Mr Dinesh Bhandari
School of Public Health
College of Health
Dr Dinesh Bhandari is a public health professional with over 12 years of experience as a researcher and practitioner. He has worked across the private and public sectors, including the Ministry of Health, with the majority of his career focused on academia. He has authored over 72 peer-reviewed journal articles, three book chapters, and numerous policy briefs and government reports. His multidisciplinary research and consultancy work focus on environmental health, infectious disease epidemiology and surveillance, policy development and analysis, organisational strategy, and advocacy.
Dr Bhandari has particular expertise in global environmental health and infectious disease. His research examines health risks associated with climate change, identifies environmental determinants of climate-sensitive diseases, and explores sustainable adaptation strategies to protect human health from its impacts. His work on climate change and infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries has been cited in the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Additionally, his research on climate change and childhood diarrhoea has informed the World Health Organisation's adaptation strategies against climate-sensitive diarrheal diseases.
To understand the environmental, biological, and social determinants of human health and develop appropriate interventions, he employs statistical, qualitative, and molecular research techniques.
During his PhD, Dr Bhandari estimated the association between climate change and childhood diarrhea in Kathmandu, Nepal; with an aim to facilitate the integration of climate change-related risk in infectious disease surveillance systems. His PhD project resulted in the publication of five research papers in Q1 peer reviewed journal including an invited comment paper in the Lancet Global Health.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 - 2028 | Visiting Fellow | University of Adelaide |
| 2022 - 2025 | Research Fellow | Monash University |
| 2021 - 2022 | Public Health Consultant | Nepal Health Research Council |
| 2021 - 2022 | Senior Consultant | Center for Health and Diseases Studies |
| 2018 - 2021 | PhD Candidate | University of Adelaide, Adelaide |
| 2017 - 2017 | Research Assitant | Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Wellington |
| 2014 - 2017 | Research Officer | Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Nepal |
| Date | Type | Title | Institution Name | Country | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Achievement | Global Talent VISA | Australian Department of Home Affairs | Australia | - |
| 2020 | Award | ISEE Travel Award 2020 | The International Society for Environmental Epidemiology | United States | - |
| 2019 | Award | Walter and Dorothy Duncan Trust travel award 2019 | Walter and Dorothy Duncan Trust | Australia | 1000 AUD |
| 2019 | Award | ISEE Travel Award 2019 | The International Society for Environmental Epidemiology | United States | 1500 Euros |
| 2018 | Scholarship | Adelaide Scholarship International (ASI) | The University of Adelaide | Australia | 137330 AUD |
| 2015 | Award | Young researcher travel award | Naresuan University | Thailand | Accomodation, lodging and airfare Nepal - Thailand (1 week) |
| 2015 | Award | ESCMID Travel Award | European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease | Switzerland | 6000 Nrs |
| Language | Competency |
|---|---|
| English | Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review |
| Nepali | Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 - 2014 | Tribhuvan University | Nepal | Masters in Medical Microbiology |
| Date | Title | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 - 2022 | PhD | University of Adelaide | Australia |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Tandukar, S., Sherchand, J. B., Karki, S., Malla, B., Ghaju Shrestha, R., Bhandari, D., . . . Haramoto, E. (2019). Co-infection by waterborne enteric viruses in children with gastroenteritis in Nepal. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 7(1), 1-13. Scopus16 WoS13 Europe PMC10 |
| 2018 | Tandukar, S., Sherchand, J. B., Xue, J., Uprety, S., Sherchan, S. P., Bhandari, D., . . . Haramoto, E. (2018). Prevalence and associated risk factors of Giardia duodenalis infection among school-going children in Nepal. Parasitology Research, 117(1), 287-293. Scopus15 WoS9 Europe PMC7 |
| 2018 | Love, M., Bhandari, D., Dobson, R. C. J., & Billington, C. (2018). Potential for bacteriophage endolysins to supplement or replace antibiotics in food production and clinical care. Antibiotics, 7(1), 1-25. Scopus146 WoS135 Europe PMC110 |
| 2018 | Jha, A. R., Davenport, E. R., Gautam, Y., Bhandari, D., Tandukar, S., Katharine, N., . . . Sonnenburg, J. (2018). Gut microbiome transition across a lifestyle gradient in Himalaya. PLoS Biology. Europe PMC1 |
