ACH4 Focused research Areas

ACH4 researchers focus on four main viruses; Australia’s national response to HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HTLV-1 which are the important sexually transmissible infections and blood borne viruses in Australians, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. The response relies upon a cohesive national virology program provided by ACH4 – the “Australian Centres for HIV, Hepatitis and HTLV-1 Virology”.

Research within ACH4 has long provided seed funding grants for virology and biomedical technology that support the National strategies in Blood Borne Viruses & Sexually Transmissible infections. It provides a forum for communication and collaboration coordinated by an administrative core which organises an annual meeting and distributes grants on the basis of Expression of Interest via Australian research institutions.
The purpose of the Centre is to develop virological and immunological research outcomes of significance to improve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of HIV, HBV, HCV and HTLV-1 in Australia and in a broader regional and international context.

The Centre is networked across Australia. It aims to attract the very best researchers from many locations to translate their basic research expertise into health care and biotechnology outcomes, to train PhD and early career researchers, to add value to clinical trials by supporting the development of novel and complex diagnostic and prognostic tests, antiviral drugs and vaccines, as well as hold a national conference and contribute to the Australian HIV and Hepatitis conferences throughout, thus encouraging collaboration with researchers within and outside the Centre.