Research Focus
The Translational and Human Immunology Group focuses on understanding the mechanisms that regulate human immune responses in health and disease. We have a keen interest in understanding how persistent viral infections contribute to a range of diseases, including autoimmune diseases and cancer. We aim to develop a deep understanding of differences in our immune systems that contribute to the susceptibility to different viral-associated diseases. Knowledge gained from these studies forms
the basis for developing novel immune interventional and diagnostic strategies that can implemented in clinical settings.
Gallery
Research Projects
Current Research Projects
Unravelling the interplay between EBV genomics and host T cell immune regulation in multiple sclerosis
Poise Aula and Panteha Khaledi
Investigation the role of Epstein Barr Virus in Long COVID
Investigating the differences in vaccine and infection induced T cell immunity to SARS-CoV-2
Kiana Berry
Research Team
Oyime Poise Aula
Lea Lekieffre
Panteha Khaledi
Ben Leung
Funding
Unravelling the interplay between EBV genomics and host T cell immune regulation in multiple sclerosis (MRFF)
“Off-the-shelf” CAR-T cell immunotherapy for brain cancer (MRFF)
A phase III, multicentre, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial of SpironolacTOne and famciclovir in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: the STOP-MS trial (MRFF)
ALL IN – AI and Laboratory Led IdentificatioN of PASC (MRFF)
Publications
Compassionate access to virus-specific T cells for adoptive immunotherapy over 15 years, Nat Commun 2024 Dec 3;15[1]:10339.
Ablation of CD8+ T cell recognition of an immunodominant epitope in SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3. Nature Commun. 2022 Oct 27;13[1]:6387.
SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells generated for adoptive immunotherapy are capable of recognizing multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants. PLoS Pathog. 2022 Feb 14;18[2]:e1010339.
Further Information
Kirsty Short (University of Queensland)
Stephanie Gras (La Trobe University)
Kim Good-Jacobson (Monash University)
Yuan Zhou (University of Tasmania)
Bruce Taylor (University of Tasmania)
Simon Broadley (Griffith University)