Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine
Darren Pickering
- Senior Research Officer
- darren.pickering@jcu.edu.au
Stephan Karl
- Principal Research Fellow, Malaria and Vector Biology
- stephan.karl@jcu.edu.au
Melanie Koinari
- Research Officer
- melanie.koinari@jcu.edu.au
Denise Doolan
- Adjunct Professor
- denise.doolan@jcu.edu.au
Helminth secretomes: from vaccines to novel anti-inflammatory biologics (Old ID 22726)
Over the next 5 years I will use innovative approaches to develop a pipeline of helminth vaccine antigens and immunoregulatory biologics while progressing the current lead candidates through clinical development and testing.
Discovery of novel biomarkers for Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) infection related cancers – PTLD and cross-pathogen (Old ID 26525)
There is a large body of evidence indicating that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) actively contributes to the pathogenesis of multiple tumours. We hypothesize that the antibody response to EBV is altered in infection-related cancers. We are comprehensively assessing the antibody response to EBV in individuals with and without cancer (cases and controls) using our proprietary EBV proteome array, to identify an antibody signature which predicts cancer risk. The ultimate goal is an immunodiagnostic test to identify individuals in the general population who are at high risk of developing infection-related cancers. Extending previous studies, we will probe defined samples from PTLD and other EBV-infection related cancer studies provided by colleagues at Moffitt Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine to define IgA and IgG antibody repertoires
An integrated, multi-model bio-layer interferometry facility (Old ID 26412)
Biomolecular interaction research in Australia is currently constrained by low-throughput, labour intensive techniques that impede research progress and often forces it overseas. This project aims to develop a world class, integrated, multi-node bio-layer interferometry facility. This project expects to generate new knowledge in diverse areas of research ranging from biodiscovery to agricultural vaccine technology. Using biolayer interferometry, the leading-edge biomolecular interaction technique will provide significant benefits by developing high-significant assay techniques, thus enabling diverse streams of national benefit research and propelling Australia to the forefront of biomolecular interaction research.
Development of a Vector Management Programme at Intellectual Ventures Labs (Old ID 22721)
To develop support for and development of a vector management strategy and potential program for the Global Health Technologies Organization of Intellectual Ventures Labs. Activities will be development of a mosquito monitoring and control programs with an initial focus on malaria vectors including development of target product profiles for potential interventions and their development towards field evaluations.
Newly adopted tools and network against disease transmission (NATNAT). (Old ID 26848)
The proposed consortia and the NATNAT project, will support the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research (PNGIMR) and PNG NDoH to adopt a 'framework for rapid assessment and adoption of new vector control tools' (VCTs) [1] for PNG and the South Pacific Region, including VCTs targeted at controlling Anopheline and Aedine populations.
Envenomation, first aid and critical care of tropical jellyfish stings (Old ID 21777)
The first component of our research examines the use of vinegar for envenomings, and aims to provide evidence as to whether vinegar is beneficial or worsens an envenomation. The second component of our research examines whether the lethal effects of Chironex fleckeri venom are transient and whether there is a return of cardiac function. This has implications for good, effective and prolonged resuscitation. In the final component of our research, treatment modalities for Irukandji syndrome, has the potential to directly save lives and decrease the length of stay in hospital of envenomed victims as well as reducing the pain associated with the syndrome.
Tools to control Schistosomiasis (Old ID 22805)
We will construct a proteome microarray of Schistosoma haematobium proteins to identify vaccine and diagnostic antigens for African schistosomiasis. Vaccine antigens will be prioritised and tested in collaboration with the Sabin Vaccine Institute, and diagnostic antigens will be developed in a funded partnership with Merck. Merck are also contributing funds to this project.
Unravelling the correlates of protection against tuberculosis – Stage II (Old ID 26979)
Tuberculosis is a major global public health problem and continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality due to the low efficiency of the only licensed anti-tuberculosis vaccine, BCG. This project aims to unravel the immunological correlates that mediate protection against tuberculosis. Using high-dimensional immune profiling and microbiome analyses we will compare immune responses to BCG vaccination with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in children in the Torres Strait.
Exploring new treatments for box jellyfish envenomation (Old ID 22220)
The best medical treatment for big box jellyfish envenoming is uncertain. To improve future treatments, we will explore the cardiotoxic mechanisms of the venom and screen for new drug and antivenom treatments using our hi-throughput real-time cardiomyocyte (heart muscle cell) assay.
Secreted exosome-like vesicles from the carcinogenic liver fluke (Old ID 21477)
Parasitic worms secrete molecules from their oral openings and outer surfaces as they feed and reproduce inside their human hosts. These molecules are referred to as Excretory/Secretory (ES) products, akin to our saliva and sweat. These ES products represent the molecular interface of the host-parasite relationship. We recently showed that ES products from the parasitic liver fluke, a worm that is a major cause of liver cancer throughout parts of SE Asia, are taken up by cells lining the human bile ducts, the site where the parasite resides for years at a time. Until now the mechanisms by which these molecules are taken up and internalised by host cells was unknown. We now show that liver fluke ES proteins enter into human bile duct cells by forming small cell-like vesicles called exosomes. Once the flukes exosomes get inside human bile duct cells they induce a series of changes inside the cell which typifies the early stages of cancer formation. We now propose to better characterise the process of exosome uptake by human bile duct cells and exploit this information to discover vaccines to combat this carcinogenic infection and develop new tools to identify people who are most at risk of developing cancer from liver fluke infection.
Spontaneous fermentation of traditional sago starch in Papua New Guinea
- 2009
- Academic Press
- Researchers:Andreas KupzJeffrey Warner
Role for MyD88, TLR2 and TLR9 but not TLR1, TLR4 or TLR6 in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
- 2011
- American Association of Immunologists
- Researchers:Socorro Miranda-Hernandez
Immature murine NKT cells pass through a stage of developmentally programmed innate IL-4 secretion
- 2012
- Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
- Researchers:Socorro Miranda-Hernandez
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AITHM - Scientist for a Day
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