| 2018 | Tandukar, S., Sherchand, J. B., Bhandari, D., Sherchan, S. P., Malla, B., Shrestha, R. G., & Haramoto, E. (2018). Presence of human enteric viruses, protozoa, and indicators of pathogens in the Bagmati River, Nepal. Pathogens, 7(2), 11 pages. Scopus44 WoS35 Europe PMC19 |
| 2018 | Malla, B., Ghaju Shrestha, R., Tandukar, S., Bhandari, D., Inoue, D., Sei, K., . . . Haramoto, E. (2018). Validation of host-specific Bacteroidales quantitative PCR assays and their application to microbial source tracking of drinking water sources in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 125(2), 609-619. Scopus41 WoS40 Europe PMC37 |
| 2018 | Shrestha, D., Thapa, P., Bhandari, D., Parajuli, H., Chaudhary, P., Thapa, K., . . . Shah, P. K. (2018). Biofilm production and antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens in pediatric cases: a hospital based study. Journal of Nepal Health Research Council, 16(2), 178-183. Europe PMC2 |
| 2018 | INOUE＊, D., YOSHINAGA, H., MALLA, B., GHAJU SHRESTHA, R., TANDUKAR, S., BHANDARI, D., . . . SEI, K. (2018). Comprehensive Detection of Pathogenic Bacteria in Jar Water, Community Well Groundwater, and Environmental Water in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Japanese Journal of Water Treatment Biology, 54(2), 65-72. |
| 2018 | Ghaju Shrestha, R., Tanka, Y., Malla, B., Tandukar, S., Bhandari, D., Inoue, D., . . . Haramoto, E. (2018). Development of a Quantitative PCR Assay for Arcobacter spp. and its Application to Environmental Water Samples.. Microbes and Environments, 33(3), 309-316. Scopus17 WoS15 Europe PMC12 |
| 2018 | Sherchand, J. B., Thakali, O., Sherchan, J. B., Bhandari, D., Tandukar, S., Paudel, K. P., . . . Rai, G. K. (2018). Hospital based surveillance and molecular characterization of rotavirus in children less than 5 years of age with acute gastroenteritis in Nepal. Vaccine, 36(51), 7841-7845. Scopus10 WoS8 Europe PMC7 |
| 2018 | Jha, A. R., Davenport, E. R., Gautam, Y., Bhandari, D., Tandukar, S., Ng, K. M., . . . Sonnenburg, J. L. (2018). Gut microbiome transition across a lifestyle gradient in Himalaya. PLoS Biology, 16(11), e2005396-1-e2005396-30. Scopus155 WoS143 Europe PMC151 |
| 2018 | Malla, B., Shrestha Ghaju, R., Tandukar, S., Bhandari, D., Inoue, D., Sei, K., . . . Haramoto, E. (2018). Identification of Human and Animal Fecal Contamination in Drinking Water Sources in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, Using Host-Associated Bacteroidales Quantitative PCR Assays. Water, 10(12), 16 pages. Scopus40 WoS31 |
| 2017 | Thapa, P., Bhandari, D., Shrestha, D., Parajuli, H., Chaudhary, P., Amatya, J., & Amatya, R. (2017). A hospital based surveillance of metallo-beta-lactamase producing gram negative bacteria in Nepal by imipenem-EDTA disk method. BMC Research Notes, 10(1), 322. Scopus22 Europe PMC17 |
| 2017 | Ghaju Shrestha, R., Tanaka, Y., Malla, B., Bhandari, D., Tandukar, S., Inoue, D., . . . Haramoto, E. (2017). Next-generation sequencing identification of pathogenic bacterial genes and their relationship with fecal indicator bacteria in different water sources in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Science of the Total Environment, 601-602, 278-284. Scopus54 WoS39 Europe PMC35 |
| 2016 | Ghimire, A., Bhandari, S., Tandukar, S., Amatya, J., Bhandari, D., & Sherchand, J. B. (2016). Enteric parasitic infection among HIV-infected patients visiting Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Nepal. BMC Research Notes, 9(1), 5 pages. Scopus12 Europe PMC7 |
| 2016 | Chaudhary, P., Bhandari, D., Thapa, K., Thapa, P., Shrestha, D., Chaudhary, H., . . . Gupta, B. (2016). Prevalence of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Producing Klebsiella Pneumoniae Isolated From Urinary Tract Infected Patients. Journal of Nepal Health Research Council, 14(33), 111-115. Scopus9 Europe PMC4 |
| 2016 | Suwal, S., Bhandari, D., Thapa, P., Shrestha, M. K., & Amatya, J. (2016). Microbiological profile of corneal ulcer cases diagnosed in a tertiary care ophthalmological institute in Nepal. BMC Ophthalmology, 16(1), 6 pages. Scopus31 WoS32 Europe PMC21 |
| 2016 | Bhandari, D., Thapa, P., Thapa, K., Tandukar, S., & Sherchan, J. B. (2016). Antibiotic resistance: evolution and alternatives. Canadian Journal of Infection Control, 31(3), 149-155. |
| 2016 | Bhandari, D., Tandukar, S., Haramoto, E., & Sherchan, J. B. (2016). Determination of fecal indicator bacteria in shallow and deep groundwater sources of Kathmandu valley, Nepal. Naresuan University Engineering Journal, 11(1 Suppl.), 1-4. |
| 2016 | Chaudhary, A., Bhandari, D., Amatya, J., Chaudhary, P., & Acharya, B. (2016). Metallo-Beta-Lactamase producing gram-negative bacteria among patients visiting Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre. Austin Journal of Microbiology, 2(1), 5 pages. |
