Michelle Clarke

Research Interests

Epidemiology Infectious Diseases Paediatrics Public Health Respiratory Diseases

Mrs Michelle Clarke

School of Medicine

College of Health

 
Michelle Clarke is a Senior Medical Scientist at the Women's and Children's Hospital with an interest in prevention of infectious diseases, particularly for pregnant women and children.  Michelle has over 25 years’ experience in clinical research with a focus on infectious disease epidemiology, clinical trials and vaccine evaluation and has recently completed a PhD assessing influenza vaccine immunogenicity. Michelle has a particular interest in providing evidence to guide vaccine programs and policies to ensure the best protection possible for vulnerable or at-risk populations.  

My research interests include improving child health through prevention of infectious diseases.  I strive to understand the epidemiology of infectious diseases and evaluate strategies to protect infants and children and contribute to these goals through research and clinical trials conducted within our team at the Women's and Children's Hospital.  Our expertise is in conducting clinical trials to evaluate new and existing vaccines.  In addition, we aim to understand factors which may influence the effectiveness of vaccines, as well as the impact of vaccination on prevention of infection and or severe disease.  We also aim to understand and explore barriers and facilitators to immunisation for pregnant women and children.

 

Date Position Institution name
2017 - ongoing Affiiate senior lecturer, Paediatrics University of Adelaide
2011 - 2017 Affiliate lecturer University of Adelaide
1997 - ongoing Medical Scientist Women's and Children's Hospital

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2019 Award Robinson Institute Travel grant Robinson Research Institute Australia $1000.00
2016 Recognition Dean's commendation for thesis excellence - - -
2015 Award Best student poster presentation Robinson Research Institute Australia $400
2015 Award Florey postgraduate poster prize University of Adelaide - $500
2015 Award School of Public Health prize - - $300
2011 Award Top student prize for Epidemiology course (2011) - - -

Date Institution name Country Title
1998 University of South Australia Australia Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Laboratory Science)

Date Title Institution Country
Graduate Diploma (Science and Technology Commercialisation) University of Adelaide Australia
Master of Philosophy (Public Health) University of Adelaide Australia

