Professor Jonathan Carapetis

Researcher and paediatrician

2008 NT Australian of the Year

Professor Jonathan Carapetis is a paediatric infectious disease specialist with extensive experience working with Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory. After training in infectious diseases, his studies ten years ago at Darwin’s Menzies School of Health Research, to which he was appointed Director last year, led to the establishment of Australia’s first rheumatic heart disease control program. Jonathan’s work in discovering the link between scabies and rheumatic fever is helping support health professionals develop prevention, education, and treatment programs in Indigenous communities across Australia. He holds qualifications as a medical practitioner, paediatrician, infectious diseases and public health specialist and he was named as one of Australia’s top ten scientific minds under the age of 45. Jonathan is a highly regarded paediatrician and dynamic researcher who has dedicated his career to improving the health of children living in poverty anywhere in the world.