology and Pathology, Scottsdale, Arizona.
2013: Post-graduate Candidate Supervision Award, UNSW Sydney.
2013: Gollow Lecturer - Keynote address to the Australasian Sexual Health Congress, Adelaide.
2009: Sexual Health Medicine Award: Outstanding Contribution to Research, RACP.
2005: Senior Counselor, World Executive Council, International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infections.