Infection & Immunity

Research in the School is focussed on mechanisms of infection and immunity and the development of new ways to control and treat infectious diseases. Current research programs include the molecular analysis of bacterial and viral infections as well as understanding the development and function of the immune system.

Groups / Projects	Research Lead	Dept / Centre
"Clock-off time" for inflammation and remodelling in chronic inflammatory diseases: casein kinase inhibitors	Primary Supervisor Professor Alastair Stewart	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
A new function of the cytokine BAFF in dendritic cell maturation: Implications for immunity and cancers	Joint Project Leaders Professor Fabienne Mackay \| Dr Beatriz Garcillan	Microbiology and Immunology
A universal vaccine against influenza A	Project Leader Professor David Jackson	Microbiology and Immunology
Antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity - a neglected anti-HIV iImmune response!	Project Leaders Professor Stephen Kent, Dr Amy Chung, Dr Matt Parsons	Microbiology and Immunology
Antimicrobial resistant bacterial pathogens	Project Leader Professor Ben Howden	Microbiology and Immunology
Application of genomics to public health and clinical microbiology	Project Leader Professor Ben Howden	Microbiology and Immunology
Ascher laboratory: Structural biology and bioinformatics	Head of Laboratory Dr David Ascher	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Australian bite and sting trends: Australian Venomous Injury Project (AVIP)	Project Leader Dr Ronelle Welton	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Australian Venom Research Unit	Head of Unit Dr David Williams	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Autophagy and Norovirus replication	Professor Jason Mackenzie	Microbiology and Immunology
Biolpolymer-based vaccine delivery systems	Project Leader Professor David Jackson	Microbiology and Immunology
Bo&MeRanG Research Projects	Melbourne Coordinator Dr Marie Greyer
Bogoyevitch laboratory: Regulatory biology	Head of Laboratory Associate Professor Marie Bogoyevitch	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Brooks laboratory: Innate immunity; anti-viral immunity	Head of Laboratory Professor Andrew Brooks	Microbiology and Immunology
Brown laboratory: Immunology; virology; vaccinology	Head of Laboratory Professor Lorena (Lori) Brown	Microbiology and Immunology
Carbone laboratory: Immune response to herpes simplex virus	Head of Laboratory Professor Francis (Frank) Carbone	Microbiology and Immunology
Cell surface receptors for attachment and entry of influenza virus into cells of the innate immune system	Project Leader Associate Professor Patrick Reading	Microbiology and Immunology
Chronic immune activation during treated HIV disease	Project Leader Professor Damian Purcell	Microbiology and Immunology
Combined influenza-AIDS vaccines and mucosal vaccinations	Project Leader Professor Stephen Kent	Microbiology and Immunology
Correlates of severe and fatal influenza disease in high-risk groups	Head of Laboratory Associate Professor Katherine Kedzierska	Microbiology and Immunology
Coulson laboratory: Rotavirus pathogenesis and immunity	Head of Laboratory Associate Professor Barbara Coulson	Microbiology and Immunology
Crack laboratory: Neuropharmacology	Head of Laboratory Associate Professor Peter Crack	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Deciphering the relative contributions of different dendritic cells to killer T cell responses	Project Leader Associate Professor Sammy Bedoui	Microbiology and Immunology
Delineating how CD4 T cells ‘help’ establishing effective killer T cell responses	Project Leader Associate Professor Sammy Bedoui	Microbiology and Immunology
Dendritic cell maturation following different microbial stimulation	Project Leader Professor William (Bill) Heath	Microbiology and Immunology
Design, development and testing of HIV vaccines	Project Leader Professor Damian Purcell	Microbiology and Immunology
Developing new therapies for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus	Project Leader Professor Fabienne Mackay	Microbiology and Immunology
