David Templeton

Professor David Templeton is a Sexual Health Physician and medical epidemiologist affiliated with the University of Sydney’s Sydney Medical School (Central Clinical School) and the Kirby Institute at UNSW. He leads the Department of Sexual Health Medicine and the Sexual Assault Medical Service at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney’s inner west. His academic appointments include Professor at the University of Sydney and Associate Professor at Kirby Institute, UNSW.

Education: He holds MBChB (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery), DipVen (Diploma in Venereology), MForensMed (Master of Forensic Medicine), and a PhD in HIV/STI epidemiology from the Health in Men (HIM) study (2008). His research focuses on HIV and STI prevention, anal cancer screening, and improving care for people living with HIV. Key projects include the Study for the Prevention of Anal Cancer (SPANC) and the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD), where he has been Chair of the Steering Committee since 2015.

Research interests span HIV/STI epidemiology, PrEP implementation, HPV natural history, and the psychological/medical impacts of sexual assault. Recent articles emphasize sexual assault care protocols, long-term HIV treatment outcomes, and biomarkers for anal cancer prevention. Awards include the 2013 and 2019 Australasian College of Physicians’ awards for research and education, and a 2012 ICAAC Program Committee award in infection epidemiology.

Teaching roles: Chair of the Advanced Training Committee in Sexual Health Medicine (Royal Australasian College of Physicians) and Lead in Training Site Accreditation since 2016. Advising: Supervises PhD student Mary Stewart on sexual assault presentation characteristics and patient experiences. Grants and collaborations include international studies like TREAT Asia and EPIC-NSW, focusing on HIV/STI prevention and clinical outcomes.

Labs/teams: Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams at Kirby Institute and Sydney Medical School, leading initiatives in sexual health, forensic medicine, and HIV/AIDS clinical research. His work integrates epidemiology, public health, and clinical practice to address health disparities in vulnerable populations such as migrant communities and older gay/bisexual men.