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A/Prof. Brioni Moore

Associate Professor
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences

Clinical Infectious Disease Pharmacology

I have always been fascinated by how medicines work, and how the same treatment can produce very different effects from one person to another. Early in my career, working in remote communities across Papua New Guinea, I witnessed the profound and often preventable impact of infectious diseases like malaria on women and babies. These experiences inspired my commitment to ensuring that drug therapies are safe, effective, and equitable for everyone - particularly for pregnant women and children, who are too often excluded from research.  

Professional memberships

  • Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR)
  • Australian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID)
  • American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH)
  • Medical Society of Papua New Guinea

International working groups

  • Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Malaria in Mothers and Babies Initiative (MiMBa)
  • Malaria in Pregnancy Working Group, Roll Back Malaria Partnership
  • Fellow, Higher Education Academy (UK); Curtin University, 2023.
  • Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Innovative Teaching and Learning (High Distinction); Curtin University, 2022.
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmacy); Curtin University,
  • Bachelor of Science (Medical Science) First Class Honours; Curtin University, 2003.

Since 2012, A/Prof. Bironi Moore has secured a total of $24.23 million in competitive funding as Chief Investigator, including AU$1.72 million as CIA.

Competitive funding

  • Stan Perron Charitable Foundation Platform Grant. Penicillin for Everyone (P4E), 2025.
  • NHMRC Clinical Trial and Cohort Study Grant (GNT2042278). An ultra-short course of primaquine for the radical cure of vivax malaria, CIB and Country Lead – Papua New Guinea (PNG) (Multinational trial conducted over four countries).
  • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grant. Single dose penicillin treatment strategies for syphilis in pregnancy, 2024. CI and Country Lead (PNG).   
  • Philanthropic funding, Open Philanthropy. Sponsored by World Health Organization. Cefixime to prevent congenital syphilis: a program of dose-finding, pharmacokinetic, tolerability in pregnancy and transplacental transfer studies, 2024.
  • The Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges Scheme: Women’s Health Innovation. Pharmacokinetics of primaquine in lactating women – towards equitable radical cure of vivax malaria, 2024.
  • Curtin University Strategic Funding. Integrating research into learning and teaching to enhance staff teaching capability and student experience, 2024.
  • NHMRC Clinical Trial and Cohort Study Grant (GNT2024091). A revised tafenoquine dose to improve radical cure of vivax malaria, CIE and Country Lead – PNG (Multinational trial conducted over five countries).
  • Thrasher Research Fund. A novel prenatal malaria intervention to prevent malaria and ill-health in infancy (SAPOT-1), CIC.
  • Curtin Medical School Seed Funding. Are you ready to start a PhD? A scoping review to determine the best predictors of success in an HDR program, 2023.
  • Australian Government Department of Health Strategic Funding Scheme (GO5055 – Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections Research Program; 6VA9BPL). “One injection is better than three: A single, high dose subcutaneous infusion of benzathine penicillin G for treatment of syphilis (SCIP Syphilis Program), CIC.
  • Australian Centre for Research Excellence in Malaria Elimination Seed Grant. Determining the degree of infant exposure to primaquine through colostrum and transitional breast milk – opening the gateway to early postpartum radical cure to curb maternal Plasmodium vivax relapse”, 2022.
  • NHMRC Clinical Trial and Cohort Study Grant (GNT2000780). “Intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine plus dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes and prevent malaria in Papua New Guinea: a randomised controlled trial [SAPOT trial]”, CIC.
  • Stan Perron Charitable Foundation Grant (00032ResearchP&P). The Penicillin for Kids (P4K) Assay Platform: improving the delivery, formulation, and dosing of penicillins for childhood infections, 2021.
  • NHMRC Equipment Grant, 2020.
  • Future Health Research and Innovation Fund, NHMRC Near Miss Award. “Optimising antimalarial treatment strategies for children”, CIA.
  • Department of Health WA Merit Award. “Optimising antimalarial treatment strategies for Melanesian infants”, 2019.
  • NHMRC Project Grant (GNT1124130). “A study of artemisinin combination therapy given at delivery to prevent postpartum malaria and to young infants to treat uncomplicated malaria”, 2017.
  • NHMRC Project Grant (GNT1130301). “Enhancing clinical management of paediatric malaria in endemic areas with transmission of multiple Plasmodium species”, 2017.
  • NHMRC Project Grant (GNT1127356). “Field-based evaluation of a novel magneto-optical technique to diagnose malaria”, $702,858;
  • Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation Research Award. “Investigation of the effect of co-administration of artemether-lumefantrine on the metabolism of primaquine”. 2015. CIA.
  • Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation Research Award. ‘Development and validation of an assay to measure penicillin from dried blood spots’, 2015.
  • Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation ‘Barry Marshall Travel Award’ [Attendance at the 2015 ASTMH Conference], 2015.
  • AusAid Development Fund, ICRAS Research Award. ‘Assessment of in vitro sensitivity of local Plasmodium falciparum strains to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine’, 2013.
  • NHMRC Early Career Research Fellowship (International Award; CJ Martin GNT1036952). ‘A safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic and efficacy study of azithromycin plus piperaquine as intermittent presumptive treatment in pregnant Papua New Guinean women’, 2012. CIA.
  • NHMRC Biomedical (Dora Lush) Postgraduate Research Scholarship (GNT323251). ‘Pharmacodynamic studies of anti-malarial drugs using immunodeficient murine models’, 2005. CIA.

