Hillary Vanderven

Hillary Vanderven is a senior lecturer and researcher in the field of Immunology and Infectious Disease at James Cook University in Townsville.

Hillary graduated with a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. specialising in Immunology from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. She went on to work as a Research Assistant in Transplant Immunology and as a Biology Laboratory Coordinator for undergraduate science students. Hillary moved to Melbourne in 2014, where she completed her PhD under the supervision of Professor Stephen Kent. Her Doctoral thesis focused on characterising the human antibody response to influenza infection, vaccination and immunotherapy.

Hillary's current research investigates the immune system's response to viral and bacterial pathogens, with the aim of improving diagnosis, vaccination and treatment of infectious disease. Her major focus is understanding the immune mechanisms responsible for preventing or controlling influenza virus infections in humans. Primary areas of interest include enhancing influenza vaccine responsiveness in highly susceptible groups (such as older adults) and treating severe influenza with novel antibody-based therapies.