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Research Groups
Clinical Research
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Kedzierska Group
Professor Katherine Kedzierska’s team researches immunity to viral infections, especially the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses. Her work spans basic research from mouse experiments to human immunity through to clinical settings, with particular focus on understanding universal CD8+ T cell immunity to respiratory viruses. Her studies aim to identify key correlates of severe and fatal respiratory disease in high-risk groups including children, the elderly, Australian First Nations people, pregnant women and patients with co-morbidities.
Other work areas include:COVID-19, Immunology, Viral Infectious Diseases
Current Projects
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To identify correlates of severe and fatal respiratory virus disease in high-risk groups
Enhanced susceptibility and exacerbated disease severity to respiratory viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2 can reflect over-activation of the innate immune system, impaired humoral and cellular immunity, and can be influenced by host genetic factors (HLA or IFITM3). Understanding the immune perturbations that lead to severe disease in high-risk groups will provide insight into how immune interventions might minimise the incidence of severe disease. Katherine’s group studies the contributions of virological, immunological, clinical, molecular and host factors to susceptibility, clinical severity and outcome for different high-risk groups: (i) young children and the elderly (with Professor Katie Flanagan from Launceston General Hospital and Dr Jane Crowe from Deepdene Surgery); (ii) Australian First Nations people (with Professor Jane Davies from Menzies and Professor Adrian Miller from Central Queensland University); (iii) pregnant women (with Susan Walker from the Mercy Hospital/UoM); and (iv) high-risk groups hospitalised through FluCAN (with Professor Allen Cheng and Associate Professor Tom Kotsimbos from the Alfred Hospital) and Shanghai Public Clinical Hospital at Fudan University in China (with Professor Xu). As part of their multidisciplinary approach, the Kedzierska Lab uses murine models to further define mechanisms and biomarkers underpinning severe and fatal disease from viral infections. Furthermore, their work also examines the efficacy of virus-specific immune responses to vaccination in high-risk groups, including Australian First Nations people and patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases (with Professor Benjamin Teh from The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre). These finding provide key information for vaccine development and delivery to protect these high-risk groups.
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To define ‘universal’ influenza-specific CD8+ T-cell responses across different human leukocyte antigens (HLAs)
Although CD8+ T cells confer broadly cross-reactive or ‘universal’ immunity to distinct influenza viruses and can limit influenza-induced mortality, the overall efficacy of human influenza A virus-specific CD8+ T cells directed at any conserved and/or variable epitopes remains unclear. Here, Katherine’s group aims to (i) understand influenza-specific CD8+ T cell immunity across different HLAs; (ii) determine the efficacy of immunodominant CD8+ T cell responses in humans; (iii) evaluate the conservation of immunogenic epitopes in birds, pigs and humans through analysis of viral evolutionary history; and (iv) understand immunity to clinically important but understudied influenza B viruses. This work has key implications for the design of universal broadly protective influenza vaccines not requiring annual reformulation. As the Kedzierska Lab have shown that current inactivated influenza vaccines do not induce CD8+ T cell immunity, their research also focuses on how to elicit protective CD8+ T cell immunity by vaccination.
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To unravel mechanisms underlying the early generation of human CD8+ T cell memory
Though immunological memory is of pivotal importance for vaccine development and immunotherapy, the molecular and differentiation pathways central to the generation of (particularly) human CD8+ T cell memory are poorly understood. Here, Katherine’s group aims to establish the key factors driving the early establishment of influenza-specific T cell memory. As memory is crucial for protection against recurrent infections, this work will provide novel insights into the generation and efficacy of human T cell memory populations and inform effective immunotherapy strategies.