Development and application of soft culturing microenvironment for novel drug discovery	Primary Supervisor Professor Alastair Stewart	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Development of a self-adjuvanting vaccine for enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)	Project Leader Professor David Jackson	Microbiology and Immunology
Development of new types of antimicrobial agents	Project Leader Professor Roy Robins-Browne	Microbiology and Immunology
Discovering and characterizing new genes involved in innate immunity, tissue injury and fibrosis	Project Leader Professor Christine Wells	Anatomy and Neuroscience
Edgington-Mitchell laboratory: Protease Pathophysiology	Head of Research Group Dr Laura Edgington-Mitchell	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Enterococcus faecium	Project Leader Professor Ben Howden	Microbiology and Immunology
Furness laboratory: Digestive physiology and nutrition	Head of Laboratory Professor John Furness	Anatomy and Neuroscience
Gebhardt laboratory: Adaptive immune responses to virus infections	Head of Laboratory Associate Professor Thomas Gebhardt	Microbiology and Immunology
Gleeson laboratory: Membrane trafficking and protein sorting in health and disease and development of new therapeutics	Head of Laboratory Professor Paul Gleeson	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Glucocorticoid responsiveness in the lung: impact of inflammation and infection	Primary Supervisor Professor Alastair Stewart	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Godfrey laboratory: The development and function of unconventional T cells	Head of Laboratory Professor Dale Godfrey	Microbiology and Immunology
Gooley laboratory: Structural biology of disease	Head of Laboratory Associate Professor Paul Gooley	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Gut health: an intersection of food, environment, animal production and global health	Project Supervisor Professor John B Furness	Anatomy and Neuroscience
Hargreaves laboratory: Exercise physiology	Head of Laboratory Professor Mark Hargreaves	Physiology
Harrap laboratory: Genetic physiology	Head of Laboratory Professor Stephen Harrap	Physiology
Heat Shock Protein therapy for muscle wasting	Project Leader Professor Gordon Lynch	Physiology
Heath laboratory: CD8 T lymphocytes, dendritic cells, self tolerance and immunity	Head of Laboratory Professor William (Bill) Heath	Microbiology and Immunology
High fat diets, gut health and diabetes	Project Supervisor Dr Rachel McQuade	Anatomy and Neuroscience
Holt laboratory: Pathogen genomics and bioinformatics	Head of Laboratory A/Prof Kathryn Holt	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
How is the immunological T cell memory generated?	Project Leader Associate Professor Katherine Kedzierska	Microbiology and Immunology
Howden laboratory: Molecular epidemiology, genomics and pathogenesis of antimicrobial resistant bacteria	Head of Laboratory \| Director of MDU Professor Ben Howden	Microbiology and Immunology
Identifying the mechanisms of immune cell development in peripheral tissues	Project Leader Dr Laura Mackay	Microbiology and Immunology
Imaging effector and memory T cell responses in the skin following Herpes Simplex Virus-1 infection	Project Leader Professor William (Bill) Heath	Microbiology and Immunology
Imaging the priming of CD8 Killer T cell responses to Herpes Simplex Virus-1 skin infection	Project Leader Professor William (Bill) Heath	Microbiology and Immunology
Improved vaccines by targeting to dendritic cells	Project Leader Professor William (Bill) Heath	Microbiology and Immunology
Influenza A virus PB1-F2 Protein: a putative virulence factor and initiator of inflammation	Project Leader Dr Julie McAuley	Microbiology and Immunology
Influenza–specific ADCC: Role in a universal flu vaccine?	Project Leader Professor Stephen Kent	Microbiology and Immunology
Innate T cell recognition and development	Project Leader Dr Daniel Pellicci	Microbiology and Immunology
Innovative approaches to prepare synthetic, partially synthetic and natural product-based vaccines	Project Leader Professor David Jackson	Microbiology and Immunology
Intraepithelial T cells in anti-viral immunity	Project Leader Professor Francis (Frank) Carbone	Microbiology and Immunology