b) Contracted research

  • Determination of penicillin concentrations in blood samples from Phase IIa clinical trial of SCIP RHD (subcutaneous injections of benzathine penicillin G for prevention of rheumatic heart disease), Te Niwha; Otago University.
  • Investigating toxicology and pilot antimalarial efficacy of Khaya senegalensis in a Plasmodium berghei murine malaria model, 2024. Rotary Perth; Curtin.
  • Safety, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy of tafenoquine for the treatment of vivax malaria in PNG children, 2023. Future Health Research Innovation Fund, UWA.
  • Could a significant interaction between artemether-lumefantrine and primaquine by seriously undermining drug-based strategies for malaria elimination?, 2021. The Gates Foundation; The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

c) Industry support

  • Novel paediatric formulations of tafenoquine for radical cure of vivax malaria, 2024. 60 Degree Pharma.
  • Senior Researcher of the Year Award. Curtin Medical Research Institute (2025).
  • Editorial Board Member, Malaria Journal (2026)
  • Invitation to join Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), Malaria in mothers and babies (MiMBa) Initiative international working group (2025).
  • Invited attendee at ‘PBPK to optimize pharmacotherapy in children, pregnant and beastfeeding women workshop’, Bangkok Thailand (Gates Foundation, 2025).
  • Graduation of my first PhD student as primary supervisor, awarded with Curtin Chancellor Commendation (2022).
  • Conference Organising Committee, International Conference on Plasmodium vivax Research (ICPvR). (2021)
  • Publication in Nature Communications (IF, 17.7; Q1; SJR, 5.12; CNCI, 2.49).
  • Publication in Lancet Global Health (IF, 38.9; Q1; SJR, 7.37) as senior author (2020).
  • NHMRC Early Career Postdoctoral Fellowship (CJ Martin, International placement) (2012).
  • Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation Research Award (2015).
  • Barry Marshall Travel Award, FHMRF (2015).
  • NHMRC PhD Scholarship (Dora Lush, Biomedical Science) (2005).

HDR Projects

  • Protecting Mothers and Babies: Developing pharmacokinetic models for safe drug use in vulnerable populations –Ms Isabella Brown
  • Enhancing the delivery of benzathine penicillin-G for syphilis treatment in Ethiopia – Mr Muluken Wubetu Ayicheh
  • Novel paediatric formulations of tafenoquine for the radical cure of Plasmodium vivax malaria – Ms. Madison Bartlett
  • Optimised treatment for uncomplicated vivax malaria in Papua New Guinean children – Dr. Sze-Ann Woon
  • Optimised treatment for prevention of severe disease in pregnant and postpartum Papua New Guinean women – Dr. Paula Tesine
  • Investigating the antimalarial efficacy and toxicology of Khaya senegalensis in a Plasmodium berghei murine malaria model – Ms Sarenna Mateljan
  • Pharmacokinetics of single dose tafenoquine in healthy Papua New Guinean children – Dr. Nathaneal Kugler

Current clinical trials

  • Safety, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy of tafenoquine for the treatment of vivax malaria in Papua New Guinean children.
  • Pharmacokinetics of primaquine and tafenoquine in lactating women – towards equitable radical cure of vivax malaria
  • Cefixime to prevent congenital syphilis: a program of dose-finding pharmacokinetic, tolerability in pregnancy and transplacental transfer studies.
  • Single Dose Penicillin Treatment Strategies for Syphilis in Pregnancy (STOP)
  • A revised tafenoquine dose to improve radical cure for vivax malaria – Tafenoquine Dosing Revised (TADORE)
  • An ultra-short course of primaquine for the radical cure of vivax malaria (PRIMUS)

EMAIL: Brioni.Moore@curtin.edu.au
TEL: +61 (08)9266 2956
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9792-7838
Research ID: https://www.researcherid.com/rid/H-5477-2014
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=Brioni%20R%20Moore
Twitter/X: @Brioni Moore
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brioni-moore-4b8732a3/
Curtin Staff Profile

Research Focus

With over 15 years of experience in infectious disease pharmacology, Associate Professor Brioni Moore  leads a research program dedicated to optimising drug therapies for malaria and syphilis in resource-limited settings, particularly among pregnant women, infants, and other vulnerable populations. Her work bridges preclinical and clinical pharmacology, integrating field-based studies, laboratory research, and pharmacokinetic modelling to guide evidence-based treatment strategies.

