Professor Darren Gray, an infectious disease epidemiologist, is Head of the Department of Global Health at the National Centre for Epidemiology & Population Health, Australian National University. Prof Gray leads a research program that investigates the transmission and control of tropical infectious diseases and diseases of poverty, including some of the most prevalent and important infections that cause much suffering and economic loss worldwide. He aims to develop new public health interventions against these diseases that will lead to their sustainable control and eventual elimination. Prof Gray is recognised internationally for his work with a h-index of 45/34 (Google/Scopus) and over 145 publications in high quality journals, notably the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Lancet Infectious Diseases, Nature Medicine, Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific, British Medical Journal, Clinical Microbiology Reviews, and Infectious Diseases of Poverty. He has received research grants totalling >$22 million; >$8 million as lead investigator. Prof Gray has worked in tropical health since 2004 particularly Southeast Asia (China, Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, PNG, Bhutan, Fiji and Timor-Leste). In 2014 he and colleagues were finalists for the Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Infectious Disease Research. Prof Gray also served as Chair of the ANU COVID-19 Taskforce (2020/21).