Projects

3

Publications

41

Awards

38


Contact Details

Senior Research Fellow

Biography

Dr Jordan is Head of the Immunogenomics Research Group within the Discipline of Biomedical Sciences and Molecular Biology. She undertook a PhD in 2011, where she focussed her research on identifying genes involved in experimental autoimmune gastritis as well as genes involved in the development of Natural Killer T (NKT) cells, an extremely rare subset of T cells that are rapid responders of the innate immune system, that mediate potent immunoregulatory and effector functions in a variety of disease settings. In her current role, as Senior Research Fellow, she undertakes applied basic research to uncover neurological networks and pathways that may contribute to Multiple Sclerosis and other neurological and autoimmune disease. This immunogenomics approach involves both human-based studies and mouse models of disease and utilises several molecular tools, including the development of transgenic and knock-out mouse strains, congenic dissection of genetic linkage regions, gene expression microarray analyses, QPCR, Sanger and single-cell sequencing, transgenic construct development, flow activated cell sorting, and cell culture and microscopy techniques.

Dr Jordan's research achievements have been recognised through publications in high-ranking journals, including Nature Communications, Immunology and Cell Biology, Journal of Immunology, Frontiers in Immunology, Scientific Reports, Life Science Alliance, PLoS Genetics, Journal Immunology Research, and Rev Diabetic Studies.

Grant funding:

Dr Jordan has attracted funding from several sources, being awarded the prestigious NHMRC/MSRA Betty Cuthbert Early Career Research Fellowship ($300 000, sole-CI) and Category 1 research project grants from Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia (MSRA (2 X $240 000, co-CI) and NHMRC ($174 800, co-CI; $626,226, AI, NHMRC equipment grant $29 407, co-CI)). She has also received funding from, the Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre (TAAHC, $50 000 +$70 000 TUH, co-CI)),  the Australian Health Research Alliance Women’s Health Research, Translation and Impact Network (WHRTN, $15000, sole CI), a Single Cell Access grant from Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics & Molecular Biology (CTBMT; (~$8000 in kind, sole-CI) ), the Rebecca L Cooper foundation ($22 000 CIA), Rising Stars Research Grant (($15 000, sole CI), Proof of Concept Fund-Small business ($30 000, co-CI) 

Faculty of Medicine, Health and Molecular Sciences, JCU, ECR grant ($15 000, sole-CI), Competitive Research Incentive grants (CRIG; >$15 000), JCUConnect Research Grant ($30 000, co-CI), as well as several equipment grants. She has successfully obtained industry support from 10X Genomics & Millenium Science, with their "Start Single Cell" Fellowship Program. In addition, Dr Jordan has been named on > 15 previous Category 1 grants, including one based on research from her PhD. She has also been the recipient of 10 Travel awards for national and international meetings from the Australasian Society of Immunology (ASI), Neuroimmunolgy Australia (NIA), Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF), Australasian Microarray Associated Technologies Association (now AGTA), the Logan Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, JCU Faculty travel grants, the International Congress of Genetics (ICG) and Korean Association of Immunology. She has recently been awarded an MCR Travel grant to attend the annual ASI meeting in Sydney, Nov 2024.

Dr Jordan has been invited to speak at National and International meetings, including Immunology World Forum (IWF), Copenhagen, Denmark, 2021 (unable to attend due to Covid-19), Annual International Congress of Genetics (ICG), Dalian, Peoples Republic of China, 2016 and again in 2021 (unable to attend in 2021 due to Covid-19), International Congress of Neuroimmunology (ISNI), Brisbane, 2018, Brisbane Immunology Group meetings (BIG; 2009, 2017) and an African Genetics Society Symposium, Johannesburg, South Africa. She has delivered >38 oral conference presentations and produced >100 conference abstracts.

Editorial duties:

Dr Jordan’s editorial duties include Associate Editor of Inflammation, Review editor in 'Immunological Tolerance and Regulation' for Frontiers in Immunology and manuscript reviewer for  Scientific Journals, such as Frontiers in Immunology, Inflammation, Surgery Insights, ISCIENCE, CTI, and J Vet Animal Science. She reviews grant applications for NHMRC, Diabetes Australia Research Trust, the Logan Foundation, RL. Cooper Foundation, MS Australia and Fondation Recherche Medicale (FRM). She has also been abstract reviewer for the Congress of the Immunology of Diabetes Society, Australia and New Zealand Society for Immunology (ASI), Brisbane Immunology Group (BIG), Townsville Hospital Health Symposium, and examined PhD and Honours’ theses and Research and Travel grants for postgraduate students.