Her research has directly informed World Health Organization and Papua New Guinea National Treatment Guidelines, influencing global policy on the management of malaria and syphilis in pregnancy. Current studies focus on understanding how pregnancy and early life alter drug absorption and metabolism, and how these insights can be used to refine antimalarial dosing regimens and improve treatment safety and efficacy.

Collaborations with international partners and industry have led to the development of a novel paediatric antimalarial formulation (patent filed), and the successful acquisition of multiple competitive grants from organisations such as the NHMRC, Wellcome Trust, Thrasher Foundation, and the Gates Foundation.

Ultimately, her research aims to translate cutting-edge pharmacological evidence into global health solutions, improving outcomes for mothers, babies, and communities most affected by infectious diseases.

 

Research Team

Nelly Newall

Project Officer

Sarenna Mateljan

Honours Student

Jessica Paisley

Honours Student

Isabella Brown

Research Assistant

Muluken Wubetu Ayicheh

PhD Student

Maddison Barlett

PhD Student

Paula Tesine

Research Assistant

Dr Madhu Page-Sharp

Research Fellow

Publications

ABSTRACT

Tafenoquine, an 8-aminoquinoline antimalarial, represents a promising advancement in combating malaria, but its bitter taste and lack of paediatric formulations hinder effective treatment for children. In response, we have formulated a chocolate-based chewable tafenoquine tablet for paediatric use. A rapid, stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography method with ultraviolet detection was developed and validated for tafenoquine succinate quantification. Tablet samples were extracted with 85% methanol and analysed on a Waters XBridge C18 (150 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column using an isocratic mobile phase of 50 mM potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate buffer (pH 4.5) and acetonitrile (40:60, v/v). Detection was at 254 nm, with a retention time of 4.3 min. The method was linear over 0–313.6 μg/mL (R2 ≥ 0.999) with limits of detection and quantification of 2.22 and 6.73 μg/mL, respectively. Precision (RSD 0.15%–1.35%) and accuracy (101.48%–101.90%) met International Council for Harmonisation Q2 (R2) criteria. Forced degradation showed tafenoquine's susceptibility to acidic (29.33%), basic (18.83%), photolytic (complete degradation by day 14), and oxidative (8.33%) stress, with complete chromatographic separation from degradation products. This robust, rapid and low-cost assay is suitable for routine content and stability testing, is adaptable to other tafenoquine formulations and can be further applied to clinical settings.

Bartlett, M., M. Page-Sharp, O. Yoo, M. Nguyen, L. Lim, and B. Moore. 2026. Development and Validation of a Stability-Indicating HPLC-UV Assay for Quantification of Tafenoquine Succinate in a Novel Paediatric Antimalarial Formulation. Biomedical Chromatography 40 (1)
ABSTRACT

Subcutaneous delivery of antibiotics is a practical alternative to intravenous administration. Ceftriaxone is commonly used for a variety of infections with limited data on the safety and pharmacokinetics of a 2 g subcutaneous dose. This was a prospective, self-controlled cross-over study in 20 stable inpatients receiving ceftriaxone for their infection. Following an intravenous dose, participants received a single dose of 2 g subcutaneous ceftriaxone, in 50 mL normal saline via gravity feed. Capillary dried blood spots were collected at baseline, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours following the subcutaneous and intravenous doses. Pain scores and infusion site reactions (edema/erythema) were assessed. Ceftriaxone concentrations were measured using a validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay. A population pharmacokinetic model was developed using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling. The highest median (interquartile range) pain score within the first 2 hours following infusion of a subcutaneous dose of 2 g ceftriaxone was 2.5 (1–4). All participants were pain-free 4 hours after the infusion. The estimated bioavailability was 95.7% (95% bootstrap interval 90.3–99.5). Compared with intravenous, subcutaneous administration resulted in lower peak and comparable trough concentrations. The probability of target attainment for free drug concentrations was similar to intravenous administration for most common infections in hospitalized patients. Subcutaneous administration of 2 g ceftriaxone is well tolerated and has a comparable pharmacokinetic profile relative to intravenous dosing in non-critically ill patients with severe infections.

Nel, H., F. Murray, O. Yoo, M. Rawlins, E. Raby, M. Page-Sharp, B. Moore, S. Salman, and L. Manning. 2026. Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of a 2 g subcutaneous dose of ceftriaxone as an alternative to intravenous delivery." Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 70 (1)

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