Year Citation
2025 Clarke, M., & Marshall, H. S. (2025). A step closer to elimination of meningococcal disease.. The Lancet. Infectious diseases, 25(4), 360-362.
DOI
2025 Mohammed, H., Riley, K., Clarke, M., Walker, M. S., & Marshall, H. S. (2025). Provider Determinants of Maternal Influenza and Pertussis Vaccination Uptake in South Australia in a Tertiary Healthcare Setting. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(3), 890.
DOI Scopus1
2025 Ryan, F. J., Clarke, M., Lynn, M. A., Benson, S. C., McAlister, S., Giles, L. C., . . . Lynn, D. J. (2025). Bifidobacteria support optimal infant vaccine responses. Nature, 641(8062), 456-464.
DOI Scopus20 WoS19 Europe PMC11
2025 Clarke, M., McMillan, M., Giles, L. C., Riley, K., Andraweera, P., Richmond, P. C., . . . Marshall, H. S. (2025). The impact of obesity on influenza Vaccine immunogenicity: A systematic review. Vaccine, 65, 127794.
DOI
2024 Clarke, M., Mathew, S. M., Giles, L. C., Barr, I. G., Richmond, P. C., & Marshall, H. S. (2024). The Impact of Obesity on Influenza Vaccine Immunogenicity and Antibody Transfer to the Infant During Pregnancy. Vaccines, 12(12), 1307-1-1307-13.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1
2022 Clarke, M., Mathew, S. M., Giles, L. C., Pena, A. S., Barr, I. G., Richmond, P. C., & Marshall, H. S. (2022). A Prospective Study Investigating the Impact of Obesity on the Immune Response to the Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine in Children and Adolescents. Vaccines, 10(5), 699-1-699-12.
DOI Scopus9 WoS10 Europe PMC8
2021 Clarke, M., Goodchild, L. M., Evans, S., Giles, L., Sullivan, S., Barr, I. G., . . . Marshall, H. (2021). Body mass index and vaccine responses following influenza vaccination during pregnancy.. Vaccine, 39(34), 4864-4870.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC6
2020 Clarke, M., Liew, Y. Y., Mathew, S. M., & Marshall, H. S. (2020). Clinical Severity of Gastroenteritis in Children Hospitalized With Rotavirus Infection Before and Post Introduction of a National Rotavirus Vaccination Program in Australia. The Pediatric infectious disease journal, 39(9), e289-e290.
DOI WoS1 Europe PMC1
2020 McMillan, M., Chandrakumar, A., Wang, H. L. R., Clarke, M., Sullivan, T. R., Andrews, R. M., . . . Marshall, H. S. (2020). Effectiveness of meningococcal vaccines at reducing invasive meningococcal disease and pharyngeal Neisseria meningitidis carriage: A systematic review and meta-analysis.. Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 73(3), E609-E619.
DOI Scopus52 WoS45 Europe PMC36
2019 Marshall, H., Clarke, M., Heath, C., Quinn, H., Richmond, P., Crawford, N., . . . Macartney, K. (2019). Severe and complicated varicella and associated genotypes 10 years after introduction of a one-dose varicella vaccine program. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 219(3), 391-399.
DOI Scopus9 WoS9 Europe PMC6
2018 Mohammed, H., Clarke, M., Koehler, A., Watson, M., & Marshall, H. (2018). Factors associated with uptake of influenza and pertussis vaccines among pregnant women in South Australia. PLoS ONE, 13(6), e0197867-1-e0197867-14.
DOI Scopus65 WoS62 Europe PMC45
2017 McMillan, M., Clarke, M., Parrella, A., Fell, D., Amirthalingam, G., & Marshall, H. (2017). Safety of tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccination during pregnancy a systematic review. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 129(3), 560-573.
DOI Scopus90 WoS71 Europe PMC60
2016 Clarke, M., McIntyre, P., Blyth, C., Wood, N., Octavia, S., Sintchenko, V., . . . Marshall, H. (2016). The relationship between Bordetella pertussis genotype and clinical severity in Australian children with pertussis. Journal of Infection, 72(2), 171-178.
DOI Scopus36 WoS34 Europe PMC32
2016 Marshall, H., Chen, G., Clarke, M., & Ratcliffe, J. (2016). Adolescent, parent and societal preferences and willingness to pay for meningococcal B vaccine: a Discrete Choice Experiment. Vaccine, 34(5), 671-677.
DOI Scopus53 WoS51 Europe PMC49
2016 Parrella, A., Braunack-Mayer, A., Collins, J., Clarke, M., Tooher, R., Ratcliffe, J., & Marshall, H. (2016). Prioritizing government funding of adolescent vaccinations: recommendations from young people on a citizens' jury. Vaccine, 34(31), 3592-3597.
DOI Scopus10 WoS7 Europe PMC6
2016 Lakhan, N., Clarke, M., Mathew, S., & Marshall, H. (2016). Retrospective review of factors associated with severe hospitalised community-acquired influenza in a tertiary paediatric hospital in South Australia. Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses, 10(6), 479-485.
DOI Scopus8 WoS8 Europe PMC9
2016 Wang, B., Giles, L., Afzali, H., Clarke, M., Ratcliffe, J., Chen, G., & Marshall, H. (2016). Adolescent confidence in immunisation: assessing and comparing attitudes of adolescents and adults. Vaccine, 34(46), 5595-5603.
DOI Scopus16 WoS16 Europe PMC12
2015 Clarke, M., Thomas, N., Giles, L., & Marshall, H. (2015). Community awareness and predictors of uptake of pertussis booster vaccine in South Australian adults. Vaccine, 33(51), 7337-7343.
DOI Scopus7 WoS7 Europe PMC7
2015 Marshall, H., Clarke, M., Rasiah, K., Richmond, P., Buttery, J., Reynolds, G., . . . Mcintyre, P. (2015). Predictors of disease severity in children hospitalized for pertussis during an epidemic. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 34(4), 339-345.
DOI Scopus65 WoS61 Europe PMC51
2015 Wong, C., Thomas, N., Clarke, M., Boros, C., Tuckerman, J., & Marshall, H. (2015). Maternal uptake of pertussis cocooning strategy and other pregnancy related recommended immunzations. Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, 11(5), 1165-1172.
DOI Scopus38 WoS36 Europe PMC27
2014 Wang, B., Clarke, M., Thomas, N., Howell, S., Afzali, H., & Marshall, H. (2014). The clinical burden and predictors of sequelae following invasive meningococcal disease in Australian children. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 33(3), 316-318.
DOI Scopus23 WoS25 Europe PMC20
2014 Wang, B., Clarke, M., Hajiali Afzali, H., & Marshall, H. (2014). Community, parental and adolescent awareness and knowledge of meningococcal disease. Vaccine, 32(18), 2042-2049.
DOI Scopus24 WoS22 Europe PMC21
2014 Marshall, H., Clarke, M., & Sullivan, T. (2014). Parental and community acceptance of the benefits and risks associated with meningococcal B vaccines. Vaccine, 32(3), 338-344.
DOI Scopus31 WoS29 Europe PMC24
2013 Marshall, H., Clarke, M., Evans, S., Piotto, L., & Gent, R. (2013). Randomized trial using ultrasound to assess intramuscular vaccination at a 60 degrees or 90 degrees needle angle. Vaccine, 31(23), 2647-2652.
DOI Scopus7 WoS7 Europe PMC6
2013 Clarke, M., Rasiah, K., Copland, J., Watson, M., Koehler, A., Dowling, K., & Marshall, H. (2013). The pertussis epidemic: informing strategies for prevention of severe disease. Epidemiology and Infection, 141(3), 463-471.
DOI Scopus20 WoS20 Europe PMC16
2012 Clarke, M., & Marshall, H. (2012). Rotavirus vaccination for prevention of serious acute gastroenteritis and the importance of postlicensure safety monitoring. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 206(1), 3-5.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2011 Clarke, M., Davidson, G., Gold, M., & Marshall, H. (2011). Direct and indirect impact on rotavirus positive and all-cause gastroenteritis hospitalisations in South Australian children following the introduction of rotavirus vaccination. Vaccine, 29(29-30), 4663-4667.
DOI Scopus54 WoS50 Europe PMC41
2006 Marshall, H., Gold, M., Gent, R., Quinn, P., Piotto, L., Clarke, M., & Roberton, D. (2006). Ultrasound examination of extensive limb swelling reactions after diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis or reduced-antigen content diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis immunization in preschool-aged children. Pediatrics, 118(4), 1501-1509.
DOI Scopus22 WoS20 Europe PMC16

