Mark Boyd

Professor Mark Boyd

Chair of Medicine

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Professor Boyd is an internationally recognised infectious disease expert. He has led project teams in HIV research in Thailand, as well as at the Kirby Institute for infection and immunity at the University of New South Wales. He has published results from randomised trials that changed international guidelines for the treatment of adults living with HIV worldwide.

Since moving to the University of Adelaide based at the Lyell McEwin Hospital in Adelaide's north, Boyd has shifted his attention to the health needs of people living in the substantially disadvantaged communities that the hospital serves. Transformative improvements in health and wellbeing in these communities will not come from better access to new pharmaceutical magic bullets, but from interventions that decrease the extreme social stress under which many people live - financial instability, housing insecurity, food scarcity, etc. The challenge is to reconfigure the health system to not only provide the standard pharmaceutical and technical solutions, but also work to help solve the social stressors. This guides our research and our passion for meaningful change in healthcare delivery.

Research

Population and individual health are profoundly influenced by social determinants of health. Evidence clearly demonstrates that health and disease are strongly linked with social advantage,. There is a ‘social gradient of health' favouring the socially advantaged over the disadvantaged. Despite this, the health system focuses on the biomedical aspects of acute and chronic health conditions and generally ignores the ‘upstream’ determinants that underpin illness.  The Northern Health Project (NHP) explores the potential to broaden health care delivery toward a more comprehensive approach that addresses both biomedical (‘downstream’) and social (‘upstream’) risks. This makes particular sense at the Lyell McEwin Hospital (LMH), which serves one of the most disadvantaged urban populations in Australia. We developed a qualitatively validated questionnaire ('Social Needs Screening Tool' [SDST]) to identify patients with unmet social needs. The tool is in active use in research at LMH in exploring how to manage patient social risk(s) by referral to relevant community services for resolution/assistance. 

The NHP is elaborating research projects in the following areas:

  • Identifying the social risks of defined patients and patient populations (e.g. people living with cancer, people living with atrial fibrillation)
  • Developing and testing models of care that reduce social risk by connecting patients with community-based social care resources.
  • Including social risk in algorithms to predict early, unexpected readmission to hospital
  • Exploring associations between social risk and specific diseases
  • Systematically canvassing opinion amongst the multiple stakeholders engaged in the delivery of healthcare (including the community).

Projects

I have supervised 4 Honours students over the past 4 years. All were awarded First Class Honours.

Project 1

Title: Exploring the upstream and down stream risks for Atrial Fibrillation

Description: In collaboration with A/Prof Rajiv Mahajan, an internationally recognised expert in cardiac arrhythmia, we will explore associations between atrial fibrillation (AF; the most common cardiac arrhythmia), social risks, conventional risks and types of AF.  We will do this in the AF cohort that A/Prof Mahajan leads (co-supervisor).

Project available for: Honours

Location: UoA precinct, Lyell McEwin Hospital 

Research Project start: Semester 2, 2023

 

Project 2

Title: Weighting the Social Needs Screening Tool

Description: The SDST collects data that is highly granular and thereby offers the opportunity to explore the associations between specific types of disadvantage (or clusters of disadvantage) and specific disease states far more accurately than conventional means (e.g. by using postcode data). We will explore this research question in a collaboration with A/Prof Mahajan. 

Projects available for: Honours

Location: UoA precinct, Lyell McEwin Hospital 

Research Project start: Semester 2, 2023 

 

Project 3

Title: Stakeholder opinion and attitudes and engagement in screening for unmet social needs in hospital. 

Description: Screening and addressing social needs in the hospital would involve an adaptation of conventional practice. Community engagement will be key to successful adaptation of models of care. We will conduct Focus Group sessions of community representatives and advocates to understand community opinions and ideas as well as engagement in systems change. 

Project available for: Honours

Location: UoA precinct, Lyell McEwin Hospital 

Research Project start: Semester 2, 2023

Please contact me by e-mail if any of these (or similar ideas) appeal. We are interested in your ideas and happy to discuss how these could be translated into research projects in the domain of integrating conventional medical care with social care to create comprehensive healthcare.