Society memberships/conference organisation:

Dr Jordan is a society member of ASI, ISNI, AAI and AGTA and an ASI committee member for QLD. She has organized the BIG meeting as part of ASI QLD committee each year since 2019, as well as the annual international meeting of the society (ASI), 2017, serving on the Scientific Program Committee. She was a Scientific Program committee member of ICG, China, 2016 and involved in organising Autoimmunity workshops in Sydney and the Whitsundays and Workshops for the Comparative Genomics Centre on Magnetic Island and Daydream Island, Whitsundays. She was a judge of the Student Research Presentations at the Townsville Health Symposium, 2015, 3MT thesis contests for several years and judged the Science Communications Prize at ASI, 2017. She has been invited each year to present a talk to laboratory-based Science Post Graduate students and a research based talk to Medical students with an elective in research. In collaboration with Corbett Research, she helped develop the chemistry used today by the Qiagen nucleic acid extraction robot.

Additional experience:

In addition, she has 11.5 years of experience as a Medical Scientist in Cytogenetics becoming an expert in identifying chromosome anomalies in human blood, bone marrow, amniotic fluid and CVS samples. She established/cryopreserved and deposited human EBV-transformed cell lines in the Coriell Cell Repositories; extracted DNA for population studies of peoples of Sub-Saharan origin; prepared centromeric probes and chromosome paints. Dr Jordan was instrumental in establishing the Fluorescent in situ Hybridisation (FISH) division within the Cytogenetics Unit, South Africa Institute of Medical Research (S.A.I.M.R). which facilitated further research of patient samples to better define translocations and the interphase analysis of numerical anomalies.

 

Teaching Duties:

               Co-ordinator:

BC4002/ BC4003 Honours in Molecular and Cell Biology” (now sc4111/sc4112 Honours in Biomedical Sciences and Molecular Biology) 2014-present

BC3102 (Molecular basis of disease) 2017-present

BC5102 (Advanced molecular basis of disease) 2017-present

BC5001 / BC5002/ BC5003 (constituting Masters’ by Research) 2018-2021

BC5312 (research and dissertation in biochemistry) 2012-2021

 

            Lecturing/workshop co-ordinator/prac lab supervisor and marker:
BC5102/ BC3102. ((Advanced) Molecular basis of disease) 2014-present

BC3202/ BC5202 Special topics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) 2014-2022

PC3102 (Health care for Pharmacists- Pharmacogenomics) 2016-2021

PC 2204 (Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics for Pharmacists –Pharmacogenomics) 2021-2023

PC1320 (Introductory Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy- Pharmacogenomics) 2024-present

BM1000/ TV1102 (Introductory Biochemistry and Microbiology-Biochemistry). 2024-present

MBBS3 (Research elective for Medical students) 2020-2023

BM4011/BM4012 (Honours in Biomedicine) 2024-present

BM1300 (Genomics) 2024-present

Dr Jordan has been involved in the training and general supervision of Honours students in South Africa and has given lectures/talks to Honours students in Human Genetics and to Medical Interns. She has also taught and supervised in excess of 100 staff and students molecular biology technical skills.

Research

Research Interests

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)

Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE)

Autoimmunity

Autoimmune Gastritis

Immunology

Genomics

Immunogenetics

Genetics of Immune Regulation

Gene Transcriptional networks

Microarray expression data

Bioinformatics

scSequencing

Projects
Research Collaborators and Partners
Burnet Institute
James Cook University
Central Queensland University
University of Melbourne
CSL - Commonwealth Serum Laboratories
Federation University Australia
James Cook University
James Cook University
Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute
University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
Monash University
Monash University

