McCluskey laboratory: Role of MAIT cells in health and disease
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Head of Laboratory
Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor James McCluskey
Research Overview
The McCluskey group are internationally a leading laboratory in Mucosal-associated invariant T cell (MAIT cell) research, having made significant breakthrough discoveries in MAIT cell immunity. These include identifying the antigens recognised by MAIT cells and the associated development of tetramers to characterise MAIT cells (Patented). The McCluskey group also has developed human in vitro and in vivo models to understand MAIT cell function and the role of MAIT cells as part of the immune system. In addition the team has deep expertise in biochemistry, including MAIT cell ligand discovery by mass spectrometry and cellular immunology, allowing to comprehensively address big picture research questions. The McCluskey group consists of 6 post-docs, 3 PhD and 2 MRes students, 4 research assistants and a lab technician.
Dr Alexandra Corbett is the main contact for this laboratory. She can be contacted via her email, corbetta@unimelb.edu.au or via phone, 8344 9914.
Staff
Dr Zhenjun Chen, Senior Research Officer
A/Prof Alexandra Corbett, Associate Professor
Phoebe Dewar , Phd Student
Dr Sidona Eckle, Reserach Fellow
Eleanor Eddy, PhD Student
Freya Harewood, PhD Student
Prudence Khoury , Honours Student 2021
Songyi Li, MBiomed
Xin Yi Lim, Reserach Assistant
Bronwyn Meehan, Research Assistant
Lucy Meehan, Technical Assistant
Adam Nelson, Research Assistant
Timonthy Patton, Research Officer
Troi Pediongco, Research Assistant
Rangsima Pongvattanpom, Research Project Student
Jeremy Rajanayagam, PhD Student
Michael Souter, Research Officer
Ana Maria Valencia Hemandez, Research Officer
Huimeng Wang, Research Officer
Funding
2019-2022 NHMRC Project Grant. Discovery of novel, microbial antigens recognised by mucosal associated invariant T cells. SBG Eckle.
2017-2021 NHMRC Program Grant. Antigen presentation, recognition and the immune response. J McCluskey, A Brooks, F Carbone, WR Heath, DI Godfrey, J Villadangos and J Rossjohn.
2017-2021 ARC Future Fellowship. Understanding recognition of vitamin B-based antigens by the immune system. AJ Corbett.
2017-2020 NHMRC Project Grant. A structural, chemical and functional investigation into mait cell receptor recognition. J Rossjohn, DP Fairlie and AJ Corbett.
2017-2020 ARC DECRA Fellowship. Understanding the biology of a novel immune cell type. SBG Eckle.
2017-2019 NHMRC Project Grant. Mait cells in bacterial infection. Friend or foe? AJ Corbett, Z Chen and J McCluskey.
Research Opportunities
This research project is available to Masters by Research, Master of Biomedical Science to join as part of their thesis.
Please contact the Research Group Leader to discuss your options.