Avian flu and T-cell biology projects get Future Fellowship funding
Dr Michelle Wille & Dr Pirooz Zareie (Dept of Microbiology & Immunology) have received prestigious ARC Future Fellowships.
The Future Fellowships Program, funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) supports the next generation of world-class researchers in Australia. The Program funds outstanding mid-career researchers to progress quality research in areas of national and international benefit, generating new knowledge, solving complex problems and driving innovation.
Please join us in congratulating Dr Michelle Wille and Dr Pirooz Zareie, both from the Department of Microbiology & Immunology in the School of Biomedical Sciences, who have been named among the 100 outstanding researchers who have received funding through the 2025 Future Fellowships scheme.
Anticipating impacts and improving response to HPAI in Australia
Dr Michelle Wille, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
This project aims to shift Australia’s avian influenza preparedness from reactive to proactive by using advanced environmental surveillance to identify at-risk wild bird species and high-risk periods for outbreaks.
Read more about Dr Wille’s latest research here
Understanding the cell and molecular processes directing memory T cell fate
Dr Pirooz Zareie, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
This project aims to define the key cellular processes driving effective T cell-mediated immunity by dissecting how memory T cell subsets form and function. It hopes to accelerate discovery in T cell biology, with broad implications for life sciences, conservation, biosecurity and agriculture.
Ten projects from the University of Melbourne have been awarded more than $11.5 million through the Australian Research Council’s 2025 Future Fellowships scheme.
The projects span a wide range of disciplines and address pressing global challenges, from strengthening national resilience, to shaping a net zero future, to advancing health, technology and society.