Journal with no author fees
ISER Overview
The urgent nature of epidemic infectious diseases bring specific challenges in disease control. Epidemics can cause immediate health, social and economic impacts, and require complex cross-sectoral and global response as illustrated by the 2014 Ebola epidemic. Travel and globalisation mean that infections spread rapidly around the world, so that global solutions are required for epidemic control. Recent developments in artificially engineered pathogens (dual-use research of concern) pose an added complexity to global biosecurity. Global systems, thinking and capability in biosecurity has lagged behind quantum changes in science, leaving us more vulnerable than ever to infectious diseases epidemics. This Centre addresses critical systems gaps in epidemic control.
The Centre for Research Excellence, Integrated Systems for Epidemic Response (ISER) conducts applied systems research, enhance collaboration and build capacity in health systems research for epidemic control. It was funded by a NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence scheme from 2016-2020 and continues it's work at UNSW from 2021 and beyond. We bring together experts in field epidemiology and epidemic response, military experts, international law and risk science experts, and government and non-government agencies involved in epidemic response. The ARM Network for epidemic response is central to the CRE, with the co-founders all being part of the CRE. This Centre is international, with partners in many countries who work together to solve global problems in epidemic response. A pillar of the CRE is ISER Academy, which is a think-tank and convenor of important dialogue, capacity building and generation of ideas, between all stakeholders and sectors involved in epidemic response. ISER was funded by NHMRC from 2016-2020. The work continues from 2021 at UNSW with a focus on our epidemic observatory, Epiwatch, and research on epidemic control.
