James Ward

Professor James Ward is an Aboriginal Australian academic and national leader in Indigenous health research. He holds dual roles as Director of the University of Queensland’s Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and Professor of Public Health within the School of Public Health at UQ. His career spans over two decades addressing health disparities affecting Indigenous populations, particularly in adolescent health, sexual health (including HIV/STI prevention), and substance abuse. Ward’s work emphasizes culturally centered interventions, policy advocacy, and community-driven solutions to improve healthcare equity. He leads major research initiatives on infectious diseases, vaccination uptake, and pandemic preparedness, with a focus on urban Indigenous communities. His contributions include pioneering molecular point-of-care testing networks for STIs and evaluating digital health interventions for methamphetamine use reduction. Ward’s research also explores systemic barriers to healthcare access and the integration of Indigenous knowledges in health systems.

Leadership & Initiatives:

• Director, UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health
• Former Head of Infectious Diseases Research at SAHMRI
• Principal investigator for studies on HIV/PrEP, syphilis outbreaks, and hepatitis treatment disparities
• Co-developer of the Strong & Deadly Futures substance use prevention program

Research Focus:

• Indigenous health equity and pandemic responses
• Sexual health and STI prevention in remote communities
• Impact of methamphetamine use on mental health and sexual behavior
• Evaluation of healthcare access barriers for Indigenous adolescents

His articles (2020–2025) reflect a multidisciplinary approach to urgent public health challenges, with particular emphasis on:

• Closing health disparities through policy and clinical innovation
• Quantifying health burden through burden-of-disease analyses
• Advancing Indigenous data governance in health research

Key Contributions:

• Authored the Queensland First Nations Burden of Disease Report (2018)
• Designed culturally adapted STI testing protocols in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services
• Evaluated vaccine hesitancy and pandemic response strategies in Indigenous communities