Intravital imaging of T cell responses in the brain during cerebral malaria infection	Project Leader Professor William (Bill) Heath	Microbiology and Immunology
Investigation of HSV latency and reactivation	Project Leader Professor Francis (Frank) Carbone	Microbiology and Immunology
Jackson laboratory: Synthetic vaccine design	Head of Laboratory Professor David Jackson	Microbiology and Immunology
Kedzierska laboratory: Immunity to pandemic and newly emerged influenza viruses	Head of Laboratory Associate Professor Katherine Kedzierska	Microbiology and Immunology
Kent laboratory: HIV vaccines; immune responses to HIV-1; immunotherapy	Head of Laboratory Professor Stephen Kent	Microbiology and Immunology
Klebsiella pneumoniae	Project Leader Professor Dick Strugnell	Microbiology and Immunology
Koopman laboratory: Clinical nutrition and muscle metabolism	Head of Research Group Dr René Koopman	Physiology
Lawson laboratory: Neurodegenerative disease caused by prions	Head of Laboratory Associate Professor Vicki Lawson	Microbiology and Immunology
Lew laboratory: Theoretical and empirical pharmacology	Head of Laboratory Dr Michael Lew	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Lipopeptide-based adjuvanting systems	Project Leader Professor David Jackson	Microbiology and Immunology
Lung Disease Research Laboratory	Head of Laboratory Professor Gary P Anderson	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Lung Health Research Centre		Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Lymphoid stromal cell responses to infection	Project Leader Associate Professor Scott Mueller	Microbiology and Immunology
Mackay (F) laboratory: B lymphocytes, BAFF, autoimmunity and cancer	Head of Laboratory Head of School of Biomedical Sciences Professor Fabienne Mackay	Microbiology and Immunology
Mackay (L) laboratory: Tissue-resident memory T cells; lymphocyte differentiation; peripheral immunity	Senior Lecturer & NHMRC Career Development Fellow, HHMI-Gates International Research Scholar Dr Laura Mackay	Microbiology and Immunology
Mackenzie laboratory: Intracellular virus replication and innate immunity	Head of Laboratory Professor Jason Mackenzie	Microbiology and Immunology
Malaria and Tissue Resident Memory T cells (TRM) in the liver	Project Leader Professor William (Bill) Heath	Microbiology and Immunology
McCluskey laboratory: Role of MAIT cells in health and disease	Head of Laboratory, Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor Professor James McCluskey	Microbiology and Immunology
McConville laboratory: Molecular microbiology	Head of Laboratory Professor Malcolm McConville	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Mechanisms underlying early generation of human T cell memory	Project Leader Associate Professor Katherine Kedzierska	Microbiology and Immunology
Memory T cell responses in the lung during virus infection	Project Leader Dr Linda Wakim	Microbiology and Immunology
Mintern laboratory: Vaccine biology	Head of Laboratory Dr Justine Mintern	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Modulation of intestinal inflammation through nerve stimulation	Project Supervisor Dr Martin Stebbing	Anatomy and Neuroscience
Mueller laboratory: Adaptive immune responses to infection, lymphoid stromal cells, and imaging the immune system	Head of Laboratory Associate Professor Scott Mueller	Microbiology and Immunology
Munsie laboratory: Ethical, legal and social implications of stem cell research	Head of Laboratory Associate Professor Megan Munsie	Anatomy and Neuroscience
Mycobacterium ulcerans	Project Leader Professor TIm Stinear	Microbiology and Immunology
Nanoparticle HIV vaccines	Project Leader Professor Stephen Kent	Microbiology and Immunology
Nanoparticle Modulation of Mast Cell Function	Project Leader Dr Graham Mackay	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Nerve pathways responding to and controlling inflammation in the intestine	Project Supervisor Dr Martin Stebbing	Anatomy and Neuroscience
Nervous regulation of T cell migration and anti-viral Immunity	Project Leader Associate Professor Scott Mueller	Microbiology and Immunology
Newton laboratory: Virulence strategies of intracellular bacterial pathogens	Head of Laboratory Dr Hayley Newton	Microbiology and Immunology
