Professor of Indigenous Genomics
BMed, MPH, PhD, FRACP (hon.), FCSANZ, FAAHMS
Professor Alex Brown is the Professor of Indigenous Genomics at the Telethon Kids Institute and The Australian National University. He is an internationally leading Aboriginal clinician/researcher (Yuin Nation) who has worked his entire career in Aboriginal health in the provision of public health services, infectious diseases and chronic disease care, health care policy and research. He has family connections to Nowra, Wreck Bay and Wallaga Lake on the far south coast of NSW.
A former member of the Telethon Kids Institute Board and 2018 Scientific Review Panel, Alex will play a critical role working with the Institute leadership and Institute Science Team in shaping and sustaining the future of the Institute’s Indigenous research, leadership, partnerships and engagement with Indigenous communities, and training the next generation of Indigenous researchers.
In 2012, Alex was awarded the Viertel Senior Medical Research Fellowship to further his research into the impacts of psychological determinants on cardiovascular disease in Aboriginal communities.
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Publications
February 2023
Indigenous peoples and inclusion in clinical and genomic research: Understanding the history and navigating contemporary engagement
Despite significant improvements in pediatric cancer survival outcomes, there remain glaring disparities in under-represented racial and ethnic groups that warrant mitigation by the scientific and clinical community. To address and work towards eliminating such disparities, the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC) and Children's Brain Tumor Network (CBTN) established a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) working group in 2020. The DEI working group is dedicated to improving access to care for all pediatric patients with central nervous system (CNS) tumors, broadening diversity within the research community, and providing sustainable data-driven solutions.
Published research Aboriginal Health Genomics Indigenous GenomicsFebruary 2023Murru Minya-informing the development of practical recommendations to support ethical conduct in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research: a protocol for a national mixed-methods study
Conducting ethical and high-quality health research is crucial for informing public health policy and service delivery to reduce the high and inequitable burden of disease experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Published research Aboriginal Health Indigenous GenomicsFebruary 2023Exploring the Reported Strengths and Limitations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research: A Narrative Review of Intervention Studies
High quality intervention research is needed to inform evidence-based practice and policy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We searched for studies published from 2008-2020 in the PubMed database. A narrative review of intervention literature was conducted, where we identified researcher reported strengths and limitations of their research practice.
Published research Aboriginal Health Indigenous GenomicsDecember 2022Randomised clinical trial using Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring in Australian Women with Novel Cardiovascular Risk Factors (CAC-WOMEN Trial): Study protocol
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women around the world. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women (Australian Indigenous women) have a high burden of CVD, occurring on average 10-20 years earlier than non-Indigenous women.
Published research Aboriginal Health Genomics Indigenous GenomicsNovember 2022Effective primary care management of type 2 diabetes for indigenous populations: A systematic review
Indigenous peoples in high income countries are disproportionately affected by Type 2 Diabetes. Socioeconomic disadvantages and inadequate access to appropriate healthcare are important contributors.
Diabetes (Type 1) Published research Aboriginal Health Indigenous GenomicsSeptember 2022Strengthening assessment and response to mental health needs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and adolescents in primary care settings: study protocol for the Ngalaiya Boorai Gabara Budbut implementation project
Opportunities for improved mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people lie in improving the capability of primary healthcare services to identify mental healthcare needs and respond in timely and appropriate ways.
Published research Aboriginal Health Indigenous Genomics -
Education and Qualifications
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Awards/Honours