Meru Sheel
A/Prof Meru Sheel is a global health researcher and an infectious diseases epidemiologist with expertise in public health emergencies and immunisation at the Sydney School of Public Health. Meru leads the Asia-Pacific Vaccination Program.
Meru earned a PhD in life sciences from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research and the Queensland University of Technology working on new vaccines for bacterial pathogens (group A streptococcus). Meru completed my post-doctoral training in parasite immunology with a focus on malaria and visceral leishmaniasis before transitioning into public health. Meru holds an MPhil in Applied Epidemiology in 2017, following which she worked at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance. Meru has worked in several dynamic and challenging environments in Australia and in the Asia-Pacific region including India, Cambodia, Samoa, American Samoa. Meru has responded to international emergencies in Fiji, Dominica, Rohingya Crisis in Cox's Bazar Bangladesh, Tonga and Papua New Guinea.
In 2019, Meru was awarded a Westpac Research Fellowship (2019-2022) to conduct operational research in health emergencies in the context of infectious diseases and global health security.
Meru is a strong advocate for gender equity and passionate about seeing women in leadership positions. Meru is a leading public voice, active science communicator and advocate for increasing STEMM-trained workforce globally.
In 2019, Meru was recognised as the Science and Medicine winner for 40 Under 40 Most Influential Asian-Australians. In 2020, Meru was awarded the ANU Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Impact and Engagement.
Abstracts this author is presenting: