Dr Bing Wang

My research has primarily focused on projects evaluating the impact, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of various vaccine programs. My journey began with a medical degree in China, following which I gained valuable industry experience, holding positions in both pharmaceutical and clinical research organizations. This practical exposure equipped me with in-depth knowledge of population health and clinical research. After completing a Master's degree in Public Health, I continued the research journey as a PhD student, specialising in the fields of vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccinology, and health economics. My Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) stands at 2.90 over the past five years (2020-2024), highlighting that my research performance exceeds the global average by 190%. My research has a broader impact beyond academia, positively contributing to the health and well-being of individuals and communities.

My research has played a vital role in supporting government policy-making at the state, national, and global levels. The outcomes of my research have been instrumental in various instances, cited in the government work report (SA meningococcal serogroup B vaccine program public report), as well as utilised in published and unpublished cost-effectiveness evaluations in Australia and other countries. The results were provided to influential bodies such as the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) to inform government funding decisions.

I have led meningococcal serogroup B vaccine (4CMenB) program evaluation projects. In October 2018, South Australia launched a world first meningococcal B vaccine program, which is the first long-term program to provide free 4CMenB vaccine to infants, children, adolescents, and young people. The collaboration on evaluation of the state 4CMenB vaccination programs offered a unique opportunity to assess the vaccine effectiveness and impact of 4CMenB vaccine against invasive meningococcal B disease and gonorrhoea in these high-risk age groups. Two papers published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases and the Journal of Infection present the results of the evaluation of the world's first meningococcal serogroup B vaccine program in South Australia for infants and adolescents. Based on results of this evaluation, showing high vaccine effectiveness against meningococcal B disease in infants and adolescents, the Health Minister made the decision to continue the program indefinitely in South Australia in July 2021. The Czech Republic and New Zealand have subsequently introduced a meningococcal serogroup B vaccine program for adolescents and infants based on these published results. As this is the first ongoing program for adolescents, we were able to demonstrate moderate vaccine effectiveness against gonorrhoea in adolescents who received meningococcal serogroup B vaccine, through cross-protection. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) in the UK, equivalent to the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) in Australia, has recommended the initiation of a targeted program for 4CMenB to prevent gonorrhoea in individuals at the highest risk of infection, drawing from the findings of our and other evaluation results.

The collaboration with Communicable Disease Control Branch at SA Health and Prevention & Population Health at Wellbeing SA has played a crucial role in enhancing our understanding of the diseases impact on communities and informing evidence-based strategies for public health response. The access to valuable data, specialised expertise, and diverse perspectives offered by the Communicable Disease Control Branch at SA Health and Prevention & Population Health at Wellbeing SA has expanded the scope of my research activities, enabling me to undertake more comprehensive and impactful studies. Our collaborative efforts have been marked by a shared commitment to excellence, scientific rigor, and the pursuit of positive health outcomes for the South Australian community. Through the exchange of knowledge, resources, and expertise, we have been able to address pressing research questions and produce high-quality publications. Six papers have emerged from our collaboration reflect the depth and breadth of our joint accomplishments. I have established strong collaborative relationships with external researchers in Australia and the UK. The collective efforts have yielded substantial research outcomes.

I am currently a member of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases (ESPID), the European Meningococcal and Haemophilus Disease Society (EMGM), and the Healthy Development Adelaide (HDA). I was a member of the Early and Mid-Career Research Council at the Robinson Research Institute (RRI), The University of Adelaide, from 2019 to 2020. I provided input on key decisions and advice to the RRI Executive Committee in support of achieving the aims of the Institute. In 2022, I was appointed as Lead, Health Economics, for the Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Group, led by Prof Marshall. I have overseen the health economic component of research projects such as study design and collaboration with external health economic researchers. I was also a member of the interview panel for MBBS student selections at the University of Adelaide.