Acute respiratory infections are a leading cause of hospitalisation and preventable mortality among Indigenous children. With expertise in biomedical science, clinical trials and epidemiology, Dr Michael Binks leads a collaborative and multidisciplinary research program dedicated to achieving sustainable improvements in the respiratory health of Indigenous children. The program focuses on practical and translatable interventions for the prevention of acute respiratory infections coupled with innovative science to address knowledge gaps in aetiology and pathogenesis.

Current projects with capacity to support PhD students are clinical trials of evaluating perinatal vitamin D supplementation, antenatal vaccination and neonatal probiotic therapy as key preventative strategies against early childhood acute respiratory infections.

For this collective body of innovative work Dr Binks was awarded the 2018 Charles Darwin University Prize for Exceptional Performance in Research. 

Michael has recently supervised several PhD students to completion on projects including ‘safety of vaccination in pregnancy’ and the ‘microbiology of otitis media among Indigenous Australian children’. Potential students with an interest in Indigenous child health looking to develop a research career in a public health epidemiology, immunology or microbiology are encouraged to contact Dr Binks for further information.

Research interests:

• Indigenous and Tropical Health 
• Child Respiratory Health 
• Biomedical science
• Clinical trials
• Epidemiology

Connect with Michael: Michael.Binks@menzies.edu.au