Lab Team
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Laboratory Head
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Senior Research Fellow
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Senior Research Fellow
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Senior Research Fellow
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Senior Research Fellow
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Senior Research Fellow
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Research Fellow
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Research Officer
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Lily AllenResearch Assistant
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Jennifer HabelPhD Candidate
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Wuji ZhangPhD Candidate
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Isabelle FooPhD Candidate
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Howard HuangPhD Candidate
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Deborah GebregzabherHonours Student
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Dr Ryan ThwaitesVisiting Researcher from Imperial College London
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PhD Candidate
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Brown Group
Lorena’s group is dedicated to understanding different aspects of influenza virus structure and replication, as well as the host immune response to the virus that may impact on disease outcome. They study areas of vulnerability that can be targeted by vaccines and therapeutics to control seasonal and highly pathogenic isolates.
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Deng Group
While her team’s core task has always been on the molecular surveillance of influenza viruses and its methodology development, Yi-Mo’s group have been collaborating actively both within and outside the Centre on several research projects relating to the molecular characterisation and evolution of human or animal influenza viruses.
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Hurt Group
Aeron’s research team at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza works on aspects of understanding the replication and transmission of drug resistant influenza viruses, characterising novel drug resistance mutations, and the global movement and evolution of human and avian influenza viruses.
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Kent Group
Stephen’s group studies immunity to HIV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2. They are analysing a variety of vaccine strategies, including nanoparticle-based vaccines. They are studying a series of immune responses to gain better insights into protective immunity to important viral pathogens. They are developing monoclonal antibody therapies for HIV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 to improve the treatment of these infections. The Kent group works very closely with Dr Amy Chung’s laboratory at the Doherty Institute.
Other work areas include:COVID-19, Immunology, HIV
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Reading Group
Patrick’s group investigates how the body first detects and responds to respiratory viruses. They investigate viral attachment factors, cellular receptors and entry pathways, virus-induced activation of host genes and the mechanisms by which intracellular host proteins can block virus replication.
Other work areas include:COVID-19, Immunology, Viral Infectious Diseases
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Sullivan Group
Sheena’s epidemiology group at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza undertakes research into understanding influenza vaccine effectiveness and the validity of the methods used to estimate it. The group also provides technical assistance to partners in the Western Pacific Region of the WHO.
Other work areas include:COVID-19, Immunology, Viral Infectious Diseases
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Valkenburg Lab
The Valkenburg laboratory investigates viral immunity to emerging viruses with pandemic potential: influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2. Our work spans randomised control vaccine trials, observational studies of infected patients and animal models to decipher immune correlates to drive novel translational outcomes for specific diagnostics, targeted therapeutics and next generation vaccines for public health impact.
Other work areas include:COVID-19, Immunology, Viral Infectious Diseases, Public Health
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Wakim Group
Linda’s group’s main research focus is understating the mechanism of action and regulation of expression of antiviral proteins. Linda’s group also aims to characterise CD8 T cell responses within the lung following virus infection.
Other work areas include:Immunology
Anyone can be infected by influenza, but some people are more susceptible to infection, severe disease and clinical complications. Clinical studies at the Doherty Institute are focused on specific risk groups, seeking to understand characteristics of viruses and the immune system that result in increased susceptibility and clinical severity. In particular, current studies are considering:
- Young children and the elderly in collaboration with Deepdene Surgery
- Indigenous Australians in collaboration with Griffith University, Queensland
- High-risk groups of hospitalised patients in collaboration with the FluCAN network and Shanghai Public Clinical Hospital
Doherty Institute researchers are also characterising immune responses to influenza vaccination or infection in various groups of people, including:
- Health care workers in collaboration with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
- Patients undergoing renal transplantations in collaboration with Monash Health
- Infants in the first year of life in collaboration with Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Now recruiting volunteers
There are currently no Now recruiting volunteers
Current projects
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Influenza
How do cross-reactive memory B cells affect influenza vaccine titers?
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Influenza
LIFT: Investigating T cell immunity to influenza in Indigenous populations
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Influenza
Understanding immunity to influenza viruses in patients hospitalised with severe and fatal disease
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