Professor Anna Ralph

Deputy Director (Research); Senior Principal Research Fellow

Qualifications:

PhD, Australian National University, 2010; Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, 2005; Diploma of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, 2002; Master of Public Health, University of Sydney, 1999; Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Honours Class 1, University of New South Wales, 1996; Medical Science Honours Class 1, Australian National University, 1993; Bachelor of Medical Science, University of Tasmania, 1992.

Approved level of HDR supervision at Charles Darwin University:

Supervisor for PhD

Location:

Darwin - Royal Darwin Hospital campus

Biography:

Professor Anna Ralph is a Senior Principal Research Fellow with the Global and Tropical Health Division at Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. She shares the role of Deputy Director of Research with Prof Louise Maple-Brown. She is also a practising medical specialist in General Medicine and Infectious Diseases at Royal Darwin Hospital and Palmerston Regional Hospital.

Her research fields include Australian tropical infectious diseases, rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in Australian Indigenous populations, tuberculosis control especially in neighbouring South-East Asian settings, and improving cultural safety in healthcare. She has expertise in a broad range of research methods. 

Professor Ralph’s roles include membership of the Medical Journal of Australia’s Editorial Advisory Committee, the Northern Territory Government Department of Health (NT Health) Top End Division of Medicine Research Committee, NT Health Aboriginal Health Committee, CARPA Standard Treatment Manual editorial committee, the NT RHD Control Program Steering Committee and she is a fellows of the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases. 

She supervises a number of PhD students, post doctoral researchers, and Advanced Trainees in Infectious Diseases through the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. 
 