NK cell receptor biology	Project Leader Professor Andrew Brooks	Microbiology and Immunology
NKT cells, MAIT cells, CD1-restricted T cells and HIV	Project Leader Professor Stephen Kent	Microbiology and Immunology
Non-classical MHC and Class 1-like molecules	Project Leader Professor Andrew Brooks	Microbiology and Immunology
Norovirus replication and innate immunity	Project Leader Professor Jason Mackenzie	Microbiology and Immunology
Novel Mast Cell-Derived Mediators	Project Leader Dr Graham Mackay	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Nutrition: The control of gut hormone release by nutrients	Project Supervisor Professor John B Furness	Anatomy and Neuroscience
Parker Laboratory: Structural biology and computational drug design	Head of Laboratory and Director, Bio21 Institute Professor Michael Parker	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Passive antibody immunity for use in combination microbicides	Project Leader Professor Damian Purcell	Microbiology and Immunology
Pathogenesis of chronic lung disease	Head of Laboratory Dr Michelle Hansen	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Priming of T cell responses to viral infection	Project Leader Associate Professor Scott Mueller	Microbiology and Immunology
Purcell laboratory: Viral RNA elements, regulation of HIV replication, HIV antibody vaccine	Head of Laboratory Professor Damian Purcell	Microbiology and Immunology
Ralph laboratory: Drug targets and gene regulation in Plasmodium falciparum	Head of Laboratory Dr Stuart Ralph	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Reading laboratory: Innate immune detection and response to respiratory virus infections	Head of Laboratory Associate Professor Patrick Reading	Microbiology and Immunology
Regulation of Mast Cell Activation	Project Leader Dr Graham Mackay	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Restoring immunocompetency in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia	Project Leader Professor Fabienne Mackay	Microbiology and Immunology
RNA mediated control of HIV-1 gene expression	Project Leader Professor Damian Purcell	Microbiology and Immunology
Robins-Browne laboratory: Medical bacteriology, pathogenesis, bacterial genetics, therapeutics	Head of Laboratory Professor Roy Robins-Browne	Microbiology and Immunology
Role of cellular lipids during Flavivirus replication	Project Leader Professor Jason Mackenzie	Microbiology and Immunology
Role of innate signals in inducing protective T cell immunity	Project Leader Associate Professor Sammy Bedoui	Microbiology and Immunology
Rotavirus induction and evasion of innate immunity	Project Leader Associate Professor Barbara Coulson	Microbiology and Immunology
Rotavirus modulation of type 1 diabetes development	Project Leader Associate Professor Barbara Coulson	Microbiology and Immunology
Rotavirus-cell binding and entry	Project Leader Associate Professor Barbara Coulson	Microbiology and Immunology
Rouiller laboratory: Understanding how molecular machines function through cryo-electron microscopy	Associate Professor Isabelle Rouiller	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Salmonella Typhimurium	Project Leader Professor Dick Strugnell	Microbiology and Immunology
Self-tolerance: Interactions between thymic stroma and dendritic cells	Project Leader Professor William (Bill) Heath	Microbiology and Immunology
Simmons laboratory: Dengue; pathogenesis, epidemiology, therapeutics, entomology	Head of Laboratory Professor Cam Simmons	Microbiology and Immunology
Soluble barriers to influenza virus infection	Project Leader Associate Professor Patrick Reading	Microbiology and Immunology
Staphylococcus aureus & Enterococcus faecium	Project Leader Professor Tim Stinear	Microbiology and Immunology
Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis	Project Leader Professor Ben Howden	Microbiology and Immunology
Stewart Laboratory: Mechanopharmacology	Head of Laboratory Professor Alastair Stewart	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Stinear laboratory: Bacterial pathogenomics	Head of Laboratory Professor Tim Stinear	Microbiology and Immunology
Strugnell laboratory: Bacterial pathogenesis and host responses	Head of Laboratory Professor Dick Strugnell	Microbiology and Immunology
