Burnet Institute
Burnet Institute is an Australian non-profit medical research institute founded in 1986 that conducts infectious disease, public health, and sexual health research across 70+ countries and translates findings into clinical trials, government programs, and a commercialisation portfolio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Burnet Institute does
Burnet Institute is an independent, non-profit medical research institute founded in 1986 and headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. It operates an ISO 9001-certified laboratory supporting 30 active clinical and implementation trials, and conducts research, disease surveillance, and public health program delivery across infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis B and C, malaria, tuberculosis, COVID-19), sexual and reproductive health, alcohol and other drugs, healthy ageing and non-communicable diseases, women's and children's health, and young people's health.
The institute's product surface spans two layers. The first is a portfolio of research programs and longitudinal data assets, most notably the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll survey which has tracked young Australians' health behaviours since 2005. The second is a commercialisation arm covering vaccines, diagnostics, microbiome research, the proprietary Stellabody® platform, ageing and inflammation, and the Burnext initiative. Distribution is non-commercial: outputs flow through peer-reviewed publication, contracted federal and state health programs, DFAT-funded international development projects in Papua New Guinea and Myanmar, and community-level health interventions.
Burnet's revenue model is grant-funded rather than commercial, drawing on the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Medical Research Future Fund, the Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support Scheme, the Victorian Medical Research Accelerator Fund, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, philanthropic trusts and foundations, and individual donations. Customers are primarily federal and state government health agencies and international development organisations, with NGOs and community health organisations as a secondary segment. Total revenue is not publicly disclosed.
Burnet Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Burnet Institute
- Legal name
- The Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health Ltd
- Website
- https://burnet.edu.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Burnet Institute is an Australian non-profit medical research institute founded in 1986 that conducts infectious disease, public health, and sexual health research across 70+ countries and translates findings into clinical trials, government programs, and a commercialisation portfolio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Burnet Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Medical Research and Public Health Services
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Global Health Research, Clinical Trials & Product Development Partnerships (PDPs) (HLAJAOAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Vaccine Clinical Development & Regulatory Affairs (HLAIAEAM), Health Security, Pandemic Preparedness & Response (IHR, EID) (BPADAIAH), Pharmacovigilance Quality & Compliance (PV audits, QPPV support, PSMF) (HLAGAKAH)
Keywords
Where Burnet Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Markets served
Burnet Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Burnet Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Burnet Institute is an independent medical research institute that conducts laboratory and field research, clinical trials, and implementation science across infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis B and C, malaria, tuberculosis, COVID-19), sexual and reproductive health, alcohol and other drugs, healthy ageing, women's and children's health, and pandemic preparedness. It also operates a commercialisation arm developing vaccines, diagnostics, microbiome therapeutics, and the proprietary Stellabody® technology platform.
Product overview
Burnet Institute operates as a medical research institute offering a portfolio of research programs, clinical trials, and commercialisation initiatives across multiple health focus areas. The organisation's work spans health themes including infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis B and C, malaria, tuberculosis/COVID-19), sexual and reproductive health, alcohol and other drugs, healthy ageing, and women's and children's health. The commercialisation arm focuses on developing products in vaccines, diagnostics, microbiome research, and the proprietary Stellabody® technology platform, as well as Burnext and ageing/inflammation research. Research activities are supported by an ISO 9001-certified laboratory conducting clinical and implementation trials, with published research and student opportunities available through their projects programme.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Stellabody® technology: A technology platform in the commercialisation portfolio focused on microbiome research.
- Burnext
- Eliminate Hepatitis C Australia (EC Australia)
Products and services
- Infectious Diseases Research
Companies that use Burnet Institute
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Burnet Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Burnet Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Burnet Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The George Institute for Global Health: Global health research institute with comparable scale, international footprint, and focus on diseases of disadvantaged populations, including NCDs and health systems research.
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi): Non-profit R&D organisation developing treatments for neglected diseases, particularly in low- and middle-income countries — directly comparable mission and product-development-partnership (PDP) model.
- International Vaccine Institute (IVI): International organisation dedicated to vaccine development and delivery for developing countries — directly comparable mission in vaccines, global health, and translational research partnerships.
- Kirby Institute (UNSW Sydney): UNSW-affiliated institute focused on HIV, viral hepatitis, sexually transmissible infections, and global health — directly comparable research portfolio and target populations.
- Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity: Joint University of Melbourne / Royal Melbourne Hospital institute focused on infectious disease and immunity — direct peer given Burnet's HIV, malaria, hepatitis, and pandemic preparedness work.
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI): Largest Australian medical research institute based in Melbourne, with overlapping disease areas including infectious diseases, immunology, and clinical translation. Directly comparable in scale, funding model, and translational mission.
Regional players
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute: Major Australian paediatric and child health research institute; overlapping in maternal/child health and infectious disease research, with shared Melbourne base.
- Telethon Kids Institute: Western Australia-based paediatric and child health research institute with overlapping infectious disease and Aboriginal health research programs; comparable scale and funding model.
Broad incumbents
- PATH: Large global health non-profit working across vaccines, diagnostics, and infectious diseases with implementation research — broader portfolio but comparable translational model and donor-funded structure.
- Institut Pasteur: Historic French non-profit research institute with global infectious disease research network and laboratory infrastructure — a much larger incumbent in the same category.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Burnet Institute social profiles
Digital presenceBurnet Institute compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Burnet Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Burnet Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Burnet Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Burnet Institute M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Burnet Institute
What does Burnet Institute do?
Burnet Institute is an independent medical research institute that conducts laboratory and field research, clinical trials, and implementation science across infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis B and C, malaria, tuberculosis, COVID-19), sexual and reproductive health, alcohol and other drugs, healthy ageing, women's and children's health, and pandemic preparedness. It also operates a commercialisation arm developing vaccines, diagnostics, microbiome therapeutics, and the proprietary Stellabody® technology platform.
Is Burnet Institute a public or private company?
Burnet Institute is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Burnet Institute founded?
Burnet Institute was founded in 1986. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Burnet Institute based?
Burnet Institute is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
Who are Burnet Institute's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The George Institute for Global Health, Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), International Vaccine Institute (IVI), Kirby Institute (UNSW Sydney), Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity and Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI). Regional players are Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Telethon Kids Institute. Broad incumbents are PATH and Institut Pasteur.
Does Burnet Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for Burnet Institute.
What industry is Burnet Institute in?
Burnet Institute's product category is Medical Research and Public Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAOAM, Global Health Research, Clinical Trials & Product Development Partnerships (PDPs), with a secondary code of HLAIAEAM, Vaccine Clinical Development & Regulatory Affairs. Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 8731.