Teaching

Teaching Interests

Genetics

Genomics

Immunology

Molecular basis of disease

Pharmacogenomics

Cancer


Research Advisor Accreditation
Advisor Type

Mentor

Research Advisor Accreditation
Role

Chair; Independent Academic


Taught Modules
Current JCU Research Students
Investigating monocyte and NK derived MS genes by scSequencing, flow cytometry and cytotoxicity assays.
Doctor of Philosophy (Medical, Molecular and Veterinary Sciences)
Current Honours and External Research Students
G-protein coupled receptors Involved with Heat Sensitivity In Multiple Sclerosis
HONOURS- 2024
Syndecan Interactions with Fibrillin-1
HONOURS- 2024
Completed Honours and External Research Students
The Pallister Killian Syndrome in an African Individual.
HONOURS
Establishing Protocols to Dissect Monocyte Mediated NK Cell Cytotoxicity in Multiple Sclerosis
HONOURS

Activities

Awards
Education
Employment
Media
Outreach
Consultancy
Committees

Output

Lelliot, Emily J.; Ramsbottom, Kelly M.; Dowling, Mark R.; Shewbrey, Carolyn; Noori, Tahereh; Kearne...
Other Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Willson, Annie; Jordan, Margaret (2023) Cellular Cytotoxicity and Multiple Sclerosis. London, United Kingdom: [Non-Research Book Chapter] [DOI ...
Other Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Jordan, Margaret Agnes (2011) Dissecting the genetics of autoimmune diseases. [Thesis] [DOI] ...
Other Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Jordan, Margaret A.; Gresle, Melissa M.; Gemiarto, Adrian T.; Stanley, Dragana; Smith, Letitia D.; L...
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Sarkar, Sujan Kumar; Willson, Annie M.L.; Jordan, Margaret A. (2024) 'The Plasticity of Immune Cell . Journal of Immunology Resear, 2024 . [DOI] ...
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Smith, Moira; Williams, Gavin; Jordan, Margaret; Willson, Annie; Barker, Ruth (2023) 'The feasibilit. Physiotherap, 28 (2). [ ...
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Lelliott, Emily; Ramsbottom, Kelly; Dowling, Mark; Shembrey, Carolyn; Noori, Tahereh; Kearney, Conor...
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Dinh, Xuyen T.; Stanley, Dragana; Smith, Letitia D.; Moreau, Morgane; Berzins, Stuart P.; Gemiarto, ...
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Gresle, Melissa M.; Jordan, Margaret A.; Stankovich, Jim; Spelman, Tim; Johnson, Laura J.; Laverick,...
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Kling, Jessica C.; Jordan, Margaret A.; Pitt, Lauren A.; Meiners, Jana; Thanh-Tran, Thao; Son Tran, ...
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Field, J.; Fox, A.; Jordan, M.A.; Baxter, A.G.; Spelman, T.; Gresle, M.; Butzkueven, H.; Kilpatrick,...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Binder, Michele D.; Fox, Andrew D.; Merlo, Daniel; Johnson, Laura J.; Giuffrida, Lauren; Calvert, Sa...
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Pratama, Alvin; Srivastava, Monika; Williams, Naomi J.; Papa, Ilenia; Lee, Sau K.; Dinh, Xuyen T.; H...
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Baxter, Alan G.; Jordan, Margaret A. (2013) 'Plasticity is the differentiated state of CD4 T cells'. 10 (5):375-378. [DOI] ...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Baxter, Alan G.; Jordan, Margaret A. (2012) 'From markers to molecular mechanisms: type 1 diabetes i. 9 (4):201-223. [DOI] ...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Jordan, Margaret A.; Fletcher, Julie M.; Jose, Roby; Chowdhury, Shahead; Gerlach, Nicole; Allison, J...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Baune, Bernhard T.; Dannlowski, Udo; Domschke, Katharina; Janssen, Debbie G.A.; Jordan, Margaret A.;...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Jordan, Margaret A.; Poulton, Lynn D.; Fletcher, Julie M.; Baxter, Alan G. (2009) 'Allelic variation. 