T cell responses in the brain during experimental cerebral malaria infection	Project Leader Associate Professor Scott Mueller	Microbiology and Immunology
T cells in peripheral immunity	Project Leader Professor Francis (Frank) Carbone	Microbiology and Immunology
The Cardiovascular Pharmacology of Snake Venoms From Papua New Guinea and Australia	Project Leader Associate Professor Christine Wright	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
The innate immune system in the respiratory tract	Project Leader Professor David Jackson	Microbiology and Immunology
The mechanisms of viral escape in murine and human influenza infection	Project Leader Associate Professor Katherine Kedzierska	Microbiology and Immunology
The role of CD4+ T cells in viral infections	Project Leader Professor Andrew Brooks	Microbiology and Immunology
The Role of CXCR7 in Tissue Fibrosis	Project Leader Dr Asolina Braun	Microbiology and Immunology
The role of innate immune cells in protection and pathology during influenza virus infection	Project Leader Associate Professor Patrick Reading	Microbiology and Immunology
The role of resident memory T cells in barrier immunity and autoimmune disease	Project Leader Dr Laura Mackay	Microbiology and Immunology
The Treatment of Papuan Taipan Envenoming in Papua New Guinea	Project Leader Dr David Williams	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Tilley laboratory: Measuring and modelling malaria parasites to develop new antimalarials	Head of Laboratory, ARC Australian Laureate Fellow Professor Leann Tilley	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Tissue-resident memory T cells in the skin	Project Leader Associate Professor Scott Mueller	Microbiology and Immunology
Tracking phenotypically and functionally distinct T cell subsets via T cell repertoire diversity	Project Leader Associate Professor Katherine Kedzierska	Microbiology and Immunology
Uncovering the interplay between innate immunity and the blood brain barrier in disorders of the CNS	Project Leader Professor Christine Wells	Anatomy and Neuroscience
Understanding the interaction between microbiota and T cell immunity	Project Leader Associate Professor Sammy Bedoui	Microbiology and Immunology
Understanding the regulation of tissue-resident memory T cell development	Project Leader Dr Laura Mackay	Microbiology and Immunology
Understanding the role of glycine in the control of skeletal muscle mass during sepsis	Project Leader Dr René Koopman	Physiology
Understanding ‘universal’ influenza-specific CD8+ T cell responses	Project Leader Associate Professor Katherine Kedzierska	Microbiology and Immunology
Using biochemical approaches to investigating the trafficking and mechanism of action of the antiviral molecule, IFITM3	Project Leader Dr Linda Wakim	Microbiology and Immunology
Vaccination against liver-stage Plasmodium for malaria prevention	Project Leader Professor William (Bill) Heath	Microbiology and Immunology
van Driel laboratory: Immune responses to pathogens	Head of Laboratory Professor Ian van Driel	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Velkov laboratory: Antiinfective pharmacology	Head of Laboratory Associate Professor Tony Velkov	Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Villadangos laboratory: Antigen presenting cells & molecules that initiate T cell immunity against pathogens and cancer	Head of Laboratory Professor Jose Villadangos	Microbiology and Immunology
Viral interactions with the innate immune system	Project Leader Associate Professor Patrick Reading	Microbiology and Immunology
Visualization and formation West Nile Virus replication complexes	Project Leader Professor Jason Mackenzie	Microbiology and Immunology
Wakim laboratory: Antiviral molecules, mucosal immunology, influenza virus, tissue resident memory T cells	Head of Laboratory Dr Linda Wakim	Microbiology and Immunology
Wells laboratory: Stem cell systems	Head of Laboratory Professor Christine Wells	Anatomy and Neuroscience
West Nile Virus replication and cellular stress responses	Project Leader Professor Jason Mackenzie	Microbiology and Immunology
Wolbachia to stop dengue transmission in Vietnam and Indonesia	Project Leader Professor Cameron Simmons	Microbiology and Immunology

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