Ludwig Lopata

Prof Andreas L. Lopata leads the Molecular Allergy Research Laboratory in the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, and is Theme Leader of the 'Molecular Immunology Program' in the Centre for Molecular Therapeutics and the 'Seafood and Human Health' program within the Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture. He was previous co-director of the Centre for Molecular Therapeutics (CMT) and Associate Dean of Research for the College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences.

Prof Lopata is globally known for his work in food allergies, with the primary focus on applying molecular immunology and biotechnology to improve allergic reactions to seafood and monitor allergenic protein exposure. His research areas are very multidisciplinary ranging from the generation of recombinant allergens for improved diagnosis to the development of immunotherapy for sensitised consumer and vaccines to improve animal health in aquaculture systems. He is a strong supporter of the development of alternative food proteins to feed our fast-growing world population. He recently build a team to develop robust food safety assessment protocols for alternative food products derived from insects or cell based meat, in collaboration with the food industry.

Prof Lopata has been continuously funded by the National Medical Research Council and the Australian Research Council, often linked to industry co-funded projects and published 200+ scientific articles in the area of food safety and seafood. He is Chief Investigator within the Centre for Food Allergy Research-NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence and the ARC Research Hub for Supercharging Tropical Aquaculture.

He consults to various organisations including the National Measurement Institute and the International Union of Immunological Societies sub-committee on allergen nomenclature. Prof Lopata sits on the Editorial Board of the World Allergy Organisation Journal, Clinical and Experimental Allergy, Foods and Proteome.

Current/recent research project funded by Industry/ NHMRC/ ARC:

• Immunomodulatory vaccines in the treatment of peanut allergy; NHMRC Ideas Grant.
• Centre of Research Excellence in Eradicating Food Allergy: Prevention, Cure and Reducing Adverse Events; National Health & Medical Research Council - Centres of Research Excellence
• Probiotic Egg Allergen Immunotherapy for Treatment of Egg Allergy; National Health & Medical Research Council - Project Grant
• Centre of Research Excellence in Food Allergy: Towards eradicating food allergy: from population to precision prevention, early intervention, and management; National Health & Medical Research Council - Centres of Research Excellence
• Bio-molecular studies for improved diagnosis and management of Australian children with fish allergy; National Health & Medical Research Council - Project Grant
• Supercharging tropical aquaculture through genetic solutions; ARC Industrial Transformation Research Program (partners Cygnet Bay Pearls, Mainstream Aquaculture Group, Seafarms Group, The Company One, Seaforest, Australian Genome Research Facility, University of Queensland)
• A Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility for Modern Molecular Analysis; ARC Linkage Infrastructure grant
• Molecular and immunological approaches to managing Australia's seafood allergy epidemic; ARC Future Fellowship

Latest Book: Food Allergy - Molecular and Clinical Practice; CRC Press

Areas of interest for prospective graduate students

• Development of improved diagnostic tests for food allergy
• Detection and quantification of food allergens
• Biomarker and vaccine candidates for improved fish health
• Food safety aspects of alternative and novel food products