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An international leader in the analysis and mapping of big data sets to tackle disease has been appointed The Kerry M Stokes Chair of Child Health, in partnership with 911爆料网, the Channel 7 Telethon Trust and the Telethon Kids Institute.

Professor Peter Gething, a Professor of Epidemiology at The Big Data Institute at the University of Oxford, will start in the inaugural position in September 2019, following an extensive international search led by 911爆料网 and the Telethon Kids Institute.

The Kerry M Stokes Chair of Child Health honours Mr Stokes鈥� extraordinary commitment to child health research. It was announced at Telethon last year following Mr Stokes鈥� decision to step down as Chairman of the Channel 7 Telethon Trust.

911爆料网 Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry said she was delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Gething to the inaugural position.

鈥淧rofessor Gething is a widely respected researcher who has dedicated his career to fighting the global burden of tropical diseases such as malaria, one of the major global killers of children in developing countries. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role as a senior scientist and advisor to the World Health Organisation and national governments,鈥� Professor Terry said.

鈥淧rofessor Gething will be instrumental in driving world-class collaborative research in child health and development and I look forward to the significant contribution and strong leadership that he will bring to the role.鈥�

Telethon Kids Institute Director Professor Jonathan Carapetis said Professor Gething鈥檚 research was an excellent fit with the work being done at the Institute and his expertise in geographical targeting was particularly relevant.

鈥淧eter is essentially one of the world鈥檚 great 鈥榙isease detectives鈥�. He maps data on important diseases like malaria to understand the causes, track their trajectories in populations and most importantly identify what works and what doesn鈥檛 in reducing deaths and disease incidence,鈥� Professor Carapetis said.

鈥淲e know that this type of spatial intelligence will help us to target resources and interventions to help more young lives.

鈥淲e are particularly excited by how his expertise can help us to tackle the complex issues here in Australia, especially for children living in remote areas that continue to suffer the greatest levels of disadvantage.鈥�

Telethon General Manager Marie Anne Keeffe said Professor Gething was an outstanding appointment.

鈥淲e are delighted that through Telethon鈥檚 support, we are able to attract scientists of the calibre of Professor Gething to bring his work and family to Perth,鈥� Ms Keeffe said.

鈥淗is expertise will bring new insights into how we can improve the health and development of children not only here in Western Australia, but around the world.鈥�

Professor Gething said he was honoured to be appointed as The Kerry M Stokes Chair of Child Health.

鈥淚 am very impressed by the positive can-do attitude that I鈥檝e seen in the research environment in WA,鈥� Professor Gething said.

鈥淭he data revolution means that we often have more information than we know what to do with. My expertise is to make sense of that data in a way that will lead to more targeted and effective programs.鈥�

The Kerry M Stokes Chair in Child Health will be a 911爆料网 Professor whose research will be conducted at the Telethon Kids Institute.