 

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2015 - 2016 Visiting Medical Officer Murrumbidgee Health District
    2015 - 2016 Visiting Medical Officer Albury Wodonga Health District
    2013 - 2016 Associate Professor University of New South Wales
    2007 - 2012 Clinical Project Leader St Vincent's Hospital
    2004 - 2007 Senior Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Flinders Medical Centre
    2000 - 2004 Clinical Project Leader HIV Netherlands Australia Thailand Research Collaboration
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2014 Award The Frank Fenner Award for Advanced Research in Infectious Diseases Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID) Inc. - -
    2014 Award Outstanding Reviewer for 2013 - - -
    1986 Award The Alfred Houston Senior Prize in Philosophy University of Tasmania - -
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2006 Flinders University Australia (MHID) - Master of Health and International Development
    2001 - 2006 University of New South Wales Australia MD - Doctor of Medicine
    1997 University of Alabama (USA) and Universidad Peruana Cayetano-Heredia (Perú) Peru and United States DCTM&H - Dip. In Clinical. Trop. Med. and Hygiene
    1987 - 1992 Flinders University Australia BM, BS Medicine, Surgery
    1983 - 1986 University of Tasmania Australia BA Philosophy - English Literature
  • Certifications

    Date Title Institution name Country
    2013 Graduate Certificate in University Learning and Teaching University of New South Wales Australia
    2011 Certificate for Ethics Training for Human Research Ethics Committee members Monash University Australia
    1995 Fellowship Royal Australasian College of Physicians Australia
  • Research Interests

Grants and Funding
Category 1
2014 - 2017 Clinical Development Award clinical support for 4 years NHMRC $404,884 AUD
2013 Project Grant award support of the SECOND-LINE study NHMRC $449,584 AUD

 

Category 2
2014 Australian Award Fellowship support of the combined UNSW/U Sydney Global Intensive Professional Program in HIV (GIPPH) Australian Commonwealth Government Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade. $656,888
2013 Australian Award Fellowships support of the combined UNSW/U Sydney Global Intensive Professional Program in HIV (GIPPH) AusAID $698,160

 

Category 3
2015 In support of the development of capacity to measure ARV levels in human tissues: Merck & Co. IISP grant $20,000 AUD
2015 Award in support of Faster and smarter identification of at-risk sexually transmitted infection patients via online, mobile and social platforms auDA foundation $20,000 AUD
2014 Award in project support of The association between virological failure and lopinavir plasma drug levels in the SECOND-LINE trial Gilead Australia Fellowship Research Grants 2015: $30,000 AUD
2014 Independent initiative grant support for an analysis of bone turnover, immune activation and inflammatory biomarkers in the SECOND-LINE DXA-substudy, Grants Merck Global Affairs 2014: $304,064 AUD
2012 Award for support of the RATE study Gilead Australia Fellowship Research Grants 2013: $20,000 AUD
2012 Support of the SECOND-LINE study The Foundation for AIDS Research 2012: $125,000 USD
2012 Support of the SECOND-LINE study Merck & Co. $1,000,000 USD.
2011 Support of the SECOND-LINE study The Foundation for AIDS Research 2011: $125,000 USD
2010 Support of the SECOND-LINE study The Foundation for AIDS Research 2010: $125,000 USD
2009 Support of the SECOND-LINE study Abbott Inc. $600,000 AUD
2009 Support of the SECOND-LINE study Merck & Co. 2009: $1,100,000 USD
2008 Support of the Encore program Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation $12,416,901 USD
  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 Co-Supervisor Use of a Next Generation Precision Health Platform to support Atrial Fibrillation Management Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Anh Hong Nguyen
    2022 Co-Supervisor To determine asymptomatic cognitive decline in atrial fibrillation patients and to investigate their mechanistic links Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Rakesh Agarwal
    2022 Principal Supervisor Perioperative Haemostasis and Anticoagulation Master of Philosophy (Clinical Science) Master Part Time Mr Brandon John Lee Stretton
    2022 Principal Supervisor Integrating social and medical care at a hospital serving a disadvantaged urban community in South Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Kate Emily Neadley
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 - 2023 Principal Supervisor The Use of Objective Data to Access Activity and Participation Prior to and Following Critical Illness: Feasibility of Smartphone Data-Capture Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Samuel Gluck
    2020 - 2023 Principal Supervisor CHARACTERISATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RADIOFREQUENCY CATHETER ABLATION PARAMETERS AND ATRIAL FIBRILLATION ABLATION LESION FORMATION Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Tira Rattanakosit
  • Other Supervision Activities

