The Burnet Institute was established in 1986, with four research staff/students working alongside the rest of the Virology Department at Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital, all under the leadership of founding Burnet Director, Prof Ian Gust.
At that time, in the early days of the HIV pandemic, Fairfield Hospital was the epicentre of viral hepatitis and HIV/AIDS care and research in Victoria – an effort that involved staff at every level of the hospital and laboratories, and a high level of international engagement.
35 years later as the world faces the COVID-19 pandemic, this presentation will reflect on the Burnet’s growth, challenges and changes during this time, and how the evolving structure of the Institute has enabled us to contribute to the COVID-19 pandemic response and future challenges.