John Kaldor is an internationally-renowned and esteemed public health researcher whose work in Australia and the Asia-Pacific has focused on the development of infectious disease control strategies. He established public health surveillance systems that provided key support for once controversial initiatives in HIV prevention, such as a needle and syringe distribution, by demonstrating effectiveness. Also, his work in Aboriginal health led to the first comprehensive analyses of the occurrence of curable sexually transmitted infection in remote communities and health service interventions aimed at reducing the burden and impact of these infections.