Project: Blocking the development of secondary bacterial pneumonia
Wakim group
A complication associated with influenza virus infection is the development of a secondary bacterial pneumonia. Staphylococcus aureus is a frequent perpetrator of secondary bacterial pneumonia following influenza A virus (IAV) infection. These bacteria are a commensal organism found in the nasal passage of 20% of humans, and persistent nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus is a significant risk factor for secondary staphylococcal pneumonia in IAV infected patients. We are looking for highly motivated students to determine why influenza infection causes Staphylococcus aureus to transition from the upper to the lower respiratory tract resulting in the development of bacterial pneumonia.
Contact project supervisor for further
information and application enquiries
Wakim group
2 vacancies
The Wakim group research focus is understanding how T cells resident along the respiratory tract can be utilised to protect against influenza virus infection. Our main focus is to characterise the influenza virus fighting T cells in the lung and nasal tissue, identify factors important in their differentiation and longevity, and optimise approaches to lodge these highly protective T cells along the respiratory tract with the intent to improve influenza vaccine design and efficacy.
Wakim group Current Projects
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Blocking the development of secondary bacterial pneumonia
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
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Location, location, location – lodging virus specific T cells in the lung as an approach to protect against influenza virus infection.
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
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Exosomes – a role in influenza virus defence
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
Research degrees at the Doherty Institute are administered by the University of Melbourne.