DrGemma Saravanos

Dr Gemma L Saravanos (she/her) is a Registered Nurse and epidemiologist leading research and education in the areas of public health, infection prevention, immunisation, primary health care, planetary health, and healthcare sustainability. She is based at the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney and works across the Camperdown (Patyegarang) and Westmead (Baludarri) campuses in Sydney. She is also involved in regional projects in Southeast Asia with a focus on immunisation program strengthening.

Gemma is passionate about partnering with diverse multidisciplinary teams to better understand and address the impact of preventable infections. She uses mixed-methods research and a primary health care approach to support the design and delivery of strategies involving surveillance, communication, education, immunisation and infection prevention and control.

Gemma has active collaborations spanning nursing, immunisation, infectious diseases, infection prevention and control, public health and paediatrics.

She is affiliated with the University of Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID), the Centre for Paediatric and Perinatal Infection Research (CPIR), the Infectious Diseases, Immunisation and Emergencies (IDIE) group, and the Australasian College of Infection Prevention and Control Paediatric Special Interest Group (ACIPC Paediatric SIG). She is an editor of PLOS Global and Public Health, a journal with a mission to make impactful research visible and accessible to health professionals, policy-makers, and local communities without barriers.

She is a member of the Planetary Health Collaborative for Nurses and Midwives and is the founding member and Co-Chair of Sydney Nursing School Green Team which brings together academics, professional staff and students with an interest in planetary health.