    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2015 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Biomarkers of Metabolic Outcomes of Second-Line Antiretroviral Therapy Regimens in Low and Middle-Income Countries University of New South Wales Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Gwamaka Mwasakifwa
  • Board Memberships

    Date Role Board name Institution name Country
    2020 - 2019 Co-Chair Asia Pacific AIDS & Coinfections Conference Virology Education Thailand
    2015 - ongoing Member Scientific and Program Committee of the Asia Pacific AIDS & Co-infections Asia Pacific AIDS & Co-infections (APAAC) Conference 2016 Asia Pacific AIDS & Co-infections Asia Pacific AIDS & Co-infections (APAAC) Australia
  • Committee Memberships

    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2015 - ongoing Chair ASHM International Advisory Group - -
    2014 - ongoing Member Australian National HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Guidance Committee - -
    2014 - ongoing Chair RACP Working Group - -
    2014 - ongoing President Australasian Society for HIV Medicine (ASHM) - -
    2014 - ongoing Chair Gilead ‘HIV and the Body’ educational meeting faculty - -
    2013 - ongoing Chair Lyell McEwin Hospital, Discipline of Medicine, School of Medicine University of Adelaide -
    2013 - ongoing Member NEAT-id (European Treatment Network for HIV, Hepatitis and Global Infectious Diseases) - -
    2013 - ongoing Member Australasian Society for HIV Medicine (ASHM) Clinical Guidance Committee - -
    2013 - ongoing Chair National Program Theme B Committee for the ASHM 2013 National Conference - -
    2012 - ongoing Member Kirby Institute Higher Degree Committee and Annual Post-Graduate Progress Review academic staff - -
    2012 - ongoing Member ASID Prosthetic Joint Infection Trial Steering Committee - -
    2012 - ongoing Member ASHM NSW HIV Shared Care Workshop Committee - -
    2012 - ongoing Member Australian Society for Infectious Disease (ASID) Native Joint Infection Trial Steering Committee - -
    2011 - 2014 Vice-President Australasian Society for HIV Medicine (ASHM) - -
    2010 - ongoing Member Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD) Steering Committee - -
    2009 - ongoing Vice-President Australasian Society for HIV Medicine - -
    2009 - ongoing Member ASHM Risk Management and Audit Sub-Committee - -
    2005 - 2009 Board Member Australasian Society for HIV Medicine - -
    2005 - ongoing Board Member Australasian Society for HIV Medicine (ASHM) - -
    1999 - 2005 Member Australasian Society for HIV Medicine - -
  • Consulting/Advisories

    Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country
    2014 - ongoing International Advisory Board, Lancet HIV - - -
    2014 - ongoing Merck Australian HIV Advisory Board - - -
    2013 - ongoing ASHM NSW Expert Advisory Committee - - -
    2013 - ongoing Gilead Sciences International HIV Advisory Board - - -
  • Editorial Boards

    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2015 - ongoing Editor-In-chief AIDS Research & Therapy BMC open access journal - -
  • Industry Partnerships

    Date Engagement Type Partner Name
    2014 - 2016 Consultant Honorary Consultant in HIV Medicine, The Albion Centre
    2013 - ongoing Consultant HIV and Infectious Diseases Specialist Consultant, Holdsworth House Medical Practice

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External Profiles