6 (2):104-116. ...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Fletcher, Julie M.; Jordan, Margaret A.; Snelgrove, Sarah L.; Slattery, Robyn M.; Dufour, Francois D...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Jordan, Margaret A.; Baxter, Alan G. (2008) 'The genetics of immunoregulatory T cells'. 31 (3):237-244. [DOI] ...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Jordan, Margaret A.; Baxter, Alan G. (2008) 'Quantitative and qualitative approaches to GOD: the fir. Immunology and Cell Biology, 86 (1):72-79. [DOI] ...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Ang, Desmond K.Y.; Brodnicki, Thomas C.; Jordan, Margaret A.; Wilson, Wendy E.; Silveira, Pablo; Gli...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Jordan, Margaret A.; Fletcher, Julie M.; Pellicci, Daniel; Baxter, Alan G. (2007) 'Slamf1, the NKT c. Journal of Immu, 178 (3):1618-...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Biros, Erik; Jordan, Margaret A.; Baxter, Alan G. (2005) 'Genes mediating environment interactions i. 2 (4):192-207. [DOI] ...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Baxter, Alan G.; Jordan, Margaret A.; Silveira, Pablo A.; Wilson, Wendy E.; van Driel, Ian R. (2005)...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Jordan, Margaret A.; Fletcher, Julie; Baxter, Alan G. (2004) 'Genetic control of NKT cell number'. Immunology and Cell Biology, 82 (3):276-284. [DOI] ...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Esteban, Luis M.; Tsoutsman, Tatiana; Jordan, Margaret A.; Roach, Daniel; Poulton, Lynn D.; Brooks, ...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Silveira, Pablo A.; Wilson, Wendy E.; Esteban, Luis M.; Jordan, Margaret A.; van Driel, Ian R.; Baxt...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Jordan, Margaret A.; Silveira, Pablo A.; Shepherd, Darren P.; Chu, Clara; Kinder, Simon J.; Chen, Ji...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Silveira, Pablo A.; Jordan, Margaret A.; Baxter, Alan G. (1999) 'Dissecting genetic mechanisms confe. 12 :10-16. ...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Jordan, M.A.; Marques, I.; Rosendorff, J.; de Ravel, T.J.L. (1998) 'Trisomy 8 mosaicism: a further f. Genetic Counseling, 9 (2):139-146. ...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Woodman, B.F.; Jordan, M.A.; Moller, L.I.; Cartwright, J.D.; De Ravel, T.J.L. (1995) 'The Pallister-. Genetic Coun, 6 (1):33-3...
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Yeh, W.; Gresle, M.; Lea, R.; Jokubaitis, J.; van der Walt, A.; Jordan, M.; Baxter, A.; Smith, L.; B...
Journal Contribution Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Baxter, A.G.; Gemiarto, A.; Oliaro, J.; Dinh, T.X.; Smith, L.; Godfrey, D.I.; Jordan, M.A. (2016) 'R ...
Journal Contribution ResearchOnline@JCU
Jordan, M.A.; Gresle, M.; Laverick, L.; Stanley, D.; Smith, L.; Spelman, T.; Field, J.; Johnson, L.;...
Journal Contribution ResearchOnline@JCU
Jordan, M.A.; Stanley, D.; Moore, R.; Crowley, B.; Baxter, A.G. (2016) 'The effect of microbiome/Tol European Journal of Immunol, 46 (S1) :292-293. ...
Journal Contribution ResearchOnline@JCU
Gresle, Melissa; Jordan, Margaret; Spelman, Tim; Stankovich, Jim; Johnson, Laura; Laverick, Louise; ...
Journal Contribution Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Field, Judith; Merlo, Daniel; Johnson, Laura; Giuffrida, Lauren; Perera, Ashwyn D.; Calvert, Sarah; ...
Journal Contribution ResearchOnline@JCU
Fletcher, Julie; Jordan, Margaret; Baxter, Alan (2004) 'Type 1 Diabetes and NKT Cells: A Report on t 1 (3) :139-141. [DOI] ...
Journal Contribution ResearchOnline@JCU
Jordan, Margaret A.; Baxter, Alan G. (2020) 'Genetic predisposition, humans' In: Jordan, Margaret A., and Baxter, Alan G. (2020) Ge...
Jordan, Margaret A.; Field, Judith; Butzkueven, Helmut; Baxter, Alan G. (2014) 'Genetic predispositi In: Jordan, Margaret...