| 2016 | Pokharel, N., Bhandari, D., & Bharat, J. (2016). Pattern of hepatitis B and C infections among patients attending a tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal. Journal of Institue of Medicine, 38(2), 93-98. |
| 2015 | Bhandari, D., Tandukar, S., Parajuli, H., Thapa, P., Chaudhary, P., Shrestha, D., . . . Sherchand, J. B. (2015). Cyclospora infection among school children in Kathmandu, Nepal: Prevalence and associated risk factors. Tropical Medicine and Health, 43(4), 211-216. Scopus25 Europe PMC17 |
| 2015 | Bhandari, D., Tandukar, S., Sherchand, S., Thapa, P., & Shah, P. (2015). Cryptosporidium infection among the school children of Kathmandu Valley. Journal of Institute of Medicine, 37(1), 82-87. |
| 2015 | Malla, B., Ghaju, R., Bhandari, D., Tandukar, S., Shrestha, S., Yosingha, H., . . . Haramoto, E. (2015). Detection of Cryptosporidium, Giardia, fecal indicator bacteria, and total bacteria in commercial jar water in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Journal of the Institute of Medicine, 37(2), 10-15. |
| 2015 | Tandukar, S., Sherchand, J. B., Thapa, P., Malla, D., Bhandari, D., Ghaju, R., & Sherchand, J. B. (2015). Intestinal Parasite Infection among School Going Children in Kathmandu Valley. Austin Journal of Pediatrics, 2(2). |
| 2025 | Grant |
Maternal and Child Health Climate Resilience in Indo-Pacific Region (CI) https://research.monash.edu/en/projects/maternal-and-child-health-climate-resilience-in-indo-pacific-regi |
Monash University | Australia | 75,000 AUD |
| 2022 | Grant |
Health Policy and Systems Research Responding to Climate Change: Lesson from Nepal (Co-PI) https://ahpsr.who.int/newsroom/news/item/25-05-2022-health-policy-and-systems-research-studies-to-tackle-the-climate-crisis |
World Health Organization | Geneva | 60,000 USD |
| 2020 | Travel Grant | ISEE Travel grant 2020 (Virtual) | The International Society for Environmental Epidemiology | USA | Conference registration waiver and ISEE annual membership renewal |
| 2019 | Travel Grant | ISEE Travel grant 2019 | The International Society for Environmental Epidemiology | USA | 1500 Euros |
| 2019 | Travel Grant | Walter and Dorothy Duncan Trust travel grant 2019 | Walter and Dorothy Duncan Trust | Australia | 1000 AUD |
Feb 2025–Jul 2025: NUR5703 - Pathophysiology for advanced clinical nursing - S1 2025,
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Australia
Aug 2022–Nov 2022: PUB HLTH 7090 - Global Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,
School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Australia
February 2019- July 2019: Research Placement Course, Medical School, HLTH SC 3007 - 3013
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Australia
Apr 2014–Sep 2017: MB602- Public Health Microbiology & MB552- Applied Environmental Microbiology,
Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| Date | Role | Membership | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 - ongoing | Member | Global Burden of Disease Collaborator Network | United States |
| 2019 - ongoing | Member | International Society for Environmental Epidemiology | United States |
| 2018 - ongoing | Member | Public Health Association Australia | Nepal |
| 2015 - ongoing | Member | European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases | Switzerland |
| 2015 - ongoing | Member | American Society of Microbiology | United States |
| Date | Topic | Presented at | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 - 2023 | Climate Change and childhood diarrhea in Kathmandu Nepal: implications to strengthen infectious diseases surveillance systems | 14th International Conference of the Nepalese Students Association (Invited Speaker) | New Mexico State University (Virtual) | United States |
| 2021 - 2021 | Climate change and child health | Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles (Guest Lecturer) | Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles (Virtual) | United States |
| 2020 - 2020 | Infectious diseases surveillance in the context of climate change: assessment of public health surveillance capacity in Nepal | The 2020 annual conference of The International Society for Environmental Epidemiology. | University of Washington (Virtual) | United States |
| 2019 - 2019 | Modeling the effect of climate variability on childhood diarrhea in Kathmandu, Nepal | The 2019 annual conference of The International Society for Environmental Epidemiology. | University of Utrecth | Netherlands |
| 2019 - 2019 | Impact of Meteorological Factors on Rotavirus Infection among Children below 5 Years of Age in Kathmandu, Nepal. | The 2019 annual conference of The International Society for Environmental Epidemiology. | University of Utrecth | Netherlands |
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