Professor Anna Ralph
Email
Research Themes
Current Projects
Past Projects
  1. Kerrigan V, McGrath SY, Majoni SW, Walker M, Ahmat M, Lee B, Cass A, Hefler M, Ralph AP. From “stuck” to satisfied: Aboriginal people’s experience of culturally safe care with interpreters in a Northern Territory hospital. BMC Health Services Research, 2021. doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-06564-4
  2. Meumann EM, Horna K, Ralph AP, Framer B, Globan M, Stephenson E, Popple T, Boyd R, Kaestli M, Seemann T, Vandelannoote K, Lowbridge C, Barid R, Stinear T, Williamson D, Currie BJ, Krause VL. Tuberculosis in Australia's tropical north: a population-based genomic epidemiological study. The Lancet Regional Health Volume 15, 100229, October 01, 2021. doi:10.1016/j.lanwpc.2021.100229 
  3. Ralph AP, Noonan S, Wade V, Currie BJ. The 2020 Australian guideline for prevention, diagnosis and management of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. MJA 2020. doi:10.5694/mja2.50851. 2020
  4. Tong SYC, Lye DC, Yahav D, Sud A, Robinson JO, Nelson J, Archuleta S, Roberts MA, Cass A, Paterson DL, Foo H, Paul M, Guy SD, Tramontana AR, Walls GB, McBride S, Bak N, Ghosh N, Rogers BA, Ralph AP…O'Sullivan M, Davis JS. Effect of Vancomycin or Daptomycin With vs Without an Antistaphylococcal β-Lactam on Mortality, Bacteremia, Relapse, or Treatment Failure in Patients With MRSA Bacteremia: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2020;323:527-537. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.0103. 
  5. Haynes E, Marawili M, Marika BM, Mitchell AG, Phillips J, Bessarab D, Walker R, Cooke J, Ralph AP. Community-based participatory action research on rheumatic heart disease in an Australian Aboriginal homeland: Evaluation of the ‘On track watch’ project. Eval Program Plann. 2019; 74:38– doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2019.02.010.
  6. de Dassel JL, de Klerk N, Carapetis JR, Ralph AP. How Many Doses Make a Difference? An Analysis of Secondary Prevention of Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease. J Am Heart Assoc. 2018;7(24):e010223. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.118.010223.
  7. Ralph AP, de Dassel JL, Kirby A, Read C, Mitchell AG, Maguire GP, Currie BJ, Bailie RS, Johnston V, Carapetis JR. Improving delivery of secondary prophylaxis for rheumatic heart disease: outcome of a stepped-wedge, community, randomized trial. JAHA; 2018: 7:e009308. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.118.009308.
  8. He V, Condon J, Ralph AP, Zhao Y, Roberts K, de Dassel J, Currie BJ, Fittock M, Edwards K, Carapetis J. Long-Term Outcomes from Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease: A Data-Linkage and Survival Analysis Approach. Circulation. 2016; 134:222-32.
  9. Ralph AR, Carapetis JR. Group A Streptococcal diseases and their global burden. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol (Host-pathogen interactions in streptococcal diseases). 2013;368:1-27. doi: 10.1007/82_2012_280., 1-27.
  10. Ralph AP, Waramori G, Pontororing GJ, Kenangalem E, Wiguna A, Tjitra E, et al. L-arginine and Vitamin D adjunctive therapies in pulmonary tuberculosis: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(8):e70032.  doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070032
Click here to view more Anna Ralph publications in PubMed.
  1. MEDIA RELEASE | Updated clinical guidelines improves detection of rheumatic heart disease
  2. MEDIA RELEASE | New podcast episodes of Ask the Specialist focus on Palliative Care
  3. MEDIA RELEASE | Five Menzies researchers awarded NHMRC Investigator Grants
  4. MEDIA RELEASE | Funding ‘REACT’ion: Menzies PhD student receives NHMRC Scholarship
  5. MEDIA RELEASE | Codesign and communication supports a healthier future
  6. The Voice to Parliament "creates an opportunity to codesign a healthy future"
  7. Voice to Parliament: a Northern Territory doctor's perspective
  8. MEDIA RELEASE | Menzies appoints new Deputy Directors Research
  9. Healthier hearts in the tropical north
  10. NPS | Rheumatic fever and heart disease
  11. ABC | Rheumatic heart disease still killing Australian children but a landmark study makes inroads
  12. MEDIA RELEASE | Menzies researchers in the top 2 per cent
  13. MEDIA RELEASE | Sustained training key to support health services to cope with challenges
  14. Community-led approach reducing rheumatic fever
  15. Outdated medical phrase causing trauma for Indigenous patients
  16. MEDIA RELEASE | Community-led approach delivers promising results to reduce rheumatic fever
  17. ABC Katherine | Remote Laundries pilot in Barunga reduced scabies 'rapidly', now there are plans to expand
  18. ABC Darwin Sundays - Job of the week - Infectious Disease Doctor
  19. MEDIA RELEASE | $1.5 million to improve patient-provider communication in NT hospitals
  20. NT News | Communication to be better after boost
  21. Working with communities to end rheumatic heart disease
  22. Young Australian of the Year finalists committed to helping those in need
  23. NT podcast recognised on national stage
  24. Podcast delivers specialist cultural advice on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare
  25. Rheumatic heart disease endgame could save 650 lives in a decade
  26. Interpreters for Aboriginal people in hospital
  27. Sunday Territorian | Interpreters vital at RDH
  28. More Aboriginal interpreters result in less self-discharges from hospitals, new research finds
  29. Interpreter boost reduces patient self-discharge
  30. Increased interpreter use linked to decrease in patient self-discharges
  31. The Magic Cure: A book to help Australian parents talk to kids about coronavirus
  32. The Magic Cure Book - Bridget Myerscough and Professor Anna Ralph
  33. History of tuberculosis control in Australia
  34. Coronavirus assistance to Pacific and Timor-Leste
  35. Coronavirus assistance to Pacific and Timor-Leste
  36. The fight against rheumatic heart disease continues into the new decade
  37. Trial shows using two drugs not better than one when treating MRSA blood infections
  38. Trial shows using two drugs not better than one when treating MRSA blood infections
  39. KSU interview with Associate Professor Anna Ralph
  40. Management of Tuberculosis: a guide for clinicians
  41. How we can end TB by 2030
  42. Tuberculosis services in PNG in the journal Public Health Action.
  43. Supporting TB health systems
  44. Heartfelt song beats back infection
  45. Catchy new song could save thousands of children from deadly RHD
  46. RN Breakfast | Rheumatic heart disease on COAG health agenda
  47. RN Breakfast | Rheumatic heart disease on COAG health agenda
  48. Research offers hope for rheumatic fever sufferers
  49. Words from Arnhem land: Aboriginal health messages need to be made with us rather than for us
  50. Media Release|True burden of rheumatic fever in NZ currently underestimated, new research reveals
  51. True burden of rheumatic fever in NZ underestimated
  52. ABC | Rheumatic heart disease going undiagnosed by NT's fly-in doctors, cardiologist warns
  53. The ‘Communicate’ Study : Poster
  54. PNG-Aust researchers to combine under new grant program
  55. New evidence supports radical treatment of widespread form of malaria
  56. Preventing RHD through community-driven activities
  57. Tuberculosis elimination course for Indonesian health workers
  58. Rheumatic heart disease focus for NT Fulbright Scholar
  59. Funding fillip for fever tool - NT News
  60. Territory Q features HOT NORTH
  61. Tuberculosis, Why haven’t we eliminated TB already?
  62. Rheumatic heart disease researchers on mission
  63. Funding boost to tackle health challenges in northern Australia
  64. $2m grant to combat drug resistant malaria and tuberculosis
  65. The Conversation: Lung gas holds clue for future tuberculosis treatment
  66. Journal of Infectious Diseases: Impaired Pulmonary Nitric Oxide Bioavailability in Pulmonary Tuberculosis
  67. Research reveals new target to fight tuberculosis
  68. Disease of the month: tuberculosis