Medical entomologist Professor Scott Ritchie, based at JCU in Cairns, was the principal investigator of The Eliminate Dengue project, led by Scott O'Neill from Monash University, which won the Research in Infectious Diseases Award.
Professor Ritchie said the research aimed to stop the spread of the disease, using biotechnology techniques taken from fruit flies. He said dengue was becoming a bigger problem in much of the tropics.
"This innovative project utilises the bacterium Wolbachia to prevent the dengue vector Aedes aegypti from transmitting dengue viruses.
"This partnership has already demonstrated that the parasite can effectively work in the laboratory and in semi-field cages."