Year Citation
2022 McMillan, M., Mohammed, H., Wang, B., Saunders, L., Clarke, M., McDonough, J., & Marshall, H. (2022). Review of the COVID-19 vaccine program in South Australia.

Year Citation
2015 Mcmillan, M., Parrella, A., Clarke, M., & Marshall, H. (2015). A systematic review of the safety of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and inactivated polio antigen containing vaccines administered during pregnancy. PROTOCOL.
  • May 2019: RRI travel grant to support attendance at ESPID, Slovenia to deliver oral presentation. Awarded $1000.00
  • Jul 2018-Dec 2020: OptiWIN. Sanofi  investigator initiated studies grant. $100,000.
  • November 2015- Dec 2016:  Respiratory illnesses in pregnancy.  RRI seed funding.  Awarded $25,000.  Investigators: Clarke M, Coat S, Roberts C, Hague B, Mol B, Marshall H.
  • Jan 2014-Jun 2015: Does obesity in pregnancy impact on immune response to influenza vaccines? WCH foundation grant. 2013 Awarded $52,762, Investigators: H Marshall, S Lambert, M Clarke, I Barr, R Gent.
  • Jan 2014-Dec 2014: Incorporating young people’s views into priority setting for preventative health strategies to improve the health of adolescents. Channel 7 . 2013 Awarded $74,000. Investigators: H Marshall, A Braunack-Mayer, J Ratcliffe
  • Jul 2012-Jun 2014. Impact of pneumococcal vaccination on Invasive Pneumococcal Disease– Funding approved by Pfizer IIR program.  2012 Awarded $70,500. Investigators: H Marshall, M Clarke, T Tran.
  • Jul 2011-Jul 2012. Invasive Meningococcal Disease and Impact of Sequealae in South Australian children – Funding approved by Novartis.  2011 Awarded $53,600. Investigators: H Marshall, M Clarke, N Thomas.
  • Jun 2011 –Jun 2013.  Rotavirus Impact –  Official Title: An observational, cross-sectional, cohort study to assess the impact of the rotavirus vaccine introduction on severe gastroenteritis in South Australian children. Applied under Merck IISP, Proposal #38070.  2011 Awarded $97,254. Investigators: H Marshall, M Clarke M Gold, G Davidson.
  • Health sciences tutorials (Vaccines and Infectious Diseases) Faculty of Health Sciences (2019)
  • Clinical trials design and analysis lectures - honour series.  Faculty of Health Sciences (2016)
  • Experimental research design - health sciences research elective students (2014-2016)

Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
2017 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Frequency and aetiology of respiratory illnesses during pregnancy The University of Adelaide - Honours - Brianna Morello
2016 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Uptake of vaccination during pregnancy The University of Adelaide - Honours - Hassen Mohammed
2013 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Severity of influenza in children The University of Adelaide - Honours - Nerissa Lakhan

Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
2019 - 2019 Associations between body mass index (BMI) and vaccine responses following influenza vaccination during pregnancy European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases University of Adelaide and Women's and Children's Health Network Slovenia

Connect With Me

External Profiles

Other Links