Dr Paula Binks is a Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Lead of the Viral Hepatitis Research Program at Menzies School of Health Research. Her work centres on improving outcomes for First Nations Australians living with hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), focusing on early detection and culturally safe care.

Paula’s research is grounded in close community partnerships and “care on country” models that support locally led care for people living with hepatitis B. A major focus of her work is the Hep B PAST partnership, a co-designed model of care that has demonstrated improved outcomes for First Nations people in the Northern Territory.

She has developed an effective approach to working with translators and community members to create hepatitis B resources tailored to different cultural and language groups across the NT. Paula led the translation of the “Hep B Story” educational app into 11 Aboriginal languages, helping to bridge communication gaps in healthcare.