The new head of the School of Population Health at The University of Queensland said he will strengthen the school’s contribution to evidence-informed health policy and practice in Queensland.
Professor Charles Gilks, who began as head of school in February, said he also plans to build on the school’s recognised leadership in global health and teaching in international health.
”I am looking forward to the challenge of taking the helm of one of UQ’s leading schools with a strong global profile in public health and population science and to build on the dual track record of achievement in teaching and research,” Professor Gilks said.
“I believe that the school has a key role to play in knowledge generation to support evidence-based planning and policy making that can improve health and disease outcome globally,” he said.
Professor Gilks has extensive experience and expertise in tropical medicine, HIV/AIDS, and health systems of various countries, and in ensuring research plays a strong role in policy and practice.
He comes from the United Nations, where he was the UNAIDS AIDS Country Co-ordinator for India. This followed a spell with World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva, where he was one of the chief architects of the organisation's successful ‘3 by 5 Initiative’ to increase access to antiretroviral therapy for HIV in resource-poor countries.
Professor Gilks also led the development of the public health approach to AIDS treatment and was principal investigator for the DART (Development of Antiretroviral Therapy) trial, a Uganda and Zimbabwe-based multi-country trial of antiretroviral management strategies that remains the largest randomised HIV trial in Africa.
Trained as an infectious disease physician with a Doctor of Philosophy specialising in malaria, Professor Gilks has held professorships at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Imperial College London.
Professor Gilks takes over the role after Professor Alan Lopez completed 10 years as Head of School.
Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Professor Nicholas Fisk said Professor Lopez’s leadership had seen the school achieve impressive growth.
“I am very pleased that we have secured someone of the calibre of Professor Gilks, who is unusual in having combined pivotal policy with strong academic achievements,” Professor Fisk said.
He said Professor Gilks was selected from a strong field of applicants.
The School of Population Health is one of the major centres for population health research in Australia, investigating issues including global burden of disease; early influences on health and women’s health; epidemiology; biostatistics; global health; and behavioural risk factors for cancer prevention.
More than 1000 students study a comprehensive range of programs in all major fields of public health.
Media: Vanessa Mannix Coppard, School of Population Health, The University of Queensland, v.manixcoppard@uq.edu.au or 042 420 7771.
