Vaccines & Vaccination

Biography

I am Professor of Virology at the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and founding member of the Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre at the University of Queensland. A major research interest in my lab is the structure and function of viral proteins and their role in viral pathogenesis and potential as targets for antivirals and diagnostics. These studies focus on two globally important mosquito-borne pathogens, West Nile virus (WNV) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and have recently led to the development of novel vaccine candidates, potent immunotherapy agents and potential new targets for antivirals against WNV and CHIKV.

Research Interest

A major research interest in my lab has been the study of the structure and function of flavivirus proteins with a focus on their role in viral pathogenesis and their potential as targets for antivirals and diagnostics. These studies focus on two globally important mosquito-borne pathogens, West Nile virus and Chikungunya virus. These studies have recently led to the development of novel vaccine candidates, potent immunotherapy agents and potential new targets for antivirals against West Nile virus infection. Another major theme of my research is viral ecology and epidemiology. This includes isolation and genetic characterisation of new arthropod-borne viruses and assessment of their distribution and activity by serological surveys and surveillance. These studies have led to the discovery of several new mosquito-borne viruses in Australia and spawned major projects for the development of novel reagents and methodologies to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of viral detection and disease diagnosis.